My first venture into ponding/water garden was a 45 gallon pop up pond. I liked it. Filled it with plants and two goldfish. The only down side is sometimes the side was pushed in, probably by a nosy neighbor cat. It didn't empty completey so the fish were OK, but it gave me a scare. It was a first foray into having a water garden that didn't cost much. You have to take it down in cold winter zones. I still have it and it can be used as a hospital tank too. The rubber is very sturdy.

Also, when in full sun they can get too warm so best to keep out of full afternoon sun.

Two photos. I had it surrounded by potted summer annuals. I also used a Pondmaster 190 gph filter/pump/fountain combo which kept it nice and clear.

Distance with fountain on and close up of plantings with fountain off.

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Cool. Thanks.

I removed a goldfish from my koi (wanted to separate them before breeding time) & don't have anything else yet so I picked one of these up for it for now till I find something more suitable & was just curious about them.
Got it for $20 with a small pump included.
Thought it would be good later on for babies or as you said hospital or quarantine.

Just wondering if it's still too early to put it up here in Oklahoma yet.
Read on some site somewhere that it can withstand some winter temps but they didn't say how cold.

Sounds like a great price! The ones I have seen here are just too small and the price is outrageous. No pump either. Way to go! I love shopping. Sandy

Mine came with a pump and a length of plastic tubing. That was just to move the water around a bit.

The 190 gph pump/filter/bell fountain combo was just the right size to keep everything nice and clear without disturbing the water surface too much.

Surprising, you can stuff lots of plants in one and the small goldfish had plenty of room too. The bottom of the pop-up is quite bulbous.

The two goldfish actually grew quite a bit and did very well compared to being in an indoor aquarium before the pop-up. Both are alive today, one going on six years (Fran the Fantail), the other eleven years (Goldie who is now all white).

$20 is a good price - is it the 45 gallon size? I know at the time (2003) they had (I think) a 20 gallon for sale also.

You need to ensure the spot you place it is level. I would not use one indoors.

Yes, it is the 45 gallon one. Got it at Atwoods.

Planning on putting it up outside, just worried about temps.
Still chilly here & getting down to 30-32 at night some nights ... some nights higher (above freezing), a few lower (28 degrees).

Spring really needs to get going ... I need to get this thing put up.

Commettose: What is the name of the bushy plant in your pop up pond positioned at the top left with round leaves? I bought a pond plant last year that had a few strays of this unidentified plant clinging to it (Freebie!). I'm hoping it will spread and become more visible in my pond this year. I love this plant, but don't know what it's called. I'd love to look it up online to get more info on care. Thanks.

I believe that is pennywort.
Is that right, anyone?

I got some last year & hope mine comes back.

I got a set of two of these 45 gallon on ebay for 24.00! They were new in the box. If you search ebay there is/was only the one guy selling them, could buy 1 or set of 2. Anyway, just set them up, threw in some feeder fish for cycling and was hoping ya'll could give me some ideas on some EASY to grow aquatic plants as I am brand new at this just getting started. BTW comettose I love the pond, hope mine looks that good. Thanks ya'll and happy gardening.

That sure looks like Pennywort and around our homes in the south it grows wild in lawns, people spend a lot of time trying to eradicate it. The only thing that is worse is Devils Shoelace. It is trying to take over my lawn. I'm constantly fighting it and don't believe I'll ever get rid of it. Glenda

It is Pennywort (Hydrocotyle) and there are various types. As a lawn pest it is commonly known as dollar weed.

I have it growing as a groundcover around my pond in good soil and it grows out across the pond in summer. It is easily removed from the water surface.

It grows into my lawn area but I just mow and that keeps it back. I am not a perfect lawn person and around my formal pond is a jungle of plants for the wildlife. Some I planted and some the birds planted.

One thing about Pennywort - it has shallow roots and runners can be pulled up. I have clay soil so the rampant run is kept in check where the soil becomes more dry away from the edge of the pond. In a better soil or a sandy soil with moisture I can imagine it would be a pest.

Some folks like it as a groundcover in place of grass. It also comes variegated form. The variegated is planted in a pot sunk in the pond. BTW - squirrels like to eat it.

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Photo of it planted around the edge of my backyard pond. I don't have the Popup set up anymore. I only put it in the front where you see it in the photo, but in 3 seasons is has slowly worked its way around the edge of the pond. It is a haven for the smaller frogs so the big ones don't eat them. Also, birds that work the foilage for small insects, terrestial snails, what have you.

There is always an upside and downside to every plant based on personal preferences, soil type, tolerance to having weeds in the lawn. I opt for maximum diversity in my lawn (i.e. lots of plants that are not turf). It all looks the same to me for the most part when mowed (its green).

Now my neighbor has a golf course lawn that puts mine to shame, but he over fertilizes, drops pesticides, uses too much water, and from my viewpoint his lawn is a ecological wasteland to nature. Not to mention all those chemicals end up in the Chesapeake Bay.

He only gets to see the birds, butterflies, turtles, snakes, frogs and toads I attract by not using chemicals and having various habitats that are wilder, thickly planted areas.

Hey - I do all the hard work and he benefits, if he even bothers to look somewhere else but down at his grass:-) I've written articles trying to get people in the community more involved with local wildlife support but some just want their lawns. We have others in the community that want the wildlife and have started to change the way they think about local ecosystems that are disappearing.

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CT would you like me to send you some devil's shoelace to add to your wildlife habitat? We had about 15 acres of pine trees planted for timber. When they were about 5 yrs old, we had a person ask to buy them to transplant. They took them to Apollo Beach in South Fl. When I saw the roots of the trees when they had them out of the ground, there were all those devils shoelace tubers sticking out. Hope those people that got the pines aren't too upset when the have to fight that weed.

Holy moly Glenda - I think they might be miffed! No thanks on the invasive plant offer.

My pennywort is controllable, but that is not to say (which I did say) it is not a pest for others. Luckily, my small patch of woods does not have any invasive plants (knock on woods). It has limited annoying plants as well such as cat briar (which is native) and only small amounts of poison ivy on the ground (also native). I lucked out.

I love variegated stuff, I'm going to have to look for the variegated kind.