Newbie - Small Pond Questions

[TK9NY]

I have a 32 gallon stock tank (i think it's rubber/plastic - it's not a metal one) that i'm looking to make into a small pond. It's for pond use, livestock trough, planter, etc. I've already placed it 90% in the ground (surrounding the part that sticks out with paver blocks at some point). It's the biggest i can go for now, since we eventually have to have the whole yard dug up and tilled and re-sod/planted, and the space i have that won't be disturbed would be overrun by anything bigger.

I've seen water gardens and ponds in this size, so i assume it's do-able. I'm just looking for suggestions on how to set it up. What kind of plants i can do, if one or two goldfish (i really like the pond comet ones) would survive, etc. Also advice on winterizing something this "small" - again, i've read it's do-able and most people manage but i'm looking for some advice from pond people who have done it with these small ones before.

In the future i plan to make a much larger pond, but as i've said there is a ton of work to do on the yard and i bet a bigger pond would just be damaged. So i'm hoping to make this one work for a couple of years at least. Help?

 

[sissy]

get fantails goldfish breed to fast .I have had fantails since 2004 and no babies .Have you thought about over wintering .I have my stock tank down by the pond it it is on wheels so I can just push it in the basement, 2 furniture dollies to be exact screwed together with a a plywood top.I push gravel up over the wheels to hide them a little .I have not done anything with the tank since I got rid of the baby fish and plants .Mini cattails

 

[TK9NY]

I kinda wish i had gotten the oval shaped one (it was 44 gallons) but i don't think it would have looked as nice in that small area. Too long. And i wasn't going to do a liner pond for something so small. I'll save that for when i go bigger!

Anyways, this is the semi-finished product. Any advice on hiding the rim a bit better, or should i just leave it as is? Eventually that whole space (and around the deck) will be filled with stone. And i plan to plant a few perennials around it. Maybe use trellis to hide the pipes in the back lol.

It's a big project for a new home owner, but i'm proud of how it's come out so far. I wish i had more space for a bigger pond in that area but short of digging out a bunch more grass i think that's as big as it can get! Again - in a few years i will be putting a much bigger pond elsewhere in the yard. This is just temporary, for fun.

Fantails? I'll have to look into them. A friend put a bunch of feeder goldfish in hers - she used a plastic kiddie pool! It was great, she said, until her dog decided to sit in it. He's a fuzzy one, too, so it took a while to get them out of his butt fuzz! I don't think any of her fish are still alive....

I'm researching wintering for small ponds, but still wouldn't mind tips from those who've left theirs out. I was thinking either heating it or draining it and bringing fish/plants indoors. Dunno with that kind of stock tank though... will it heat okay? Or will it crack if frozen? If i absolutely HAVE to i can drain it and put the whole thing inside...... but would prefer not to of course.

I tried to put a spitter in there but it leaked, so i'm returning it. Might just use the fountain and forget the spitter for now. Same for water fall, save it for the bigger pond!

 

[sissy]

I got mine from tractor supply and they come in all sizes from 40 gallons up to 200 gallons for the tuff ones with straight sides.I think they are better than the rubber made ones and they are cheaper ,I use one for my filter and have one still in the basement for my other filter if I ever get to it

 

[sissy]

My neighbor has hers in the ground .