How to Build a Mini Pond

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Most popular comments
for How to Build a Mini Pond

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benitomaru - 6 years ago

This is just... WOW!

Marie Joyce - 6 years ago

here in oz, water hyacinth is considered a weed. what is a good filtering plant that is not a weed threat? thanks : )

whatzit - 6 years ago

Marie Joyce a lot of wonderful plants are considered weeds. If you're worried it's considered invasive, it's contained in a bucket so it won't.

nina lynch - 7 years ago

I love your videos and am very inspired, thank you. I think Water hyacinth is good in very small pond but it is very invasive and can ruin a big pond. It is currently banned in the EU where I now live, because it can even take over ports as it di in Ethiopia. Just saying as I would not use it.And thanks again, great work you are doing. Much respect.

Per Shop - 7 years ago

For things like lizards, bees, etc, another way to give them water is to have a shallow area with stones so they don't fall in and not get out. However, in this case, as long as the plants are a large part of the surface of the water, having such a deep container of water should be OK too.

Kristie Hansen - 7 years ago

The fish will bring garter snakes they are not poison green and yellow stripe.

RODRIGO LARA - 7 years ago

Water Hyacinth is invasive and I don't think that small body of water will be enough for them in the long run. I also do not think that is enoughf oxygen for that many fish, nor enoughf food will be produced in that small area specially as they grow.

Hakam Nabhani - 7 years ago

you know most people while they building they take off their shirt, maybe u should have done that

Gregg Webster - 7 years ago

this dudes Goo0ff

venicecarly - 7 years ago

i love this mini pond. i think the goldfish and birds will love it! I see these in thailand all the time. i love that it doesn't need electricity. thanks!

10. comment for How to Build a Mini Pond

97VF750 - 7 years ago

Better NOT use Water Hyacinth in Florida, unless you want a hefty fine. This state spends millions of dollars to control this plant.

Art 333 - 7 years ago

Thank you! I subscribed.

Inside Out - 7 years ago

To small for goldfish

Bestoor Behizadeh - 7 years ago

are you concerned that the fish are in a plastic container which degrades over months and years poisoning them?

Anro Guru - 7 years ago

are you Indian

Smita Bhat - 8 years ago

Please could you also do a video on a mini pond with a Water lily?

Linda Hartman - 8 years ago

Went to school at UCLA and had small water gardens, but now live in Wyoming. Loved your fact-based information. These types of gardens make sense for Wyoming. I can bring in the garden during the winter (plan on growing San Marzano tomatoes inside too).
Thanks again.

Sandy Guerrero - 8 years ago

If you haven't done so already, call on the name of Jesus! He's coming back quickly!

Littletwinkster AJ - 8 years ago

How many goldfish do you recommend for a five gallon bucket?

ggin nj - 8 years ago

+Tim Pouring absolutely guppies are a better fish choice for size, the goal was to have an ecosystem and not need to add anything. Which proves there are many fish you can add, depending on where in the world you are and what you have access to.

Some Body - 8 years ago

You can add things to the water that will provide the nutrients that the plants need, without harming the fish. A small group of guppies provide the same bioload as a single goldfish, and are far better suited to a smaller container. I had an aquaponics system in a 17 gallon flowerpot with a few mollies, and it worked great.

ggin nj - 8 years ago

+Tim Pouring the plant eats the ammonia output of the fish . Yes goldfish can sometimes get too big but they are used because they put out far more ammonia for their size than other fish, which is why people call them dirty fish. I truthfully don't think they will live long enough to get big, since there won't be enough root nibble to sustain them without killing the plant. But 1 goldfish might be fine for 5 gallon bucket. Thier primary purpose is to feed the plant, the secondary benefit is mosquito control. Essentially this is aquaponics except no grow medium and in the same container. Guppies would be a better fish for the long run for mosquito control but might not provide enough food for the plants to grow. If you have more food than the plant can eat, then your going to get algae growth. Getting the right balance is the hard part.

