Hi All
I'm about to install a new pond in my front yard. Due to several factors
(limited space, invasive tree roots nearby, neighbor's dogs cavorting in my
existing plastic pond), I've decided to sink an 8' round, 2' deep galvanized
steel stock tank about 12" into the ground for my pond. I plan to put a 2"
base of sand under the tank to level it. I will then cover the protruding
sides with stackable concrete blocks and cement a top ring of pavers in
place to finish it. I was going to paint the inside black, but if the tank
has to be sandblasted first, forget it. The tank will hold approximately 600
gallons; I'm planning to add goldfish, filter, fountain and a couple of
small water lilies to it. I plan to drill several holes in the tank side for
fountain and filter feeds before burying it, and will eventually install a
small biological filter next to it. We live in Southern California, so I
don't have to worry about the ground freezing.

Can anyone give me some suggestions on how I should clean and condition the
new galvanized metal? Anything else I need to do? I got the idea from my
Midwestern upbringing - both my father and grandfather kept goldfish in
their cattle stock tanks to control mosquito larvae, and they eventually got
pretty big. I always loved watching the goldfish swimming so peacefully.

Thanks in advance for your help --
Sue in SoCal