Small Free Standing Ponds

Is it at all possible to create a pond-like environment using a trough or large bucket? for me to maybe put a few fish into it? (this'll be next year) or is it too stupid to even think of doing this? I wanted to put it in one of my beds and then have plants grow round the outside of the trough to hide it..

thanks for any advice!

 

yes I have seen several examples of buckets or similar with pond plants in it. Regarding fish though they may have different requirements.

 

Not a stupid idea Kyle; depends though how many fish you were thinking on how big the pot should be, 2-4 goldfish in a well planted tub wouldn't need any pumps etc, but if you're thinking of quite a few fish then you really need to be looking at small pumps/filters too.

Take a look at the giant tubs half way down the page on this link, available without drainage holes and ideal for water features


http://www.hartcanna.com/

These are obviously very large, but even a standard sized half oak barrel should be ok with a couple of goldfish if its planted up correctly

 

I was thinking maybe a few goldfish, some nice plants in there too. Been looking at some troughs on websites.. might be the avenue I take. Just want it so I can hear fish swimming about when I'm out there on my patio



an example, like the look of this!

Will check the link now, Bilbo. Cheers!

 

The point is that they will freeze to death in winter ....unless a thick protection , or the bucket should be sanked in the soil.
I`m actually think of a similar solution at the moment , but i think i will ask a price for a fabricated large bucket.

 

I might just go for plants then. Fish were just an added bonus!

Thanks for your advice everyone!

 

Even without fish, the water and plants will encourage other wildlife to your pond: water boatmen, pond skaters, damselflies, dragonflies. If you are very fortunate, maybe newts and perhaps even frogs/toad.

Actually "hearing" fish while you are out there isn't very likely anyway; unless they are having a bit of rumpy pumpy and that isn't too often. If it is water sounds you would like, perhaps a small fountain?

 

I was going with small water feature because I have 3 small nephews and a niece and everyone will go mad if I did something they could fall into.. and probably couldn't afford to buy a water fountain sadly!

 

Oh, totally understand about children/water features *shudders*

When I said water "fountain" I meant a pump thingy

Although I do have a garden pond, which I inherited when I moved in, I also brought with me a pebble fountain from my previous home. Doing the electrics to rig it up again was never going to be Mr Mum's forte (bless him!).

This year, I bought a Jupiter solar pump and rigged it up in my secret garden with the pebble fountain base stuffed into a plant pot (didn't want to dig it in because I may not have liked it ) It works like a charm and I've had no problems with it, but still get the tranquility of tinkling water.

 

Thank you, MF
I've had to transfer the pebble fountain out of the pot it was in (in the picture) and put it in the blue pot (upturned behind it) because ... silly billy me, didn't consider how the weight of the stones/pebbles would buckle the outer rim We live and learn, eh!

 

Look at this thread Kyle........
http://gardenerscorner.co.uk/forum/threads/cant-have-a-pond-so-ill-have-a-bucket.43725/
Also........
http://www.1000waterfeatures.co.uk/...es=&sizes=&brands=&materials=&accessories=213
Small fountain pumps aren't that expensive.

 

I bought a plastic cold water tank (intended for the loft) put polystyrene around it and clad it in what was left of my shed when I dismantled it. It was about 2" x 3" and 2" high as far as I can remember I brought it with me when I moved house until I had the new pond built. My fish didn't freeze in the winter but I do live in somerset which is usually fairly mild.However big you have a pond it's never big enough, just like greenhouses!

 

I have a small tub originally just a water feature, but then lots of mosquito larvae started developing in it so i decided to add couple of fish to eat them up.

 

I can't really add much, other than a point that I would have overlooked, that I read in one of my books somewhere.

Adding fish to your pond profoundly changes the eco system that will develop on there. Not necessarily a bad thing. The fish will eat mosquito larvae for example. However they will also eat frogspawn.

In terms of fish freezing to death in winter, in the case of a small pond (and therefore just a few small fish), I've never understood how come the obvious answer seems to get missed. Can't the fish just be moved to a fish tank indoors for winter?