Pond questions

[Oldspartan]

Pond built last is about 2000 gallons. Has properly sized bio filter and UV, 4500 you waterfall that flows by stream off a stream that starts 4 ft above the pound and is about the same length. Also has a cheap but effective fountain and two spitters. The pond has an overflow through rocks the goes into a 12 to 15 inch second pond that is 5 foot by 8. That flows into a small brook about 6 foot long that empties into a bog. The entire system is fed by a pipe from our artesian well that I have throttled to about 10 gallon per hour.

The pond has 5 common goldfish. And two minnows. There were more minnows but migrating geese had a feast this past fall. Other wildlife are frogs and of course harder snakes.

Linda and I constructed the system throughout this past summer.

I live in north NY. The pond has aeration and a donut heater for winter.

I am looking for suggestion on populating the pond.

 

[10 Tanks]

Hello. There are three species that are very hardy. First, are Koi. Beautiful and can get quite large. Peaceful and will get along with other species. Common Goldfish are second on the list. They're very hardy and can get fairly large themselves. Lastly, are Mosquito Fish. They're smaller, a couple of inches or even a bit more and look like a large female Guppy. Pretty hardy too. There are others that will work in a pond, but these I've listed are likely the toughest. I'd say, number four would be Fathead Minnows.

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[Colin_T]

What are the dimensions of each pond and the other parts (length x width x height)?

Can we get a picture showing the area so we can see how it is laid out?

Are there plants in or around the pond?

Are there any other types of animals (besides geese) that visit the pond?

What is the GH (general hardness), KH (carbonate hardness) and pH of your water supply?
This information can usually be obtained from your water supply company's website (Water Analysis Report) or by telephoning them. If they can't help you, take a glass full of tap water to the local pet shop and get them to test it for you. Write the results down (in numbers) when they do the tests. And ask them what the results are in (eg: ppm, dGH, or something else).

 

[Oldspartan]

What are the dimensions of each pond and the other parts (length x width x height)?

Can we get a picture showing the area so we can see how it is laid out?

Are there plants in or around the pond?

Are there any other types of animals (besides geese) that visit the pond?

What is the GH (general hardness), KH (carbonate hardness) and pH of your water supply?
This information can usually be obtained from your water supply company's website (Water Analysis Report) or by telephoning them. If they can't help you, take a glass full of tap water to the local pet shop and get them to test it for you. Write the results down (in numbers) when they do the tests. And ask them what the results are in (eg: ppm, dGH, or something else).

What are the dimensions of each pond and the other parts (length x width x height)?

Can we get a picture showing the area so we can see how it is laid out?

Are there plants in or around the pond?

Are there any other types of animals (besides geese) that visit the pond?

What is the GH (general hardness), KH (carbonate hardness) and pH of your water supply?
This information can usually be obtained from your water supply company's website (Water Analysis Report) or by telephoning them. If they can't help you, take a glass full of tap water to the local pet shop and get them to test it for you. Write the results down (in numbers) when they do the tests. And ask them what the results are in (eg: ppm, dGH, or something else).

First pond is 18 by 11. It is 33 inches deep in the center and 6 to 11 inches deep at the edges. It has 2000 gallons of water. This flows into a smaller pond through a rock barrier. This pond is perhaps an average of 8 ft wide by 5 ft long and averages about 10 inches in depth. I estimate 200 gallons. This empties ito a short brook that in turn feeds a bog. The bog is unfinished. The bog will drain into a second stream that will be about 50 feet long that will then tumble down a sluiceway into a brook that flows through my property.

We only began developing plantings as the pond construction took much of the summer. The ones have liners so all plants will be potted except the bog and of course shoreline. Currently at the shore are butterfly, hibiscus, sand cherry and crocus. Lillies were wintered in the bog and a couple other plants are being wintered in the house. We lan on creeping Jenny, more Lilly, creeping Myrtle and dwarf cattail this year.

Animals that are around the pond regularly are grey and black squirrels, an ocassional rabbit, garter snakes, frogs, toads and a variety of birds including titmouse, cardinals, finches,Junkos, three variety of woodpeckers, bluejays, blue birds and other small birds. We have also observed an owl and a heron. There are likely others Linda could list as she has spent several years building and planting the yard to attract bird and butterfly.

The water PH is about 7.5 and relatively hard. It comes from are artesian well and feeds the pond continually. I have it throttled so that I estimate the exchange at about three times monthly.

As noted originally there is both bio and us filtration that are properly sized. Also a staged waterfall with a 4000 gph flow rate and small fountains and two spitters.

The pond also has a couple of submerged rock structures to give the fish shelter.

I should mention the ponds get full sun. The constant flow of well water somewhat mitigates the effect and the pond never exceeded 77 degrees to my knowledge last year.

I will post some photos later this morning. They are on the desktop.

 

[Oldspartan]

Hello. There are three species that are very hardy. First, are Koi. Beautiful and can get quite large. Peaceful and will get along with other species. Common Goldfish are second on the list. They're very hardy and can get fairly large themselves. Lastly, are Mosquito Fish. They're smaller, a couple of inches or even a bit more and look like a large female Guppy. Pretty hardy too. There are others that will work in a pond, but these I've listed are likely the toughest. I'd say, number four would be Fathead Minnows.

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Thank you for the reply.

We currently have 5 goldfish that were feeders. They have grown to about 5 or 6 inches. Also two minnows from the original group. The other minnows were food for geese I believe.

I will research the mosquito fish.

