Tropical Ponds?

[pinkdolphin_113]

Hi, I recently needed help about a killed platy on a different forum(still don't know who killed him ) but I ended up getting better, and much more needed, advice about a knife fish which I found out could grow up to a metre!
My step-dad is a great plumber, which means all our tanks are pipped up so fresh clear-clean water flows into the tank and back out of the tank near the bottom under the gravel, which is where everything usually ends up. Anyway, he and my mum have been talking about a tropical pond in our back garden. He has worked out the heating that will be needed and the size which he is doing it (14-foot long, 8-foot long and 5 foot deep (not sure about the depth yet )). But he won't do it until he's sure it's gonna work...does anyone know if it will work properly?
I figure it's like putting lions in ur back garden in England.
If it will, what fish (other than the knife fish) would be compatible and make it look its best? Any ideas?

 

[studd357]

The knife fish will grow large pretty fast in an outdoor pond, however there are various fish that can be added that will make it look great. I suggest a pair of arowanas the size of ur knife, they will grow large as well and hopefully at about the same rate. I would also suggest perhaps a small red tail catfish and maybe even a large pleco that will keep the pond clear of unwanted algae

 

[demonmagus]

I think a red tailed catfish will eat the arrowanas, also arrowanas are thin, so not very viewable from top

 

[nonot8946]

There's two problems with tropical ponds: keeping the temperature right and viewing them from the top.

You'd need alot of heaters, and maybe a chiller, depending on where you are in the world.

Tropical fish aren't that nice from the top, otherwise they'd be eaten by birds. Plus, ripples on the water make it tough to see anyways.

 

[andywg]

Have to say that top viewing isn't that great, but then you can always build in a viewing window, especially if you make the pond from breeze blocks (or brick).

Have to agree with the RTC comments. It would almost certainly end up eating everything else suggested for the tank. Even Silver Aros, which can reach 3 foot, would be at risk due to their slender shape.

Good tank mates for an RTC would be large bodied fish, such as pacu, possibly even a giant goramy.

If you leave the RTC out then you would have a great load of stocking options for a pond that size. Rays and aros et al.

The biggest problems you will have will be heating it (probably best to heat off of a central heating boiler, but then it has to go in as a seperate circuit), filtration (bubblebeads are a good stand alon filter to buy) and dealing with evaporation (if it is in the house in any way, if not this is less of an issue).

There are a few threads around on tropical ponds.