Water Gardening: Galvanized Stock Tank and questions, 1 by LouC

LouC wrote:
I started a pond in a 2X4X6 galvanized water trough in June. Lost a couple of little bitty koi but everything seems ok now. From my recent experience and lots and lots of help from Tuna and snapple and lily_love and brenda and, and, and....too many to name, I'll just try to give a quick rundown.

Purchased a combo pump/fountain from HD for $99.00.....also had a small little fountain that we rigged as sort of a waterfall.....so that is two oxygen sources. I didn't know I needed oxygen, just thought it looked and sounded pretty. Be sure you always have de-chlorinator on hand. Have learned I can sprinkle the plants with the hose and it doesn't do damage as long as it is less than a gallon. The tub holds 360 gallons full to the top. We have had torrential rains several times this summer and I have had to dip water out so it would not run over. About once a month, I clean the foam filters but learned not to clean the bio-filters inside.....that is where all the good stuff has developed. (Don't you just love my scientific description....refuse to learn the latin names on flowers, too)

Have a regular pot stand in one end with black Elephant Ear and wandering jew. On the other end I have a folding plastic drink table to hold two larger pots with various plants....have learned that most anything tropical will grow with it's feet in the water. These are underwater. Floating in the water is anachris (sp) and parrot feather....they provide oxygen and don't have to be in dirt. Have placed vines and hanging baskets all around the back and ends to keep it from being in direct sun.....the koi would die. After the first month when I cleaned it too well and two fish died.....I got a start of water....40 gallons or so...from my neighbors pond.....kind of like "seed" water because everything you need is already growing in it and will multiply. I now have 3 koi that have grown to about 5 inches and two sucker fish. About the time they start coming to me....I move something around and they think it is a tsunami and hide again. Oh, did have two pots with lilies....the koi have completely destroyed it. Took them out yesterday and I don't know if they will rejuvenate or not.