Living in a cold climate significantly reduces your outdoor gardening options. Avid northern gardeners often turn to greenhouses to extend the growing season and expand the variety of plants they can grow. If you’re a passionate water gardener, you can also use a greenhouse fish pond to broaden your hobby horizons. For tips and advice, explore this guide to raising tropical plants and fish in a greenhouse pond.
Designing Your Tropical Aquascape
A solid design plan is crucial to successfully keeping tropical plants and fish year-round. If you already have a greenhouse, our complete Pond Kits enable you to build the perfect size and shape water garden to fit the space. Conversely, if you already have a mature water garden, you’ll need to design a greenhouse that can fully cover and protect it.
If winters in your location drop below freezing, ensure your greenhouse is properly insulated and equipped with a portable heater for frigid nights. In mild, chilly climates, your fish pond can serve as a thermal mass that regulates the temperature inside your greenhouse without needing an additional heater. This process works by trapping the thermal energy from the sun during the daytime and slowly releasing it into the air overnight.
Choosing Plants and Fish for Your Greenhouse Pond
The types of plants and fish your greenhouse pond can support depend on how warm the water stays during the coldest months. As long as you can consistently keep the ambient temperature above 50 degrees Fahrenheit, most tropical plants native to the United States will thrive in your water garden.
A temperature-controlled greenhouse also enables you to raise exotic tropical fish, like cichlids, Plecostomus, tetra, archerfish, and more. Research the species of fish you plan to add so you can ensure your greenhouse pond stays warm enough for them in the winter. Furthermore, adding a greenhouse heater is recommended to stabilize water temperatures in areas that dip below zero for extended periods.
Special Considerations for Greenhouse Fish Ponds
A well-insulated greenhouse should keep your tropical pond plenty warm in the winter. Still, if you are keeping fish, you must ensure the water doesn’t get too hot in the summertime. An aeration system is essential to prevent overheating and promote a balanced ecosystem.
The CrystalClear PondAir Aerator and Pond De-Icer Combo will protect your tropical pond throughout the year. The diffused aeration stones circulate cool, oxygenated water when it is hot and muggy.
Keep tabs on the water temperature throughout each season to ensure the conditions are ideal for your tropical fish and plants. Use a submersible thermometer that you can monitor on your tablet or smartphone so you can quickly make adjustments before they disrupt your delicate ecosystem.
Learn More About Tropical Aquascapes
Are you ready to build your new tropical greenhouse pond? We are here to help you through every step of the way! Contact us online or by phone at 866-POND-HELP for personalized advice from pond experts.
Read these related guides for more tropical pond tips:
Types of Ponds and Water Features
Are Plecostomus Cold-Hardy Fish?
Last Updated: January 9, 2025