I would like to get or devise a small above ground pond which would sit on concrete under an outdoor staircase, and surround it with potted plants. I was thinking of one of those wine barrels. It is right outside a rear entrance and gets no direct sun, although I have had great luck with ferns, fuchsias etc. in this spot. It gets VERY bright indirect light all day.
If I want to add a few small fish, will they survive without direct sunlight?
Do I need to heat the water?
Running power to it is no problem as there is an outlet very close by.
Also, I see they make those heavy plastic liners that fit inside these wine barrels...are they better to use and have the wooden barrell last longer?
I have cats...will they try to get any fish even if they are small???
Any tips from you "pondsters " is greatly appreciated.
New to ponds...need advice !
By wine barrel do you mean a hogs head, or something like the wisky barrel.?
lot of difference in gallons.
I have a 2500 gal. pond beside our patio. its dug down 3.5' deep all I have run in the winter is, a small pump to keep an open hole for the gases to escape. and air to get in. of course the water temp at that depth gets some heat from ground temp. so even with 5 to 6" of ice on the pond gold fish and Koi just kind of slow down their metabolism and we don't feed them once the temp drops to 50 or below we don't feed them any protein.
Bigest problem may be algae and you won't be able to see the fish. If you were thinking of tropical then maybe you would have to have a heater.
Your average temp here is quite a bit lower than where you are.Check back with you later ; I think I'd better get some sleep.
Russ
Thanks Russ....you're right...I meant a whiskey barrell....our coldest temps are about 40 degrees...and not that often...I doubt the water would freeze...the bird bath doesn't...
I appreciate your help!
Mike
Yep,,you can do that. Fish dont require sunlight..most water lilies do however if you want them to bloom.
no heater necessary if you dont feed the fish when the water is below 50 and never overfeed them
the fish would appreciate and be happier with a small pump, fountain or something similar...
If you can be happy to limit yourself to 2 or 3 small fish and not overload the barrel with plants..I think you will be fine.
Your cats most likely will not bother the fish...some do...who ever knows exactly what kitties will do ...:) but I wouldnt be over worried about it.
Thanks Charlotte....that's just what I wanted to know...yes, I will get a pump etc....I think I'll do this project this weekrnd...
Mike
JasperDale.....I have both...ponds in the sun and water/plant barrel ponds in the sun and shade. All do well. The only think you'd want to steer away from is true koi, if you don't regulate the water temp, or have the depth for them to regulate what they need themselves. They are finnicky when it come to adverse water temps. Stick with goldfish/comets, and smaller feeder fish. Even some of the goldfish can get large, but usually adjust their size, by what kind of enviroment they are in. Koi will just continue to grow and grow. Some of the goldfish now have butterfly fins, mixed colors of black and orange, or orange and white, and red and white. So you won't really miss out on not having Koi. The name of the red and whites are Sarassa. Occasionaly there is a vendor on ebay that sells them. They have always arrived healthy. Pumps help with the oxygen in the water, which keeps algae down. Filters actually clean the water. UV lights will kill the aglae as the water feeds through the light and back into the pond. It's all a matter of just how large or elaborate you want to get. On my large pond, which is a stucco'd cement block square walled pond, (full Florida sun) I only use solar pond spitters. I don't have a problem with algae, but do have a bit of a problem with fish poop sludge at the bottom. I plant my plants in only pea gravel, so the roots will feed off of the free fish fertilizer.
MerryMary