(idea) Diy Pond

Here's a new idea I've had!

Basically it's a patio pond, but it's free standing. It would be in one of those terracotta planter box things, on the larger end (125 or so gallons).

A pond liner would line the inside. A big canister filter would be hooked up to the pond, providing filtration. A mesh would be over the top of it to prevent predators and leaf litter.

This idea's a little different to my other ones. This is because I'm actually making it

I'll post a build thread when I start buying. Any advice would be appreciated.

 

Sounds like a doer! Can’t wait to see pics.

 

Sounds like a doer! Can’t wait to see pics.

There will be pics for sure!

 

Ensure that the canister is protected from the elements unless its one approved for outdoor use!

 

Ensure that the canister is protected from the elements unless its one approved for outdoor use!

Alright, I'll put a tarp over it.

 

By pond liner you mean, lining the whole pot, right? A terracotta pot isn't water tight. I just wanted to make sure and throw that out there just in case.

 

By pond liner you mean, lining the whole pot, right? A terracotta pot isn't water tight. I just wanted to make sure and throw that out there just in case.

Yep, line the whole inside of it.

 

Ooh! Can’t wait to see it!

Are you going to plant it?

 

Ooh! Can’t wait to see it!

Are you going to plant it?

What's to lose? What would you recommend? It's not really a shaded area so it gets plenty of light. What about water lillies? Would goldfish kill them?

 

What's to lose? What would you recommend? It's not really a shaded area so it gets plenty of light. What about water lillies? Would goldfish kill them?

I wouldn’t trust lillies. My koi destroy them, so I wouldn’t trust my goldfish.

I keep my goldfish with anubias, java fern, hornwort, and anacharis.

A good trick to planted goldfish tanks is feeding duckweed often. The goldfish will be focused on floating plants and theoretically won’t disturb the other plants too much.

 

I wouldn’t trust lillies. My koi destroy them, so I wouldn’t trust my goldfish.

I keep my goldfish with anubias, java fern, hornwort, and anacharis.

A good trick to planted goldfish tanks is feeding duckweed often. The goldfish will be focused on floating plants and theoretically won’t disturb the other plants too much.

Will keep this in mind. I know a friend who has duckweed in their pond so I can just pick some out.

Thanks

 

I wouldn’t trust lillies. My koi destroy them, so I wouldn’t trust my goldfish.

I keep my goldfish with anubias, java fern, hornwort, and anacharis.

A good trick to planted goldfish tanks is feeding duckweed often. The goldfish will be focused on floating plants and theoretically won’t disturb the other plants too much.

I’m glad you added the word theoretically! Out of eleven water lilies I managed to save one. Anacharis is a midnight snack. Duckweed is gone the moment it’s in the water. They don’t bother the Hornwort or parrots feather. (I hate parrots feather). I want a water lily in there. But, as it is, I’ve got big river rocks I’ve got to get off the bottom of my pond. I had a huge floating tub with black tarot in it. Gorgeous. Had being the operative word. Water lettuce and hyacinth work ok. They keep the roots trimmed though.

 

I must have good goldies then. Vals, they don't touch. Dont touch amazon frogbit. Water poppies, they don't touch. Parrot feather they also don't touch. Ludwigia they don't touch... crypts they ignore.
So far, every plant my goldies ignore... the elements however, they enjoy the plants.

 

I must have good goldies then. Vals, they don't touch. Dont touch amazon frogbit. Water poppies, they don't touch. Parrot feather they also don't touch. Ludwigia they don't touch... crypts they ignore.
So far, every plant my goldies ignore... the elements however, they enjoy the plants.

Awesome! Give them hugs! Mine get a “REALLY!”? Just about every day. Actually had to build a bog pond for my black tarot, dwarf papyrus and dwarf cattails! Heathens. A pond full of heathens! They hear my voice and it looks like feeding time in the piranha tank! Or a huge birds nest. Mouths wide open. Tail flapping me. Pigs with fins. Only my pigs were cleaner!

 

Update: I have to make a decision.

Build a plywood pond or my original idea?
Plywood is more money, but a planter of the right size is a pain in the swim bladder to find.

I'll get photos of the two places I could put my pond.

By the way, some of you will remember when I said I would get the council to build a pond. Sadly they haven't followed up. I have tried calling but the line is always busy.

 

Update: I have to make a decision.

Build a plywood pond or my original idea?
Plywood is more money, but a planter of the right size is a pain in the swim bladder to find.

I'll get photos of the two places I could put my pond.

