# Planted pond



## AteItOffTheFloor (Oct 8, 2014)

Got a chance at something I've wanted to do for a long time - a tropical community pond.

Its going to be filterless. It shall rely on lots of plants and a low fish bioload.

I've taken the measurements and its about 200 gallons - 8 feet long, 3 feet wide and a foot deep.

Substrate is just sand - about 3 inches deep. Don't want extra nutrients bringing my good friend mr green water.

Using simple plants. Vals, amania (?), java fern, ludwigia repens, cabomba and water sprite.



















A sad bit of java. Will tie it to a bigger piece of driftwood once that becomes waterlogged.









The center of the pond, with cabomba and vals. The ludwigia and amania is meant to grow above the water line. But these guys, I just want them to stay in there and look good.









Growing the watersprite out in the abandoned pond filter. Roots have already started to sprout. Should have a few babies in a week or so.









No fish yet!

However, I'm dead set on a school of tiger barbs and corydoras, probably panda cause they're cheap.


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## kris (Jan 1, 2005)

Hi there,
What a neat idea- I have a pond and have very little "nifty" plants in it. Where are you located? Do you have wildlife that might take off with your plants?
Kris


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## Michael (Jul 20, 2010)

Small ponds are tons of fun for raising aquatic plants. Kris, I'm in Dallas and set up small temporary ponds outside every year, in addition to my permanent ponds. It is surprising how many of our aquarium plants will survive the winter outdoors here.


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## AteItOffTheFloor (Oct 8, 2014)

kris said:


> Hi there,
> What a neat idea- I have a pond and have very little "nifty" plants in it. Where are you located? Do you have wildlife that might take off with your plants?
> Kris


In Kuala Lumpur - Malaysia.

So far just water striders, pond snails, dragonflies (found some nymphs too), bloodworm, and the very worrying mosquito larvae.

With the latter in mind, I've added 23 tiger barbs and 5 siamese algae eaters to the pond.

Definitely a decrease in the critters, unfortunate, but I don't want to spread dengue fever.

When I work in the pond the fish come and pick at my feet!  Not particularly comforting, as it may mean my feet are riddles with parasites.....

Unfortunately, the pond is facing algae issues. I was hoping to avoid it, but in the full sun, and with only about 30% of it planted so far, I guess it was a pipe dream.

The water is still clear, but the sand is covered with dust algae. Plants are growing, so hopefully it will go away in a few months. Algae just means extra nutrients after all.


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## AteItOffTheFloor (Oct 8, 2014)

Michael said:


> Small ponds are tons of fun for raising aquatic plants. Kris, I'm in Dallas and set up small temporary ponds outside every year, in addition to my permanent ponds. It is surprising how many of our aquarium plants will survive the winter outdoors here.


Agreed, except for the last bit cause I've never been through a winter before


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