100 Gallon Balcony Pond Build Complete

[JohnHuff]

More thoughts. Weather and balcony strength aside, did you ever consider using acrylic sheets instead of plastic liner and opening one side so you can see the fish from the side? Right now, you can only see them from the top, and 1/2 is covered by plants and half obscured by the fountain.

Your pond is small and shallow enough that you can add gravel and siphon it.

 

[Waterbug]

Like I said before it was my mistake. I was always told it is normal to lose one or two fish with a new pond, am I wrong?

I would say that's one of few truths in pond keeping.

And obviously the number of fish and kinds can be kept in this size pond, even more. Growers and retail stores do it all the time. Have for years and years. You've already said you're going to test water parameters...that puts you way, way ahead of 90% of the "experts" who post in pond forums.

As you realized even in your first post, this type of pond is not a standard pond for this forum. Every pond forum has a specific and very narrow definition of what is a "good" or "proper" pond. Well, actually, every forum uses the same definition which is "a proper pond is a pond that is just like mine".

Which is unfortunate in this case because to me it would be interesting to hear about what your water parameters do and what actions you take to make it work and what you learn from any failures. I could learn a lot. Unfortunately I don't know of a better forum for you to post in specifically for container ponds. That's what this is called, a "container pond". There are lots of gardening forums that have threads on container ponds. Perhaps posting in one of those would be more fun than having to listen to "experts" tell you what the future holds.

Another option is to post in the section here called "Pond Showcase". In that section people can't make posts to your thread. Then later, if you have a specific question you can post in a new thread which will still get tons of "your pond is too small" but maybe you might get a few helpful posts on how to actually care for your pond.

Hope you can find some way to post. Send me a Personal Message if you post in another forum as I would like to follow this. I think container ponds are very cool, very interesting, and very surprising in how they react. I learned a lot about Water Gardens by keeping container ponds. One of my fav ponds was 30 gal.

 

[dieselplower]

that's one of few truths in pond keeping.

And obviously the number of fish and kinds can be kept in this size pond, even more. Growers and retail stores do it all the time. Have for years and years. You've already said you're going to test water parameters...that puts you way, way ahead of 90% of the "experts" who post in pond forums.

As you realized even in your first post, this type of pond is not a standard pond for this forum. Every pond forum has a specific and very narrow definition of what is a "good" or "proper" pond. Well, actually, every forum uses the same definition which is "a proper pond is a pond that is just like mine".

Which is unfortunate in this case because to me it would be interesting to hear about what your water parameters do and what actions you take to make it work and what you learn from any failures. I could learn a lot. Unfortunately I don't know of a better forum for you to post in specifically for container ponds. That's what this is called, a "container pond". There are lots of gardening forums that have threads on container ponds. Perhaps posting in one of those would be more fun than having to listen to "experts" tell you what the future holds.

Another option is to post in the section here called "Pond Showcase". In that section people can't make posts to your thread. Then later, if you have a specific question you can post in a new thread which will still get tons of "your pond is too small" but maybe you might get a few helpful posts on how to actually care for your pond.

Hope you can find some way to post. Send me a Personal Message if you post in another forum as I would like to follow this. I think container ponds are very cool, very interesting, and very surprising in how they react. I learned a lot about Water Gardens by keeping container ponds. One of my fav ponds was 30 gal.

Waterbug how do u think the pond this thread is about will do this Winter?

 

[Waterbug]

I assume the keeper will do what thousands of pond keepers do in the exact same boat. Some will add heaters. Some will bring the fish indoors. Some will lose all their fish long before the snow flies. Some will move before winter and sell/give away their pond and fish. Some will watch their pond freeze solid and all the fish die.

As for this specific pond I have no idea because no info was given. If I could predict the future I would probably concentrate more on Lottery numbers than how one pond will perform.

 

[dieselplower]

So that huge long post but nothing of any help except go post somewhere else. Lol.

 

[Dave 54]

I've seen a koi pond in Malaysia constructed on the 14th floor when all these points were pointed out to that person on another website he was never seen again if anything your pond should be good for around three goldfish (if properly filtrated) I'm sorry but any koi have to go.
You simply must do your homework on these things before doing it koi can grow in a short time period up to 24" before they start to slow down.
Noty only that did you think of looking at the building specs for your home especially how much weight your balcony will hold , you may well find yourself in breach of planning permission and be asked to remove it you have to remember that 100 galloms be it US or Imperial gallons is some weight.roughly half a ton of weight is sat on your balcony "a ton being 220 gallons", add people admiring your pond the weight goes up again you are courting with disaster......
Sorry to be a party popper as its a nice pond but it may well have to go

rgrds

Dave

 

[Waterbug]

So that huge long post but nothing of any help except go post somewhere else. Lol.

Yes. Kind of like all the posts that proclaim to know the future and tell the poster, who didn't ask for any advice, how their pond was crap. This forum is strictly for entertainment purposes. Some people enjoy pretending to know the future or think they're experts placed on the earth to tell everyone else their pond is crap because it's different. I enjoy defending people who dare to post something different because I enjoy reading something different rather than the exact same posts over and over. But yeah, there's certainly no point to any of this. Like Freecell.

I think the "go post somewhere else" suggestion was made pretty darn clear by all the negative posts long before I posted. I assume the OP had already decided to never post in another pond forum again and probably never read my post. But I found it entertaining to write.

