OK, can I just buy some industrial size plastic tubs, secure some swim floaties around them, poke holes in the bottom, use a mooring rope to the sides of a small pond and grow plants in them? What is the best media that I could use that would stay within the tub--heavy enough to stay in and big enough to not diffuse through the holes? Are there plants I can grow in them that I can sell?

...or am I just greatly overimplifying this?

Holding a redear sunfish is like running with scissors.