Tropical Pond!

[Tory]

After commenting on the "does anyone own a redtailed catfish" poll earlier, it got me thinking - the only way I would let my other half have one, is if we had a tropical pond.......

How would you go about doing this and how would you view the fish at their best?

If it was you, what would you have in it?

 

[three-fingers]

I'd have it in a greenhouse and stock things that are mainly surface dwellers (aros), and have lots of plants around the sides where smaller fish can live and breed. Also water lilies.

Otherwise (like if I was only keeping a big red tail) I'd have it shallowish and with a light coloured bottom (such as blue) so I could see the fish, aso have it raised above the ground rather than under.

Basically, a big wooden frame of 2x4's with light blue pond liner (the stuff used with koi) and a couple of 75w halides suspended from the ceiling directly over lilies in pots.

Filtration would just be a cheap pond filter unit and pump.

Wouldn't be hard to do, but would require a whole room that would need to be very well insulated so it doesnt cost loads to heat and protected from moisture. It would also have to be on a ground floor due to the weight.

But it wouldn't be very hard or massively expensive if you plan it out right, it's just the space and location that are the issue.

 

[england]

Well the bloke who rescued my three big tinfoils has four large tropical ponds...if your really intrested i know quite a few people with tropical ponds...iam going to set one up next year,my mate has a tropical pond in a summer house, the rooms regulated with heating to keep water warm...

 

[Tory]

Thanks for the interesting replies guys! You certainly gave me something to think about three-fingers re the building - as did you nelly, the summer house is a clever idea!

Would still be interested in other peoples thoughts on what they would keep!

 

[snowflake311]

If you had a big house you could make a sweet pool with a little window to peak in at them. Go to YouTube and look up monster fish tanks or something like that. It's pretty cool.

 

[Gurglar]

I was contemplating this except i'd have it outside as we don't need heaters here as the water temperatures usually sit around 24-28 degrees in my tanks that i've got inside so was thinking why not add some tropical fish into a pond outside instead of goldfish.

Don't have a clue what i'd have in it though would need some decent sized fish to be able to see them and maybe some white gravel to be able to see them. I'd have few plants around the the pond for some shade but things that wouldn't drop to many leaves, then add some lillies and what not to the actual pond.

 

[MBOU]

For me, it would have to be a center feature in a huge room, tbh i would love to have my on aquatic shop!

I would want the tropical pond to be minimum size of about 8-9 meters long and at least 5-6 meters wide and about 2 meters deeb although i would probably want it sunk slightly into the ground but with a ledge at floor height of about 50cm wide around the inside before it drops down.

It would have to be bottom draining, kind of like a swimming pool system and have the return flow coming back in via a waterfall if possible. I would have extra thick reinforced glass window panels in the sides, maybe a step/ledge to sit on running round edge of pool and if in shop then maybe perspex/glass panels errected round top of pond because as much as some kids deserve to be fed to the fish, it might make the water quality quite poor

Fishwise, an Arowana would be a MUST have! I would also call round shops and offer to rescue 1 x Red Tailed Catfish, 1 x giraffe catfish and maybe 1x perruno catfish, just because these poor gorgeous beasties are just sitting in tanks desperate for more room!

Would also tank on 3-4 Pangasius too! And i would love a Tiger Shovelnose but would settle for just the normal smaller shovelnose.

Would love a larger snakehead species too if possible but it would have to be a case of add them and see how they all interact, i know at our Reading branch they have a tropical pond with an Aro, 3 Pangasius, a couple of Pacus, a RTC and 2 Giraffe Cats and some big plecs and a couple of other oddballs.

All fish would have to be rescues though, to help out all other shops needing to move fish on.

 

[Ludwig Venter]

Some good ideas you have...... The pond in my Avitar is an outside pond with blue Gouramis. I have 4 other ponds (outside) with Convicts, Guppies, Platies and Swords.... I'm currently busy setting one up for my Killifish arriving next week.

My main problem is with Dragonfly larvae and of course Kingfisher birds selecting from the menu every morning...... That is why a covering net is absolutely essential.

The reason for raising the tank would be to prevent overflowing when we have our cloudburst rains. I sometimes have fish swimming all over the lawn when this happens.

My filtering is all homemade plastic drums with filter media, pumping water from the ponds into the drum (at the bottom) and allowing an overflow back into the pond at the top. (if I need to heat the ponds,.... I place the heaters into this plactic drum and warm water overflows into the pond)

Ponds are low maintenance and the fish breed naturally and prollifically.

 

[Tory]

For me, it would have to be a center feature in a huge room, tbh i would love to have my on aquatic shop!

I would want the tropical pond to be minimum size of about 8-9 meters long and at least 5-6 meters wide and about 2 meters deeb although i would probably want it sunk slightly into the ground but with a ledge at floor height of about 50cm wide around the inside before it drops down.

It would have to be bottom draining, kind of like a swimming pool system and have the return flow coming back in via a waterfall if possible. I would have extra thick reinforced glass window panels in the sides, maybe a step/ledge to sit on running round edge of pool and if in shop then maybe perspex/glass panels errected round top of pond because as much as some kids deserve to be fed to the fish, it might make the water quality quite poor

Fishwise, an Arowana would be a MUST have! I would also call round shops and offer to rescue 1 x Red Tailed Catfish, 1 x giraffe catfish and maybe 1x perruno catfish, just because these poor gorgeous beasties are just sitting in tanks desperate for more room!

Would also tank on 3-4 Pangasius too! And i would love a Tiger Shovelnose but would settle for just the normal smaller shovelnose.

Would love a larger snakehead species too if possible but it would have to be a case of add them and see how they all interact, i know at our Reading branch they have a tropical pond with an Aro, 3 Pangasius, a couple of Pacus, a RTC and 2 Giraffe Cats and some big plecs and a couple of other oddballs.

All fish would have to be rescues though, to help out all other shops needing to move fish on.

Wow! that sounds v cool! I agree, id rescue monsters too. Your set up idea is fab too! I did giggle about the children comment
Im still deciding if I would want it indoors or out, if it were inside, id never get anything done!! But then again, if it was out, I wouldnt leave the garden lol!!

Some good ideas you have...... The pond in my Avitar is an outside pond with blue Gouramis. I have 4 other ponds (outside) with Convicts, Guppies, Platies and Swords.... I'm currently busy setting one up for my Killifish arriving next week.

My main problem is with Dragonfly larvae and of course Kingfisher birds selecting from the menu every morning...... That is why a covering net is absolutely essential.

The reason for raising the tank would be to prevent overflowing when we have our cloudburst rains. I sometimes have fish swimming all over the lawn when this happens.

My filtering is all homemade plastic drums with filter media, pumping water from the ponds into the drum (at the bottom) and allowing an overflow back into the pond at the top. (if I need to heat the ponds,.... I place the heaters into this plactic drum and warm water overflows into the pond)

Ponds are low maintenance and the fish breed naturally and prollifically.

Couldnt agree with you more - I cant believe the ideas that have been thrown in so far!! Some people have really thought about this! I agree with the raising of the pond - not just for overflow, but to enable a viewing window....

Keep em coming guys, am really enjoying this thread