I have a new pond

[manddave]

Hello


We have been hard at work building a new pond. We now have it almost finished. We've dug the shape, put the liner in position, bought a pump/filter, and filled it with water. For the liner overhang, we plan on getting some pebbles and rocks etc, but for the walls of the pond (the under water sides) we need to hide the very black and very ordinary looking pond liner. It is a bit hard to put pebbles on the under water side because at some parts it is too steep and the rocks fall in and settle on the floor.

Does anyone have any ideas on how to hide the walls?

I was thinking maybe I could grow peat moss into a fly screen and drape it into the pond. Does anyone know if this sought of thing is available in stores?


Thanks everyone

 

[crimsontsavo]

Several things come to mind.

Grow duckweed around the edges of the pond.
Grow Anachris(sp?) allowing it to grow up and cover the sides. (could be too fast growing though)
Goldfish will eat most any plant though.

I used sand on the edges of my pond. Carefully making layers until it settled- it has worked so far. (underwater)

This year I'm planting aquatic grass to blanket the bottom and sides of the pond.

On the land part over hang some rocks (ledges) and put ferns all around- they will drape down and cover the liner eventually.

Let algae grow.

Pot some plants that like wet feet (roots) and set them all around the pond- they will grow and cover the liner.

There's more but I'm pressed for time right now. If ya wanna know how I've set our ponds up- feel free to send me an instant message on here or an email.

 

[manddave]

Hey thanks

I will try and find some of the plants you suggested.

Do you have much problems maintaing your plants?

Also... What are you pond stats? volume etc. Just interested

Thanks again

 

[crimsontsavo]

Sorry it took so long to get back to you.
My pond stats-
I have a collection of native plants (floridian) growing in and around it.
And whatever else my mother planted.

Volume- I have no clue. It was a pool my sister got at Walmart that I laied into a hole I dug. The pool was 12 ftx12 ft x 4 ft deep. ( I think that's how deep it is.)

Fish-Fifteen/ Seventeen goldfish. Three FlagFinShiners and three Bream.

I just dug my hole ( about 15/20 inches in it's deepest part) The laied the liner down after getting all the sticks and pokey things cleaned out.
Found some aquatic grasses and put them in. ( I gotta replant it- the goldfish are bad about tearing stuff up)
I dont have duckweed yet- I'm planning on getting some sometime this year.

Whats neat about the pond is I can store bog wood and make bog wood. Just plop the wood in and forget it! I wanna get some java moss and put it in the shallow end of the pond so i can have a nice culture going.

Do a search for pond plants and you should get lists with things like- flag iris,duckweeds,grasses-etc. There are so many plants that grow beautifully around/in a pond!


I/we have several ponds scattered throughout our acreage.So as fish grow/make babies- we can move them around. The one GF (my fav) likes to be held and coddled.

Oh yeah--
No problems with the plants- but we have green thumbs around here,lol. I repot various things as they get too large for their pots. This is a new pond- just dug it last year. Can't wait to get my feet wet again!

 

[manddave]

whoa, that sounds great


I measured the temp of the pond yesterday and it read 31C - 32C. (its summer in Australia) I don't think I would be able to put goldfish in the pond at that temperature. Do you think some tropical fresh water fish would be able to go in there?


Thanks

 

[crimsontsavo]

Sorry again for how long it took to get back to you.

Um- I dunno. I guess if you match fish with the same requirements then it would be alright. But, I'd rather see you put some natives in there.
Less chance of a bad non-native no-no escapee making it into native waters.
HTH's!