"Elaine T" wrote in message
om...
David wrote:
I am still in the conceptual design stage of the tropical water
garden/pond/aquarium, mentioned in a couple of earlier posts. I have
been fixated on the idea that the deepest pool should be around 5-6'
deep, but have recently started thinking -- is there any practical
reason for this depth? I have based this presumption upon what the
koi ponders like to do. But I'm not building a koi pond. This
project is for tropical fish.

So I am wondering what you real aquarists would do? If you were
building such a thing, and tropical fish were a primary focus, how
deep would you make the deepest pool? NetMax has suggested fish sizes
of 5-9" in this deepest pool, and I feel pretty good about that. But
does this auger for a depth of 5-6 feet? I really don't have a
feeling for what makes sense. But I am starting with a blank sheet of
paper, and can make it any way I want. How deep would you real
aquarists make your new tank if you had a free hand? (Remember that
although this will be part of a water garden, this deepest pool will
also have a side view.) What depth makes sense?

(I'm sure some of you think this whole project doesn't make sense, but
I'm trying to remain optimistic ... g)

Thank you very much, David


Well, first I'll offer a thought. If you're going to keep deep bodied
fish like discus or angels, IMO 3-4 feet deep would be good. I also
don't know how easy it will be to grow plants in 6 feet of water - it
will depend on the light intensity and how much of the pond is in sun
or shade.

I'll also counter with a question. You're going to have to be working
at the bottom of this pond setting planters, maintaining drains, and
possibly cleaning accumulated gunk off of the bottom yearly. How deep
water do you want to have to work in or how much are you willing to
drain for maintenance?

--
__ Elaine T __
__' http://eethomp.com/fish.html '__

Excellent points from Elaine T. I'd suggest 4' as a maximum, beyond
which maintenance, plant growth and required glass thickness become too
problematic.
--
www.NetMax.tk