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plants on milk crates
We are getting ready to dig our pond. It will be 5' deep. Instead of
leaving plant shelves in different areas, since we are not exactly sure where we will want the plants to be and may want to move them around and to make the excavation and liner placement easier, we are thinking of making the entire pond a flat-bottomed, uniform 5' with no shelves. Then, we plan to wire each plant pot to a milk crate (or two crates wired together for more shallow placement of a given plant) and set the crate(s) on the flat bottom. Can anyone see any potential problems with this approach? It seems to give us much more flexibility in plant placement, but we're concerned that maybe we are missing something???? One concern is that our koi may get caught in the openings to the crate (like a gill net). We haven't thought of a solution to this potential problem yet. Any input on this concern or the concept of using milk crates for plants in general (or a better suggestion for something to set the plants on) would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance! Dennis |
plants on milk crates
I use them for my plants and for my pump and have had no problem. The
plastic ones are what I use. http://community.webtv.net/rebeljoe/POND |
plants on milk crates
Dennis wrote in message m... missing something???? One concern is that our koi may get caught in the openings to the crate (like a gill net). We haven't thought of a solution to this potential problem yet. Any input on this concern or the concept of using milk crates for plants in general (or a better suggestion for something to set the plants on) would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance! Dennis Koi are pretty smart. I doubt they'd get caught. Some fish may even like the crates as protection. The only problem I can think of is that a tower of crates with pot on top will be top heavy and could tip over in a storm. You could wire some bricks or rocks to the crates if that becomes a problem. |
plants on milk crates
I use milk crates for my plants. The ones I found, have openings on the top
and on 1 side. You don't need to tie them together with a wire, because milk crates are designed to be stacked on top of each other, and are quiet stable. Any koi small enough to fit into the slots of a milk crate, is small enough to come back out, so no worries there. My suggestion would be to make a "deep end" and a "shallow end", so all the muck settles into 1 side, for easy removal with a vac or bottom drain. Good luck Sameer "Dennis" wrote in message m... We are getting ready to dig our pond. It will be 5' deep. Instead of leaving plant shelves in different areas, since we are not exactly sure where we will want the plants to be and may want to move them around and to make the excavation and liner placement easier, we are thinking of making the entire pond a flat-bottomed, uniform 5' with no shelves. Then, we plan to wire each plant pot to a milk crate (or two crates wired together for more shallow placement of a given plant) and set the crate(s) on the flat bottom. Can anyone see any potential problems with this approach? It seems to give us much more flexibility in plant placement, but we're concerned that maybe we are missing something???? One concern is that our koi may get caught in the openings to the crate (like a gill net). We haven't thought of a solution to this potential problem yet. Any input on this concern or the concept of using milk crates for plants in general (or a better suggestion for something to set the plants on) would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance! Dennis |
plants on milk crates
Dennis wrote:
Then, we plan to wire each plant pot to a milk crate (or two crates wired together for more shallow placement of a given plant) and set the crate(s) on the flat bottom. Can anyone see any potential problems with this approach? It seems to give us much more flexibility in plant placement, but we're concerned that maybe we are missing something???? One concern is that our koi may get caught in the openings to the crate (like a gill net). We haven't thought of a solution to this potential problem yet. Any input on this concern or the concept of using milk crates for plants in general (or a better suggestion for something to set the plants on) would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance! Dennis When I decided to use milk crates in my pond someone suggested that I cut the sides so that the fish could swim in and out of the crates. I sanded the edges smooth and then put the pots on top. Some of the pots were very heavy and the milk crates were not as strong and the sides buckled. Just a warning. -- Bonnie NJ http://home.earthlink.net/~maebe43/ |
plants on milk crates
The only problem I can think of is that a tower ofcrates with pot on top will
be top heavy and could tip over in a storm. You could wire some bricks or rocks to the crates if that becomes a problem. I use many many milk crates in my ponds ...Remember they will stack, so I reccomend you fill the bottom one with rocks...any kind... then stack another on top then the plant pot on it......For a deeper pot, just the pot on top if the rocks. I had a problem with anacharis all over the pond bottom, so I filled a milk crate about 1/4 full turned it upside down, and put a brick on top last summer. It is now totally full, and growing way out the holes in the crate.....will make a real good hiding place for fry . I also use milk crates to pot most of my plants. Jerri http://www.fringeweb.com/Ponds/JerrisPond |
plants on milk crates
My pond is 4-1/2 feet deep and I use 2 of the plastic milk type crates that
I got at an office depot store for $2.99 each. I have them upside down. they were fine when the fish were little except that the larger fish now still try to get thru the holes and get stuck. I even cut some larger openings in each box and the koi dont seem to always want to use the "doors". I have seen them get stuck and watched them thrash and lose scales in the process. Also, last year when I had to catch several fish to treat for ulcer disease, the milk crates were a catastrophe. the fish are difficult to get to and net if they can get under those crates. I finally covered the crates with garden weed cloth (black) and tied each one with plastic strings from my hay bales. The colored string quickly turned dark from algae and the boxes are covered on all sides except the bottom so the fish cannot get inside anymore. I made sure there was enough room between the stack of crates and the straight up and down sides of the pond for the fish to have places to hide and hunker down in winter. seems to work better. just my 2 cents worth. wendy in Oregon |
plants on milk crates
"Bonnie Espenshade" wrote in message
... When I decided to use milk crates in my pond someone suggested that I cut the sides so that the fish could swim in and out of the crates. I sanded the edges smooth and then put the pots on top. Some of the pots were very heavy and the milk crates were not as strong and the sides buckled. Just a warning. I placed my milk crates on top of two cinder blocks, that were spaced about 8" apart. So it makes a little tunnel under the milk crate. The koi seem to enjoy swimming through the tunnel, and have made it part of their work-out loop. Sameer |
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