# Budget Pond



## Gill (10 Apr 2016)

I represented my office last year in a grass sculpture competition.
And Left one of the designs that did not grow in time for the deadline, in a shady spot on the patio.
I used an old washing up bowl and it holds about 30 litres.
It has filled with rain water over time and the Grass has covered the Bogwood it was planted onto.
The Planting medium used was Coir which is about 2 inches deep.
Wondering whether I can use this and plant directly into the Coir and turn it into a Patio Pond.

Thinking of planting with Trimmings from the Main tank and a few marginals.
For fish was thinking maybe be Gold WCMM or some Gold Medaka


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## martin-green (10 Apr 2016)

I would say that is not a suitable home for fish. 
1) Its too small
2) Its temperature will vary too much due to the sunshine being able to rapidly heat the water
3) No filtration
4) Too much plant growth = reduced surface area
5) No food for fish
6) Anything else.


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## Gill (10 Apr 2016)

martin-green said:


> I would say that is not a suitable home for fish.
> 1) Its too small
> 2) Its temperature will vary too much due to the sunshine being able to rapidly heat the water
> 3) No filtration
> ...



Wow you really do come off like a troll in your posts, without much actual knowledge at all

Thanks for the Input, although this would not be my first Nano pond with Fish, Shrimp Etc. Have 6 other ponds in the garden ranging from 100 to 10G. thanks though
There are alot of fish that would be suitable for a Patio pond of this size, that thrive in such Temperate waters. 
Have housed Heterandria formosa, NeoHeterandria Elegans. Egyptian Mouthbrooders, Paradise Fish, Threadfin Rainbows, Platties, Zebra, Pearl, Leopard - Danios, WCMMs, Endlers, Limias, Rice Fish. shame there is such a small market for cold/ temperate water fish locally. 
Think I still have one of those Solar powered Air Pumps, So can Have a Sponge/box filter in it. Although with the right planting, would not be necessary really. 
In Regards to Food, why would there be no food for the fish. There are all sorts of critters in it already, and can just feed them like any other pond or tank. I Grow Live foods for my fish anyway. And Have Daphnia, Cyclops, Brine Shrimp, Gamarrus, BloodWorm, tubs going. Although the Brine Shrimp is a little slow to get going this year_(May need to reseed it with a bag of adults_). 

Think I will so how the Red Cabomba looks in this, with lots of cuttings from the main tanks inside. And might try a Tiger Lotus in it, as they have been doing well at low temps indoors. 

Not sure what is in the Bogwood storage Bin. There has been all sorts of fish in that over the years, Think there are some Flagfish and platties in it at the moment from last year. 
Do need to check the water features in mums garden to see how the snail population is doing dumped a load of different ramshorns in their last summer.


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## martin-green (11 Apr 2016)

You asked for opinions for turning it into a pond, I then gave you my opinion of your idea,  it is not my fault you do not like my opinion.


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## Martin in Holland (11 Apr 2016)

Be nice to each other gentleman


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## rebel (11 Apr 2016)

Are you thinking of using this container for the actual pond or just to grow the plants? As a pond, this container would be too small. I've tried with these small containers and they can overheat easily.


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## Greenfinger2 (11 Apr 2016)

Hi Gill, Fantastic Idea  I am thinking of doing something like this in a builders bucket over our allotment as Zozo--- Marcel sent me some Purple fire lotus seeds 
So looking forward to seeing how and what you do with yours set up 

Following


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## Gill (11 Apr 2016)

Builders Buckets are great as they dont split very easily. 
I like using the washing up bowls as they can stay outside all year round. 
The nano Ponds I used to have in the front garden were ever so nice once the plants started to fill in. 
If I can find some Heterandria, will def use them. as the tiny size and the fact they can take some very low temps makes them good for controlling mozzies that always end up in the tubs.


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## Aqua360 (11 Apr 2016)

Without coming off as a troll, I also would not stock fish in it; given the reasons of temperature fluctuations, lack of filtration etc; but, if you're confident it can be done, then have at it.


