The fish tank thread.

[waddles99]

man, ikr! That basking pad is so annoying!  I hope to someday build a pond for the turtles outside so i won't have to deal with them in a tank anymore. I can never make the turtle tank look nice (except right after cleaning day) because he loves to "re-decorate" his living space.   He's not a good decorator. 

Making a pond can be involved but I will say it is well worth it. The reason it was tricky for me was I needed to clear out the pond site(3 boxwood bushes and ALOT of mulch), and I hit a couple pipes on the way down that needed to be moved. If it weren't for the initial clearing of the bushes and the pipes, the pond would've been a breeze to build. Only 150 gallons so it wasn't tough to dig at all. Threw a liner in there with some play sand from home depot, used a couple rocks to weigh it down, the filled it with a garden hose. I planted hornwort and anarchis, although the hornwort didn't do too well. The anarchis did a little too well and ended up dominating the pond, lol. I wish it had been a balance of the two but I dont really care. I also introduced a couple giant trapdoor snails to the pond. They helped control the algae and bred nicely. Then I put a couple catfish and Sunfish in there. I didn't filter it at all, or aerate it for that matter. Never fed the fish, the pond created its own food for the fish. Insect larvae and other stuff. 1 year later i disassemble the pond to move. I caught 2 catfish and a sunfish. Oh, and I also had this bullfrog in there. He used to sit on a log floating in the pond. I saw him from the kitchen window every day. It was fun. So yes, having a pond is very rewarding. My next pond is probably going to be a little bigger, and have some turtles too.

 

[Ozarkhomesteader]

Making a pond can be involved but I will say it is well worth it. The reason it was tricky for me was I needed to clear out the pond site(3 boxwood bushes and ALOT of mulch), and I hit a couple pipes on the way down that needed to be moved. If it weren't for the initial clearing of the bushes and the pipes, the pond would've been a breeze to build. Only 150 gallons so it wasn't tough to dig at all. Threw a liner in there with some play sand from home depot, used a couple rocks to weigh it down, the filled it with a garden hose. I planted hornwort and anarchis, although the hornwort didn't do too well. The anarchis did a little too well and ended up dominating the pond, lol. I wish it had been a balance of the two but I dont really care. I also introduced a couple giant trapdoor snails to the pond. They helped control the algae and bred nicely. Then I put a couple catfish and Sunfish in there. I didn't filter it at all, or aerate it for that matter. Never fed the fish, the pond created its own food for the fish. Insect larvae and other stuff. 1 year later i disassemble the pond to move. I caught 2 catfish and a sunfish. Oh, and I also had this bullfrog in there. He used to sit on a log floating in the pond. I saw him from the kitchen window every day. It was fun. So yes, having a pond is very rewarding. My next pond is probably going to be a little bigger, and have some turtles too.

that's so cool that you've done one...i've done a bit of research and it doesn't seem too hard. How cold does it get where you are? My only concern is keeping everyone out there in the winter...it gets below zero at times where i am. Do you know how deep it would have to be for him to hibernate?

Haha, bullfrogs are fun. I had 2 small ones in a 40g long tank for awhile, they were entertaining to watch...really fun to feed them flies that i caught around the house or in the barn

 

[waddles99]

that's so cool that you've done one...i've done a bit of research and it doesn't seem too hard. How cold does it get where you are? My only concern is keeping everyone out there in the winter...it gets below zero at times where i am. Do you know how deep it would have to be for him to hibernate?

