If you think having a water garden has to be complicated, you’d be wrong. I am here to show you that you can have a simple and EASY water garden goldfish pond.
*This post contains affiliate links to products or companies that I truly love and believed in before I joined the affiliate program. If you use these links to make a purchase, I may be compensated at NO COST TO YOU.*
CONTAINER:
First you need to get a container and there are many options. You can buy specially made containers such as this one:
But if you’d like to spend less than that, you can do like my Mama did for many years when I was a kid, and purchase a kiddie wading pool which is readily available from most any local dollar store.
Or for no cost at all, you can use a container that you already own. In past years I have used a washtub and an enamel pan.
Now I use an iron washpot that belonged to my Grandfather, Uncle Henry.
SETUP:
Most all of these containers are made of plastic and should be buried in the ground. The ground will insulate the pond and keep the water cooler in the hot summer months and warmer in the cold winter months. Turn your container upside down and mark the outline on the ground with spray paint, or flour, or just dig a small trench around it. Continue to dig until you have a hole that is deep enough to hold your container up to the rim, which should sit on top of the ground. The exception here is my iron wash pot. It will remain above ground.
*These instructions are known to work in the South. If you live in the North, you will most likely have to make adjustments.*
ADD WATER:
You are now ready to fill your container with water. The water will then need to sit for a few days so that all of the chemicals in the water can evaporate before you add any fish.
ADD PLANTS:
There are several reasons to add plants to your outdoor fish pond:
- Shade for the water will keep it a cooler temperature in the heat of summer
- Provide a place for fish to hide for protection from predators
- Shade also slows down the growth of algae
- Plants look pretty!
ADD FISH:
And now the most fun part of all is when you get to add the fish! After your water has rested a few days you can add goldfish but don’t overdo it. Depending on the size of your pond, you can overcrowd them if you put too many. I usually put 6-8 in my wash tub.
When you get them home, place the bag of fish into the water unopened and let it float there for an hour or two. This will allow the water inside the bag to become the same temperature as the water in you new pond. This helps the fish acclimate to their new environment.
Release your fish into the water and Bob’s your uncle!*
FINAL NOTES:
- Outdoor fish can survive without feeding.
- No need for cleaning. This is a pond, not an aquarium.
- Water evaporates quickly. Add water as needed, preferably rain water.
Have you ever had a water garden? Or a goldfish pond? You might also be interested in watching this video of the Goldfish Dinner time.
Love this! I can see Solomon really liking this project. And Hunter would want to add some sort of lighting around it.
I love adding lights too! In fact I saw some bee ones the other day and I really want to find some way to add them. 🙂
Sweet! I’m a bee fan too! even got a tatoo Happy Here’s a tip…after spending a lot on Coy and having Crane come, prey nd kill them, we decided get lilly pads to protect and just buy Alost Free Feeder fish feeder fish for $4.00 and see what happens. They’ve grown from size of a fingernail to size of a hand.
I use all kinds of water plants in mine to provide shade and a place for the fish to hide. 🙂
Wonderful. I would like to do this with just the plants and no fish. I live in Michigan and they would not make it through the winter without being taken indoors. I think the plants would be a lovely touch though to the garden bed near the front porch.
Thank you for sharing this wonderful idea.
I don’t know if you have mosquitoes in Michigan, Audrey. But here in the south, we need fish to eat the mosquito larva. If you do something similar I’d love to see it! 🙂
Nikki, I LOVE your little fish pond!!! They look like koi and the nice thing is they won’t grow too big since their pond is small in size. Cannot wait until we have a house again ~ a little pond is definitely on the list! Tweeted and pinned for you! <3
Hugs,
Barb 🙂
Thanks Barb. I love my fish. It’s fun to feed them and get them used to me. 🙂
Thank you, for this beautiful step by step guide on how to build a small water garden. This type of water garden would be perfect in my small backyard. I have always wanted a pond but there was never enough room for one. I think I am really going to give this a try so I can finally have a water feature to enjoy while I sit on my patio.
I’d love to see your miniature water garden Mark. Send me a picture when you get it done. 🙂
Just wanted to post a few guidelines as far as the fish go…
1. Sorry, but if you are keeping fish in your pond you will need some sort of filter, and sorry, that pond will indeed need water changes. See the plants will help, but not completely clean and complete all maintenance for your pond. 😉
2. You can just leave the water. You need a filter (Not horribly pricy) and some liquid ammonia (cheap on amazon, I use Dr. Tims.) to cycle the water for a month so it will be safe for your fish.
3. Good stocking guidelines for single tailed goldfish are 40 gallon PER FISH.
Respectfully- A goldfish owner.
(I don’t mean to be rude, or being all “You abuse animals your doing it wrong” Just trying to give some advice, and hopefully help. 😉 )
Find more info here, and good luck with the hobby(ies):
🙂
Hi Goldfish Owner,
Thanks for your comments. However, you are not completely correct.
1. You do not have to have a filter for goldfish. I have raised goldfish this way for more than 20 years and so did my mama before me. You also do not have to change the water. Again, this is a pond, not an aquarium. You are right, the plants will not completely clean the pond. That is not the goal.
2. The water is fine, with no additive,s as long as you allow any chlorine to dissipate before adding the goldfish.
3. Over crowding is not good for any fish.
Thanks for visiting! 🙂
How do you prevent ecoli in the pond? . My goldfish pond got it , then I got it. Not fun. It is in full sun.
Hi Lola. I’ve never had this problem. Is your pond at ground level? I don’t have any animals around much that could possibly poop in or near my pond since it is in a washtub. Tell me more about your setup.
What about the poop that collects on the bottom of the pond?
I usually buy an algae eater and/or a catfish and its no problem.
Please tell me what plants to use and how to plant in pond.
Hi Jan, They make special basket type pots for use in water gardens, but there is nothing wrong with using a regular plastic pot. I’d put a lot of holes in it though. I have some of each in my water garden. I just set the pots on top of some bricks to raise them up high enough so the plants are not submerged totally in the water, just the roots. (unless you bought a plant that should be submerged!)
Any pet store will sell water plants. I have miniature horse tail, that’s the tall, reed-looking one. And I don’t know the name of the other one but it grows so abundantly, I have to pull some out every once in a while and I just add it to my compost pile. I also have a miniature water lily.
I’ve always read that you should cover the dirt in the pot with rocks to keep it in the pot, but I have never been able to make that work. Some of the dirt will come out anyway, but then it settles in the bottom of the garden and that’s fine with me.
Any specific questions?