20 Gallon Water Garden

**pweifan** · 06-24-2012, 01:09 AM

I started to talk about this on xenxes' Balcony Planter 24g thread. diwu13 suggested I start my own journal, and I didn't want to steal xenxes' thunder (not that I really could, his water garden is gorgeous!).

I'm in Cleveland, OH and it can get into the 90s, but it doesn't typically doesn't last too long. I lost my fish last year during a warm spell and I wanted to help prevent that from happening again. That's why I put the water container in a wine barrel surrounded by dirt to help insulate it. I also have some floaters to help block the sun. I successfully bred LOTS of RCS last year, so I have more of those in there as well. There's a submersible pump in there to keep the water circulating.

Unfortunately I have to keep the raccoons out with a grill, so it isn't too attractive all the time.

Here's a look inside:

I've thrown a little of everything in there. Some tropical, some collected locally.

Potamogeton nodosus
Polygonum hydropiperoides
Pontederia cordata
Ludwigia palustrus
Ludwigia repens x l. arcuata
Ludwigia sp 'Red'
Hydrocotyle sp. japan
Hygrophila polysperma var 'Sunset'
Pistia stratiotes
Carex morrowii

I'm hoping to rush the "filling out" process so I don't have to battle algae all Summer. I also plan on doing some collecting while I'm in FL early August.

**pweifan** · 06-24-2012, 01:23 AM

I added some more Potamogeton nodosus today. I am really afraid the plants won't out-compete the algae so I've got them crammed in that pot. I should add some more floaters too.

Can you see the White Cloud in this picture? I've got 6-8 of them in there. I've never gotten egg-layers to breed. I'm hoping this more natural approach will have some success.

Algae Beater · 06-24-2012, 03:22 AM

i had a half barrel similar to that that yielded hundreds of white clouds! looks like a GREAT start!

**pweifan** · 06-24-2012, 07:27 PM

That's good to hear

I'm hoping to have similar results.

finsNfur · 06-25-2012, 12:29 PM

It's incredible how the grill fits over it perfectly! It looks great, a few years ago I had a rubbermaid tub on my deck with guppies and platies. Unfortunately we only have a couple of months of reliable warm weather, I'd like to try again one summer with white clouds. But then I'd have to bring them in, and I already have 7 fish tanks. What will you do for the winter?

**pweifan** · 06-25-2012, 12:44 PM

Thanks

I've got a 15 gallon fish tank in the Living Room and another 20 gallon tub in the basement. I'll overwinter most things in the tub inside.

**pweifan** · 06-30-2012, 12:34 AM

I already had to trim out some of the Potamogeton nodosus. It's been a pretty aggressive grower so far, but that means that it's beating the algae

No pictured due to no light...

**xenxes** · 07-04-2012, 04:40 PM

Looking good!

Is the grass looking plant on the back right the Carex morrowii?

Getting a house end of the year and making a plant list for my "real" pond

**pweifan** · 07-04-2012, 05:41 PM

Thanks xenxes

You're exactly right on the Carex morrowii; it's the variegated variety. Be careful though, it's an aggressive grower. I get in from my parent's pond in MI and it grows like mad.

We had some really heavy storms the past few days after a long dry spell. I'm hoping it promotes some the White Clouds spawning.

**pweifan** · 09-28-2012, 04:33 AM

I finished tearing this down tonight. I never got any baby White Clouds, but I did get baby red cherries and LOTS of dragonfly and damselfly larvae. I'm not sure why so much this year, but the White Clouds didn't do a very good job of keeping the larvae count down.

I'm thinking next year I might try some native fish in the container and see if they can do a better job. If so, I won't bother trying to keep shrimp.

AirstoND · 09-28-2012, 11:03 PM

Have you tried carnivorous plants such as butterworts?

**pweifan** · 09-29-2012, 01:54 AM

No I never had thought of that approach. I did a quick search, but I haven't spent too much time looking yet. Do you know of any aquatic butterworts offhand? This one looked pretty cool.

AirstoND · 09-30-2012, 02:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pweifan

No I never had thought of that approach. I did a quick search, but I haven't spent too much time looking yet. Do you know of any aquatic butterworts offhand? This one looked pretty cool.

That's a type of Pinguicula primuliflora, I have that's green and with a purple flower. The two Im suggesting and haven't kept:

1) Utricularia vulgaris:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Uk...adderwort2.jpg

2) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aldrovanda

**pweifan** · 10-01-2012, 05:39 PM

AirstoND, thanks for taking the time to include the links. It helps me understand what's available. Honestly, I don't like either plant looks-wise. I'll have to see what other options are out there. I'm strongly leaning towards native fish. I'll just need to see what's out there and plant-friendly. I've got plenty of time to research before I set things up again.

