NO MAINTENANCE GOLDFISH POND - feeding optional

Are you searching for an easy fish pond to put together? 

I had purchased a 2 foot high by 4 foot long galvanized stock tank from my local Tractor Supply store, and filled it with rocks and plants from a nearby creek. The goldfish were purchased for 10 cents apiece from a petstore. After the first month or so I stopped feeding the fish... 

2.5 years later, the tank is thriving with life! 

Goldfish are a specialty-bred fish from the carp family, so they're meant to eat from the wild - insects, tadpoles and mosquito larvae!

Stock Tank Goldfish pond with solar powered fountain

They can survive freezing temperatures by going into hibernation, which means they'll need less food. The plants (some) will die off, but their roots are intact and will resprout when the season warms.

To ensure fish not suffocate when water is freezing, you can break surface of ice to allow oxygen. Or pour hot water to melt the ice cap.

During sweltering temperatures when water levels are dropping, I just drag my waterhose to the tank and top it off with fresh water. That's it! 

Since my backyard is a certified wildlife habitat, this also helps with providing a water source for the bees, butterflies, birds, and other wildlife that enters our yard. 

For my front porch, I added a water fountain feature using a large galvanized tub, and installed an electric water pump. I also topped it off with a solar powered pump. These worked great, but I had a problem. Mosquitoes were reproducing in my fountain and robbing our joy!

Since my backyard pond proved successful, I purchased more goldfish and added them to my tub. This mini pond has no plants, but the mosquitoes and other insects have been keeping them alive for more than 6 months!

Again, these ponds are doing remarkably well with no water pump, or food added. Nature has provided everything the fish need and they are quadrupling in size. 

I live in the southern regions of Texas and cannot say this will work further north, but if you plan to have a stock tank pond, then I would use at least a 3 foot or higher tank so the fish can hibernate better. Also, when first establishing your tank, keep in mind that over feeding fish is worse than not feeding them at all. As long as insects, frogs, and mosquitoes are around, they'll be well provided for.