Mr.Wizards Pond
- Thread starter Mr.Wizard
- Start date
Thanks everyone! 
I didn't get anything done this weekend. I am going to go get some flagstone after work and get started on the edging. While I am there I will get a few large rocks to get the waterfall structure installed. I plan on using cinderblocks to build up around the waterfall and then dress it up with stone.
I should have some more pictures later this week.
I didn't get anything done this weekend. I am going to go get some flagstone after work and get started on the edging. While I am there I will get a few large rocks to get the waterfall structure installed. I plan on using cinderblocks to build up around the waterfall and then dress it up with stone.
I should have some more pictures later this week.
In regards to fish breeding, I have no idea how to control that other than adding some fingerlings from a predatory fish.
Waterfall structure is built, it just needs to be covered with rock. Flagstone is dry fit around the pond, still have a few cuts to make. Unfortunately the instructions I found online to cut flagstone with a chisel and hammer didn't work so well. I am debating on renting a demolition saw or putting a diamond blade on my skill-saw... decisions decisions!
If you're adding the mosquito fish to cycle it, just google fish less tank cycling or I think there is info on this site about how to do it. It will only take a few weeks. You can add some plants also which will help stabilize pond.
If you are worried about mosquitoes, usually as long as the surface of the water is moving or has ripples, they won't lay eggs there,they like still water. Your waterfall should be sufficient, but you can add an air pump and a couple air stones toward the other end to keep pond moving.
Looks really nice!
If you are worried about mosquitoes, usually as long as the surface of the water is moving or has ripples, they won't lay eggs there,they like still water. Your waterfall should be sufficient, but you can add an air pump and a couple air stones toward the other end to keep pond moving.
Looks really nice!
..very nice ..
regards bio-filter cycling one can just add a cup of household ammonia and it will bio react.. ..
https://srac.tamu.edu/serveFactSheet/241
i put 25 straight run bluegill in a 9 inch deep pan and they grew out nicely ,, put 10 bass in there too..
look at the fish shops /aquarium stores and find the variety + Rosy reds+ they are just a variation of fathead minnow .. after a while [ years] they will devolve from rosy red to plain old Fatheads .. ..
not a lot of problem to me had/have a sustaining population.. some times i looked in my settlement and there were millions of tiny fathead fry .. ..
the rosy's are nice . at night when the light is right the eyes will reflect back at you quite phenomenal ..
go for the sunfish i say .... they will predate [ act as predator to ] any other tiny fish in there ..and they are inexpensive too ,
bluegill usually run about 35 cents each .. one has a choice of straight run or F1 . the F1 will really grow out big but follow on generations will be some trash,,
i say go for the straight run . first year load in a bunch of rosy reds [ or pound of fatheads] and a sack of straight run bluegill .. then maybe next year some bass .. those boys will cost a dollar for a 5 inch fish .. . in winter i went by the bait store and got a 10 $ sack of fatheads and shiners , the shiners are a little bit bigger bait fish , they are growing out nice ,
my experience with local fish farms is they are quite happy to deal with you even in small amounts ... when i ever get my tanks set up right i think im gonna load trout in the fall and see how far i can grow them out .. trout needs water less than 70 F to go good.
be sure and keep your water circulation and bio reactors up to speed . idk how much water in your system but if you have 1000 gallons good system should handle 100 lbs of fish .. so seems the literature indicate
just my thoughts
https://aquaticmag.com/freshwater/fish/rosy-red-minnow-information/
http://www.fishpondinfo.com/rosies.htm
regards bio-filter cycling one can just add a cup of household ammonia and it will bio react.. ..
https://srac.tamu.edu/serveFactSheet/241
i put 25 straight run bluegill in a 9 inch deep pan and they grew out nicely ,, put 10 bass in there too..
look at the fish shops /aquarium stores and find the variety + Rosy reds+ they are just a variation of fathead minnow .. after a while [ years] they will devolve from rosy red to plain old Fatheads .. ..
not a lot of problem to me had/have a sustaining population.. some times i looked in my settlement and there were millions of tiny fathead fry .. ..
the rosy's are nice . at night when the light is right the eyes will reflect back at you quite phenomenal ..
go for the sunfish i say .... they will predate [ act as predator to ] any other tiny fish in there ..and they are inexpensive too ,
bluegill usually run about 35 cents each .. one has a choice of straight run or F1 . the F1 will really grow out big but follow on generations will be some trash,,
i say go for the straight run . first year load in a bunch of rosy reds [ or pound of fatheads] and a sack of straight run bluegill .. then maybe next year some bass .. those boys will cost a dollar for a 5 inch fish .. . in winter i went by the bait store and got a 10 $ sack of fatheads and shiners , the shiners are a little bit bigger bait fish , they are growing out nice ,
my experience with local fish farms is they are quite happy to deal with you even in small amounts ... when i ever get my tanks set up right i think im gonna load trout in the fall and see how far i can grow them out .. trout needs water less than 70 F to go good.
be sure and keep your water circulation and bio reactors up to speed . idk how much water in your system but if you have 1000 gallons good system should handle 100 lbs of fish .. so seems the literature indicate
just my thoughts
https://aquaticmag.com/freshwater/fish/rosy-red-minnow-information/
http://www.fishpondinfo.com/rosies.htm
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Be careful of rosy red minnows they often carry disease and need isolation for while before adding to a pond.
There is a place about 30 minutes away that sells native fish fingerlings. They have bluegill, red-eared sunfish, largemouth bass, channel catfish, hybrid carp(goldfish+common carp), and even sturgeon. I think once I have 5 or 6 large goldfish I will take a trip over there and pickup a few sunfish. As much as I would love to have largemouth bass, just to watch them eat, I know they will quickly out grow my little pond.
The progress on my pond has been held up due to rain, mud and schedule changes at work. I should have the waterfall working in a few days.
The progress on my pond has been held up due to rain, mud and schedule changes at work. I should have the waterfall working in a few days.
I did a test run on my waterfall today. It looks good and sounds amazing. I still have some blocks to place around the sides but here are some pictures of the test run.
MoonShadows
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Looks great, @Mr.Wizard
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Don't feed them.
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Very nice! I don't feed or seldom feed the fish, that helps keep the fry down in numbers. They inhale the eggs laid.
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1 cup (250 ml) would be too much and negatively affect the cycling process.
Maximum ammonia dosing for this size pond would be 59 ml.
I got home from work yesterday and my waterfall was covered with ants, lot and lots of ants. I pulled up the liner and found water was getting out the edge and the soil was soaked. To be honest I was not completely happy with the look of waterfall, simply because my yard is so flat it stuck out to much. Anyway, I ended up ripping out the entire waterfall.
I am going to drop it down a bit, this time I will over build the liner and make sure there is no way water will get out! So its back to the drawing board!
I am going to drop it down a bit, this time I will over build the liner and make sure there is no way water will get out! So its back to the drawing board!