wrote in message
oups.com...
Hi, I did more reading on plants, I have decided my "pond" is too small
and I will just leave the bottom bare as you suggested, just plants in
small herb pots for now. And keep the gravel to a minimum
What do you think if I just anchor the plant with gravel in pots and
soil in the tank at all? I think a bit of soil might likely cause a
big mess in my barrel, with the fountain pump running and small volume
of water, etc.
## You can try it but I've never had anything but eel grass (vellisneria ?)
do well in nothing but a fine gravel. It doesn't supply the micronutrients
the plants need. You can try adding liquid plant food and see if that
works.
I was thinking water lily because I havn't got a floating plant of any
kind yet (but will continue to look for stores with hyacinth)
## Remember that floating plants will shade out anything UNDER the water.
The pond get 6 hours of sun now and I think it will be too warm for
fish at certain hours without shading the surface quite well. And I
really want fish, even though can only support a couple of them.
## Use a thermometer. I have 3 barrels and they are in the sun most of the
day. They are shaded by water lilies and stay cooler than the air (mid 90s
here in summer). But as I said only the mini's really do well and look good
in barrels. I'm just overrun with lilies so stuck a few in the barrels. My
barrels have plastic liners so the wood insulates the water from the sun and
heat I believe. The small goldfish do fine.
BTW, any bigger pond is out of the question right now until I make this
barrel rather attractive, before approval for in-ground project will be
granted. 
## Uh oh,... :-)))
Next I have been wondering something else. If I add a small aquarium
filter to hang on there, would I be able to support more fishes?
## Yes. These barrels hold something like 30 gallons of water so 3 or 4
smallish goldfish would do ok, or about 8 rosy reds. Remember that the GF
will not utilize the bottom of the barrels. It's wasted water as far as
they're concerned. They will mainly stay around the surface - at least
that's what mine always do. I think the bottom is too dark and lacks
oxygen.
--
McKoi.... the frugal ponder...
EVERYONE: "Please check people's headers for forgeries
before flushing." NAMES ARE BEING FORGED.
My Pond Page
http://tinyurl.com/cuq5b
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