Some Body - 8 years ago

Too much ammonia will kill the fish. A group of fully grown goldfish won't even fit in a 5 gallon bucket. I think mollies or guppies are a much better option.

ggin nj - 8 years ago

Tim Pouring yeah, but goldfish are much more ammonia producing fish, which feeds the plants better. In this case the fish aren't so much for ornamental but for plant nutrition. If that's an issue for you, then guppies may be a better choice, just you might not be able to support as much plants as with goldfish. Feeder goldfish are best and cheap. Also, drop a couple crayfish in there also, but they most likely will escape, if you put crayfish in, drop a couple areas for them to hide in - a small cup on its side will work well, trying not to use PVC is a good choice.

Some Body - 8 years ago

None. Goldfish need 20 gallons each for fancies, and 30 each for single tailed. Get guppies instead.

neebz gamin - 8 years ago

show us stop fan talkn

20. comment for How to Build a Mini Pond

mark1952able - 8 years ago

Did what you did ....nice job BTW...but my fish don't seem to want to move away from under the plants? It's been about 3 days and I'm thinking it may be because I have a pump on one side which moves the water toward the plants....?? Perhaps they are not acclimated to it yet. What do you think?

Per Shop - 7 years ago

Fish usually like that kind of protection, that's why if you know fish habits, you have a better chance at catching fish when fishing.

Jayden Cool - 8 years ago

Do u have to use fish and plants?

Phillipe Knippel - 8 years ago

Are those pictures with a mini water lily inside a glasware, true? I guess thats just impossible to keep that kinda flower alive indoor.
Hugs from Rio!

Rajmahendra - 8 years ago

Instead of hyacinth can we use can we use Pistia stratiotes (water lettuce)?

Jack Nash - 8 years ago

try 1000 gallons that's beter

Jack Nash - 8 years ago

to small

Fatoma Lebanon - 8 years ago

thanks

Tomer palmman - 8 years ago

Hello,
thank you for the video!
will the fish grow in numbers?
i would have to take them out(?) and i don't want to kill them or build more ponds.
:-)

Littletwinkster AJ - 8 years ago

I'm back. It's been a week since I got the minnows. The morning after I installed the "pond" I was reading by it and a flash of silver caught my eye. Turns put there was a dead minnow, kind of roasted by the sun. It freaked me out so I covered it with some dirt. 6 minnows left. A few days later I discovered a body at the bottom which I then removed. 5 minnows left. Then I went out of town for a few days, and I got back yesterday afternoon. I brought back two mussels from a friend's pond which are supposed to filter the water, but before I was going to put them in I did a through flashlight search to make sure none were hiding on the bottom. I discovered 1 dead minnow and 1 live. That means that 3 are MIA. There was heavy rain while I was gone, so I suppose it's possible they got flushed out, but I kind of doubt that happened. Do you think they even got snatched up and EATEN by raccoons or something, and how can I prevent this in the future? I feel like a pretty bad fish owner right now.

Littletwinkster AJ - 8 years ago

I cannot thank you enough, I will check into this :)

Emmit Stewart - 8 years ago

Put in a fishpond, even one this small, and you will be surprised how fast your mosquito population will disappear. The watercress was probably just a suggestion, but if you want it. look for the seeds. That's how it's usually started. I found quite a few offers on EBay. Park Seed Company also offers a pack of 3200 seeds for sprouts for $2.75.

Littletwinkster AJ - 8 years ago

Thanks for the reply! Frankly, I have so many buys and mosquitos in my backyard that I shouldn't have to feed them. However, if it becomes necessary, I have little food pellets that I used to feed to my African Dwarf frogs that might work for them. I am actually having a hard time finding watercress, do you think that it is a necessity or just a suggestion?

Emmit Stewart - 8 years ago

+Littletwinkster AJ I have never kept rosy reds myself, but they are a color variation of the common fathead minnow, so they probably could forage for themselves pretty well. Also. the standing water would attract mosquitos whose larvae will be eagerly snapped by the minnows. I would feed them, but sparingly, only what they could eat in five minutes. in such a small container, overfeeding would cause tremendous ammonia spikes that will kill your fish pretty quick.

