Thanks TankMAster. Sorry that I posted my project onto your thread.But you are right. I looked online and could not find anything good on Tub pond projects. On YouTube someone used a flowerpot but it did not look very good. I might put my pictures on that web-site.
As for garden soil in the tub I would not use that as some garden soil has fertilizers and plant food in it.Some will float up on the surface and foul your tub pond water.Use aquarium gravel. Walmart had a small bag for $3.25 and a bigger bag for not that much more. If you want to cycle the tub fast I would use Eco-Complete on the bottom. If you have an indoor Aquarium with filter pads in the filter you can squeeze them into the tub pond like I did. Or you can use some of your aquarium gravel or sand from your indoor aquarium. If you know someone that has a aquarium borrow their filter pad or a small scoop of gravel to get the bio going. I also used this stuff called Cycle to get the bio going. Do a 1/4 th water change once a week and use a water test kit to test the water once a week . I like the API dropper test kit as they are more accurate then the test strips. I would not worry so much about fish waste as these water filtering plants should take care of it and getting the bio going in the gravel will help also with the water changes til it gets up and running. The Water Hyacinth is a very good plant according to my Tropical Fish Hobbyist magazine article dated April 2008. Here is some of the stuff that was written in the magazine below:
Water Hyacinth
-This is probably the best vegetative filter for the pond, water garden, or fish tub. It is so efficient in removing wastes, it can double its population size in two weeks. It is so highly regarded that it is often used for sewage treatment.
-Water Hyacinth is most practical because as a floating plant it requires no potting, displacing less water and making less mess.It shades your fish tub from the sun while helping to keep heat from evaporating at night. Its long thick roots are natural spawing mops and hideouts for a vaiety of fishes. It will flower a couple of times in the season, but more frequently with some fertilizer. So as a not to introduce more nutrients into your fish tub, you can sit your water hyacinth for a day in fertilized water and then depostit it back in your water garden. This will enhance its green color, if yellowed, and promote blooming.
- This plant is a invasive plant in many parts of the United States and the rest of the world, so it might not be available in your states.It can not overwinter, even in the home aquarium, so don't bother. Just purchase one or two new plants at the start of the season.Water Hyacinths do best when placed outside when water temps reach 65F.
- Other plants include flowering Pickerel Pontederia spp., are some of the best water filteration plants. Especially good is the variety of P. cordata known as "Crown Point",
Hornwort floating plant sucks out fish waste faster then fish can excrete them. Carbon dioside,ammonia, nitrites, nitrates and phosphates all go into this fast growing foliage,
Anacharis is another great water filtering plant.
Placement and removal
Timing the placement and removal of your fish and plants is also important. You can start your tub in early spring, as the plants start to grow.Since there is no fish or food wastes to be utilized. You can put out your tropical fish when when the day temperature reaches 70F or higher consistently for several days. Over the summer your fish will adjust well to the slowly changing temperatures, and you can take them in before the first frost date in your area.Refer to your species specifications. As an example, here in the northern New Jersey area the warm season generally runs three months from late June through late September. Cooler-water fish, like goodeids,
Paradise Fish. variatus platies.white clouds mountain minnows, and rosy barbs can often go out and stay out a couple of weeks longer. But watch your forecast and don't tempt fate! Better to have a shorter fish-tub season than a dead one.Your plants however will continue to grow and bloom through the fall. And so will your enjoyment of this outdoor niche of the aquarium hobby!
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