Ponds in Florida

[SarahT]

Also, does your bog filter keep your water pretty clear or is that impossible here due to the warm summer weather? The pics of ponds I have seen here all have cloudy water

My water is clear and I can see the bottom. It was pretty clear in the summer with a lot of plants and a biofilter, but cleared completely when I got the bog done on September 1 and removed the biofilter. I dug 90% of the pond (my initial helper wasn't much help) in October and added the bog in August. The pond is sunny all morning until 12:30, it could use more shade. It was a hot summer of work! The pond still needs some final cosmetic work. My advice - do the pond and the bog at the same time using a single liner.
I have water lilies in the pond (they've died back since it's fall, even in Florida) and a lot of submerged plants. The center of my pond is 3 feet deep, with 12-18" deep shelves around the edges and the bog is in the back of the pond as seen in these photo's. The bog is planted with papyrus, rush, elephant ear, canna lily, purple queen, iris, and a sweet potato vine (hmm. Maybe I need a bigger bog? what think you, Addy?). The pond is netted, though the bog is not (I took off the net for the photo's).
NO mosquitoes, because the water is constantly moving through the bog ("Up flow wetland filter", really) and the fish eat any skeeters that go near the pond. There are also lots of toads, frogs, bats, dragonflies, birds and anole lizards that go after the mosquitoes.
After a more natural pond shape when I lived in Chicago, I decided to do a more formal shape here, as my back yard has almost no slope and I didn't want to build up a waterfall area.
My suggestion: have your pond within a fenced area, and think of it exactly like a pool,for safety.
I'm happy to answer any more questions whenever you have them.

 

[brokensword]

Also, does your bog filter keep your water pretty clear or is that impossible here due to the warm summer weather? The pics of ponds I have seen here all have cloudy water

Like Sarah said; mosquitoes don't like moving water, so...you're cleared for bog duty!!

 

[rubyduby]

My water is clear and I can see the bottom. It was pretty clear in the summer with a lot of plants and a biofilter, but cleared completely when I got the bog done on September 1 and removed the biofilter. I dug 90% of the pond (my initial helper wasn't much help) in October and added the bog in August. The pond is sunny all morning until 12:30, it could use more shade. It was a hot summer of work! The pond still needs some final cosmetic work. My advice - do the pond and the bog at the same time using a single liner.
I have water lilies in the pond (they've died back since it's fall, even in Florida) and a lot of submerged plants. The center of my pond is 3 feet deep, with 12-18" deep shelves around the edges and the bog is in the back of the pond as seen in these photo's. The bog is planted with papyrus, rush, elephant ear, canna lily, purple queen, iris, and a sweet potato vine (hmm. Maybe I need a bigger bog? what think you, Addy?). The pond is netted, though the bog is not (I took off the net for the photo's).
NO mosquitoes, because the water is constantly moving through the bog ("Up flow wetland filter", really) and the fish eat any skeeters that go near the pond. There are also lots of toads, frogs, bats, dragonflies, birds and anole lizards that go after the mosquitoes.
After a more natural pond shape when I lived in Chicago, I decided to do a more formal shape here, as my back yard has almost no slope and I didn't want to build up a waterfall area.
My suggestion: have your pond within a fenced area, and think of it exactly like a pool,for safety.
I'm happy to answer any more questions whenever you have them.

Thank you for this information SarahT and the pics of your pond. You did a really nice job on it The water looks nice and clear which I have been worried about due to the heat and sunshine here....I really appreciate all the details you added (plants that do well here in the bog, ect) This forum is priceless!

 

[KDubU]

@rubyduby just wondering if you completed your pond construction? We moved to NE FL late last year and now am planning a pond. Heat and high water table is an issue but can be mitigated. For quick shade for a pond, bananas are a good option but would note you should install a barrier between it and the pond to make sure it does not have pups too close to the liner.

 

[rubyduby]

@rubyduby just wondering if you completed your pond construction? We moved to NE FL late last year and now am planning a pond. Heat and high water table is an issue but can be mitigated. For quick shade for a pond, bananas are a good option but would note you should install a barrier between it and the pond to make sure it does not have pups too close to the liner.

Yes, it is finished and has exceeded my expectations..it is home to seven shubunkins and a curly tail lizard…

 

[KDubU]

Very nice!

 

[bagsmom]

It's so pretty! I love the ruffled edges on the lily pads!

 

[brokensword]

It's so pretty! I love the ruffled edges on the lily pads!

they're tropical waterlilies, hence the ruffles! Might even have ridges, ya gots to turn them over to check...

 

[rubyduby]

Very nice!

Thank you

 

[rubyduby]

It's so pretty! I love the ruffled edges on the lily pads!

