A small trough I made

While the construction work was on and 'bar benders' [as we call them here], I got the steel frame and mesh ready. I thought I'd make my own work. I did and I am happy the way it came out. It rained when I was giving finishing touches but had to stop then and there unable to move it in and work as it was still wet. I intend to use this as a container for some small water plants. Does this hold good for my intended purpose? I had initially planned it to be a bird bath, but my wrong calculations proved it was too deep for it. Hence this new idea. It is about 2 ft. x 18 inches x 8 inches.

Dinu, I love it! You are so handy. Hopefully this will speed along a "fix" for the water garden urge that I know you must have. I have been planning on making a small concrete water garden and you might have just inspired me to actually do it! Susanne

My gosh - That's really well done. There will be some initial leaching of lime into the water from the fresh cement. The water will be alkaline for a while. If the water plants are a little yellow at first add some liquid aquatic plant food. Most of all have fun choosing your plants. Maybe a small rush for height and a tub water lily like 'Perrys' Baby Red'. But there are hundreds of other combinations, many of them better given the warmth of your zone.

Looks great! You may want to fill it with water for a few weeks and then empty it to get rid of some of what will leach into the water before you use it for the first time. That way you will also know how well it will hold water before you go to the trouble of adding plants and such. Is there anything you can paint on the inside to help seal it?

I think it will be great for lotus!

A great miniature lotus is 'Momo botan'

http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/80598/

Thanks a lot for the inputs. Initially the cement we use here requires curing for a week at least. I've filled it up with water and the trough is holding up water well! I'm quite happy with the way it has come out and I'm going to show it to the mason who will come next week. He came to inspect some work that day when I was actually sitting at it and he raised his eyebrows in awe. He has to see it fully finished now. Yes, I'm thinking of painting it white from the paint I have bought. It is an exterior paint and that should do good like it did to my two tanks I used to have for my garden. To begin with, I've now some water lettuces kept in a cut up barrel. Now I'll transfer some of them into this one and also put in a lotus seed I've got from a trade. I also have to think where to keep my water lilies [quite big] till I make my full fledged little pond. I think I'll transfer them into a barrel till such time. Also in November we are away for a week and I don't want to be away soon after something new I do. So I'll take up on return.

Or maybe you can drag it to the edge of the pond you currently have, secure it at a slight tilt, and run your pump hose into it, so it spills into the larger pond. You can plant bog plants in it as a natural filter to the bigger pond.

Thanks. I'll be relinquishing that old pond now. I've to move the contents out and bring them in. I intend to just place it near the pond I'm going to make.