Corridor glass pond

**Justikanz** · 9th Nov 2006, 16:40

Hi all

I am thinking of getting a tank (4ft x 1.5ft x 0.5ft tall) custom made and placed outside the house, along the corridor, on a 4ft cabinet that had been outside for slightly more than a year. I plan to put pots of emersed aquatic plants in the 'pond', using bricks a support so that only the lower part of the pots will get wet (height of brick depending on plant species). I will have Endler's livebearers in the tank to prevent mosquitos from breeding. And of course, more fish can be added for additional mosquito larvae control.

Do you guys think it is feasible? Any potential problems? And what do I have to look out for? There will not be any water movement... If I want water movement, will there be battery powered pumps available? And if so, are they powerful enough or reliable?

**bossteck** · 9th Nov 2006, 17:19

I once had a 2 footer outside my flat which I put on the groud, filterless. Had a pair of normal cheapo fighting fish in there. They did surprisingly well... even breeded. Kept some java fern in there. My male betta got stolen though... probably by some naughty kids, or could be eaten by cats? Not sure.

A friend of mine had a 2 tier 2 ft setup outside his flat, in which he keeps gold fish, even managed to connect power cable out to power his filters.

If you have certain amount of privacy, then definitely no problem. But if you have jealous/nosy neighbours then forget it. Because either one of the 3 following scenario will happen:
1. Your tank will break
2. People complain to NEA, saying that your tank is mosquitoe breeding hazard
3. People complain to HDB/Town council, saying that your tank is a fire hazard.

In case 3, the officials will come and politely ask you to move your tank indoors.

Scenario 1. Happened to me, but it was a old tank, maybe it happened naturally?
Scenario 3. Happened to my friend, he said ok ok, but end up never move the tank.

Scenario 2. can be easily handled as long as you're keeping the right type of fishes, ie, those that feed on mosquitoe larvae, endlers no problem!

Your battery operated pump will probably be stolen, sad fact of life.

Hey, I remember seeing similar set up on my way to collect MTS from JohnC's place. Think his neighbour is doing something similar to what you're describing. Perhaps you can pay him a visit, or get him to take a pic of it and post it here?

**hwchoy** · 9th Nov 2006, 17:30

if only 6-inch deep, why don't get a fiber-glass trough instead? I have a 4'×1'×8" trough which I surround with granite blocks (just to look pretty). I have 4-inches of substrate so I can plant anything I want, including waterlilies. and yes you can pretty much put any fishes in there too. no need filter.

**checkerboard** · 9th Nov 2006, 17:59

I have a old (warping) 4X1.5X1.5 in my courtyard where I keep various echinodorus, crypts, hairgrass, glosso, some random stem plants. I just keep
the substrate wet. Water level only goes above hairgrass when I dump some new plants in. I do not keep any fishes and no issues with mosquitoes because water evaporates to substrate level within a day.

depending on the type of plants you want to keep, it need not be very wet. I kept cyperus helferi before and I grew it almost like any land plants! very very little water!

**Justikanz** · 9th Nov 2006, 17:59

I did thought of using the trough... But the colour...

And I want to put it on the cabinet... Anyway, any idea where to buy that trough?

Bossteck, I used to haev a 4ft tank outside and children threw our slippers into the water...

That's why I thought of placing the tank on the cabinet...

If I am not using any pumps, then no fire hazard, right?

And with fish, should not be a mosquito breeding ground...

I had seen John's setup... It's very nice...

**hwchoy** · 9th Nov 2006, 18:10

Mine was primarily intended as a pond, hence it is on the floor and surrounded with landscape granite (those 4"×4"×8" blocks). If you keep emersed plants like Echinodorus I don't think it will look to great being on a cabinet.

You should also consider accidental damage due to kids playing along the corridor, or workman doing cleaning etc.

No need pump. I have some 4-5 inch cyprinids in there even. As long as there are floating vegetable they'll be happy.

