Outdoor Tubs? What is everyone up to?

[Emily M]

So, I’m making my first patio pond! Can’t tell you how excited I am. My VERY handy husband built me a box to put a 40 gallon breeder on the porch. Its got a window in it so I can see what is going on inside, once it gets rolling. Will post photos as it gets put together!! What are you all doing this warmer season outside?

[Fish Folk]

Looking good there!

We’re doing 3x little half-whisky barrels. Here’s 1x we did last year. Got 2x more for this summer.

 

[Emily M]

1 hour ago, Fish Folk said:

Looking good there!

We’re doing 3x little half-whisky barrels. Here’s 1x we did last year. Got 2x more for this summer.

 

So cool!!

[ChemBob]

Got a 100 gallon stock tank setup with Rainbow Shiners.  Hoping to make this a year round tub.

[FriendlyLoach]

I have a new goldfish pond, however raccoons got in and ate one of my fish, and so I out them in my other pond. My dojo loaches are ok in there though, I plan to put some white clouds in there. It is 100% solar powered!  

Edited April 20, 2021 by FriendlyLoach

[Eric R]

13 hours ago, Emily M said:

So, I’m making my first patio pond! Can’t tell you how excited I am. My VERY handy husband built me a box to put a 40 gallon breeder on the porch. Its got a window in it so I can see what is going on inside, once it gets rolling. Will post photos as it gets put together!! What are you all doing this warmer season outside?

Neat idea! I especially like how you'll be able to see in from the side.

First time tubber here, I'll be using this above ground container, though I'm going to surround it with rocks so that the container is less visible.



Link at Lowes: https://www.lowes.com/pd/MacCourt-38-in-L-x-38-in-W-Black-High-Density-Polyethylene-Pond-Liner-35-Gallon/1000382051

I'm going to add a waterlily and a bunch of marginal plants and I hope to have it look like this when I'm done!

Edited April 20, 2021 by ererer

[Emily M]

1 hour ago, ChemBob said:

Got a 100 gallon stock tank setup with Rainbow Shiners.  Hoping to make this a year round tub.

so neat!!! 

[Emily M]

55 minutes ago, ererer said:

Neat idea! I especially like how you'll be able to see in from the side.

First time tubber here, I'll be using this above ground container, though I'm going to surround it with rocks so that the container is less visible.



Link at Lowes: https://www.lowes.com/pd/MacCourt-38-in-L-x-38-in-W-Black-High-Density-Polyethylene-Pond-Liner-35-Gallon/1000382051

I'm going to add a waterlily and a bunch of marginal plants and I hope to have it look like this when I'm done!

Oh, that book looks amazing!

[Eric R]

9 minutes ago, Emily M said:

Oh, that book looks amazing!

I wrote a short review of it in another post here:

I highly recommend it, you can get it on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Tub-Pond-Handbook-Comprehensive-Container/dp/B091W9WLDP/ igh

[Sandyjo]

Hi. I am planning for the 75 gallon aquarium  on the patio again this year. Was able to keep it up and running until beginning of October last year here in Illinois with a small heater. It survived a tornado and the derecho last year... hopefully none of that this year. Going to  set it up more pond like this year...no top, floating plants, etc...and planning a plant deck above it... I drew out what I invision and hubby said"doable".  🤞It will come together like I see it in my mind. 

[Emily M]

6 hours ago, Sandyjo said:

Hi. I am planning for the 75 gallon aquarium  on the patio again this year. Was able to keep it up and running until beginning of October last year here in Illinois with a small heater. It survived a tornado and the derecho last year... hopefully none of that this year. Going to  set it up more pond like this year...no top, floating plants, etc...and planning a plant deck above it... I drew out what I invision and hubby said"doable".  🤞It will come together like I see it in my mind. 

That is gorgeous!!! Can’t wait to see what you put in it!!

[Emily M]

9 hours ago, FriendlyLoach said:

I have a new goldfish pond, however raccoons got in and ate one of my fish, and so I out them in my other pond. My dojo loaches are ok in there though, I plan to put some white clouds in there. It is 100% solar powered!  

That is fantastic! Wish I had that much sun!!

