- Waterproof container
- Stainless steel bolts
- Plant filter
- Aquarium bubbler
- Seal the container: Any container that you can waterproof can be turned into a water garden. Plug drainage holes with a stainless steel bolt with a rubber gasket or a piece of liner spread with caulk. Seal any minor cracks with caulk or brush on water-garden sealant. Use a flexible liner to waterproof wooden and other leaky containers.
- Install the pump: To grow fish and plants, add an aquarium bubbler or small spitter fountain to oxygenate the water. To determine pump size, measure the container volume by filling it from 5-gallon buckets. Conceal the cord, and plug it into a AFI outlet.
- Fill with water: Fill the container with water. Before planting or stocking with fish, let the water sit for five to seven days to dissipate the chlorine and stabilize the water temperature. Or add a chloramine remover.
- Add plants: Plants act as natural filters to keep the water clear. Choose plants with a variety of shapes, textures and colors. Include some that will dangle over the edge and others, such as grasses or sedges, that are tall and spiky. You may need to set the smaller pots on bricks to raise them to the correct depth.
- Add Fish: Fish make an ordinary water garden extraordinary. Allow them to adjust gradually to the water temperature by leaving them in their original water in a plastic bag. Tie the bag and let it float in the container water. After 10 minutes, release the fish. Feed them only occasionally; overfeeding can kill them.