I'm not shy, I love my 300ga Rubbermaid more than my 275ga liner pond! There are others here too. These pix are early, before the plants took off and practicly over-grew the pond. I pick dwarf varieties of all plants.

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Mine is 3/4 buried and I use a 1/2 whiskey barrel DIY skippy type filter, 600gph submerged pump, plus lots of plants and only 6 goldfish and shubunkins - keeps it clear. Only a little problem with string algae.

The 3rd picture shows my addition of the 275 ga liner pond, harder to keep clean, and I like the stock tank for hanging plants on the sides, no shelves needed. I use "S" hooks designed as hanging plant extensions, variable lengths, to hang them.

BTW the yellow flags were for the underground fence to keep the dogs from swimming in the 'pond', they're gone now.

S

I love my 3 tanks. I started out with a 35 gallon preform and 5 feeder goldies on top of the ground. The fish grew and I bought a 160 gal tank. I wanted more fish so I bought a 90 gal rubbermaid type tank. The preform developed a crack so I added peat moss and cattails. The fish grew and I got a 750 gallon tank. If I could afford more I would have lots. Babaies will come!!!

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:185899}}

160 gallon tank in early spring

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:185900}}

Well, I be durn...I learned something new...on photobucket click on the middle line, copy and paste and you have a real pic instead of a link. Maybe old dogs can learn new tricks. You can see all 3 TT filters in this photo. The bucket is actually a filter.

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Here's a web site showing my 300 gallon rubbermaid stock tank pond. I love it and it has held up well.

Here is a link that might be useful: my pond

Sheila, please post a pic of the tank on the slope.

Here is a link to more of Watergal's pics. The one 2nd from the bottom shows the tank in relation to the slope.

Brenda

Here is a link that might be useful: Building the Bigger and Better Pond

Sure, lots of us use the stock tanks for ponds.
I currently rent so I cannot have an in ground pond. I have two 150 gallon tanks and two 100 gallon tanks for water gardens. During the summer I use a 500 gallon kiddie pool for my water lilies and they overwinter in the stock tanks.
Whether you use one in ground or above ground, be sure its level, level, level. If you go inground, you might want to consider developing a drain system out of the drain plug so you can do water changes and cleaning very easily.

Thanks for that link Brenda, Sheila was the inspiration behind my first pond! I took one look at her site and was hooked!

Thanks again watergal! How 'bout some updated photos?

Sarah

You guys are awesome. I can't wait till spring so I can create my Pond oasis.Thanks so much for the photos. The more the better!

I do need to get some updated pics on there. If I have enough snow days, maybe I'll get to it. We're still putting away Christmas decorations here. I have Seasonal Affective Disorder and have real trouble getting stuff done in the winter, and in the summer I'm outdoors playing in the garden all the time. Maybe that's why my house is usually such a mess...

Here are a few pics of mine.

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Nice lefdo5! How many gallons are the oval tanks? I have an old one back behind the barn I'm going to drag out this spring and see if I can get it to hold water, actually I know it does up to at least 8", just not sure about full.

Yes! More tanks please!

Thanks! Those are about 100 gallon tanks. the round ones are 150. These were all ones that people had discarded so I drug them home and DH did repairs so I could use them.

Hi, I'm ready to take the plunge (literally) and put in a real pond. I've had a 30 gallon porch pond in a plastic whisky barrel for the past few summers but I'm tired of keeping an extra aquariun set up for the fish over the winter. I'm really attracted to the idea of sinking a 300 gallon Rubbermaid stock tank in what is now my patio area. I am a little worried that it won't be deep enough for the fish to survive the winter but the common agreed-upon depth here is 2 ft. for goldfish and it looks like the stock tank is that deep. I was going to go deeper but frankly I find liners, pumps, etc. very intimidating. I don't use any kind of filter on my barrel pond. I have one large goldfish, 4 freshwater clams, a couple of plants, and about 3 inches of aquraium gravel on the bottom. Every 2 weeks os so I do a 25% water change. I'm kind of hoping I can also do without a filter on the 300 gallon pond. I would use the clams again and a few more plants and goldfish. Am I dreaming or can it be done here in Massachusetts?

