40 Gallon Patio Pond Journal

[jmf3460]

This weekend I set up a Patio pond. I have always wanted an outdoor koi pond but have never pulled the trigger. Well Saturday I set up a small 40 gallon garden pond on my side porch that faces South. I used a 40 gallon cow watering trough, and went and got lots of marginal pond plants as well has a water lily and some floating water hyacinth. I've got the marginal plants planted in plastic baskets sitting on top of upside down terracotta pots. I just used pebbles and rocks from my driveway to plant them. I used water change water from my discus tank to fill this tank and will continue to do that as I begin to change water on this little pond. I do not plan to do waterchanges often, perhaps once every two weeks, but i will have to top it off probably every other day or so. After its all said and done I will have about $250 in this little pond. I am ordering a solar powered aerator on Amazon today and that will be all I need to purchase beside the goldfish once I find ones I like. I am also getting some mosquitofish (gambusia) to put in there this week for added mosquito control. I will add the plant names later. For now I just wanted to start my thread and show some pictures.
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[Second Hand Pat]

This is super Jacklyn and looking forward to pictures as it grows in. I bet you will end up with tadpoles in it.
Pat

[Phillydubs]

Well this looks really pretty and nice! I could see myself sipping a beer and enjoying something like this on a summer day!

I have to ask though, it looks rather well packed as is and the pants will grow and fill in? Most goldfish get pretty big and fast right? What would the plan be for adding fish? What will you do in colder months?

[jmf3460]

This is super Jacklyn and looking forward to pictures as it grows in. I bet you will end up with tadpoles in it.
Pat

Thanks Pat!!! Hopefully the mosquito fish and goldfish will take care of the tadpoles as I don't want a tadpole or mosquito breeding ground (I already have 3 of those lol)

Well this looks really pretty and nice! I could see myself sipping a beer and enjoying something like this on a summer day!

I have to ask though, it looks rather well packed as is and the pants will grow and fill in? Most goldfish get pretty big and fast right? What would the plan be for adding fish? What will you do in colder months?

Its not overly packed Phil, I the plants in the plastic baskets only go down about 6" into the water column and are held up by upside down terra cotta pots. All the others are floating plants with only roots going down into the water. I was not planning on doing koi or comet goldfish that get huge. Probably more of the fancy goldfish that stay relatively small and just two in there. In the winter they will probably have to reside in a brute trashcan/Rubbermaid container with an aerator in the basement.

[Phillydubs]

Got it thanks for the Info! I guess the pictures are very deceiving from the top.

I know next to nothing about Goldie's. But sounds cool!

I've heard of people in warmer climates using angles for these types of set ups as they seem hardy as well?

[jmf3460]

actually does anyone have any suggestions for a 40gallon patio pond as far as goldfish go? Now I am seeing that there are way more types than I thought.

[Debow]

Thanks alot! Now you got me intrested lol Like I need another water related project haha. It looks very cool and I will be watching as you grow it.

[jmf3460]

well last night during an awful thunderstorm, I went and purchased three ryukin goldfish. They are quite small now but really cute. I got one black, one gold and one white/orange combination. I did a bit of research and the ryukin stay smaller ranging 4"-8" and do well in 40 gallon ponds. I will have to bring them in during the winter though. I floated the baggie for about 2 hours, adding a half cup of water at a time. Then I did a big water change in the pond with discus tank water change water (carrying 5gallon buckets through my yard in the rain might I add) and plopped those suckers in. This morning they were alive and well. I fed them flakes and they ate as the flakes sank but didn't come to the surface yet. I had to get a flashlight to see them down at the bottom. Hopefully these underwater lights ive ordered will help me to see them. I also added some water lettuce
goldfish floating.jpg with the bag floating

[jmf3460]

i also bought this off amazon and it will be delivered tomorrow. hopefully it will work, https://www.amazon.com/Beckett-Corpo...+fountain+pump

i also bought submersible lights with a remote.

[Phillydubs]

Wow another lady on here who hits the ground running! You just took off with this! So cool!

Can I ask why the discus waste water as change water? Are you just trying to get some bacteria going? Or will this be your plan always for the pond set up?

Do goldfish prefer groups or anything like that or do they not care. Also what temps do they like and how do you plan to manage that?

Sounds like you got some cool stuff on order!

Oh and what happens in such a storm if the rain accumulates, just some spill over in the pond I assume?

[jmf3460]

Can I ask why the discus waste water as change water? Are you just trying to get some bacteria going? Or will this be your plan always for the pond set up?

Do goldfish prefer groups or anything like that or do they not care. Also what temps do they like and how do you plan to manage that?

Oh and what happens in such a storm if the rain accumulates, just some spill over in the pond I assume?

This pond is under an awning Phil, no rain can get to it. I will probably continue to use the discus water change water for this pond because it is full of nitrates and other minerals that the plants in this pond will soak up for fertilizer. Also goldfish do not require as pristine of water as discus do so the discus water change water is pretty clean for them. The water i siphon out of my discus tank has less than 10ppm nitrates, usually more toward zero so its really better than my regular tap water, and is a good temperature as out of my outdoor spigot would be really cold. From what i have read, these goldfish can tolerate temperatures down to the 60s and up to the 90s so for this time of year they will be completely fine. Even in the heat of august, this tank is in the shade from 11:30am on so i don't see it getting to hot. I don't think goldfish are a schooling fish like discus, but the three i have were together this morning when i fed them.

[EJ_B]

Very nice. I used to keep a similar set up. Watch that water lettuce and Hyacinth though. They start out kind of slow, but once they start growing they multiply very rapidly and will soon take over the entire surface. Their root systems also grow huge and may choke out your water lily.

[brewmaster15]

Looks Great Jacklyn! You will definitely be pruning the hyacinth alot!

One plant you may want to add is bladderwort
Its a very cool little insect eating plant. It has nice flowers that float.

Al

[jmf3460]

Very nice. I used to keep a similar set up. Watch that water lettuce and Hyacinth though. They start out kind of slow, but once they start growing they multiply very rapidly and will soon take over the entire surface. Their root systems also grow huge and may choke out your water lily.

Thanks for the advice EJ. I actually trimmed the roots on the water hyacinth already because they were just huge and I thought it might help promote new growth. but I did not know to watch out for it. I have had experience with water lettuce so I know how fast it can grow. Luckily I have other water barrels sitting around and my fish tanks I can use. what I am disappointed about is that some how some duckweed has started growing. I suspect it came stuck in the roots or something of one of my floaters. hate that stuff

[jmf3460]

Looks Great Jacklyn! You will definitely be pruning the hyacinth alot!

One plant you may want to add is bladderwort
Its a very cool little insect eating plant. It has nice flowers that float.

Al

bladderwort AL cool, wonder where I can find some of it. I have some hornwort in there floating around already because I saw it at southern states and grabbed some. I will try and find some bladderwort.