Hi there. I'm a new member and I think this forum is going to be invaluable so lovely to meet you all.

I live on Islay in Scotland so the gardening here can be quite challenging due to salt laden air and high winds.

My question today is about my half barrel pond.

I kept 2 lovely goldfish in it for 3 years until the thaw after the very cold spell at Christmas, when they both died.This also happened to my friends parents fish (old bathtub pond ) and friends sisters fish ( another half barrel ) - all died after the thaw.We all had floats to keep a hole in the ice open but they failed - it was just too cold to prevent total freezing.

Whilst at the Glasgow branch of Dobbies last weekend , I had a chat with the fish salesman and he said without doubt in order to keep fish healthy in our present climate, I need an electric filter / oxygenator and pond heater. Goodness ! He reckoned the levels of ammonia built up in the pond whilst it was frozen as the toxic gas had nowhere to escape to and thats what killed my poor fish.

Anyone out there with advice / experience on this half barrel fish pond malarkey ? I really miss my fish but need to know how to care for any future ones properly.

Also would my pond be big enough to keep 2 metalic or ghost koi in ? I can't make a bigger pond as I'm not strong enough to dig one out .

Thank you for your help. Susan