Steve's Pond

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1999
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STEVE'S LESSONS LEARNED


August 3, 2000

I started my first pond in June, 1996. Since then there have been many changes and many lessons learned. Many of these lessons were learned the hard way by encountering problems with fish, filters or pumps. Most of what I learned came from information off the newsgroup rec.ponds and the last two years from the Water Garden Forum. I also read everything I could about ponds, fish and plants. The last three years I have attended every pond tour I can find. If you have a local Water Garden Society or Koi Club, join them.

First lesson: Fish need oxygen

Fish need lots of oxygen during the hot summer months. I tried a Luft pump with my first pond. This was basically powered by an airstone with a small mechanical filter. I lost fish. Once I found out what the problem was, I added a 1200 gph Little Giant Pump with a bubbler fountain head. Keep your pump running 24/7. Oxygen depravation occurs at night when the plants and your biofilter take up lots of oxygen.

Second lesson: Fish need a biofilter

If you have fish, you will need some kind of biofilter. With a small pond, it can be a very simple homemade filter. Since you probably already have a pump with a fountain head, place this pump in a perforated container filled with lava rock. Place the lava rock in laundry bags for easy handling or place fiber mat over top of container and run fountain tube through mat. You can tie all this together so that when you pull the pump for cleaning, it won't come apart. Some pumps come with a small foam prefilter. Discard this filter. It will clog very quickly in pond.

More elaborate filters can be made out-of-the-pond. Any suitable container will do. I use a 100 gallon stock tank. These can be found at Feed and Ranch Supply Stores. The whole purpose of a biofilter is to add a much larger area for "good" bacteria to grow. I plumb my in-the-pond pump to a flexible hose. I add a gate valve near the stock tank. I then add PVC pipe. The pipe is fed through the top of the container with elbows down to the bottom. I add another elbow and split the outlet so that water will swirl when it enters the bottom. I have plastic milk crates to support my matting. This keeps an area clear on the bottom for solids to fall out. Water passes through 3 layers of fiber mat. I use Kitchen light grates to support mat. I place another light grate on top of the last mat to help hold it down. You can add laundry bags filled with plastic peanuts, lava rock, plastic hair curlers or any other material that can give you more area for beneficial bacteria to grow. I cut two round outlets near the top of the stock tank. Place 3 inch pvc tube exiting here to my veggie filter and waterfalls.


Third lesson: Nitrate Cycle

Fish produce waste. The waste produces ammonia. Ammonia is toxic to fish. The beneficial bacteria breaks down ammonia to nitrite. Another bacteria break down the nitrite to nitrate. Nitrate is used as plant food. It can take up to six weeks for a new pond to cycle properly. During this period your fish will be under stress from the ammonia and nitrite compounds in you pond.

Fourth lesson: Stocking fish

A lot of people add feeder goldfish to see how the fish will do. First of all, feeder fish aren't very healthy. Many die because of they were in poor condition before adding them to the pond. Feeder fish will reproduce. If you do not want feeder fish in your pond, do not start with feeder fish. Once established, they are very hard to remove.

Start with the fish you want to have in your pond. Every pond must cycle before it is safe for fish. Most water supplies contain chlorine or chloramines. Both will kill fish. Add Amquel or some other type of de-chlorintator before adding fish. While plants can be added almost at once, wait on the fish. I would suggest two weeks. Then add just two small fish. Wait two more weeks, and add a few more fish. After the sixth week, add additional fish. Never add a lot of fish at one time. Your pond can't handle the extra bio load and your fish will die.

Fifth lesson: Algae

New ponds will have an algae bloom. Accept it. Plants and patience will clear your pond. Add submergible plants such as Hornwort, Anacharis and Cacomba. Add floaters such as Hyacinths and Water Lettuce. Add lilies for shade. Algae needs two things to survive, sunlight and nutrients. Until you plants get established, the algae will have the upper hand. String algae is both a benefit and a curse. It will definitely help clear the pond of the pea green algae. It grows fast and covers plants and pots and everything else. It can be removed by hand using a toilet brush. It should not be totally removed. Again, it is another part of the cycle. One day, you will look out and all the string algae will be gone.

As your fish population grows, you may need to add a UV light to control algae. I have now added a UV light. I still keep lots of plants, a veggie filter and good mechanical/biological filter as well as a trickle tower.

Things not to do to control algae:

Do not use chemicals. The chemical kills the algae, it dies, decomposes and the algae bloom starts again (great marketing tool).

Do not empty, clean and refill your pond. It will start all over again.

Patience and plants - enough said !

Sixth lesson: Liner info

Preformed ponds are usually too shallow and more difficult to install. Rubber liners are easy. They fit the hole you dug. The .045 mil EPDM liner is the most widely used. While pond stores tout their liner as being fish safe, it is exactly the same product sold by roofing wholesalers. Save money.

Seventh lesson: Pumps

There are many pumps available for ponders. In-the-pond submergible pumps are the most popular. They are less expensive and easier to handle for the do-it-yourselfer. Out-of-the-pond pumps are very efficient and easier to service and maintain.

Little Giant pumps are notorious leakers. They have oil that can leak. Though it is a light oil that evaporates quickly, it can be a problem. Mag Supreme pumps have a very small intake. This is a good fountain pump or venturi pump but I do not like it for a main pump. Alita has a new pump design that allows solids over 1" to pass with out going through the impellers. I have not a had to remove and clean this pump yet. I am now using a Sequence 3600 out-of-the-pond pump as my main pump.

Eighth lesson: Water Quality

Good water quality is a must to maintain healthy fish and a clear pond. Clean filters regularly. Do not use chlorinated water to clean your filters. A good rinse is all that is necessary to clear heavy particles off of your filter material. Vacuum sludge from the bottom of the pond. Do small water changes only. Add Amquel or other dechlorinator when necessary. Keep water running. Do not turn off pumps. Fish need oxygen. Your filter needs oxygen. Built up gasses are easily dispersed by good aeration.

Ninth lesson: Fish Health

Fish health depends on you. Learn all you can about fish health and diseases. I would suggest the Koi Vet Site and Pure Gold Aquaria for information about fish health and treatment. When you fish do get ill, first plan of action is determine what caused the illness. Treat the cause, then the symptom.
Keep a quarantine tank available. Put new fish into a quarantine tank before introducing them to your pond. A quarantine tank can be a stock tank or a kiddie pool. Keep a small pump and fountain head going 24/7. Place pump in a perforated basket filled with lava rock. Place a few goldfish in quarantine tank so that the water cycles properly.

I prefer treating fish in the pond. Sores can be treated with Iodine, Neosorene or a Potassim Permanganate paste. Salt dips also are a good idea for sick fish. Learn proper procedure from sites listed above.

Final lesson: Not really

There is no final lesson. Problems occur. New solutions always arise. If you have a problem, and I have not addressed it, please e-mail me. If I can help I will, if not, I will suggest someone who can.

Follow the links in the left margin.

stevej46@comcast.net