Costs to build an algae pond can vary widely based on size, the type of pond, and a variety of other factors. In general, open pond systems will cost far less than closed pond systems, which means for the same amount of money, you’ll have hundreds or thousands more gallons of water with an open system. With an open system, the two largest costs will be excavation plus a flexible pond liner, like an RPE liner from BTL Liners.
Closed systems will require specially designed reservoirs to contain water plus lots of individual parts that all need to work together perfectly for the system to function and the algae to flourish. While this type of system is more expensive to build, you’ll need it if you plan to create a bioreactor, or if you are producing a type of algae that only grows in carefully controlled closed systems.
