6 replies to this topic

[Redevilz]

Hey all,

I am moving into a rental house which was a pond about 60 litres in the backyard. At the moment it just has some large white pebbles.

The problem is that is receives direct sunlight and is only in the shade by late afternoon (5ish). I was wondering if it would be possible to keep any fish or plants in it.

Cheers

[malawiman85]

I would think it would get way to hot... Not just that but the temp variances over night would be pretty severe too.

[Shane-o88]

goldfish??

[BristledOne]

Maybe throw a thermometer into it and see what you read, out the back here is a 50L plastic tub with some rosey barbs, gold snails and a couple of guppies. I've just got some hessian and shade cloth draped around it and on hot days I let the hessian bag touch the waterline so it cools via evaporation, so far so good on a 35c day I read about 26c water temp. I also put in some aquatic plants so there are some shade leaves on the waterline

[Redevilz]

Thanks very much!

I am thinking some barbs with some plants. Bristledone what plants are you keeping?

I will shade it with a hessian bag or a huge cloth on days over 30.

How often are you changing the water and is there filtration in the tub?

Cheers

[BristledOne]

Thanks very much!

I am thinking some barbs with some plants. Bristledone what plants are you keeping?

I will shade it with a hessian bag or a huge cloth on days over 30.

How often are you changing the water and is there filtration in the tub?

Cheers

I'm still yet to encounter multiple days in-a-row breaking 35c+ so the hardest is yet to come


The aquatic plants were donated to me so it's kind of unknown what is entirely in there, but I didn't want to put in too much because of my "filter". I know there are some water lilies, white iris, duckweed and something else that has leaves like an amazon sword but more of a stem plant structure. I'll see if I can put up pics and maybe someone will know (I got it with some gold snails off someone on PCS)

As for the filter, well it's actually a 55L tub filled with 50L of expanded clay! Aquaponics works really well as a filter and you get some really nice organic vegies at the end of it.
In the grow bed I have baby spinach, snow peas (already harvested so dying now), red chilli and capsicums (for my Thai green curries) and some Cucumbers (for my bristle-nose) that are starting to explode with growth.

I feed them Aqua Master's Australian Native fish food once or twice a day and try to overfeed rather than under (something will eat it or it becomes plant food). The setup is about 4 months old and only have had to unclog the pipes once in that whole time.
-2nd edit-
I never do water changes, only top ups directly from the tap. I just let the garden hose sit on the grow bed so it's getting mixed in with the usual flow

1st-edit-
Stumbled out the back in the dark and took these, the phones camera flash is better than I thought.

Edited by BristledOne, 03 December 2013 - 08:47 PM.

[malawiman85]

Nano aquaponics... Cool.