Overwintering a pond that size could be kind of iffy in zone 5, but if its close to your house (warmer microclimate) and in the ground and youre prepared ot deal with occasional freeze up of the water, I think it could work.

I wouldn't be scared of a good pump and filter, the right one will only make your life easier. I've been using a Pondmaster pump & filter for about 5 yrs now in my small pond and its lasted forever with no problems and if you need to have a pump anyway (to aerate/circulate the water) its a simple matter just to add the filter on to the intake valve.

OK I just reread and saw you have only 1 goldfish--that would work but geez how can you stop at just one!

Just one fish...LOL...this is my 6th summer...and I have 5 tanks. The second summer I didn't add one.

LOL mammasue, I feel the same way! 1st year - tank #1, 2nd year - pond #2, this year - new (old) tank and 60 gallon tank veggie filter for tank #1 :)

octoberskye, My first winter in zone 4 I overwintered all my plants and my 6 fish in my 300ga tank (2/3 buried in the ground) with a 100w de-icer and a tiny airstone. All OK in the spring. This year we had a severe cold spell and my de-icer froze over for almost 3 weeks. Lost most of the 5" goldfish :( ,plants are ok (I sink the hardy marginals and lilies to the bottom). But, next year I will use a stock tank heater so I don't lose any more fish. (you can research that issue to death here!)

I still love my stock tank, and will put in more! But overwintering in them is not for everybody :)

watergal, you did a great job on your 300 gallon rubbermaid stock tank pond. It looks just as good or maybe even better than a liner pond.

Here is one of my stock tank ponds. It is made from a 1000 gallon metal stock tank.

As you can see, I have a really bad pea soup problem. LOL

Actually that green is really duck weed that my granddaughter and I gathered at a lake. Within a week the surface was clear since the fish ate all of the duckweed.

lefd05, where did you get the cute little cherub(?) spitter that is sitting on the edge of your tub?

I have a similar tank & need to somehow repair some rust inside (dh stored pool chemicals in it one winter), & then I want to use it again.

DH and son put in 2 300 gallon Rubbermaid stocktanks (round) last year. One will be mostly for a lily, and the other we put soil back into for a lotus bog. I'd love to show you pics, but I haven't added rock edging or landscaped them yet, and they're sort of shameful looking.
I also have 3 100 gallon Rubbermaid stocktanks that I've grown lotus and lilies and marginals in for several years. I absolutely love having above-ground tanks, as I can get up close and personal much better than in-grounds, without killing my knees and back. But it is nice being able to leave the plants at the bottom of the in-ground over winter (with a deicer).
I had originally planned on getting rid of the above-ground stocktanks, once I put in the bigger in-ground ones...........but I just can't give them up. I have one right outside our bedroom window, and the frogs serenade us every night in summer. It seems like no matter what water feature I get (even as stop-gap stuff), I can never part with any of them!!
I'm going to put in one more in-ground something-or-other by the 2 big inground stocktanks just for a bunch of marginals. I just can't stop myself!! But I can't imagine people living without these!
Ocktoberskye........I have never used a pump in my 300 gallon tanks, and they are fine (you must empty them in winter, though. And you will definitely need a deicer for your's in the ground in winter). I was surprised that I didn't need a pump in them. At first, they are a little gunky......but once you get plants growing in them, they really keep themselves clean.
But.....should you need a pump......just talk to people and look them over in the store, etc. I was overwhelmed at first too, but you just jump in and you'll catch on.
Just get your pond in the ground and put things in it.......then you can think about maybe getting a pump.
Have fun!

catfishsam, thanks for the kind words! I like yours a lot too. Actually, I've been considering a 1000 gallon metal stocktank, but the ones at our local store are already pretty beat up and rusty.

