When aquarium space is limited and there's no room for a pond in the yard, homeowners can create a raised pond using an animal watering trough. Sturdy and weather-resistant, water troughs offer a different look than that of the average above ground pond containers. Setting up a water trough to house fish is about the same as assembling an aquarium or in-ground pond.
Instructions
1. Clean the trough with a 50/50 bleach and water solution allowing it to soak for at least 20 minutes. Rinse thoroughly to remove all traces of the bleach.
2. Fill a pillowcase halfway with sand and run water through it for several minutes. Swish the sand around so that most of the tiny particles are washed away. This helps to prevent minuscule pieces of sand from clouding the pond water.
3. Add a 2-inch layer of clay to the bottom of the trough. Top the clay off with 2 to 3 inches of the washed sand. Cover the clay completely with sand.
4. Fill the pots halfway with a handful of compost mixed with equal parts of sand and clay. Place each species of rooted plants in their own pots and arrange them throughout the trough. Leave plenty of room for the fish to swim.
5. Use aquarium sealant to create caves from flat pieces of rocks. Allow them to dry and cure fully before adding them to the water. Place them firmly in the substrate (sand/clay) so they do not topple over when bumped by active fish.
6. Fill the trough with water. Add enough floating vegetation (duckweed/azolla) to cover 1/3 of the water's surface. The plants will help prevent algae blooms, shade the water and provide protective cover so fish feel safer.
7. Add fish slowly to the trough. It can take several weeks to fully stock the water trough with fish. Adding too many animals at one time will cause a deadly ammonia spike that can kill fish and invertebrates.
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