Littletwinkster AJ - 8 years ago

I had heard that more than 1 goldfish is way too many for a 5 gallon bucket as well, so I went to a pond store and bought 7 rosy red minnows, as well as a water hyacinth. I couldn't find watercress but I'll try to get some soon. Do I have to feed the rosy red minnows, or will they eat off the plants like the goldfish in the video?

Emmit Stewart - 8 years ago

If you put the number of goldfish that he had in that pan into a five gallon container, they will die before they can reproduce. One goldfish is to many for anything less than a twenty gallon container. You would be wiser to use rosy red minnows. (available as feeders at your local fish store) I would also make my mini pond somewhat larger. You can get a nice sized plastic tote at Wal Mart that will hold three times as much water and occupy very little more garden space.

Oscey Juarez - 8 years ago

great detail video bro

Violetta K - 8 years ago

Very nice video! Thank you for sharing your idea! May I ask you to write down the names of the plants, please?

30. comment for How to Build a Mini Pond

Wander Away - 8 years ago

Fish in a tiny bowl, which is a cage. No that is torture and nothing to laugh at. Ample room for fish.

Wander Away - 7 years ago

Jake Animator It is both psychological and physical torture for animals and humans to be confined to small spaces their entire lives. Of course degree of confinement matters.

Jake Animator - 7 years ago

its not torture but its crowded and not a suitable place for them to live, torture would only be if he was hurting them for example: poking when with a knife or hitting them with a hammer

samuricexful - 7 years ago

Amisbah Khan No man, that is not enough room for even one gold fish. He should be using guppies or minnows in something that small.

Amisbah Khan - 7 years ago

i kinda agree he should have put only five- six goldfishes cause they are small and will have more room

nasser Jooda - 7 years ago

Wander Away thats true, sad to see him do that..

Garden City Food Forest - 8 years ago

Thank you for making this easy to do. I will try this. I hope to attract frogs for my garden. Blessings from Seattle.

Teamturtle1234go - 8 years ago

lovely packie guy

ye ye - 8 years ago

Gustapo Gomez - 8 years ago

and a cat finds the fish

khalid mohammad - 8 years ago

grt video. any special precautions for north west india, uttar pradesh where the temp goes at the both extremes?

hui yin yap - 8 years ago

good idea !!

DrushepMusic - 8 years ago

Come to the Cali Delta we got water Hyacinth all day Duck Weed Ageria

Pavithra Chalamalasetti - 8 years ago

It fabulous tht u respect the needs of all the beneficial insects but biased towards need of goldfish and cramp them in such a small space tht downright hypocrisy dude

Benjamin Mazariegos - 8 years ago

Thanks for sharing The Growing Club. I'm new to this so my knowledge is zero in this area, although I've had aquatic plants in a pot, I' never had fish within the pot.
Can the fish survive even if the water gets dirty or are those plants that fo underneath the main plaint going to take care of the green, stagnant water?

Fort Bumper - 8 years ago

very nice thank you for this video

Nikhil Khandekar - 8 years ago

Hello Rishi, my name's Nikhil Khandekar and I am into ponds and gardening and aquaponics. I am actually hooked to all three, and when this video showed up in a search, I felt I had to join the club. I have learnt a lot since I started keeping fish a couple years ago, but I am sure there's plenty more to learn. Can I join your club, and if so, what are the conditions, if any? Is there a monthly or annual fee? I'll be happy to contribute any which way, if I am able to afford it. Thanks for the great video, it's set me thinking! Cheers!

The Growing Club - 8 years ago

+Nikhil Khandekar Hi Nikhil! Wonderful to meet you online. Glad you enjoyed the video and amazing to hear that you are into gardening and aquaponics. Where are you gardening at? Yes you can definitely join our club. We have many supporters such as yourself from around the world. To join the club just go to http://thegrowingclub.com . We have several membership options for Online Members starting at $5/month donation. Thank you for the support! Cheers!

edmon23 - 9 years ago

what happened to your mud pond? can you update it

hybrid green - 9 years ago

great job! i heart you, dude!:)

The Growing Club - 9 years ago

+Bao Nguyen Yes you can. Rain water is actually the best for making ponds.

