bucket pond

[moosefish09]

i am going to be setting up a pond outside. I plan to get a new 55 gallon size trash can and put some fish and plants in it. now for the fish, i plan to either put Endlers or mosquito fish and place maybe 15 to 25 adults in the container. i plant to let them stay in there all summer and take them in in the fall. i plan to grow anachris floating in the top of the container. and i plan to perform weekly water changes of about 60%

now for the questions, which fish would be easier or would be more highly recommended
is their another plant that can be floated freely and float(other than hornwort) and then be taken in and planted(if this is possible with anachris but i think it is)
and is the maintance regime adaquet

thanks for any replys in advance and cant wait to get it set up with some pics!:)

[Desertponder]

I'm not really sure a trash can would hold up against the weight of the water. I really think it will eventually bow out on the sides and possibly split.

[Sploke]

The rubbermaid Brute trash cans are used often for mixing SW. Pretty much any round trash can should hold up fine. The rectangular ones will bow terribly though. The round ones (obviously) aren't prone to bowing.

[moosefish09]

yeah i was planning on getting one of the grey round ones

[cguarino30]

Please use Endler's instead of Mosquitofish (I assume you are referring to Gambusia) as the Gambusia can be extremely invasive if they get into the local waterways. I've seen introduced Gambusia completely wipe out native species in a pond, as they are actually much more prone to eating fish fry than mosquito larvae. They will be equally easy to keep. Plus, I think Endler's are much nicer looking, much better demeanored, and you will be able to sell off any extra babies a lot more easily than Gambusia.

As for plants, maybe parrot's feather?

[moosefish09]

thanks for the advice and i was leaning towards the endlers but wanted to see if people thought they were hardy enough for outside
thanks for the heads up on parrots feather and it looks like ill be using that instead

[bettagurl]

The only way they'd get in local waterways is if you don't keep the top covered, or release them.

I prefer Mf, they get bigger, and have lovely color. They are also lovely t killing of adult and larvae mosquito's, I've seen mine snatch adults off of the water surface.

[cguarino30]

The only way they'd get in local waterways is if you don't keep the top covered, or release them.

That's simply not true; it happens. All it takes is a big storm (and a cover doesn't always stop them) to wash a few into a local stream and there you go. If you don't believe me, read up on it. And it's not just mosquitofish that this happens with. There are hundreds of pets worldwide that one way or another (and often without intentional releasing or free range) have made it into the local ecosystems. Just ask someone from Hawaii about Jackson's Chameleons, or those Burmese Pythons in Florida. We need to be careful that we make sure our pets are fully contained when we keep them in areas that they could form long-term populations.

Endler's will be more than hardy enough, assuming you bring them in before it get's cold. I live in PA, and the parrots feather does fine as long as long as there is no frost. Once the first frost comes, it all dies, so just make sure you bring it in before that.

[moosefish09]

i was planning on breaking the whole thing down and bringing it all in before it got to cold

[cguarino30]

you should be fine, then

[BoCoMo]

Maybe get a trough (metal or plastic) instead. You will be able to get more plants in there, they will get more light, you will have a better view and there will be more water surface area. JMO

[Desertponder]

I second the stock tank suggestion. Much sturdier, better lighting, more room.
You can buy a 100 gallon poly tank for about $59-$69 depending on where you buy it.

[serissime]

A big, light colored stock tank would be awesome. I'd love to keep fish in one of the giant rubbermaids from my barn. Plus the height (or relative lack of it) helps a lot with getting water into it (as opposed to a more vertical setup)

[thesixis]

I keep fancy guppies and water sprite outside. The fish have great colors and the water sprite grows above the water and it is very nice. Just my 2 cents.

[moosefish09]

nice idea with the stock tank and am gonna have to start doing some research

[rocker92]

i have never heard of the MF problem


in fact i think they give them away for free in California.. :)

[Jennie Beth]

Not sure where you are located, but out here any feed and farm supply place has at least the smaller tanks in stock, either galvanized or rubber. I have an 8' diameter (700 gallon) one on order to be my temporary pond until I can build the monster pond of my dreams! Googling rubbermaid stock tanks, or just stock tanks brings up all kinds of options, too.
Jen

[mel_20_20]

What kind of filtration do you need for an outdoor pond? I have a 6' clawfoot cast iron bathtub that I've thought about using. I don't know if I should sink it half way in the ground and then try to build stonework up around the edges, or set it up on the legs on a brick pad.