By the way, some of you will remember when I said I would get the council to build a pond. Sadly they haven't followed up. I have tried calling but the line is always busy.

Hurry with pics!

 

Ok. I'm still on my way home

 

Here are the two potential places I can put the pond.

Just ignore the tarp and the toolbox in one of the photos.

I'll post the dimensions for them later.

 

How close is the tarp/tool box to the house? I’m asking cause I’ve got two of my ponds right in front of our bedroom window. Our front porch overlooks them. At first I thought it was too close but then I realized how much easier it is to deal with as far as electric, feeding, checking on the fish etc. Of course our yard slopes down so cleaning is wonderful cause the water I can’t use on my plants can just run off. So with all that, which spot do you think would be better? If you go plywood, are you using a liner or pond armor?

 

How close is the tarp/tool box to the house? I’m asking cause I’ve got two of my ponds right in front of our bedroom window. Our front porch overlooks them. At first I thought it was too close but then I realized how much easier it is to deal with as far as electric, feeding, checking on the fish etc. Of course our yard slopes down so cleaning is wonderful cause the water I can’t use on my plants can just run off. So with all that, which spot do you think would be better? If you go plywood, are you using a liner or pond armor?

The toolbox is right against the wall.

Now that I think of it, my plywood pond would be nowhere near an outlet so I think I'll just ditch that lol

 

The toolbox is right against the wall.

Now that I think of it, my plywood pond would be nowhere near an outlet so I think I'll just ditch that lol

Yeah I found out the hard way just how many outlets it takes. Have the air pump, filter, pond pump, lights for each pond, vacuum (don’t have vac yet, expensive).

 

Have you considered a stock tank? I have two. I’m thinking of putting the biggest in the ground and the smaller next to it. Smaller would be a bog pond and the bigger main pond. Thinking I’d use pond armor instead of a liner. I know people use them without liners but the galvanized coating will eventually peak off in places. Anyway, I wish I’d gotten a round one. Hmmm...

 

Have you considered a stock tank? I have two. I’m thinking of putting the biggest in the ground and the smaller next to it. Smaller would be a bog pond and the bigger main pond. Thinking I’d use pond armor instead of a liner. I know people use them without liners but the galvanized coating will eventually peak off in places. Anyway, I wish I’d gotten a round one. Hmmm...

What is a stock tank?

 

What is a stock tank?

I keep forgetting where you’re at. It’s a round or oval container for goats, sheep, cattle, horses to get water from. Water trough?

 

I keep forgetting where you’re at. It’s a round or oval container for goats, sheep, cattle, horses to get water from. Water trough?

Oh I see! are they made of corrugated iron?

By te way we definitely have livestock here. Australia's richest individual is a beef tycoon

 

Oh I see! are they made of corrugated iron?

By te way we definitely have livestock here. Australia's richest individual is a beef tycoon

Well he may have money but that’s all he’s got.

The stock tanks here are galvanized molded metal. The tops are rolled so there’s no sharp edges and a drain on the side at the bottom.

 

Don't know if I'd trust the metal (leeching). I'll see what I can find in my local hardware store in terms of stock ponds. A liner will be easy to find

 

Don't know if I'd trust the metal (leeching). I'll see what I can find in my local hardware store in terms of stock ponds. A liner will be easy to find

Yeah, the galvanized metals have issues. The old ones you can never find are great. The new ones not so much. But with a liner would be awesome. I’m going with pond armor assuming I’ll ever get around to it. I’ll not be finished with my other ponds when I go. Way it’s going I won’t even have my forty long full of water.

 

I think here you can get rubber stock tanks, not in large sizes? But I could be mistaken. It's funny a friend and I were just out window shopping last weekend and one place had these beautiful HUGE marble basins, long oval shaped, about 7ft x 5ft and 3ft deep. My first thought was wow that would be an awesome plant/fish pond. My friend thought it was a bath tub. In the garden section. She kept talking about how uncomfortable it would be because it would take forever for the stone to warm up. Hey, I just went with it cause heck someone might actually like that *shrug*

 

I think here you can get rubber stock tanks, not in large sizes? But I could be mistaken. It's funny a friend and I were just out window shopping last weekend and one place had these beautiful HUGE marble basins, long oval shaped, about 7ft x 5ft and 3ft deep. My first thought was wow that would be an awesome plant/fish pond. My friend thought it was a bath tub. In the garden section. She kept talking about how uncomfortable it would be because it would take forever for the stone to warm up. Hey, I just went with it cause heck someone might actually like that *shrug*

That sounds like an awesome pond! I love marble!