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## Gill (11 Apr 2016)

No worries, I experiment Alot. And have had success with Patio Ponds in the Past. And reading up on the fish you can keep in sizes like these. 
Reading about medaka/paradise tubs is very interesting. 
My Solar powered Kit has been chewed on by the rat in the garage_(had a look after work this evening)_. So found a new kit for £5 so that should be here in the next few weeks. And will just fit some Jap matt to it. hey presto patio pond filter done. 
Have quite alot of pond plants to choose from from all the tubs etc in the garden. but will add lots of cabomba. as like it and it provides lots of surface area for things to grow on and hide in. 
Will get some fish etc for it when ready. 

Will post pix as it evolves over the next few weeks. 


Here are some old ones.
The Large Barrel was Mainly Danios, and Platties
The Tank Was - Paradise Fish, Platties, BN Plecs, bulldog plecs. 
The Small Tub, did house mouthbrooders. 


 



Paradise Fish Barrel, (Builders Blue Barrell cut Down) had i think a few spawns in here. No filters, just used plants and the massive Flag Iris


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## rebel (12 Apr 2016)

Very cool! Didn't realise this could be done. [ runs off to find a shaded area in the garden ]


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## frederick thompson (12 Apr 2016)

Interesting nice one fred


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## frederick thompson (13 Apr 2016)

Yeah gill I am all for liking something new.well new to me anyway. I may have a go at it some time once my pond build has been finished.  Yeah like it alot.keep it up mate.


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## frederick thompson (18 Apr 2016)

Gill when you said you had fish in them . What happened to the fish. Did you move them to something else.
This really interests me. As I might get my grandsons to have a go at this. It could be a nice little learning thing for them to do. Also grow plants for my pond. Kill two birds with one stone so to speak ha ha. Best fred


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## Gill (18 Apr 2016)

Fish were simply moved into another tank or pond when it was too cold for them. Although Neo/Heterandria Formosa can stay out all year round. 
There are alot of people in scotland that keep tub ponds with coldwater species in them all year round.


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## frederick thompson (19 Apr 2016)

Cheers Gill thanks for the info pal. Keep it up mate your very knowledgeable. Great work mate. By the way my pond has just been rendered.  Best Fred


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## frederick thompson (20 Apr 2016)

Keep it up mate.


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## roadmaster (20 Apr 2016)

I too would want something larger than the wash up pan and something I could see the fish/invert's in other than when they may be near the surface.
I keep guppies outdoor's in summer along with bait fish in plastic stock tank's or galvanized stock tank's used for watering cattle.
Biggest trouble for me is triple digit temp's, and raccoon's.


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## Andy D (29 Apr 2016)

Hey Gill,

Just catching up with this. They look good and reminds me that I really need to sort my pond out this year.

I keep WCMM in mine, all year round.


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## Gill (14 May 2016)

pump arrived so going to make a start on this, this weekend.


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## frederick thompson (14 May 2016)

Whatype of pump did u get gill very intrested fred


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## zozo (14 May 2016)

Gill said:


> Builders Buckets are great as they dont split very easily.
> I like using the washing up bowls as they can stay outside all year round.
> The nano Ponds I used to have in the front garden were ever so nice once the plants started to fill in.
> If I can find some Heterandria, will def use them. as the tiny size and the fact they can take some very low temps makes them good for controlling mozzies that always end up in the tubs.



What about?? Not that expensive and the older they get the better they look..  Can't say that from builder buckets.


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## frederick thompson (14 May 2016)

Wooden barrel s look a lot better then builders bucket. Better looking  fred


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## Gill (15 May 2016)

Put this together this morning.
The Coir did smell bad so emptied it onto the flowerbed.
There is no brand on the pump, i just searched for solar powered pond pump on ebay. and this one was under £5 delivered
Used some old gravel, built up the height using a blue brick. for the bogwood to sit on.
Put in a load of cuttings from the main tank and set up the pump. did take about 15 mins for it to get going fully.
Really like the pump and came with 5 different nozzles for the outlet.
going to see how this goes, and will add some heterandria to it, when i find some. (missed this mornings fish auction in solihull).











just wrapped the inlet in some sponge.