 

[Sarin]

Waterbug,

I thank you for your understanding and my defence. You are 100% correct that this thread was for entertainment purposes only, and perhaps educational purposes down the ine if the forum members let me. I knew the kind of replies I would get that is why I have been so calm. I saw it coming, but posted anyway. Hoping this thread would enlighten those 'experts' who keep 1 koi in 10,000 gallons.

Remember guys, do not judge a book by its cover. Just because I have ~5 koi and a goldfish in a 100 gallon pond does not mean I am an ignorant child who will let life perish before me. I have many other animals, most of which are exotic, and I take into consideration everything before I decide to work with something alive.

Now I am no where near an expert when it comes to ponds. Afterall, this is my first "pond". The koi have been thriving for the past 3 months. My water tests perfect every time I test it. I have only had to do 1 real water change and clean the filter twice. There is nothing wrong with this setup at all. How do you think pond stores keep their 300 koi in 300 gallon buckets? They don't all die. Yes, they're sold, but then they're also replaced. It IS possible to overstock a pond if you do it properly and keep the health of the fish in mind.

Don't worry, this did not scare me. Like I said, I expected the exact responses I've gotten. I'm not new to forums and how they treat something different.

PS. The balcony is built above a building so it has the support of concrete walls beneth it.

Again thank you everyone for your comments and I hope this thread helped some of its viewers to think outside the box. I do appreciate it.

 

[Sarin]

Oh, to answer whoever asked about bio balls, I have about 10 2" bio balls in the filter.

 

[JohnHuff]

There is nothing wrong with this setup at all. How do you think pond stores keep their 300 koi in 300 gallon buckets? They don't all die. Yes, they're sold, but then they're also replaced. It IS possible to overstock a pond if you do it properly and keep the health of the fish in mind.

You've answered your own question right there. They are all sold and replaced. The fish are not in there for a long time and the pond store is not thinking about their long term health. It's like being in a crowded elevator. You can stand it for a while, but you won't want your home like that.

Nothing will change the fact that your pond is small and your fish are big for it, not just overstocked, but big and your pond is not adequately filtered. No one is calling you an ignorant child. You came here for comments and got them, now you're defensive and claiming that you're right and people with more experience are wrong. I think the responses in this thread can help you, if you want.

 

[sissy]

What ever I am not an expect and sure no chemist but I know what works for me and in almost 10 years I only lost 1 shubbie and he jumped out during spawning .I blame myself for that as mom was really sick and then past on and I had not put the net over the pond .You never know how many fish you can keep or how big they can get .I started out not knowing much and was lucky .I took several ponds apart ,those preformed ponds abandoned for years no filters and no pumps no electric and found koi and goldfish as healthy as can be .The last preformed i took out was 220 gallon sized one and there 4 koi in there almost 2 feet long and house was abandoned for 4 years and how long before that pond was not tended to no one knows .Go figure .I gave them to new ponders I had meant and they still have them and they look great .Makes you think at times if over fussing makes a pond worse .To much knowledge at times can be bad and I do repeat my self alot .I am no chemist and don't know much but I do know what works for me . :cheerful: And I can smile everyday .

 

[sissy]

have to mention also he did come here to show off his pond ,I don't think he asked anything in advice .Sorry but that is the way I see it guys .Just me :cheerful: We are not here to attack so please don't take offense .I could go bigger but I can handle what I have so why put myself through that .Build what you can handle if you can always go bigger but if you go big and fail is it really worth it .

 

[JohnHuff]

What do you expect us to do? Pat him on the back while privately thinking it's not good? I think the guys gave him great constructive criticism. The people on this forum are very well mannered compared what I see elsewhere.

 

[Mucky_Waters]

Yes!, another entertaining thread, and to think I almost missed it. :biggrin:
Much as I hate to say it, I tend to agree with Waterbug on this one. Not that everybody thinks they are some sort of self proclaimed expert here, (certainly if anybody here is guilty of that, Waterbug himself is at the top of the list), but I agree that everybody has the right to set up their pond any way they want. Even if that means that fish might die. I don't think Sarin has the deliberate intention of killing his/her fish, although I'm sure (she?) realizes it may be taking a larger risk of doing so with that little container pond set up.
I contrast that with a woman I know who was planning a wedding for her daughter, and one of the table setting she wanted to have at the reception was a goldfish in a wine glass at each table setting. I asked her what she planned to do with all the fish after the event and her reply was to flush them all down the toilet. LOL She obviously wasn't concerned about the welfare of the fish, so instead I appealed to her sense of vanity. I talk her out of it by telling her that many of the goldfish might not survive the evening, and that some might even be dead by the time they started eating, and how unattractive it would be to have a dead fish in a glass sitting in front of you while you are trying to eat. Still, it she wanted to do it she had the right, although I'm sure there are others who would have been offended.
By the same token, this is an open forum and we all have the right to express our own views, and as Sir Huff said, "The people on this forum are very well mannered compared to what I see elsewhere." Mostly, well mannered anyway. :biggrin:

 

[dieselplower]

By all means, set it up however you want. It should be a red flag when every single poster agrees this set up is doomed for failure, except for Waterbug, who simply just wants to say no-one else knows anything. Sure, we could all keep our mouths shut, but we all know the next thread will be "why are my fish dead". Then I will just laugh.