Need help with outdoor pond

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Pyramid_Party

Pyramid_Party

Fire Eel
MFK Member
Aug 6, 2008
4,916
4
68
Monterey, CA
Hello,

So I am planning to put together a small pond. I am gonna keep it simple with just buying a plastic bin about 50 gallons from home depot. I live in southern california, so based on that I need help selecting plants and fish. Also picking a good location. Like how many hours direct sun, how many in shade. Do I need anything to provide water movement? I am hoping this pond can sustain itself, is it possible?


Possible fish might be Flagfish, although I don't know how well they'd hold up. Or some natives like dwarf sunfish. As for plants I have no idea. I have some planted tanks but most of the plants are tropical. I have some Marsilea Quadrofoila (clover) that is a pond plant I believe.
 
Can it sustain itself? Yes, if you are only going to be growing plants and mosquitos.

You can dig it half into the ground, but you are going to need a filter. Fish just don't live in water with nothing to it. There needs to be water movement or it will become stagnant.

I say ditch your half pipe idea, and do some research first on adequate materials for outdoor ponds, and filtration.

Also, take into consideration about how hot your water will be getting and for how long from being in the sun.

And if it's only gonna be 50 gallons- NO KOI or GOLDFISH!
 
It's only gonna be dwarf sunfish. They don't even get 2 inches. I have had several people tell me it would be fine with just plants. I see many videos on youtube also with people with ponds jsut like this, alot of them smaller too (like a flower pot). As long as I had 60% plants in the pond atleast is what I was told, it would be fine. Infact the sunfish prefer stagnant water. I was told some water changes would be all that I need too. I could also build a DIY filter. The pond only gets like 3-4 hours direct sun, and maybe like 2-3 hours more of partial sun.
 
With only 50 gals. of volume, I would be careful with placing it in any direct sun. There are plenty of plants that will do fine in part-sun to dappled shade.

Burying it half in the ground is a good idea. A better idea would be to use the 50 gal. bin as your filter for a larger pond. I would think Craigslist should have some preformed ponds for sale in your area. Something 200 gals or more is a start. A small piece of liner and underlayment won't cost that much either and allows for a more flexible design.
 
I know but we plan to move in less than 2 years. So this needs to be something that can be torn down and taken away. I would really love to do a bigger pond. There is only really just like 2-3 hours direct sun, rest of it is partial. It is near shade too, plus I have a big yard umbrella I am thinking about using if it is too hot. I plan to test for temps in the water, test for ammonia, nitrates, PH etc. I am not planning add fish for about a month. Only thing going in here are very small fish that are able to live in heat and cold in my area.

I could build a DIY filter, got most of the stuff now. ONly thing I need are sponges and lava rock, and tubing. I have a power socket outdoors. My only concern is the rain. WHat do others do when it rains? How do you protect the power socket?
 
Here is the pond set up. The plant in the corner sticking out of the water is an Iris, then there is tons of Anacharis and Parrot's Feather all along the bottom, and on top I have two Water Hyacinth's, that are a little ugly. I buried the bin maybe 4-5 inches in the ground. The bottom is soil with pea gravel on top.

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And that's going to be #1 breeding ground for mosquitos- nothing more to be honest with you.

But, uhm yeah.. good luck.
 
Another guy has something smaller than this and it works. We are from the same area too. Mosquito fish, flag fish, and pygmy sunfish would eat all the insects here. Plus I can do water changes, add a power head or a DIY filter. As long as I keep the fish small then I don't see a problem. The fish I mentioned above thrive in conditions like these.

I have also talked to a few experts who raise natives, who run ponds and pond business's and they did not express any concern with this.
 
Then if it's not an issue or concern why would you even post this thread? Kinda pointless.

You asked some questions in which you are pretty convinced you already know. So... again the point?

If you want to keep your fish in a stagnant puddle, then so be it.
 
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