Questions from a First Time Ponder

Joined
Aug 12, 2020
Messages
14
Reaction score
5
Location
Pacific Northwest
Country
United States
Hello everyone! Very happy to have found this forum. I recently bought a home in the Pacific Northwest with a spacious but rather empty yard and I am exploring the possibility of creating a pond as one of the garden elements. After researching many options, and for reasons of cost, topography, and practicality, I am leaning towards burying a ~100 gallon plastic stock tank and using it primarily to experiment with growing water plants, perhaps eventually adding a few small fish. I am particularly drawn to the dimensions of this round 4 foot wide 2 foot deep stock tank (https://www.ntotank.com/120gallon-acerotomold-green-stock-tank-x2390875), or I might go the oval Rubbermaid route.

As this is my first time with any type of water gardening, I'm eager to learn and avoid mistakes and I would greatly appreciate any feedback and tips. Here are my specific questions:

1) SIZE/COLOR CONTAINER
The stock tank I am most drawn to is green. It seems most people use black tanks, and the Behlen tanks are blue. Does anyone know of any issues using green/blue tanks rather than black? Would it give the water an unattractive hue?
Likewise, does anyone see any problems with burying a ~100 gallon stock tank, or have any recommendations about size? We have a very sunny and open yard (future plantings will provide some shade), and I'm worried that something in the 30 to 60 gallon range would heat up too much and grow algae too quickly, as well as limiting our options for planting.

2) PUMPS/FILTERS
It seems that some people successfully maintain healthy container/tub ponds with no pumps or filters, using large numbers of plants, beneficial bacteria, and sometimes fish to control algae, whereas others insist that a pump is necessary for anything other than a tiny pond. For something in the ~100 gallon range, would you recommend a pump? I was thinking I'd start without a pump or filter, but leave the option open to add a pump/waterfall later on.

3) ROCKS/GRAVEL/FILL
Does a stock tank pond require any gravel or rocks on the inside of the tank? It seems many people maintain patio ponds / tub ponds with little to no rocks or gravel inside, but I'm wondering if there might be a benefit to adding some, such as giving more surface area for beneficial bacteria?

4) TIMING
Are there particularly good and bad times of the year to set up a garden pond? Our major garden excavations/hardscaping cannot start until later this month and we're hoping to have the garden grounds prepared and the pond in the ground by mid September. Would that be too late to add water and plants? Would it be better to wait until spring?

Thanks in advance for any help!
 

addy1

water gardener / gold fish and shubunkins
Moderator
Joined
Jun 23, 2010
Messages
44,338
Reaction score
29,089
Location
Frederick, Maryland
Showcase(s):
1
Hardiness Zone
6b
Country
United States
Welcome to our forum!

I would go for bigger if you can, you will find out that size is pretty small. If you stick with 100 gallons stick with minnows or a few fantail goldfish.
 
Joined
Aug 12, 2020
Messages
14
Reaction score
5
Location
Pacific Northwest
Country
United States
Thanks for the advice! For space reasons we probably can't go past 150 gallons.
What do you think about a pump and filter? Is it worth trying without them, or are they essential?
 

addy1

water gardener / gold fish and shubunkins
Moderator
Joined
Jun 23, 2010
Messages
44,338
Reaction score
29,089
Location
Frederick, Maryland
Showcase(s):
1
Hardiness Zone
6b
Country
United States
Give it a try the worse that can happen is you need to add filtration. A lot of plants, very small amount of fish and you can probably reach a balance.

No harm in starting it this year.
 

Mmathis

TurtleMommy
Joined
Apr 28, 2011
Messages
13,893
Reaction score
8,087
Location
NW Louisiana -- zone 8b
Hardiness Zone
8b
Country
United States
Hello and welcome!

The color of the pond is purely personal preference. The color black tends to “blend in” with the landscape, but I think green would look good, as well. It’s going to be covered with algae, so the inside wall color is eventually going to be “algae-colored.” It won’t matter at all if you bury it, but if it’s going to be free-standing, blue might stick out (my hubby LOVES blue — he would choose blue no matter what it would look like, LOL!)

I agree with @addy1 about the size. Bigger is better. When you get down to it, digging a slightly larger hole and filling it with a good old EPDM (rubber) liner, isn’t going to take up that much more room. You say your yard is spacious....

If you bury the stock tank, be sure to keep the top edge a few inches above ground level, otherwise you are going to get lawn run-off into the tank/pond.

I’ll bet a bog filter would be nice! You would have a beautiful pond and a beautiful garden all rolled into one!

@j.w lives up there — you 2 could be neighbors!
 

j.w

I Love my Goldies
Joined
Feb 1, 2010
Messages
32,947
Reaction score
20,252
Location
Arlington, Washington
Showcase(s):
1
Hardiness Zone
USDA 8a
Country
United States
1597263591267.gif
@Bromeliad
Hi neighbor, I live up north in Arlington Hts, Washington.
 

Ask a Question

Want to reply to this thread or ask your own question?

You'll need to choose a username for the site, which only take a couple of moments. After that, you can post your question and our members will help you out.

Ask a Question

Members online

Forum statistics

Threads
30,781
Messages
508,568
Members
13,042
Latest member
lucaryan

Latest Threads

Top