I need information about starting a water garden in a very large clay pot for my deck. Questions, can I do this without a pump and what about fish? Will goldfish be all right in such a water garden sort of like the goldfish in a bowl I had as a kid? Thanks for any help on this.
Is the clay pot glazed inside, and how big is the clay pot? If it's going to be very hot, you may have problems. You'll need a large glazed pot (or plastic), and adequate shade so you don't overheat the fish. Adding some water lettuce is an easy way to provide some quick shade. An umbrella is even better. No aeration may be a problem too, I'd add at bare minimum an air pump/air stone to the pot. High heat, not enough water, and no oxygen will equal dead fish. It can be done, but it's not easy. Make sure you don't overpopulate your mini-pond. Overwintering is not possible in a pot, depending on your zone.
A container water garden can look lovely but I wouldn't put fish in it as they are very hard to keep alive. If you plant it up with oxigenating plants and, perhaps, a water lily then leave it alone you'll be amazed at what wildlife will move in.
I have started a water garden in a 5 gallon water can. Actually my collegue gave it to me. It has 1 goldfish and some water lilies. It is 3 weeks now and everything looks perfect. I feed the fish once a day.I will post a picture soon.
