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

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

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.

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

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/

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

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

"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

On 13 Apr 2003 20:34:35 -0700, (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).

It can happen. It happened to me when we had rain and the water surface
went over the top of the crate I was holding anacharis in, away from the
koi. Koi swam over, ate the anacharis and tried to swim thru the holes, got
stuck fast, died from the injuries. Another koi, same size even tried to
swim into it thru the holes and though it didn't get stuck, it did cause
injuries to its scales on each side.

I'd cut some larger openings, as others have suggested, to be on the safe
side. ~ jan


See my ponds and filter design:
http://users.owt.com/jjspond/

~Keep 'em Wet!~
Tri-Cities WA Zone 7a
To e-mail see website


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