steel selection for a landscape water basin project

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This is not directly a welding question, so I apologize in advance if I am in the wrong place to ask this question. I have a project for a series of water basins that are to be used in a landscape project. They will be placed in a series on a stepped wall and the water will flow, via gravity, from one step to the next and into a receiving pond where the water is pumped back to the top end. I plan on welding each basin together from 3/16" mild steel, and notching one end for a spout to control the water flow. From an aesthetic standpoint, I want them to develop a protective rust film. I've read about Corten but this alloy may create a budget problem for the thickness I require. So my question is, will mild steel develop, over time, a rust coating that will stabilize and not create problems with water color?Thanks in advance.
Reply:No, but Cor-ten is not good for underwater use either.
Reply:Thank you. Can you recommend a material for this project? My welding equipment is a Hobart Handler 210MVP.
Reply:Jeff,I'm pretty sure that if left untreated mild steel will turn the water in that kind of closed system into a murky mess in short order.
Reply:I like the idea of stainless, you can use a patina to get the brown finish.SqWave 200Millermatic 190Airco 200 ACHypertherm PM45Boice-Crane Band SawVictor O/A
Reply:Originally Posted by JeffNolanThis is not directly a welding question. So my question is, will mild steel develop, over time, a rust coating        (Yes it will develop a rust coating, that will continue to develop)that will stabilize and not create problems with water color?Thanks in advance.
Reply:How about spray on truck bed liner? JohnSent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk
Reply:How large are these gonna be ?? Stainless would be the best but you may need a loan to buy enough.   How about having it copper lined ? What about those plastc water tanks ? Buy one or two that are close to your size , cut in half , and set inside. Then maybe a stainless frame or ring over the steel and the insert ?
Reply:There are 5 units that are 8' in length, 12" wide and 16" high. 1 additional basin is 12' 7" in length, 24" wide and also 16" high. @bistineau offered a good suggestion that I may end up following, which is to do them in steel and spray on a marine epoxy finish. I was thinking about this a bit, and because the submerged part is obviously the inside, I may spray the inside with epoxy and treat the exterior with vinegar, hydrogen peroxide and salt to accelerate the rusting process. This will achieve the look I'm going for while managing the budget.  Originally Posted by BD1How large are these gonna be ?? Stainless would be the best but you may need a loan to buy enough.   How about having it copper lined ? What about those plastc water tanks ? Buy one or two that are close to your size , cut in half , and set inside. Then maybe a stainless frame or ring over the steel and the insert ?