Thinking about a container pond

[JStrider]

I got a line on a 300 gallon rubbermaid Stock tank for about $100.
like this one: http://www.tractorsupply.com/webapp/...99_______14602

The house I bought has a nice screened in porch area that I think would be a good place for it.
It would let me have a pond without the pain of Digging, cleaning out leaves/other junk, and the only predators to worry about would be my cats.

Are these big plastic containers alright to use? are there any risks of chemicals leeching from the plastic?
what about the metal ones?

What Kind of Pump and Filter setup would y'all reccomend?

Any Suggestions on making it look nicer then a big black plastic bucket? how should I decorate/conceal the outside?

Have any of y'all setup a container pond about this size?  any tips? suggestions? stories?

just trying to put out some feelers and see if this would be a be a good interemediate step before investing the time to dig a big pond.

[J-WS6]

Re: Thinking about a container pond

hopefully fshfrk will chime in, he's got one of these on his back porch with a lot of DIY stuff on it. it appears to be really effective.

[Mzungu]

Re: Thinking about a container pond

Is that the exact tub that you would be getting? Just wondering, because they do make tubs that say "no reaction with water" and "chemically neutral," or something like that.

I'm sure, like JW said, someone will be here soon to help out.  :)

You could always put plants around the container, to camouflage the big black bucket. Or encircle it with plywood, make it look like one of those whiskey barrels.  :)  

I think it's a great idea, though. What kind of lighting does the porch get?

[JStrider]

Re: Thinking about a container pond

thats the same kind I would be getting.

I only moved in on Friday, so I'm still getting a feel for how much light various areas get... but so far my impression for the porch is that it gets some sun filtered thru trees around the edges in the afternoon, but not too much... something to do with being in the woodlands and all these tall trees around...

any plants would probably have to be able to do well with primarily indirect light unless I wanted to supplement the lighting.

[Brownsnoutuk]

Re: Thinking about a container pond

Remember the weight of the thing once its filled with water. Its probably gonna get upto 2500+lbs.

[JStrider]

Re: Thinking about a container pond

Yah, I know the thing will be reeeeaaaly heavy.  The porch is on its own Cement slab  foundation, with some kind of tile on top...  I think the weight probably wont be a problem.

[PhishPhreek]

Re: Thinking about a container pond

some of the LFS around here have had an above ground pond in the store.  They used landscaping timbers or flag stone (filled in with chunky mulch) to bring the ground level up to the pond lip.

[wvgdiscus]

Re: Thinking about a container pond

Go on craigslist find someone giving away an old wooden fence. Then build an outside box for it. if you build it big enought it wouls also hold the filters you will need. You could also put rocks on one side to make a water fall too.

[JStrider]

Re: Thinking about a container pond

the old fence off craigs could be really good.

the landscaping timbers couldwork, or maybe railroad ties....


what kind of filtration would be good for this?

I was thinking a 5 gallon bucket with some filter material and some bio media

[eklikewhoa]

Re: Thinking about a container pond

fshfrk would be your man to talk to!

He has one elevated with his own DIY drum filter and all!

[justdoit]

Re: Thinking about a container pond

You can use potted plants & decor to camo tank & whatever filter.  that would allow different  heights & leaves easy access.  there are some water plants that do ok w/ less sun time.  may not want to hide too much of the surface & consider submerged or edging plants.   have some to share.

[fishlady]

Re: Thinking about a container pond

Jstrider, be aware that railroad ties do and will attrack termites...i used to have these lining a flower garden and they got infested with termites within a years time .....i thought that impossible due to the creosol impregnation of these things but when i researched by asking different people it is said to happen alot with railroad ties so i would think twice about using those.....i like the idea of an old fencing material or Virginia's idea of potted plants and such......just my 2 cents worth.....

[JStrider]

Re: Thinking about a container pond

Thanks for the heads up on the railroad ties and termites.  I'll stay away from them.

[fshfrk]

Re: Thinking about a container pond

I have the same 300 gal rubbermaid tank. I did not worry to much about how it looks. I set mine on double stacked cinder blocks. maybe 11 or 12 stacks. with space in between. so the pond is up in the air a little below your chest. just made a simple dump filter with pot scrubbers for media. set filter on cinder blocks to get it up above the pond. mag 12 in the pond. theres 4 holes on the rim. 2 on each side. bolted some 3/4 inch pvc 45's couplings to these holes. cut some sch 20 pvc a couple ft longer and bucked in to these couplings. so it goes over the pond like a pair of arches. attatched lights to them. got a maxi jet 1200 in the pond plumbed over the side to a tetra uv steralizer.and the return is a spray bar made of pvc the length of the pond. got 3 of my foam filters powered by maxi12's for circulation. will hook up a closed loop jet system one day. I plan on putting one of these tanks in my house, soon. and dumping at least 100 moop trophs in it.   thanks for lettin me share, but it's beer thirty  John

[Delock]

Re: Thinking about a container pond

^^^^

I have seen his setup and it is nice