 

[Oldspartan]

First pond is 18 by 11. It is 33 inches deep in the center and 6 to 11 inches deep at the edges. It has 2000 gallons of water. This flows into a smaller pond through a rock barrier. This pond is perhaps an average of 8 ft wide by 5 ft long and averages about 10 inches in depth. I estimate 200 gallons. This empties ito a short brook that in turn feeds a bog. The bog is unfinished. The bog will drain into a second stream that will be about 50 feet long that will then tumble down a sluiceway into a brook that flows through my property.

We only began developing plantings as the pond construction took much of the summer. The ones have liners so all plants will be potted except the bog and of course shoreline. Currently at the shore are butterfly, hibiscus, sand cherry and crocus. Lillies were wintered in the bog and a couple other plants are being wintered in the house. We lan on creeping Jenny, more Lilly, creeping Myrtle and dwarf cattail this year.

Animals that are around the pond regularly are grey and black squirrels, an ocassional rabbit, garter snakes, frogs, toads and a variety of birds including titmouse, cardinals, finches,Junkos, three variety of woodpeckers, bluejays, blue birds and other small birds. We have also observed an owl and a heron. There are likely others Linda could list as she has spent several years building and planting the yard to attract bird and butterfly.

The water PH is about 7.5 and relatively hard. It comes from are artesian well and feeds the pond continually. I have it throttled so that I estimate the exchange at about three times monthly.

As noted originally there is both bio and us filtration that are properly sized. Also a staged waterfall with a 4000 gph flow rate and small fountains and two spitters.

The pond also has a couple of submerged rock structures to give the fish shelter.

I should mention the ponds get full sun. The constant flow of well water somewhat mitigates the effect and the pond never exceeded 77 degrees to my knowledge last year.

I will post some photos later this morning. They are on the desktop.

I should add the pond surface also had about 1/3 of the are covered in in floating plants.

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

I'd love to see this pond, please! It sounds amazing.

I'd be concerned about the heron though... it's surprising how quickly a heron can decimate your pond fish collection... probably want to figure out protective methods before stocking with more fish.

My suggestion aside from the ones above would be shubunkins, but that's my personal bias coming through! Love a gorgeous koi pond, they're stunning fish, but have some long tailed shubunkins in my pond, and love them to bits. So pretty and elegant, don't get as huge as koi.

 

[Oldspartan]

The second to last picture was taken at summers end after the plants had established. Picture one was when the pond was initially filled. Picture two is the water fall under construction. It finished about 18" higher than shown. Picture three is the rock wall separating the main pond from the smaller (nursery) pond. Picture 4 and five is the small pond. Final picture the fish in probably early to mid August.

Not shown the bog. It is under construction. About two feet deep. Lined with punctured liner and filled with a mix of sand, peat, and clay soil mixed together in a cement mixer then covered in leaves, sawdust and clippings with nitrogen mixed in. Then covered with a tarp to help the compost process over winter.

 

[Magnum Man]

Have you considered game fish like perch, or Sunny’s …. I assume being in your location, that the pond would get ice covered, were it not for the heater??? Any idea how cold the water gets in the winter???

 

[Oldspartan]

Have you considered game fish like perch, or Sunny’s …. I assume being in your location, that the pond would get ice covered, were it not for the heater??? Any idea how cold the water gets in the winter???

I expect the pond would completely ice over in what used to be a normal north country winter. This year, so far, probably not although the season still has another month or so to go. The heater does not actually heat the pond. It is designed to ensure that in the event of complete ice over a small hole will be kept open to allow gases to through. I believe, unless we have an extended period of severe cold the aeration alone will keep at least 15% of the pond surface open. The heater only cycles when outside temp is below 25 degrees and then operates on a thermostat that measures water temp inside the donut as I understand it.

The depth is great enough to ensure the fish have a place to live in the event of ice formation. Not however, to my understanding deep enough for koi from what I read. At 42 - 48 inches I reach the water table hence the pond is not deeper. I did not want the expense of preventing water seepage from below for fear of floating the liner even a little. As it is we installed water diversion around the outside of the pond under the ground and backfilled with gravel topped by soil.

We never considered sunfish but wonder if they would be suitable for a lined pond without sandy or gravelly bottom. The liner is covered in what a believe is blanket weed that seems impervious to filtration by UV. The pond store fella told me to keep an eye on it but that a light covering is not a bad thing. When it got stringy in the early fall, we simply raked it lightly and put it on the compost pile. I believe a light coating protects the liner from UV. As for poor man's shrimp, perch, I do not believe they would be very happy. Besides having them as pets would make me feel guilty at our annual Memorial Day fish fry.

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

It's absolutely lovely! Can see the amount of work and love poured into it.

Without enough depth for koi, I'd just get some common goldfish of different colours and fin lengths, as you have already, and build the pond population that way. Shubunkins provide a lot of the beauty of koi, without the size (or expense). But maybe there are some native fish that might work too?

 

[Oldspartan]

Labor yes, but not work.

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

Labor yes, but not work.

That's a perfect way of putting it, thank you for this correction, I'm planning some labours of love at home and in the garden too, including making repairs and improvements to our pond, and I love the distinction.

 

[Oldspartan]

Had a very bad wind/rain storm Wednesday. The pond was covered in dead leaves that blew in from the woods. Spent a few hours skimming the floaters and water raking the pond bottom. Bird feeders spread out all over, garbage cans strewn. Not a pleasant Thursday.

 

[10 Tanks]

Hello. This is just beautiful!

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