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Back yard tub/ pond

Danlacey1988

Member
Joined
5 May 2021
Messages
115
Location
Bristol
So I recently built a tub/ pond
In my back garden had some good success with the water lettuce and guppy grass if anyone has any suggestions please feel free to fire away
I've add a sponge filter and some cherry shrimp
 

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Suggest trying as many plants as you can just to see. Trimmings from any tanks you have are worth trying out.

No doubt other members have suggestions. The climate in Bristol must be pretty pleasant at this time of year.
 
I threw some Rotala rotundifolia into my patio pond back in May and it’s grown like a weed. Obviously not Hardy but certainly useful seasonally.

Lysimachia Nummalaria (Creeping Jenny) is brilliant too, grows along the surface and totally Hardy.


 
What kind of tub is that, it looks great!

Sent from my SM-G970U1 using Tapatalk
 
Just one I picked up of my dad can't remember where it's from but keeps the heat in aswell which is good
 
So at the end of summer tubing this is how it all turned out not bad for a first attempt the guppy grass took of and the water lettuce
Had limit success with amazon swords
 

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threw some Rotala rotundifolia into my patio pond back in May and it’s grown like a weed. Obviously not Hardy but certainly useful seasonally.
I have had Rotala rotundifolia in a bucket for four or five years and its survived some hard frosts. Its sheltered and covered with glass but it flowers each year so worth a try if you have some trimmings.
Cheers
 
Looking good...

Those square plastic tubs will start to bulge out more and more over time especially when it gets warm this plastic gets really soft. Once it bulges to the max it will not reset on its own and stay that way. Yours is already starting and likely will bend even more. To keep it in shape you could use a piece of Victor Chain.

%E5%86%99%E7%9C%9F1868.jpg

If you cut one eye close to P you can bend it out a bit then you have a hook. Do this at both ends and hook it to the rim of the tub. Then the tub will not collapse.
IMG_20210925_130204882.jpg


Also advisable to take a piece of thick bark or driftwood and ty it to the chain so it doesn't sink. This will function as a rescue ladder for curious and thirsty mice that fall in the tub. Because once they do they will not be able to climb out against the smooth wall of the tub and die a horrible death. Swimming till exhausted getting a heart attack and or then drown :) Found quite some dead mice in my tub over the years took me a few to come up with the idea to make them a ladder to get out again.

Or if you have too much mice you can make the cheapest and most effective mouse trap.
8c4df469145be25986875d8d0f3a463c
 
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Thanks for the advice it has already started bulging out I will defo try this chain method
I have plenty of logs I got to make drift wood anyway was going to attach moss to It or java fern so I could put one of them in there
Thanks for the advice 🙏
 
I have had Rotala rotundifolia in a bucket for four or five years and its survived some hard frosts. Its sheltered and covered with glass but it flowers each year so worth a try if you have some trimmings.
Cheers
I currently have dwarf water lettuce , guppy grass
Amazon swords , Elodea densa (Pondweed) and some hydrophilia of some kind
Hoping the elodea densa grows all year round took a while to get it to start growing loads of it died off in my aquarium
 
Looking good...

Those square plastic tubs will start to bulge out more and more over time especially when it gets warm this plastic gets really soft. Once it bulges to the max it will not reset on its own and stay that way. Yours is already starting and likely will bend even more. To keep it in shape you could use a piece of Victor Chain.

%E5%86%99%E7%9C%9F1868.jpg

If you cut one eye close to P you can bend it out a bit then you have a hook. Do this at both ends and hook it to the rim of the tub. Then the tub will not collapse.
View attachment 174701

Also advisable to take a piece of thick bark or driftwood and ty it to the chain so it doesn't sink. This will function as a rescue ladder for curious and thirsty mice that fall in the tub. Because once they do they will not be able to climb out against the smooth wall of the tub and die a horrible death. Swimming till exhausted getting a heart attack and or then drown :) Found quite some dead mice in my tub over the years took me a few to come up with the idea to make them a ladder to get out again.

Or if you have too much mice you can make the cheapest and most effective mouse trap.
8c4df469145be25986875d8d0f3a463c
Out of interest what do you grow in that tub ? And are there any fish in there ?
 
Out of interest what do you grow in that tub ? And are there any fish in there ?
No fish... :) It is actually my natural life food tub breeding whatever gets in there on its own devices. Sometimes I seed it with some daphnia if I find some locally to speed things up. But usually, they come on their own.

My fish I keep in here on the terrace. :)

 
Love that bath tub pond what a cool idea
Yeah this year was my first time doing anything like this
I have cloud white minnows and guppies in there at the moment
And some cherry shrimp but will be bring them back inside this week I think 🤔
Was a real fun project
And form the looks of that post you have done quite a few yourself
 
No fish... :) It is actually my natural life food tub breeding whatever gets in there on its own devices. Sometimes I seed it with some daphnia if I find some locally to speed things up. But usually, they come on their own.

My fish I keep in here on the terrace. :)

I've considered growing/cultivating daphnia in a tub just wouldn't have a clue how to start it off any suggestions ?
 
I've considered growing/cultivating daphnia in a tub just wouldn't have a clue how to start it off any suggestions ?

If it's outdoor and has no fish then Daphnia comes via airmail with other flying insects such as the pond skaters/water striders and backswimmers etc.

Thus in most cases, it's a bit of patience, then put some dried leaf litter in the tub. This sinks to the bottom and starts decaying providing daphnia with sufficient food also with clear water. But then all will rather reside close to the bottom preferably under the leaves. Then you need to stir them up to see and catch them.

As usual, in most cases Daphnia has a boom and bust cycle, occasionally you may see the tub littering with them all over the place, then they eat all the food in record time, then the population declines again for a while. In this period the food gets time to accumulate again to go on to the next boom cycle. And this goes back and forth on its own. As long as the water in the tub doesn't freeze solid during the winter Daphnia will survive once you have them you likely will have them forever. They rather like it cool than too warm.

But if you have an LFS close that sells small portions of life daphnia then that's always a good start for the spring. Just make sure you have a tub with matured leaflitter ready and it will boom about immediately. :)
 
If it's outdoor and has no fish then Daphnia comes via airmail with other flying insects such as the pond skaters/water striders and backswimmers etc.

Thus in most cases, it's a bit of patience, then put some dried leaf litter in the tub. This sinks to the bottom and starts decaying providing daphnia with sufficient food also with clear water. But then all will rather reside close to the bottom preferably under the leaves. Then you need to stir them up to see and catch them.

As usual, in most cases Daphnia has a boom and bust cycle, occasionally you may see the tub littering with them all over the place, then they eat all the food in record time, then the population declines again for a while. In this period the food gets time to accumulate again to go on to the next boom cycle. And this goes back and forth on its own. As long as the water in the tub doesn't freeze solid during the winter Daphnia will survive once you have them you likely will have them forever. They rather like it cool than too warm.

But if you have an LFS close that sells small portions of life daphnia then that's always a good start for the spring. Just make sure you have a tub with matured leaflitter ready and it will boom about immediately. :)
Thanks for the advice was thinking of getting into the business of live foods next I can also use some to feed by fish fry be another good little project
 
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