[biggdadyapisto]

As for plants, maybe parrot's feather?

that's very evasive it self don't let a single one go into any water ways as it will take over very quick its horrible here in Florida and it doesn't mind cold weather from what iv seen and i mean below freezing.

[cguarino30]

that's very evasive it self don't let a single one go into any water ways as it will take over very quick its horrible here in Florida and it doesn't mind cold weather from what iv seen and i mean below freezing.

I don't know about Florida, I can only speak for my own area, which is Southeastern PA, and I can personally attest to the fact that Parrot's Feather is not the least bit invasive in my area. I put it in my pond every year, and every year, it dies when the pond freezes over. You have to look at the individual invasive species risks for your given area.

[biggdadyapisto]

true just word to the wise about it being a really really hardy plant that might be evasive in their parts of the neighborhood

[Jennie Beth]

What kind of filtration do you need for an outdoor pond? I have a 6' clawfoot cast iron bathtub that I've thought about using. I don't know if I should sink it half way in the ground and then try to build stonework up around the edges, or set it up on the legs on a brick pad.

I had a roughly 600 gal pond and ran only the foam prefilter that came with the pump. I kept a few spare prefilters handy as they clog up with algae pretty quickly during the spring bloom, so I could be cleaning one and have another to run in the pond. It was heavily planted,had a vigorous waterfall, a frog, a snail or two, and anywhere from 4-15 goldfish at a time, depending on how long ago the racoon had been over for his fresh fish buffet :eek3:

As far as sinking it or not, depends on the look you want. Do you want it to look like a bathtub, or are you trying to disguise it? Somewhere on this forum there was a lovely pic of a pond done in a clawfoot tub. It sat on paving stones, I think, and was landscaped just like a fountain might be, as a little sculpture.

Jen

Found it! The pix are in the thread called 'bath tub pond???' post #29 by desertponder. Hope this helps.

[mel_20_20]

[quote] Jen

Found it! The pix are in the thread called 'bath tub pond???' post #29 by desertponder. Hope this helps.

Last edited by Jennie Beth; Yesterday at 10:28 PM.. Reason: found the pix I was looking for.

Thanks Jen,

The pics are cool. I think I would bury my tub and do rock work around it, if that would help resolve the problem of freezing in the winter.

We don't get down below freezing for extended periods here in Texas, but we do get there on ocassion. My bird bath freezes often, but I think that quantity of water would take longer to freeze.

If I did endlers I could bring them inside in the winter. What else would look good in a tub like that. My tub is 72 inches long by probably 22 inches deep by 24 inches wide. That's not really big enough for many goldfish, is it.

[Jennie Beth]

At the risk of being thrown out of the forum, I am not a fish expert(gasp!!)...my pond was more a watergarden with some fish than a fish pond with some plants. There are some beautiful, very tiny waterlilies available, that only get a spread of 1-3 feet. Just one would give you some good shade and hiding places for fishies. I think you could try the tropicals, being in a warmer place than I am, but they generally don't survive the winter in the pond, and I don't know how big they get.

There is a formula for inches of fish to surface area..."as a general rule, each inch of fish should have 6 square inches-1 square foot of water" but as I have read many, many times on these forums, goldfish are messy, messy little fishies, and they get bigger than they started in the little plastic baggie from the pet store! They can tolerate a bigger temperature change than some other fish, but not for extended periods of time ( also out of my pond book!) Might be a good idea to bury or insulate it for 'getting too hot' reasons as well as the freezing issue, come to think of it.

Jen

[dixienut]

use a water fountian they sell them at walmart you'll need water movement for oxygenation or the heat ofthe summer and no water movement will kill the fish
also trough will have more surface area to get oxygen in there , i had a large air driven sponge filter just for water movenment in my horses stock tank for my goldies i put in there every spring,.. and anacharis and frogbit on top but with no shade they both get kinda bad looking frogbit turns a purple color and anacharis is toast after a while IF in direct sun,.
i even weighted it down in a 100g trough

also google up a tractor supply store should be one aroun somewhere
they sell rummermaid troughs for under 100.00 and cheaper ones around 50.00 i have both and cheaper one is great for fish,.. just not large animals as they tend to shove them and crack the sides,.. but way tough for fish,..

[RodInCALIFORNIA]

yes mosquito fish are gave away for free in the summer here in california we have a big west nile virus problem.