First pond design... and some Q's

[nyteyz]

Can your dog load a BBgun? lol ......j/k

I have to say that each has there own way of building a pond,I mean really ,you are the one who has to look at it.But everyone has that opinion on such things as having rocks in the pond,or shelves or not shelves,or bringing in your fish in the winter months,it's really up to the owner. We all want what is best for their finley friends!

keep askin.

Wont have a problem with the fish over winter doesn't really get cold enough to warrent bringing them in, also i think the wife would shoot me with my own rifle if i made a temp tank in our living room

 

[koiguy1969]

IMHO..shelves do provide an easier hunting in a pond for preditors. it allows them to venture and reach further into the pond increasing their effective hunting areas. they dont provide any more surface area. they do however take away potential water volume.and water volume is what offers water stability. take a 10' x 10' by 3' deep pond. it takes the same amount of liner to line that pond with or without a shelve. BUT, the inside areas potential water volume is decreased with shelves... the only benefit to shelves is for placing plants easier. and some minor cosmetics....the extra water volume benefits of not having shelves far outway any benefits of having them. higher water volume gives stabilty to a pond. gas exchange takes place at the waters surface.

 

[addy1]

A bog filter is a plant filter, mine is made out of pea gravel and plants, just about as big as my pond.
Check out my thread (click on link in signature) it will show you how I built mine.
I ended up with a plant shelf just because I needed a area to build the wall between the pond and bog, the shelf developed out of the extra width I left for the wall to sit on. All of my ponds have been just straight wall dug, no shelves, they have all been on the big side.

 

[CometKeith]

Hi Nyteyz, good surface area provides a way to help the pond get oxygen if the water has some movement to it. In the summer this is especially important. Ponds will become oxygen deprived at night time. That why people will find dead fish in their ponds in the morning. Good surface area also allows bad gases to escape such as are caused by rotting organic materials that might be in your pond in the winter. I have seen some ponds the size of large swimming pools that do not have shallow ends, but they spend a lot of money on fancy filters and oxygenators that do all that. Also I have seen ponds that use water hyacinths to filter the water and provide surface area for oxygenation. It's just easier and simpler to have the shallow ends providing a higher proportion of surface area and it will require less care in the long run. The volume of the water isn't the only consideration of how much of a bio load the pond can happily maintain, it is also a function of the surface area because of the fishes need for oxygen.

 

[CometKeith]

Wow addy1, I just looked at your pond digging pictures. That is really great!

 

[addy1]

Thanks....comentkeith..........still a project in progress, but eventually will be done. ....yeah right!

 

[CometKeith]

Hey nytez, I can answer questions 5 and 6. Regarding mosquitoes, they prefer stagnant water and with your pumps and waterfall your water will be moving. Also fish love to eat any small bug. My goldfish even eat dead bees that end up in the pond. I saw one of my 4" ones eat a worm that found its way into the pond that was longer than it in one swallow. I put a light on my pond at night so my fish get to snack after dinner on the bugs that are attracted by the light. Re 6. It can take 3-6 weeks for ponds to naturally cycle depending on a lot of variables. You probably have a water test kit already for your indoor tank. Make sure the ammonia levels are at 0 and the nitrites are very low and then you are in good shape. Hope this helps.

 

[nyteyz]

Hey nytez, I can answer questions 5 and 6. Regarding mosquitoes, they prefer stagnant water and with your pumps and waterfall your water will be moving. Also fish love to eat any small bug. My goldfish even eat dead bees that end up in the pond. I saw one of my 4" ones eat a worm that found its way into the pond that was longer than it in one swallow. I put a light on my pond at night so my fish get to snack after dinner on the bugs that are attracted by the light. Re 6. It can take 3-6 weeks for ponds to naturally cycle depending on a lot of variables. You probably have a water test kit already for your indoor tank. Make sure the ammonia levels are at 0 and the nitrites are very low and then you are in good shape. Hope this helps.

Cool, thanks for that.

 

[nyteyz]

I've been doing some thinking about the filtration system and have got a rough sketch of what I believe I'll need. Can anyone point out if I'm missing anything? I know I need a pump from the filter to the waterfall but other than that?

Thanks
John

 

[sissy]

I was told also the longer it takes for the water to get from the pump the less gph if the pump is submersible pump .I have 3 pumps 1 is 1268gph another is 940gph and for spitters it is 450 gph and learned the hard way not to rely on 1 pump as my pump burned out and since there are not many places here to buy them I had to put out more money than I wanted for the 450 gph one until the new one came in the mail and I could not find air pump here but since then they have built petsmart and petco got a great 4 outlet air pump at petco for less than 30 dollars and it is for fish tanks but have had it for 3 years now and protect it from rain and it works great .

 

[addy1]

nyteyz that looks like a good start. As you work on it i am sure you will make changes.

 

[sissy]

addy is right no matter how much you plan there is always something your going to change and change and change even after you think your satisfied you will find something to change .It's just a fact that you will see as time goes by .Someone will come up with something you will like and you will change yours .LOL

 

[nyteyz]

Yeah I know what you both mean, I think I've changed that design a few times in my head as i read and learn more. I'll have to put those ideas down on paper and see what you all think.

 

[sissy]

I wonder if there are herons around this area of VA .I have never seen one only geese wild turkey, buzzards ,owls ,and ducks .and regular birds of course .