You can buy the trough from any landscaping places. Bought mine from the corner shop in Farmart. Measure your area first, consider the space required if you will put in a granite border, then go to the shop to find the right one.

**ranmasatome** · 9th Nov 2006, 18:12

Thomas..
I think its a good idea.. however, the sad fact of life in singapore, which is a clustered small country with quite a lot of nosy people that have nothiong better to do.. so that being the fact.. i would wager a bet that some one would complain, something would get broken, itchy finger people will steal stuff or even kill things in that tank.. all of which has happened to me when i was living in HDB and had my tank outside. But still... if you wanna give it a go and take a chance with the odds.. then i support you man.. try try and try again i guess.. as the saying goes.

**hwchoy** · 9th Nov 2006, 18:17

my worst problem was the blardy kar-leng birds. they take bath and breakfast in the pond.

**bossteck** · 9th Nov 2006, 18:20

Hi Justikanz,

When you have a set up outside your house, you probably have to be mentally prepared to have have inconsiderate people throwing rubbish, cigarette butts into your tank, and losing plants, fishes. You got to have the mindset that all these things are dispensable, else you might get very dishearten.

Based on my understanding, fire hazard need not be the object that may catch fire, it could be objects that may hinder escape in the event of fire as well.

Placing on cabinet might help to a certain extend, but I hope it is not on a cabinet, where the tank is at the same level as the ledge of your corridor. Picture a naughty child climbing on the cabinet while trying to catch your fishes, and the tank + the child goes crashing downstairs!!!

**celticfish** · 9th Nov 2006, 18:50

my colleague had a fibre pond/pot outside her flat.
she had zebra danios for mosquito control.
i think she lost two batches (i.e. someone came in the wee hours and got the lot.)

also, as bossteck said, FSB will have a problem with "obstruction" of a safety passage....

**bossteck** · 9th Nov 2006, 19:08

Hi,

Actually I have been eyeing the area just outside my door as well.

Too bad that's where the utilities cabinets are situated, and if I am not wrong, whenever singpower guys comes for meter reading, they have to open the cabinet? So I can't place anything in front of the cabinets.

celticfish, so there're really folks who goes round stealing fishes, don't understand why people does this, maybe runned out of feeder fishs and lazy to go buy, guess we have to be thankful that at least the pond is not stolen.

**ranmasatome** · 9th Nov 2006, 20:33

You'd be amazed at what people steal..

**griffin1** · 9th Nov 2006, 22:21

we have a glass pond (someone threw out) which we salvaged and put in our corridor. my flat is the only corner unit so no problem with the neighbours. we put longkang fish/bumble bee gobies/white clouds. we had a cat come round for dinner very often so now its got chicken wire to protect it. it sits on the floor.

hths
barbara

**joe** · 10th Nov 2006, 09:50

hmmmm i was also tinking of doing this ... and wanted to hang a MH light outside too
will this be a hazard? ... the light will be sheltered and covered ... ballast will will inside the house

anyone did this b4?

**Justikanz** · 10th Nov 2006, 09:52

Hmm... I will try to take a picture of the location (plus the cabinet) this weekend and let you guys advise. At the moment, the cabinet is placed right next to our window and not the ledge, so I am not afraid of children falling downstairs by climbing the cabinet... I am more scared of people throwing stuff into the tank... and thus killing the fish. Oh, people steal fish... Why not? The cheapskates will see it as free fish for all!

Before I gave away an old tank, I had it on the corridor with guppies. Of course, the guppies disappear (with only a couple of bodies) and I have slippers in the tank!... Hopefully, with the tank raised, nothing of this sort will happen.

Pictures soon.

Or share your setup?

**valice** · 10th Nov 2006, 09:59

Put a piranaha in the tank? Or a sign "Piranaha in tank. Beware!"?

**Justikanz** · 11th Nov 2006, 15:15

This the where the proposed tank-pond will be placed... Safe? I will remove most of the plants from the corridor after the setup... Then less obstruction...