Haha my pond is planned to be low budget, I will probably go with a net, but just ensure it's very tight so no exploring cats can fit under it

My idea is to have the 'portable' pond while I'm renting, then when I settle down I intend to build a pond.
A simple pond of digging a hole and lining it with pond liner is actually rather cheap! You'd be surprised how much cheaper a pond can be to set up initially compared to a tank (I'm not sure in terms of running costs which one is cheaper)

My pond tub for example is going to cost around £199, seems a lot, but its a 6ft x 4 ft x 2ft giant tub, which can hold around 1300 litres. A tank of a similar size will be far more expensive, in fact I did see a plain tank, for the same price, 6ft x 2ft x2ft and it was 700 litres, so half the size for the same price!

However if I had a garden of my own, I could dig a hole myself to a similar size/volume and a liner would only cost £49.44 (+£18 for the under lay).

Sorry to go off on a slight ramble there, but you can see what I mean!
Of course I haven't mentioned filters or any equipment either, but that's a whole other ramble 

How are you testing for the Ammonia? Prime will often skew the readings...I should be looking to do 50% water-changes as the norm. If Bertie is not acting right, then he is asking you to change some more of his water

My golden Rule: IF IN DOUBT PERFORM A LARGE WATER CHANGE

Thanks guys....being new at this....I'm second guessing myself. At 9pm I did another small water change with a small amount of prime. Bertie picked up and this morning he's himself.  Im still scared to do a large change at one time as my ph crashes.  All in all I did 40% change yesterday.

I think what's frustrating is all the variables.  I was hoping to get to every other day WC but that's a no go! This is an art.  

Everyday I hope for nitrites.....come on nitrites....but nope nothing.  I figure I have another month before I lose my sanity

Skwishee....I was enjoying our pond conversation. Please feel free to bump back in.  Are you sure you want to cycle a big pond? I think I would go crackers!

Really sorry to hear that You kept him in Bertie's old tank, right? And from what I remember, there was constant ammonia present there. Might have been a bit too stressful for the little guy simply. Maybe you should concentrate on stabilizing Bertie's tank for now and get him a buddy later when it's all in order

Why do you want nitrites by the way? I thought you said there were already some nitrates visible?

The cloudy water is most probably bacterial in origin, quite common in a newly cycling tank

thanks nossie......even at 43yrs old....I"m still learning patience. 

You know the old saying....ignorance is bliss.....in someways I wish I knew nothing.  Of course if that was the case, poor bertie would be in a bowl and I wouldn't have met some nice people who enjoy goldfish too.

thanks all, I appreciate the support.

Well my tank continues its journey. Bertie is healthy and happy. He's back to being a piggy for food. So I keep to my water changes and testing water and waiting.....

Finally developing patience for this

Skwishee.
It's too cold in the winter to start a pond project?  I think your in England?  Winters there more warm? Just lots of rain

Starting a pond project in winters might also be a bad idea because of the weather, I don't know how it is in England in winters, but up here the ground freezes completely solid. Ain't nothing you can do to break through it, and I imagine that would be pretty unpleasant to work with...

There's nothing to say you can't build a pond in winter, but the weather would make it difficult
It's quite cold and I'd rather be in doors nice and toasty, than out side with a shovel

You certainly would never add a fish to a pond in winter, so I'd rather try and get it done in January, so I know it'd be ready in time for Spring

Brown spots? Yes that's probably brown algae, I wouldn't worry too much about it It's common I believe, for brown algae to appear in new tanks, you can just clean it off the plants in old tank water. Lucky's tank had a mixture of brown and green algae, it's mostly green now and she quite often eats it, so I tend to always leave a patch for her to munch on!

Today is day 39 of my tank......I'm happy to report I'm cycling!!!!!

Last couple of days ammonia has been .5. Water changes didn't bring it down nor did prime.  Bertie seemed fine.  Yesterday morning nitrites where .5 and nitrates 0.  When I got home ammonia was .25, nitrites 1 and nitrates were .25. Did a water change. 

Today ammonia 0-.25, nitrites 1 and nitrates .25. So another water change. I'm noticing Bertie is flashing so I'm going to retest and do water change. 

The hard part of this is my ph.  It still drops after a water change, so I can only make small water changes.  Otherwise I'm very excited. I've moved to the next stage. 

How great! So excited for you! It'll soon be all settled down
As Scrivens says, the pH will be fluctuating while ammonia etc are still in the water, it's a natural part of the process. In some cases pH crashes may also happen during nights when the plants are absorbing oxygen instead of releasing it.

I'd add more info if I'd get to my fancy goldfish book... xD It has a few lovely, long chapters on water quality and how it works..

yeah, know all about fish swimming up the waterfall

In all honesty with the nitrites, I just tested the water each day and just found every day a water change was needed. My nitrites sky rocketed, they were literally off the chart, so I just did one large water change each day of 50% or so. The nitrite went down of it's own accord.

As for what's changing your ph in the tank? That's rather odd... what substrate/decor do you have in there?
It might settle once the tank's done cycling?

Aww no way! I'd love to find a rented place that already had a pond. Don't think there are rented properties like that here in Wales!
Landlords are a bit useless here!

I've not had any ph changes because of my gravel? I guess it depends what type of rocks etc were used? I don't really know I'm afraid >.<

You could try taking a bit of gravel and pouring a few drops of vinegar on it, if it fizzes, it might contain limestone which raises the pH in the water.

So the book I mentioned is called Fancy Goldfish written by Erik L. Johnson and Richard E. Hess, it's one of the best ones I have...

About pH, it says that the bacteria that are handling ammonia produce hydrogen ions by taking them out of it to create nitrite, which lowers the pH. Wood pieces, decaying leaves etc will bind the ions and also contribute to lower pH, plants will raise it during the day while they're exposed to light.
The nitrosomonas (nitrifying bacteria) are really picky about their environment, too little oxygen, too cold/warm water or chemicals will make them stop working, including salt! In case you're adding anything except water conditioner and beneficial bacteria, this might be what is slowing the cycling process down and keeping the pH so high.

My nitrite test kit suggests a water change when it reaches a level of 1.6ppm or above. This is still not a very dangerous level, but can have an impact on your fishes' immune system.