Introduction: Patio Balcony Pond for Apartments and Condos

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If you live in a smaller place, having a pond is usually not an option. In this instructable, I'll show how I put a pond in my balcony patio by using any planter pot or container.

Step 1: Stuff You Need

  • Planter pot or container
    • preferrably something that holds 15-20 gallons
      • smaller containers will be harder to maintain water conditions and less room for fish to swim
        • they will also freeze over solid if you have it out in the winter
      • a minimum of 10 gallons is recommended
      • in the video, I use a planter pot made high density resin
      • storage totes can also be good containers
  • Fish
    • It really depends where you live
      • in warmer climates, you can have pretty much any kind of fish
      • in cold climates, you're limited some fish that can survive -10 celsius
      • any colder, you have to move them indoors so they don't freeze
      • Minnows are ideal since they are small and can handle the cold up to -10 celcius
  • Plants
    • Live plants will really help with keeping the water clean since it takes in the ammonia and nitrates from the fish
    • Anacharis, duckweed, water lilies, Parrot's feathers, hornwort, water lettuce, water hyacinthe are good pond plants
  • Accessories
    • Bamboo fountain pump
    • LED light
    • internal filter
    • timer

Ponds:
http://amzn.to/2oYZvaO
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Bamboo Pumps:

http://amzn.to/2qtlPtl
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Water Lilies flowers (artificial)
http://amzn.to/2pkTHLy http://amzn.to/2oYPR7V

Water Filter:
http://amzn.to/2pMshiT

Seachem Prime (water conditioner) http://amzn.to/2qmE98i

Seachem Stability (beneficial bacteria) http://amzn.to/2qmTTrT

Ammonia Test Strips http://amzn.to/2pMvTl7

Aquarium Water Test Strips http://amzn.to/2pxZr52

Step 2: Building

Fill your container with water and add water conditioner

Add your plants, rocks, and accessories

Step 3: Fish

Wait a few days before adding fish. I have minnows in there. They have survived mild winters as low as -10 degree celsius. If it gets any colder, probably be best to move them indoors and put them in a temporary tank for a couple of months till it gets warmer.

To help jump start the pond, get some beneficial bacteria. This bacteria is used to help convert the ammonia released from the fish be converted to nitrates which can then be removed by water changes. Research about the Nitrogen cycle if you want to know more.

Seachem Prime (water conditioner) http://amzn.to/2qmE98i

Seachem Stability (beneficial bacteria) http://amzn.to/2qmTTrT

Ammonia Test Strips http://amzn.to/2pMvTl7

Aquarium Water Test Strips http://amzn.to/2pMvTl7

Step 4: Feeding Fish

As tempting as it is to feed your fish, they don't actually need to eat a lot. Putting too much food in the pond will cause them to have more waste and dirty the water. Under feeding is better than overfeeding!

maybe a small pellet or 2 for each fish. I feed mine every other day. The pond is outdoors and will have bugs and worms that the fish can munch on.

Again, feeding them too much will be deadly to them since it'll make their water dirty.

Step 5: Water Change

It's best to test the water to see how much ammonia or nitrates your pond may have. And if it's a lot you'll have to change water more frequently.

I would recommend changing the water once a week and change out 1/3 of the water.

Ammonia Test Strips
http://amzn.to/2pMvTl7

Aquarium Water Test Strips
http://amzn.to/2pxZr52

Step 6: Finale

Having a pond on your balcony can be a nice feature but it does require maintenance. You're trying to keep an ecosystem going with fish and plants. I've had mine for over a year and the fish and plants are doing fine just a long as you're willing to learn how to care for them.