06-24-2012, 01:09 AM	#1
pweifan Planted Tank Enthusiast (View User Tanks) PTrader: (46/100%) Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Cleveland, OH Posts: 608	20 Gallon Water Garden I started to talk about this on xenxes' Balcony Planter 24g thread. diwu13 suggested I start my own journal, and I didn't want to steal xenxes' thunder (not that I really could, his water garden is gorgeous!). I'm in Cleveland, OH and it can get into the 90s, but it doesn't typically doesn't last too long. I lost my fish last year during a warm spell and I wanted to help prevent that from happening again. That's why I put the water container in a wine barrel surrounded by dirt to help insulate it. I also have some floaters to help block the sun. I successfully bred LOTS of RCS last year, so I have more of those in there as well. There's a submersible pump in there to keep the water circulating. Unfortunately I have to keep the raccoons out with a grill, so it isn't too attractive all the time. Here's a look inside: I've thrown a little of everything in there. Some tropical, some collected locally. Potamogeton nodosus Polygonum hydropiperoides Pontederia cordata Ludwigia palustrus Ludwigia repens x l. arcuata Ludwigia sp 'Red' Hydrocotyle sp. japan Hygrophila polysperma var 'Sunset' Pistia stratiotes Carex morrowii I'm hoping to rush the "filling out" process so I don't have to battle algae all Summer. I also plan on doing some collecting while I'm in FL early August.

07-04-2012, 04:40 PM	#8
xenxes Gotta Catch 'Em All (View User Tanks) PTrader: (37/100%) Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Miami, FL Posts: 2,663	Looking good! Is the grass looking plant on the back right the Carex morrowii? Getting a house end of the year and making a plant list for my "real" pond __________________ A: [2g x2] [5g] [5g-S] [6g] [9g] [20g] [24g] \| T: [Balcony] [Nano Wabikusa] \| Shrimp Blog

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06-24-2012, 01:23 AM	#2
pweifan Planted Tank Enthusiast (View User Tanks) PTrader: (46/100%) Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Cleveland, OH Posts: 608	I added some more Potamogeton nodosus today. I am really afraid the plants won't out-compete the algae so I've got them crammed in that pot. I should add some more floaters too. Can you see the White Cloud in this picture? I've got 6-8 of them in there. I've never gotten egg-layers to breed. I'm hoping this more natural approach will have some success.

06-24-2012, 03:22 AM	#3
Algae Beater Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Vancouver, Canada Posts: 284	i had a half barrel similar to that that yielded hundreds of white clouds! looks like a GREAT start!

06-24-2012, 07:27 PM	#4
pweifan Planted Tank Enthusiast (View User Tanks) PTrader: (46/100%) Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Cleveland, OH Posts: 608	That's good to hear I'm hoping to have similar results.

06-25-2012, 12:29 PM	#5
finsNfur Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (1/100%) Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Connecticut Posts: 54	It's incredible how the grill fits over it perfectly! It looks great, a few years ago I had a rubbermaid tub on my deck with guppies and platies. Unfortunately we only have a couple of months of reliable warm weather, I'd like to try again one summer with white clouds. But then I'd have to bring them in, and I already have 7 fish tanks. What will you do for the winter?

06-25-2012, 12:44 PM	#6
pweifan Planted Tank Enthusiast (View User Tanks) PTrader: (46/100%) Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Cleveland, OH Posts: 608	Thanks I've got a 15 gallon fish tank in the Living Room and another 20 gallon tub in the basement. I'll overwinter most things in the tub inside.

06-30-2012, 12:34 AM	#7
pweifan Planted Tank Enthusiast (View User Tanks) PTrader: (46/100%) Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Cleveland, OH Posts: 608	I already had to trim out some of the Potamogeton nodosus. It's been a pretty aggressive grower so far, but that means that it's beating the algae No pictured due to no light...

07-04-2012, 05:41 PM	#9
pweifan Planted Tank Enthusiast (View User Tanks) PTrader: (46/100%) Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Cleveland, OH Posts: 608	Thanks xenxes You're exactly right on the Carex morrowii; it's the variegated variety. Be careful though, it's an aggressive grower. I get in from my parent's pond in MI and it grows like mad. We had some really heavy storms the past few days after a long dry spell. I'm hoping it promotes some the White Clouds spawning.

09-28-2012, 04:33 AM	#10
pweifan Planted Tank Enthusiast (View User Tanks) PTrader: (46/100%) Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Cleveland, OH Posts: 608	I finished tearing this down tonight. I never got any baby White Clouds, but I did get baby red cherries and LOTS of dragonfly and damselfly larvae. I'm not sure why so much this year, but the White Clouds didn't do a very good job of keeping the larvae count down. I'm thinking next year I might try some native fish in the container and see if they can do a better job. If so, I won't bother trying to keep shrimp.

09-28-2012, 11:03 PM	#11
AirstoND Wannabe Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: NJ Posts: 1,230	Have you tried carnivorous plants such as butterworts?

09-29-2012, 01:54 AM	#12
pweifan Planted Tank Enthusiast (View User Tanks) PTrader: (46/100%) Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Cleveland, OH Posts: 608	No I never had thought of that approach. I did a quick search, but I haven't spent too much time looking yet. Do you know of any aquatic butterworts offhand? This one looked pretty cool.

10-01-2012, 05:39 PM	#14
pweifan Planted Tank Enthusiast (View User Tanks) PTrader: (46/100%) Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Cleveland, OH Posts: 608	AirstoND, thanks for taking the time to include the links. It helps me understand what's available. Honestly, I don't like either plant looks-wise. I'll have to see what other options are out there. I'm strongly leaning towards native fish. I'll just need to see what's out there and plant-friendly. I've got plenty of time to research before I set things up again.