[awymorePDX]

6 hours ago, Sandyjo said:

Hi. I am planning for the 75 gallon aquarium  on the patio again this year. Was able to keep it up and running until beginning of October last year here in Illinois with a small heater. It survived a tornado and the derecho last year... hopefully none of that this year. Going to  set it up more pond like this year...no top, floating plants, etc...and planning a plant deck above it... I drew out what I invision and hubby said"doable".  🤞It will come together like I see it in my mind. 

I may have to steal this idea

[Emily M]

On 4/20/2021 at 8:11 PM, awymorePDX said:

I may have to steal this idea

Totally!!

[Emily M]

I painted it to match my house today, hoping it will blend in, and then it’ll be all about the plants and the fishes inside. I also have a deck railing planter I’m going to hang on the side and pump water through as part of the filtration. I think next weekend I’m going to set it up!!

[Emily M]

Pond in place on the porch! Fish inside quarantining (waiting)! I’m excited to see what it looks like from the inside with fish in it! Pls excuse the glare...

[Emily M]

Hi all! My tub is nearly complete, I just need to add my fish. Have learned so much. I’m nervous about adding the fish to it, not sure why. But it’s been a really fun process!

[Griznatch]

 Very cool! I've always wanted a huge above ground pond with a side view or large glass panel. The option to see it from in the house is excellent!  Are you going to have to drain it in winter, or do you have some way to winterize it so glass won't crack?

[Sandyjo]

@Emily M that looks amazing. 

[Schwack]

That looks great! I've got an old 38 gallon tank I don't trust enough to keep in the house, I've envisioned keeping it on my deck with a big ol' goldfish and a heater to get through Oregon winters. The glass holds up OK under all that temperature change?

[Andy's Fish Den]

I have a 150 gallon Rubbermaid tub that I had set up with water last week to get ready for the summer tubbing season. My local club had a swap meet this past weekend and I was hoping to pick up some kind of fish and some plants for. I ended up getting some salvinia, dwarf water lettuce, hornwort and I also threw in some stems I trimmed off my pogostemon octopus. My son went with me to the swap and ended up getting a couple fantail goldfish so they went into the tub, instead of guppies or rice fish like I hoped. Maybe I will just have to get another tub.

[binkysmom]

Set up an 18 gallon Muck Bucket on my apartment balcony. I’ve previously used this in my parents backyard to breed guppies. I’m planning on some orange rice fish and will see if they will survive my Vancouver winters. I do have an outlet and can add a heater in the winter if needed.

 

[JDCNY]

I'm curious. Has anyone tried raising killifish eggs in a summer tub? I'm planning on doing a little experiment in a 15 gallon rubbermaid tub (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000I1M85G/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1).

I'm getting it set up now as nights are just starting to warm up in the northeast. I have a small fountain pump from homedepot that I put in a plastic pot with holes in the bottom. Pebbles go in the pot, then some course sponge, and I'll use the pump and some old tubing to make a bit of water feature. The flow of the water through the rocks/sponge will add filtration and oxygenate the water. From there, my plan is to throw clippings from my indoor aquariums in there (rotala, ludwigia, guppy grass), toss in salvinia, maybe add a peace lily for some above water interest and let it go green. After that, I'll toss in one or two of those eggs-in-peat-moss packets you see on ebay and see what happens. 

Worse case, I'm out $20 on the eggs and I have a sweet breeding pond for my endlers, white clouds, or CPDs. 

[JDCNY]

Quick update on how the tub is looking about a week in. My son really got into helping set it up. It ended up with a bit more hardscape than I had originally planned, but he's excited and that's what counts.  As you can see, the salvinia is super happy already and going gangbusters.  All the plants are clippings from my indoor aquariums or house plants, plus some moss my son scraped off of the patio. I'll probably add some water wisteria and/or water lettuce down the road. And sometime in June, I'll add the killifish eggs and see what happens. I'm hoping the magic of summer tub green water and infusoria will be perfect for the tiny fry. 

 

[Emily M]

On 5/16/2021 at 11:20 AM, Griznatch said:

 Very cool! I've always wanted a huge above ground pond with a side view or large glass panel. The option to see it from in the house is excellent!  Are you going to have to drain it in winter, or do you have some way to winterize it so glass won't crack?

Hi! Sorry took me FOREVER to respond, I’ll probably use some sort of heater to keep it from freezing during winter...I’ll have to research it!