Bao Nguyen - 9 years ago

can I use raining water for pond?

Brian Clark - 8 years ago

yes, rainwater is the best water to use

Arcaras - 9 years ago

Hey man will the goldfish ever grow too big for the pond?

Arcaras - 8 years ago

if i set up a warm place near a large window in my basement i think i can do just that

Josh's Aquatics & Railroad Videos - 8 years ago

+Nikhil Gupta While there are tropical Mosquito Fish, some types are just fine in freezing conditions. There are varieties of the species that are native to Illinois. Though, it should go without saying that no fish will survive in a block of ice. Any container pond will need to be moved or taken down if it gets cold enough for them to freeze solid.

Nikhil Gupta - 8 years ago

+Arcaras Toronto's temperatures are WAY too cold for mosquitofish which are tropical fish. Goldfish will survive freezing temps in large containers, not small ones like this. They are also not suitable for small containers because of their size (they die much earlier in small containers as they cannot grow to their average 1 foot size) and waste production especially with no filtration. You could recreate this setup with a filter and mosquitofish indoors if you'd like with no harm to the fish. Hope this helps!

Arcaras - 9 years ago

+Josh's Aquatics & Railroad Videos o.0, life saver... here in toronto its getting pretty cold so thanks for the heads up

Josh's Aquatics & Railroad Videos - 9 years ago

+Arcaras Just don't let them get too cold. Mosquito fish can live in freezing temps, but the others will need to be kept warm. I put all of my tropical fish in small ponds every summer, and they live in aquariums during the winter.

Arcaras - 9 years ago

+Josh's Aquatics & Railroad Videos TY i was looking for fish like that

Josh's Aquatics & Railroad Videos - 9 years ago

+The Growing Club You could use something like Mosquito fish instead of goldfish. If you would like something more colorful, you could use Paradise fish, Bettas, or Platies, which do very well outdoors in small containers.

The Growing Club - 9 years ago

Someone said that would happen eventually, but it hasn't happened in two years so far.

Samuel Prabakaran - 9 years ago

How do u save your pond from heavy rains

Samuel Prabakaran - 9 years ago

So should we keep any pipe provision or outlet. In case if my garden is not a slope

The Growing Club - 9 years ago

+Samuel Prabakaran Not sure what you mean Samuel. When it rains the pond just fills up. If it overflows the water just goes back into the garden.

The Growing Club - 9 years ago

+Ras Tafari Thanks for the suggestion. We'll look into that idea.

Joan Smith - 9 years ago

Nice video - I want to build one but I'm wondering if there are any temperature limitations for the plants and/or goldfish?

Joan Smith - 9 years ago

bummer! but, thanks for the reply

The Growing Club - 9 years ago

Hi Joan, Water Hyacinth and Water Cress are not very cold hardy. You'd have to bring the pond in for the winter anywhere outside of Southern California / Florida.

50. comment for How to Build a Mini Pond

Ontario Hashish - 9 years ago

More videos! :) Love the uploads man keep em coming. Ive noticed with my pond near my garden I get a lot of dragon flies, especially when theyre breeding. The birds and tree frogs dont mind it either

Ontario Hashish - 9 years ago

+Ras Tafari One thing Id suggest is you DO NOT use goldfish in any pond less than a few hundred gallons. A healthy goldfish can be reach sizes between 8-14 inches I keep mine in a 4000g pond in a large school so they feel more comfortable. Youll find in the right environment they can double or triple their size on the first 12 months of life. Its extremely cruel to keep a fish like this in a small environment because it severely retards their organ and other bodily growth leading them to a short life. A more suitable fish would be mosquito fish. They remain small, eat insect larvae and enjoy a slightly warmer environment than the cold water goldfish. Please rethink the goldfish home with all due respect!

Mumbai Balcony Gardener | Avid Life Observer - 9 years ago

This is super awesome! I wish you would upload your great content on a more regular basis:)

The Growing Club - 9 years ago

We will be uploading videos regularly from now on. Glad you like our videos. Please consider supporting what we do by joining The Growing Club. http://thegrowingclub.com

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