Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Fish cages

Okay,
I've seen the examples in Cecil's posts and I even went out and ordered the PVC fittings and mesh from Stoney Creek Equipment in Michigan.
I want to make one approx. 4 feet long, 3 feet deep, and 2 feet wide. The purpose is to try and raise some Goldfish in our pond. So far, any attempts to stock a few have resulted in them being eaten by the LMB within a day or two!
We originally had three VERY large Goldfish that eventually died. We just want to replace them.

I have two Shubunkins that my Daughter bought me for Fathers Day and I need to get this cage built.

My questions are these:
1) Should I add something like sand fill to the base of the cage pipes to make it sink?
2) will the tubular frame sink on its own? The pipes will be filled with air, so I'm doubting so.
3) Does anyone have any close-up photo's of their cages that I can see details? Mr. Baird?
4)Should the lid just sit on top with a plastic tyrap hinge?

If anyone has any ideas, I would love to hear them.

Thanks, folks!

Here's a post with some info, when I made mine I filled the top PVC with foam and drilled holes in all the rest of the pipe so that only the top would be buoyant and more stable, but I still needed to add some flotation to the top to keep it higher in the water.

http://www.pondboss.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=165370&page=4

Hope this helps.

I made mine from 1" PVC tubing and fittings that I bought from the local Lowes. I made mine 4' high because that's how wide the netting was. Tie wraps every 6" around the top and vertical tubes, and every 4" where there was a seam in the netting. I drilled 3/16" dia. holes on the bottom of the cage tubing, and one about half way up on each of the uprights. I tied a 1.5 gallon bleach bottle at each corner roughly 12" down from the top to get the cage to float 8" or so out of the water. I made the top cover from 1" PVC and 1" chicken wire. I just used 2 pieces of rope for a hinge. I bought the plastic netting from Stoney Creek. 1/4" mesh is what I used. The weight of the netting was enough to sink the cage even without the holes in the tubes, but I wanted to make sure that they were bottom heavy and top light.


The cages were roughly 4 1/2' x 4' so I used up the whole roll of netting on 2 cages.

That is great guys! I tried searching for old threads, but never found what you posted Adirondack Pond. That is what I bought esshup, 1" PVC pipe and fittings and 1/4" mesh.

I was thinking of putting some fine sand in the bottom frame row only. Maybe just the holes will be enough. If I leave the top sealed, it will trap air and make it more buoyant than the bottom section. Perhaps a couple of pool noodles strapped to the top will help as well if needed.

I'm a KISS guy (Keep It Simple Stupid) because I am stupid at times and definitely simple, so putting in sand or pumping in foam is too complicated for me, and besides it sound like too much work. That said there are so many ways to do this there is no one way to do it. AP has a pretty cool cage in that above link! Scot's are nice too. Bill Cody makes some darn good trash can cages!

I drill holes in the frame myself, so the entire frame will sink evenly as did Esshup (Scot). Then I attach with nylon rope a jug or so -- with the cap on of course -- one on each side of the cage if it's 4 feet or smaller. Attach them lower than you want the water level to be as the jugs float up a little.

The lid can go on anyway you want as long as it is secure enough to not blow up in strong winds. I personally prefer to use a piece of nylon rope to attache it in each corner. I also add a little plastic trap to about 30 to 40 percent of the cage cover for shade. I fold it in two to make it stronger and attache by punching holes and using the plastic ties through the netting.

Here's a picture of a large one that had two jugs on each corner. If you go with the jugs (orange juice, Clorox, etc.) attached them off side of the end you will pull up next to the pier.