I haverecently set up a whiskey pond barrell. I'm having trouble keeping fish alive in it.They seem to be gasping at the surface and are very lethargic. This would suggest a lack of oxygen? I have several plants in there including a lily the leaves of which seem to blacken after a while. There is a also quite a pungent smell within the barrel. Due to the lack of fish there is a huge amount of midge larvae. I don't have a pump and don't intend to use one.

I've changed the water several times since setting up.

Can anyone help with the above. Suggestions for the fish and midge larvae problem?

The smell?

cheers

On Jul 13, 4:53*pm, brionjames
wrote:
I haverecently set up a whiskey pond barrell. I'm having trouble keeping
fish alive in it.They seem to be gasping at the surface and are very
lethargic. This would suggest a lack of oxygen? I have several plants in
there including a lily the leaves of which seem to blacken after a
while. There is a also quite a pungent smell within the barrel. Due to
the lack of fish there is a huge amount of midge larvae. I don't have a
pump and don't intend to use one.

I've changed the water several times since setting up.

Can anyone help with the above. Suggestions for the fish and midge
larvae problem?

The smell?

cheers

--
brionjames

Hi James. If possible, make a one third water change from the bottom
of the barrel to remove the toxins which is causing the smell and the
fish to be gasping at the surface of the barrel. Also, you might want
to invest in an air pump so that you can have a bubbler going in the
barrel at all times.

Your's Koily, Lorraine