Just bought a house with a pond in NJ

[DPLizzymom4]

You can use that liner while you're planning on replacing it. Get rid of that liner, it won't last.

Get yourself a cheapie kiddie pool and fill it with the pond water. Transfer the fish and any submerged rock that you find into the kiddie pool. Stick an aerator in the kiddie pool while you complete the new step.

Tear that liner out and replace it with a 45mil EPDM Firestone Liner.

Top up the pond with tap water (as Addy says, make sure that you dose the water with de-chlorinator).

Transfer the fish and any submerged rock you found, and the kiddie pool pond water back into the newly re-lined pond.

It looks to me (from the small pictures that you posted) that you have a submersible pump with an inlet pre-filter. That pump moves water from the pond bottom to what appears to be a canister filter (post some bigger pictures of the equipment). The tubing is connected to the outflow from the pump to the inflow of the canister filter (there are most likely arrows denoting the flow direction), the water passes through the canister filter and then back into the pond.

This looks to be a pretty simple set-up that shouldn't pose that much of a problem to deal with. If you're stuck or freaked out, look up the manufacturer of that particular canister filter and YouTube! or Google it. You'll find something.

"Don't believe everything you read on the internet" - Winston Churchill

Thank you for the advice do I de chlorinate the water before I put it in the pond or do I just add the water into the pond from the hose and put the DE chlorinator in the pond while the hose water is going in?

 

[barryian]

Thank you for the advice do I de chlorinate the water before I put it in the pond or do I just add the water into the pond from the hose and put the DE chlorinator in the pond while the hose water is going in?

Mix the proper amount of de-chlorinator in a 5gallon bucket with water and disperse it all around. Then add the hose !!!

 

[MitchM]

I've never heard of a floating heated rock before, using it is a waste of money.
Where are you located?
I would make some plans to replace that liner.

We keep asking your location because fish prefer stable, well oxygenated water.
Depending on the size of the pond, the weather could change conditions suddenly which would be unhealthy for the fish.

The use of an old swimming pool liner and a heated floating rock tells me that the previous owner was not very knowledgeable and did not give the pond a very high priority.

.

 

[addy1]

Where are you located?

We keep asking your location because fish prefer stable, well oxygenated water.
Depending on the size of the pond, the weather could change conditions suddenly which would be unhealthy for the fish.

.

The title says NJ, new jersey. I asked the same then erased it when I saw the title. Just north of us.

 

[MitchM]

oops, lol

 

[DPLizzymom4]

Mix the proper amount of de-chlorinator in a 5gallon bucket with water and disperse it all around. Then add the hose !!!

Thanks! I am going to try and clean some on the leaves and such out of the water this weekend and add some more water too any De chlorinator will do for ponds i guess will do?
As it says in my heading I am in New Jersey so the weather is starting to warm up and I am noticing the fish getting more active and swimming around. I have been trying to do some research and the advise here has been great I have also been watching some u tubes. What about a UV light when I set up my filter? I didn't see one with the stuff the last owner left do I need to buy one. And it looks like the pump doesn't have the straight line to make a fountain so I am going to have to buy another I suppose? Looks like a great hobby and I am excited to be starting this.

 

[Tula]

Is your pump designed for a fountain, or was it used to pump water to the filter?

 

[DPLizzymom4]

The picture of the pump showed a fountain but no tubing for that fountain.

 

[Tula]

Well, maybe it could be used to pump water to your filter, if it's the right GPH for it. That would be very good news

 

[CometKeith]

Good luck with your pond. I figured I would throw in some unsolicited advise so here goes:
Typically when the pond water looks good to you then it can be unhealthy for your fish.
When a pond is dirty and full of algae actually the water quality can be excellent.
All the chemicals they sell in stores are totally useless if you know how to maintain a pond and know what you are doing.
So keep these rules in mind and good luck!

 

[barryian]

Thanks! I am going to try and clean some on the leaves and such out of the water this weekend and add some more water too any De chlorinator will do for ponds i guess will do?
As it says in my heading I am in New Jersey so the weather is starting to warm up and I am noticing the fish getting more active and swimming around. I have been trying to do some research and the advise here has been great I have also been watching some u tubes. What about a UV light when I set up my filter? I didn't see one with the stuff the last owner left do I need to buy one. And it looks like the pump doesn't have the straight line to make a fountain so I am going to have to buy another I suppose? Looks like a great hobby and I am excited to be starting this.

I've used StressCoat for many years but there are many less expensive ones. Also, whatever your pond size, for ex: 2000 gal, used the amount called for in 2000 gal on the instructions, not just the amount of water being changed ...

 

[Becky]

Just wanted to say welcome to the forum