Answers to Your Questions: Creating an Indoor Pond

Question

I want to create a water garden in the house for my two fish and my turtle. I’d like some advice and details about the equipment, pump and filter and maintenance products.

Answer

There’s nothing very complicated about making a water basin indoors, except that the lower light levels will greatly reduce your choice of plants. Indeed, water lilies, water hyacinths and water lettuces, which are the hallmarks of outdoor water gardens, struggle to survive indoors, unless you add a very powerful lighting system. Instead, use semi-aquatic tropical green plants such as dwarf papyrus (Cyperus alternifolius) and aquarium plants, many of which, like anubias (Anubias barteri) and Java moss (Vesicularia dubyana), tolerate low light levels.

The tank itself may be made from a tub or half-barrel, or from a pre-moulded basin. As your pond will probably be of relatively limited size, the pumps and filters used by aquarists and sold in pet shops will be suitable: just give the salesman an idea of the volume of your pond, or at least its dimensions, so that he can suggest suitable models.

The light levels in indoor water tanks are inevitably low, so there should be few problems with algae, which greatly reduces maintenance and eliminates the need for products to control their proliferation. Beware, however, of water jets that always splash. This is acceptable outdoors, but not always desirable indoors.

Finally, of course, you’ll need a fixed or floating platform where your turtle can get out of the water, with a barrier to prevent it from running away. You’ll find that a home water garden is particularly easy to maintain, and will give you years of pleasure.