Balcony pond

[malik uddin]

I think i would like to keep some rice fish in the superfish pond with a heater to stop it freezing over in the winter. I still think solar could work out i just need to do research into solar cells charging batteries and the batteries running the equipment, i find the solar part just as interesting as the pond and fish. People seem to find the medaka the hardier fish, the superfish patio pond looks good, but i don't know if i need uv for a pond

 

[SamTheMan]

I’ve got minnows in my outside pond. We got some ice on top this year but I saw some fry swimming about a few weeks ago. I’m in Edinburgh.

Haven’t seen the adults mind, hopefully in about the algae somewhere. If I can see them at the weekend I’ll snap a photo.

hmmm, there's something t try this year. i think id have to breed them outside, see which ones do the best out side, breed them the next year and so on. the winters hear are very harsh, we had 6 inches of ice on the koi pond for weeks last year

 

[malik uddin]

i originally wanted to keep the white clouds outside, but am planning a cold water tank with them and galaxy rasbora, i can tell the wife i am actively saving on the electric by going heaterless. @SamTheMan please keep us updated on your which smaller fish do well outside in the cold

 

[Maf 2500]

UV for a small balcony pond like this is a bit overkill if it is planted, and just one more thing to go wrong or need a new (expensive) bulb every year or two. If you are bothered about algae, floating plants or plants with floating leaves such as a miniature waterlily will go a long way to preventing this.

For a plastic tub type affair (which is likely to be the only option on a balcony) you might want to look at some type of insulation in the winter, particularly around the bottom half - the deeper part of natural or garden ponds are insulated from severe low temps by being in the ground, which is obviously not available on a balcony. I know you are planning on using a heater but it will save any risk of freezing from the walls inward during severe weather events (rather than top down in a normal pond), help mitigate against large swings in temperature, as well as saving electricity. Similarly in summer some shading of the side walls might be needed to prevent extreme temperature swings, depending on sun exposure.

 

[malik uddin]

@Maf 2500 i thought i wouldn't need uv, but the superfish patio pond come with. I do love the plastic tube with insulation, thats genius, thank you so much for the new direction you have sent me on as for shading i am thinking a polycarbonate roof to limit sunlight and bird poo

 

[SamTheMan]

i originally wanted to keep the white clouds outside, but am planning a cold water tank with them and galaxy rasbora, i can tell the wife i am actively saving on the electric by going heaterless. @SamTheMan please keep us updated on your which smaller fish do well outside in the cold

i will do, but it wont be for a month or so

 

[martin-green]

Building your own solar set up is relatively easy.
You will need device to operate (Pump and UV?)
You will need to know how much current each device uses (Then add the totals)
You will need batteries for when there is no sunshine. (The batteries will need to be big enough to operate when there is no sunshine/night)
You will need solar panels that can supply enough to run the devices AND have enough to charge batteries.
You will need a solar charge controller.

Do the maths first (It will cost you £0)
There is a lot more to it than what you think, when you get started (even in theory) the costs soon go up. Let us know how you get on.