# Barrel Ponds



## KiltyONeal

Here's a couple pictures of my barrel ponds. I've found these to be an easy way to grow pond plants and keep your fish outside without the need for a lot of space. It's a great way to breed your fish as well. I'm using them now to breed my guppies and rainbow fish, but I plan to breed a few species of danios this summer as well. The setup is easy and I don't need to use a mechanical filter. I just use plants. The water hyacinths and water lettuce do most of the work!


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## msdolittle

Those are really cool!!! How did you set them up? How do you maintain them?


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## KiltyONeal

I got a few of these whiskey barrels at my local garden center in the fall of 2004. I originally intended just to get one, but they were only $5 each so I went ahead and got three of them! Each barrel holds about 35 gallons. I wasn't sure if they would hold water without a liner, so I I bought a roll of it at my local hardware store and stuck it in using some 100% silicon rubber.

I'm in central Ohio, so I set these up in May/June and take them down in September/October depending on the weather. I just drain them, bring some of the plants in, and flip the barrels over for the winter.

I really like keeping my fish outside in the summer because these barrels are so easy to maintain. I keep them on the south side of my house, so they get plenty of sun. The plants do a great job filtering the water, especially the water hyacinth and water lettuce. The fish like to lay eggs in the roots of the plants too. This summer, I wanted to try more plants, so I added some Water Irises, Cattails, Pond Lillies and Umbrella Palms.


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## msdolittle

Awesome!! I'm in central ohio too..........maybe you should come to my house and help me set some up. 

But seriously, what a cool idea! You mean, you move your indoor aquarium fish out to the barrels in the summer? Do the barrels not get too hot? And, how do you keep predators from eating your fish? Even if I didn't put fish in them, it sure would be cool to set some up just with plants. I've been wanting to put in a water garden but I'm afraid of the legalities (I live in a development, there are kids, what if one fell in or something.........). That and OMG what a lot of work to dig........ A barrel pond sounds perfect.


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## Guest

I just finished digging my pond out today. It took me a total of about 9 hours to do. Fun! Barrel ponds would have been sweet! :lol:

Those are absolutely beautiful barrel ponds you have.  So with the water hyacinths (LOVE those!) and the water lettuce doing the filtering, do you do water changes every week like a normal aquarium?


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## KiltyONeal

msdolittle,

The barrels seem to be deep enough to keep the water cool. If I put my hand in, I can feel the surface of the water is much warmer than if I lower it all the way to the bottom. I think the depth and volume of the water help maintain a consistent temperature for the fish so they don't get shocked at night if the air temperature drops.

The only predators I've seen in my 'hood are cats and the occasional racoon. The cats aren't a problem at all, but last summer I did have a racoon that pulled one of the water hyacinths out of a barrel one night. All the fish were okay though. I don't think the racoon could catch the small fish because of the water depth.

Sounds like one of these would work for you. My barrels are actually old whiskey barrels and have the Jack Daniels name and emblem on the bottom. I did have to wait awhile to get the alcohol smell out of one of them!  You could use anything though, like a nice large (but light) fiberglass pot.


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## KiltyONeal

Michael,

Thanks .... I only do a 1/4 water change about once a month. I top off the water occasionally with tap water or rain water. The barrels can catch any rain water when it storms as well.


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## KiltyONeal

More info on barrel ponds ...

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&q=barrel+pond&btnG=Search


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## Guest

Do you have any fish in them? I'm assuming that you don't as you said that you poured tap water into it. Any pics?


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## KiltyONeal

Durbkat said:


> Do you have any fish in them? I'm assuming that you don't as you said that you poured tap water into it. Any pics?


Yeah, there's fish in them. Look closely at the pics above and you can see some of the guppies. :-D


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## KiltyONeal

During the past week, this grew to the surface and opened up today ...


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## MarineFish

that looks awesome
!!!


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## KiltyONeal

MarineFish said:


> that looks awesome
> !!!


Yeah! That's one of the pond lillies I got from you!

Thanks again!


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## Tanger

where do you live?? how is the weather like there?


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## stig

they are brilliant! I wish i had stumbled across your idea sooner.


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## Guest

How do they live if you pour tap water into it? Doesn't that like kill them off?


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## angelfishamy

With a combination of evaporation, rain water,water changes and plants I doubt there would be much of a problem.Usually if your plants look healthy the fish are too or atleast making it.I've kept baby guppies outside in the summer and I live in Ohio I just used large plastic tubs with some plants.


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## KiltyONeal

Tanger said:


> where do you live?? how is the weather like there?


Central Ohio ... we've had some hot (90+ F) days here this summer, but the fish didn't seem to mind. The plants seem to shade enough of the water's surface to prevent large water temperature swings.

I drain the barrels in the winter and flip 'em over. I set them up again in the spring.


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## KiltyONeal

Durbkat said:


> How do they live if you pour tap water into it? Doesn't that like kill them off?


I initially filled the barrels with tap water and then let them sit for a couple days. This allows the chlorine to leave the water. I then added the plants and then later on added the fish.


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## Eddie Would GO

awsum idea what are the diemensions and what liner did you use?


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## KiltyONeal

Eddie Would GO said:


> awsum idea what are the diemensions and what liner did you use?


The barrels are about 3 feet wide and 2 1/2 feet tall. I used a flexible plastic liner that I got from a hardware store. For $5, you can get enough to line at least four barrels.


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## mr.dark-saint

I got me a "food grade" plastic 55 gallon barrel with Cattails and Duckweeds. It's white and not so rustic. 

I picked them up years ago for the purpose of farming daphnia and gammeras with seasonal mosquito larva to feed my Bettas. But years past and done got tired of Bettas but before I ended that psychotic affair (about the same time the Half Moon Bettas did their debut). I saw a fragment of a Cattail while collecting some daphnia for the farm I thought maybe it'll grow. Threw it in and sure enough it sprouted but never seemed to be really "healthy" (eventually it just died). Since I got used to seeing green blades a poking. I went down to the local river and collected some "good" and sturdy samples. They're doing very well, since every year I seem to get more "Corn Dogs" .


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