Hey Watergal.........what is the name of the rock you used for edging? I used some "PA bluestone" on my first little pond and want to use on my larger ones, but I can't find it anywhere now. I like the thinner stone. Thanks.

Watergal, it is best if you get a brand new shinny metal stock tank. Maybe the stores will get some new ones in.

I have 1 of the 1000 gallons stocks tanks and 2 of the 1200 gallons ones. Actually they make them a little off the right size so they will fit into each other for shipping. So a 10ft size might be 9ft 10 inches or 10ft 2 inches. So if you find one get the largest one since the price is the same.

Make sure they will deliver it for you though since large stock tanks can be tricky to transport across town and have them put it about where you want it. They are not real heavy, but are bulky.

The last one I bought the store thought was a 10ft, but before they delivered it, they found out it was only a 9 ft. Since that was the only good one they had, I decided to go ahead and take it.

Keeping looking and you might find one of the larger stock tank you want.

Are you going to put stone around the rim of the new tank? I tried that a few times, but I just never could get it right so now I just let the rim show.

Here is a picture of another one of mine.

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Marti8a........I bought that at Big Lots a couple of years ago. It is a Beckett product but I've never been able to find these type of spitters again. It works pretty well for a stock tank.:)

This is my set up.

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This pic is from 2004. I'm actually building a bigger trough. I also need to repair the big trough behind the stock tank. I also have plans for a 3x5'x18"deep trough and a 4x8x1'deep trough. The one that is being built right now is 4x10x2'deep. It will hold at least 600 gallons. The 4x8x1' trough is to replace all my kiddie pools. I'm also renting but that could all change very soon. :o)

Happy ponding,
Scott

Nice pix and good news about the possible home owning Scott!

S

catherinet, I don't recall the name but it may have been PA bluestone. I went to several different nurseries, comparing prices and sizes. I discovered that some pallets had thinner rocks than others and chose the specific one I wanted.

catfishsam, we only have the one store locally. They are building a new location a few miles down the road and will be moving, so maybe they'll get some new merchandise in after they move. I hope so. I'm not paying good money for rusty junk! I would have to have it delivered, since the largest vehicle I have is a minivan - I couldn't even move the 300 gallon tank in that!

I love the look of the metal tanks when they are buried. They look so much nicer. But I don't think I'm up to digging a hole that large. And I really want the metal sides to be out of the ground so they get hot and heat up the water for my tropical waterlilies.

Watergal, you are right that waterlilies do better in the stock tanks in they are not buried.

I have grown them in both and the unburied tanks warm up fast and stay warmer during the summer. The waterlilies also grew faster and put on more blooms.

Here is a raised tank that I used one summer, then decided to bury it since it looked nicer.

I painted the sides of it to make it look nicer.

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catfishsam, I've used a 300 gallon metal stocktank for the last several years, and I like it - I just need more space since I keep collecting new tropicals. I've tried the same variety of lily in that and in my semi-sunken pond which is MUCH cooler, and the growth and blooms in the metal tank are far superior. (The water hyacinths and marginals don't seem to like the metal as much though.)

Fortunately, our area is agricultural and backs onto a horse farm, so a stocktank in the backyard doesn't look as out of place as one would think. I've also been investigating getting a large black round preform - I found a pretty sturdy one that should be OK above ground, about 6 feet across and 16" deep. I suspect that the metal one would heat up more than black plastic. Does anyone have an opinion on that?

Watergal, you would think that the black would heat up better because of the color than a shiny metal? However, the metal might tranfer the heat into the water better?

I haven't had any of the black round preforms though so I don't know.

How do you find the Stock Tanks for sale? Our local Agway, which used to have them, went out of Business.

I just ordered a 300 gallon Rubbermaid stock tank. It has a plug. I worry about the plug in that it might leak or pop out. Do they make stock tanks this size without plugs? And should I worry about the plug?

How do you make the whiskey barrel filter? I think it would look much better with the project my husband and I are planning for a stock tank.

Guys where did you get 'em stock tanks?Thanks!