Pond help

[MikeDeL]

I am wanting to make a small pond/water fountain out of a whiskey barrel. My fiance is wanting to keep some water plants. Where is the best place to get the stuff I will need and best place for plants? What kind of substrate should I use? Will the fountain kits they sell at Home Depot be just fine?
Fountain Kit

[dwdenny]

The kits at Lowes or home depot will do fine. When I worked at Lowes I had several peaople buy them and then upgrade the pumps. If you can get to Lowes or HD when the aquatic plants first come in they are the best. There shoulf be some good nurseries there in Austin that will have better looking stock but a bigger price.

[witecap4u]

Austin Aquadome has quite a bit of pond stuff but nowhere near as much as the place in Cedar park. Also check with Tim, his pond is pretty awesome, and he will probably frag some plants for you if you talk to him nicely...

[GaryP]

My wife did a whiskey barrel pond when we lived in a town house. They are pretty easy. All you really need is the barrel, a small pump like a Mag 2, and a beckett. You may need to put some terracotte pots in there, upside down, so sit the plants on. The biggest problem she had was the goldfish outgrowing the barrel and keeping the herons from eating them.

[Dozer]

There's a new store in Round Rock that's pretty good, you might want to check it out:

http://www.maast.org/index.php?name=...ht=tranquility

[Tim Marvin]

When your done looking all over town and seeing the super high prices, drop by and I'll hook you up with plants.

[OldSalty]

don't use goldfish in a wiskey barrel. like gary said they outgrow very fast. get some mosquito fish (wild guppies) they will keep it clear of mosquitos. catch them with a net anywhere there is a pond.

[MikeDeL]

Thanks, everyone. Thanks for the offer Tim, I will have to drop by once I get it all set up.

I wasnt planning on keeping any fish in there, I dont think she will let me have anymore containers with fish in it right now LOL. Are fish needed to keep the mesquitos out. I though they only liked stagnent water.

Will I need a substrate for these plants to take root in, or are they free floating?


Thanks,
Mike

[mathias]

I would keep fish because of bugs... and if Im right the fish would be able to take care of themselves....

[witecap4u]

Some plants will need a substrate, others are free floating, just depends what you want. A whisky barrel is kinda small, so you'll be limited to only a few plants..