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Budget Pond

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.
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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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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).
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just wrapped the inlet in some sponge.

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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.
 
Solar pumps, hmmm.




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


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