I made my feeding rings out of 1" PVC pipe. Just make a square with 4 pieces of pipe and four 90° elbows. Paint it black with Xylon paint (I used black so it would not be so obvious) and you're ready to go! I have mine anchored to the side of the pond. Works great!! It only took the fish a couple days to figure it out.

I use the poly pipe. It is flexible and can easily be made into a ring of almost any size with one barb connector. I have rings ranging from one foot diameter up to about eight feet in diameter. You can use tubing from the 5/8 irrigation size up to one inch. Larger diameter rings work better with larger tubing.

I use the rings for feeding, containing hyacinths, and supporting floating masses of watercress with the addition of some bird netting.

I was lazy and used a hula hoop. I thought about going smaller but the amount of food and the splashing of the fishies would likely have the food scattered from here to there. Mike, I would find the least turbulent spot in the pond and anchor it there. If the hoop is thick enough most of the food will stay inside. The fish will find it even if it gets out but they seem to make a game of how much they can get out of the ring by splashing or coming up under the ring and lifting it up. I have a huge planting of plastic foliage the fish like and which breaks the turbulance from the waterfall. ( I put it in so the pond didn't look so barren in the winter and the fishies spawned in it, so I had to leave it. It isn't ugly and most everyone thinks it is real.) Many things can change the movement of the water. I wish someone could tell me how to keep the food pellets from getting inside the plant pots. Sometimes the fishies land themselves trying to get it. Sandy

Some interesting ideas to put aside as I have thought about floating vegetation etc. ccoombs, I recall your posting this another time and wish I had remembered (wish I remember a lot of things!). Any reason not to use black abs pipe and save painting?

I doubt there is a location in my pond without water movement. So the food spreads out in a line against one inside arc of the ring, food not so evident from my bird's-eye view, but I have no idea what fish see or smell - but they come racing right over when I get at the edge. I like that.

I guess I will try to find a better spot; just hope to establish a hand-feeding location, if they want.

I think I'll make one of the recommended rings here, something with more displacement to keep food in better. A square "pipe" would be good but I can't think of anything like that. What I bought is very light but as dark green it fits in beautifully with lilies, etc. Recycle for more plants perhaps.

The way I built the pond for rushing water, I find that there is constant adaptation and rare insight needed to solve situations as I start adding ingredients.

And as is not my character I'll be patient and just watch the fishies, see what they do.

Hope everyone is having an enjoyable and safe holiday. Send any brainstorms my way.

Mike

You can use the foam insulation tubes that go on hot water pipes, too. They float easily and the stuff is cheap.

Well, as is so often the case, things work out with a little patience and time. The fish have adapted to the ring, swim to it when I approach, and not surprisingly have figured out how to get all the food.

Still don't know how to tell when they are hungry or have had enough. Always begging food and never stop eating until it is gone.

The ring is an extruded, darker green, impervious piece of foam I guess, used for making wreaths. I found it at Michael's, which I gather is some chain? It looks perfect with the grassy shore and lily leaves and amuses the fish as they bump it around.

No more fish until I am better prepared and able to be more responsible toward my charges--enjoy what I have and let the future define itself. The fish expressed their point of view when they sprayed with with stress coat the other day and made me go sit down.

Mike

no reason not to use ABS, except that we can't get it here. I know...that's really strange, but apparently it sort of a regional thing and it's rarely used in South Carolina so what you can get is VERY expensive. I have to use PVC for everything. I like larryl's idea though, about the poly pipe. I think I'll try that!

ccoombs - that is strange about abs--a bit of a pain for you painting exposed pipe.

Larry's idea is a good one and I too think I will try it. I also will stock up on some of the rings I found--cheap, in several sizes, and the color makes me happy.

Typical--some lilies and grape hyacinth came with the fish. I planted the lilies but figured there was no use for the grape hyacinth with my skimmer. After I set up the feeding ring I realized I had missed the opportunity to incorporate the hyacinth--so I will think more in terms of these ideas now that I seem to be developing a "proper" pond.

Mike