setting an out door bath tub

[DJ-don]

Not sure if this is in right forum but move if so
Hey guys

I'm just expanding to the out doors and I've just been allowed a bath tub.
Dimensions as follows
H 570 x W 1675 x D 710 mm.

I just want to know what I need to do set an out door tub

Im not too sure what fish to get at this moment but i was thinking possibly australian natives?
Maybe empire gudgeons or sorts??
Maybe you guys could help me out here too???

Im not sure about filtration because I hear all sorts of things for that so can anyone enlighten me on this??

any advice would be great to get me started

Thanks
DJ

 

[Lornek8]

Everything that goes for indoor goes for outdoors. No real difference in filtration. The abundance of light, every indoor lighting setup is dim in comparison to the sun, creates some new problems outdoors. Algae becomes more of an issue which makes getting rid of waste even more important. Heat/cold needs to be look at more closely as does planning for it as there isn't the buffer of the indoor environment. Also, be sure to allow a means of drainage if exposed to rain as i've lost fish in a pond that overflowed during heavy rains.

 

[froggie]

I have an outdoor buth tub as well. Approx 500l unheated. I started with 6 gold fish over 5 years ago, now I have 15+. I use a moving bed filter with matrix in a 20l bucket. Works great, the fish spawn every summer. I do not have a uv so I use water lilies to keep the water clear.

 

[DJ-don]

Everything that goes for indoor goes for outdoors. No real difference in filtration. The abundance of light, every indoor lighting setup is dim in comparison to the sun, creates some new problems outdoors. Algae becomes more of an issue which makes getting rid of waste even more important. Heat/cold needs to be look at more closely as does planning for it as there isn't the buffer of the indoor environment. Also, be sure to allow a means of drainage if exposed to rain as i've lost fish in a pond that overflowed during heavy rains.

with the temperature i was looking at fish that i can just keep in the long term as in that the cold to warm temp changes through the seasons are natural for them

im not too sure with the algal problems but i was thinking heavily planting this pond and then have a powerhead for water flow?? i got the idea from a post i found on another forum

drainage im not sure what to do. i was considering maybe i could cut out a chunk from the side of the tub around the top and add some mesh to it so whenever it rains, the water just gets drained through the mesh not over flowing. but cutting a hole in a tub would be a bit hard? does anyone reccomend another idea?

 

[froggie]

Does your bath tub not have an overflow drain?

 

[Lornek8]

Do the temps get below freezing? One thing to remember is that a bathtub being elevated will freeze solid if given sufficient cold days. It will also freeze from the outside in, unlike ponds & lakes which freeze top down.

 

[Breamlegend]

It gets very cold in Canberra. I don't think it will work well.

 

[foti]

Do the temps get below freezing? One thing to remember is that a bathtub being elevated will freeze solid if given sufficient cold days. It will also freeze from the outside in, unlike ponds & lakes which freeze top down.

thats exacty what i was thinking! As canberra snows!!

It gets very cold in Canberra. I don't think it will work well.

put nicely,


i havent read what you are planing to put in the tub as far as the stock list but nothing would go well in canberra it gets stinking hot in summer! and it snows in winter .
not ideal as climate goes, sorry deal braker i know.
but look on the bright side it can be done if you put the money into it nothing is inposible! chiller and big heaters maybe a gas burner under the tub?

or you can go planted with very hardy plants and throw in some white clouts they might survive but stress! but survive!!!

would like to see pics if you do go ahead

kind regards,
Foti

 

[DJ-don]

ahh **** haha but who says its snows in canberra? the only snow we get is very little in the mountains. last time it snowed in the cities and that was 6 or so years a go and lasted about a day!

we do have a pond specialist in canberra so i would have to cheeck the guy out
i looked at the list of plants and some a frost hardy but not too sure about that
http://www.bruceworks.com.au/water-plants-catalogue.html
maybe some others can enlighten me with this

i guess with fish the best i could get would even be a goldfish but will search around if there are any other possibilities

 

[bigbird]

ok my thoughts. I presume your bath tub will be above ground.
1. For drainage, each bathtub has a drain on the bottom. Get a PVC pipe that fits into that drain, silicon in place and cut just below the water mark put a mesh on top, this will mean everytime ot rains etc it will drain down this pvc pipe and not flow over as this pipe is below the water mark.
2. I would look at the web for cold water fish or contact one of the clubs to see what native fish are around your area, look at http://www.fishingmonthly.com.au/Articles/Display/970-Capital-native-fishing
3. I would look at a water wheel for oxigination as well and water movement.
4. In Europe they use hay for algae control, same look at webpage ie http://ohioline.osu.edu/a-fact/0012.html
5. Also make sure to keep it kid safe.
cheers jk :thumbup: