Ok...so as you may or may not know; I have a 2G wildlife pond...its nothing great but a pond none-the-less....Well today I went to lowes with my parents and as usual...I had to look at the pond stuff. Then I found it, a 9 gallon planter "pond" that not VERY deep but bigger around,etc. Im thinking about getting this pond and replaceing my 2G pond so Ill have a better one. I am redoing that garden as it hasent be redone in about 3.5 years....and since tearing down that wall and working on the roof...the garden doesnt really have anything into than a croton I bought today(Yet to be planted), a drancena (Bought not to long ago!), a HUGE rubber tree and a few plants that have been there since the garden got tore up (Irises, Walking irises(Moving), an OLD croton and thats about it)...So I figured If I redid the garden and I have the opportunity to buy a bigger, better pond why not go for it?! What do you think (Yes I would take down the 2G)

Pros:
--I'd have a better pond
--I'd be prettier since the existing pond is white and the new one would be black
--The plants would have more room
--the animals would have more room
--I could have that lotus I've been wanting and a few rosey reds which I've been wanting too!(They would both get moved to the 50G when the koi and goldfish move to the big pond)
--Dirt would blend in rather than standing out

Cons:
--Cost:12$ (Though not to bad!)
--I'd have to redo the area where the pond would go (Not really caring though...no mulch or gravel is in yet!)
--I'd buy more stuff...like plants, fish, have to get some established water, maybe even put the Mag-Drive 80 in here which could kill small animals :(...it would be for long though If I did do that!

Oh Paul, that sounds good! You sound like me, I love to look at all the pond stuff in every store even though I couldn't possible need anything new, LOL I am knee deep in the new pond plans and busy catching the fish, like 1 every 2 days cause they are SMART and fast little boogers! I hate putting my favourites out in the clay pond. That makes me so sad. But......you gotta roll with it in this pond business!! If Tia were here she would tell me to get my big girl pants on and just put them out there. Have fun with you pond adventure and your plants.

Thanks KK! Why dont you like your fish being into the clay pond? Does it dry out or something? Just curious...I am kinda into preformed ponds for smaller ponds but I think when I build my BIG pond I am going to buy liner because that is so much cheaper...and better....I am kinda tempted to put the baby mollies into the W.L. pond so that some can get eaten yet some can come inside when winter comes (Then they'd have TONS of abbies on their own.....Im kinda thinking about the shallow-ness of the pond....It's cool....BUT....I dont know...is shallower better for a wildlife pind? Maybe robyn will know...Robyn?

I don't know Paul, My ponds are so big, I don't know anything about the smaller ones or the wildlife part of it. I think the animals like to have a place to have a drink though. I have seen pictures of little ponds and they are so nice when you put plants around them and stuff. I think I am the only person who thinks their pond is too big! I am looking forward to having a smaller one, it is so much more personal. As for putting the fish in the clay pond, I don't like it cause it is so big you hardly ever see the fish. But they are used to coming up to eat their cheerios! I do worry about it drying up. It never dries up all the way and last year I pumped it out to catch the fish so I will have to see what happens by fall I guess. I am hoping to have about 8 feet of water depth for the winter. I am looking forward to having some of the fish in the 180 gal and 140 gal stock tanks while I build the new pond. I think it will be nice to be able to see them so much better.

Kenny, I would say to go for new new nine gallon pond!

Wildlife ponds (in the sense of closer to seasonal small ponds, vernal pools) tend to be more shallow because that allows smaller animals to get in and out easily. Some animals may get stuck in larger ponds or even drown. Wildlife ponds normally are too shallow to overwinter any animals. Any pond can have wildlife but, in the sense you are asking, it's a shallow pond.

Thanks for the replies...Sorry about my spelling...Im kinda in and out of feeling well...I have a WHOLE new thing ahead of me tomorrow...I have also decided I am going to get the pond soon but wait to bury it until I feel better...I burned my hand steam cooking my moms dinner(Asparagus and brocoli)...It hurt! I also made pasta salad but didnt get hurt on that! We had steak but, fourtonatly I didnt make that or the grill would have exploeded!

Well Paul, I am sure your Mom was thrilled with her dinner that was really nice of you to do that for her. It's alot more than I got, lol. I hope you get feeling better really soon so you can carry on with your pond plans :-) Take Care

I hope you feel better soon Paul.

Thanks KK and Robyn! I destroyed the wildlife pond today and need to fill in the hole....I am still working on hoeing and redoing that garden...Rubber tree huge and very difficult to work with...but it's no excuse...I could have it done if I werent being lazy! If im not mistaken, I am going to get my new pond this saturday...But hopefully I will be done with the garden by then. I'm making a new post soon (Ok, now!)