Unfiltered Tub pond

[TankMaster]

I started this very same thread on another forum. Seems like the idea was new and exciting. It was published in a newsletter and has been a hot topic ever since. If the international hobbyists loved the idea then I'm certain you guys will love it too.

I was thinking about making a pond out of a plastic storage container like this . .



Its huge and about 50 Gal . . .

Just want to put in some fancy guppies.

Can I have them in this tub outdoors? This wont be filtered but I plan to change 20% of water daily.

I'm also planning on getting some pond plants. Maybe have some hornwort in there as well.

Where I live is pretty hot almost everyday. We do get some nice rain but its still hot. So temperature isn't a problem.

Do you think it's a good idea?

Here's the post that started it all....

It's basically a container transformed into a pond. It is however Non-filtered and non heated.

I ran this setup for 4 months with 5 mollies. I ended up with 50+ juveniles and adults at the end of the warm season. I gave away every single fish before I had a problem on my hands.

Has anyone tried this yet or planned to?

WARNING:

• WATER CHANGES ARE ESSENTIAL OR YOU WILL HAVE GREEN WATER IN NO TIME AT ALL.

• ONLY USE THIS SETUP IN THE WARM SEASONS OF SPRING AND SUMMER.

• DON'T TRY THIS WITH COMETS OR GOLDFISH. THEY MIGHT JUMP OUT OF THE WATER.

• USE ONLY SUITABLE LIVE BEARERS OR COLD TOLERANT FISH LIKE BETTAS.

• DON'T TRY BREEDING - THIS SETUP INCREASES BREEDING RATES DRAMATICALLY! UNLESS YOU HAVE BUYERS FOR YOUR FISH, STAY AWAY!

ADDING PREDATORY FISH LIKE TIGER BARBS MAY CONTROL POPULATION.

[f-fish]

Yeah - tub breeding works ... well I find that having a lower depth to surface ratio makes for a nice setup that does not need filtration. I've just torn down my green water tank - was basically guppies in 7 moths old rain water that stood in the sun outside during December - when it started getting cold I brought the container indoors and added a heater and light to keep the green water going. Made the mistake of adding potted plants and moss to the setup - something happened after a month of adding the plants that turned the once peaceful green water tub into a foul monster. So yes you can breed in almost any container - but you do not get to see the fish from the side view - BTW never did a water change on the tank only did top-ups - AFAIK never lost a fish (i.e. saw a crops).

Later F

[Khalid]

I am doing it with a 100l container for several years outside (summer winter) with goldfish. I had no jumpers but problems with rats, birds and dragonflies.
I do water changes once a week thats it, works great.

[Ferryman]

im itching to try it with a 1.2m i have outside, but i cant frekkit, lol, i cant afford a 4th tank. I will resist mts!

[PeterWest]

excuse the question but what is mts?

[Vis]

MTS = Multiple tank sindrome

[Oscar]

To breed live breeders all you need fish is filter and a tank.
I now someone who bred more than 100 platies form 25 platie that were living in his garage with a whole lot of other fish that didn't have there heaters on like his Malawi's and all he had in each tank was a sponge filter and a standard tube light and the fish are all healthy.

Oh and he built the tanks himself.

[mydummyname]

Ok so you guys saying you put guppies or whatever in a plastic drum outside, no heater, no filter. Just weekly water changes and they breed? Do you even feed them?

[TankMaster]

Sometimes a water change comes from the sky if you have an overflow hole in the side of the drum.

Feeding is seldom since guppies, mollies and platy eat microscopic creatures in the water.

No filter, No heater . . . .

fishCrazy has his 1000lt flow bin with guppies. I had the pleasure of seeing it today in his backyard.

If your water is good enough you will soon have mozzies laying eggs and eventually larvae will wriggle around which guppies will eat.

Can you guess how many guppies you can fit in a 1000lt flow bin ?

[Oscar]

Hi just wanted to know were you get such a big container.