 


http://vidmg.photobucket.com/albums/v125/psgill00/20160515_120648_zps1rfcf4fb.mp4


Going to get some willow trellis thingy to go around the basin, and some cobbles to go around it.


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## martin-green (15 May 2016)

Solar pumps, hmmm.




I really do wish you luck, as the one thing we don't have in the UK is sunshine.


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## killi69 (15 May 2016)

Gill said:


> Although Neo/Heterandria Formosa can stay out all year round.
> There are alot of people in scotland that keep tub ponds with coldwater species in them all year round.



Great project Gill and thanks for sharing. The last couple of years Ihave been focussing my fish hobby more on keeping a number of species outdoors all year round in 60L-250L tubs. These include Aphanius, Fundulus, Notropis and Macropodus species. All of these thrive with the seasonal weather conditions and fish like Aphanius and Macropodus cope very well with temperature fluxuations during summer days/nights as well.

It would be interesting to find out more from you about being able to keep Heterandia formosa outdoor all year round, as you mentioned in an earlier post. Their distribution range suggests they do not experience our cold winters in the wild. Do you have experience of keeping Heterandia formosa yourself?

I will be following. Regards, Andre


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## Gill (15 May 2016)

Cheers Guys it is the same pump as in the youtube video. Is working well so far. 

Also have kept HF quite a few times and have had success with them outdoors here in the uk. I like the portability of tub ponds, as you can move them around and change them round easily enough.


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## martin-green (15 May 2016)

I was trying to find this one.


It shows that we do need a lot of sunshine for a solar pump to work.


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## zozo (15 May 2016)

martin-green said:


> I was trying to find this one.


http://www.primrose.co.uk/smart-solar-sunjet-150-pump-water-feature-p-9688.html
I believe it's this one..


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## frederick thompson (16 May 2016)

I have run solar gear in the past. And some of them you have to let it charge up in the sun first for a few hours. Before use. Then you get the power out of them.


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## zozo (16 May 2016)

If you realy want to experiment with that i can advice you Banggood.com for Cells, chargers, batteries and many more?


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## martin-green (17 May 2016)

frederick thompson said:


> I have run solar gear in the past. And some of them you have to let it charge up in the sun first for a few hours. Before use. Then you get the power out of them.



Only true if it has batteries.................but the ones in the clips do not have batteries.

Then there is the question of  what happens when there is not enough sun to run the pump? Oh, the batteries take over, but what charges the batteries? oh the sun, but the sun isn't bright enough to make the pump run.........and so it goes on.

Yes, you can buy a big solar panel and some batteries, oh and you need a Voltage regulator and you need "deep cycle" batteries and you want to do what with it? 

I have looked into this several times, and to have something even vaguely decent in the UK costs more than it is to have a mains pump supply installed (And then you can run it at night and add lights)


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## frederick thompson (2 Oct 2016)

Gill how s it going mate. Did the solar pumps work through the summer mate. And did you get full satisfaction out of them. I think your project was brilliant mate. My grand kids had a go with this in buckets. And it worked for them. And the most important think is they really enjoyed it. Best fred.


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## Gill (19 Oct 2016)

frederick thompson said:


> Gill how s it going mate. Did the solar pumps work through the summer mate. And did you get full satisfaction out of them. I think your project was brilliant mate. My grand kids had a go with this in buckets. And it worked for them. And the most important think is they really enjoyed it. Best fred.



Hey fred, sorry for the late rely. 
Really enjoyed this and it looked great. Grew very well over the summer. and some of the stems emerged and flowered, as well as the hydrocoytle
Have put the pump away to use next year.


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## frederick thompson (20 Oct 2016)

Nice one Gill did the pump work well for you. You happy the way thing s developed.
You sound as though you are. Great project pal. All the best Fred


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## Gill (20 Oct 2016)

yeah the pump worked great and very pleased with how easy it was to setup and maintain. or should i say how much you did not have to touch it once going.


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## frederick thompson (20 Oct 2016)

Great stuff. Glad it worked out mate


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