Haha, bullfrogs are fun. I had 2 small ones in a 40g long tank for awhile, they were entertaining to watch...really fun to feed them flies that i caught around the house or in the barn

As i said before, If all goes smoothly and you don't encounter issues, its easy. Dig the hole, put in the liner, put in rocks/substrate, fill with water. Then the fun part comes, stocking with fish and plants! You don't even have to be that skilled with a shovel to dig one! The hardest part in my experience was getting the liner in, since obviously the liner is square and the pond is round, the liner isn't too easy to get in. Although it is only a small aspect. Where I get, it gets pretty cold, 10 degrees F is not uncommon here in NJ. To have a pond to hibernate in it would have to be a lot deeper than mine(2'), 4' MINIMUM.
I am planning on making a native pond this summer. An improved version of my pond. 4-5' deep, 2000 gallons, stocked with bass and maybe sunfish. Maybe a water feature too! It will be in a raised flower bed next to the pool. Im planning on doing an upscale native theme, not a fancy, manicured garden pond, but not a wild, murky pond.

 

[Ozarkhomesteader]

As i said before, If all goes smoothly and you don't encounter issues, its easy. Dig the hole, put in the liner, put in rocks/substrate, fill with water. Then the fun part comes, stocking with fish and plants! You don't even have to be that skilled with a shovel to dig one! The hardest part in my experience was getting the liner in, since obviously the liner is square and the pond is round, the liner isn't too easy to get in. Although it is only a small aspect. Where I get, it gets pretty cold, 10 degrees F is not uncommon here in NJ. To have a pond to hibernate in it would have to be a lot deeper than mine(2'), 4' MINIMUM.
I am planning on making a native pond this summer. An improved version of my pond. 4-5' deep, 2000 gallons, stocked with bass and maybe sunfish. Maybe a water feature too! It will be in a raised flower bed next to the pool. Im planning on doing an upscale native theme, not a fancy, manicured garden pond, but not a wild, murky pond.

cool! I can see how the liner would be tough. haha, digging can actually be fun.
That new pond will be cool! Are you gonna fish in it?

 

[waddles99]

cool! I can see how the liner would be tough. haha, digging can actually be fun.
That new pond will be cool! Are you gonna fish in it?

Another good idea for large ponds is to use a heavy duty tarp instead of a liner. They are lighter, easier, and MUCH cheaper. I plan on making the bottom of my pond something like this: https://www.storesonlinepro.com/files/2039883/uploaded/Bog constrcution 3.jpg
This way the large rocks form gaps that leaves and other unsightly debris can fall into. Instead of resting on a sand substrate, they get into those gaps and break down. Not only does this get rid of unsightly leaves and sticks, or other things that fall into the pond, it builds bacteria that naturally filters your pond. Luckily for me, the pond site where i am planning to dig has very few trees around it. Fishing would be fun, haha, but I'd probably hurt the ecosystem of the pond if i didn't release them back!

 

[Ozarkhomesteader]

Another good idea for large ponds is to use a heavy duty tarp instead of a liner. They are lighter, easier, and MUCH cheaper. I plan on making the bottom of my pond something like this: https://www.storesonlinepro.com/files/2039883/uploaded/Bog constrcution 3.jpg
This way the large rocks form gaps that leaves and other unsightly debris can fall into. Instead of resting on a sand substrate, they get into those gaps and break down. Not only does this get rid of unsightly leaves and sticks, or other things that fall into the pond, it builds bacteria that naturally filters your pond. Luckily for me, the pond site where i am planning to dig has very few trees around it. Fishing would be fun, haha, but I'd probably hurt the ecosystem of the pond if i didn't release them back!

that looked really neat! I want to do something like that

yeah, most fish in a smaller pond would be a bit too small to make a good meal

 

[redrooster99]

My new betta and mystery snail.

 

[waddles99]

that looked really neat! I want to do something like that

yeah, most fish in a smaller pond would be a bit too small to make a good meal

The thing about ponds is you just need to replicate the ecosystem of natural ponds. Then they won't need filtration or feeding.

 

[Ozarkhomesteader]

My new betta and mystery snail.

He's pretty!! I bet he loves the tanks Mystery snails are really fun...what's their names?

 

[Ozarkhomesteader]

The thing about ponds is you just need to replicate the ecosystem of natural ponds. Then they won't need filtration or feeding.

yeah,i don't want to have to use too much electricity