Thank you bagsmom...I am just amazed at the amount of pads and flowers this lily sends out...a gift every day!

 

[GBBUDD]

@KDubU HOW DID YOU MAKE OUT WITH THE HEAT?? i to am a yankee and thinking of moving south but dang it's hot down there any regrets having 80 degree weather in February

 

[KDubU]

@KDubU HOW DID YOU MAKE OUT WITH THE HEAT?? i to am a yankee and thinking of moving south but dang it's hot down there any regrets having 80 degree weather in February

No concerns here as we have gotten to liking the heat and there is no snow to shovel! FL is busy and though and planning to build another pond, just bought the supplies last weekend. I will create a new post so not to highjack this thread.

 

[Michael from Daytona]

I am thinking of building a pond here in Sarasota Florida and wondering if anyone can give me some answers as to whether or not the heat here is a detriment to pond life and what challenges it adds to pond maintenance....

Hi, Rubyduby,

I'm writing from across the peninsula (Daytona Beach) where I have been enjoying my renovated 1,200 gal concrete and tile pond for the last five years. In a word, yes, heat can be a detriment to pond life but there are many simple solutions to minimizing its effects. 1) Make your pond as deep as possible. The less surface-area-to-volume of water, the lower the tendency to rapid heat gain. My freeform pond is 2-1/2 feet deep but only six to eight feet across, comprising 1,200 gallons. 2) Surround your pond with tall foliage dense enough to block direct overhead sunlight. 3) Grow plenty of floating vegetation such as water lettuce throughout the summer to allow fish additional shade. 4) Provide more aeration than you think you need. I have two waterfalls and three spitters that my fish enjoy hanging out under when it's really hot out. 5) Good circulation helps prevent hot spots and also distributes oxygen content.

Koi and comet goldfish are extraordinarily hardy fish. They can tolerate water temperatures in the low to mid 90s for lengthy periods of time, although ideal temperatures for them are at least ten degrees lower than that. If you can keep your pond surface in shade throughout the day, nighttime temperatures will bring pondwater temp down by the following morning. If you live near the gulf, breezes are also very helpful in keeping surface temperatures down, and this cooler water will gravitate towards the bottom, where fish will hang out.

In spring and summer, everything in Florida grows like mad, including your fish. Algae and undesirable aquatic weeds can become a problem. I've struggled with both green and string algae. The former is best dealt with through patience. All new ponds will turn green for a while until they stabilize. Algacides are not as effective as good filtration/circulation and plenty of aquatic plants. String algae collect on surfaces beneath running water (waterfalls, streams) and is best dealt with by periodic manual extraction. Fish themselves will eat algae and adding a few plecostami ("plecos") helps to keep surfaces algae-free. Anyway, algae are generally not toxic to fish unless overpopulation begins to sap oxygen from the water.

In the fall and winter, I begin to remove water lettuce (so I can see the fish better). Their metabolism drops off with cooler weather and there is less fish waste and less maintenance.

I'm sure there's more stuff to suggest, but don't let Sarasota prevent you from building and enjoying your fish pond!

 

[rubyduby]

Hi, Rubyduby,

I'm writing from across the peninsula (Daytona Beach) where I have been enjoying my renovated 1,200 gal concrete and tile pond for the last five years. In a word, yes, heat can be a detriment to pond life but there are many simple solutions to minimizing its effects. 1) Make your pond as deep as possible. The less surface-area-to-volume of water, the lower the tendency to rapid heat gain. My freeform pond is 2-1/2 feet deep but only six to eight feet across, comprising 1,200 gallons. 2) Surround your pond with tall foliage dense enough to block direct overhead sunlight. 3) Grow plenty of floating vegetation such as water lettuce throughout the summer to allow fish additional shade. 4) Provide more aeration than you think you need. I have two waterfalls and three spitters that my fish enjoy hanging out under when it's really hot out. 5) Good circulation helps prevent hot spots and also distributes oxygen content.

Koi and comet goldfish are extraordinarily hardy fish. They can tolerate water temperatures in the low to mid 90s for lengthy periods of time, although ideal temperatures for them are at least ten degrees lower than that. If you can keep your pond surface in shade throughout the day, nighttime temperatures will bring pondwater temp down by the following morning. If you live near the gulf, breezes are also very helpful in keeping surface temperatures down, and this cooler water will gravitate towards the bottom, where fish will hang out.

In spring and summer, everything in Florida grows like mad, including your fish. Algae and undesirable aquatic weeds can become a problem. I've struggled with both green and string algae. The former is best dealt with through patience. All new ponds will turn green for a while until they stabilize. Algacides are not as effective as good filtration/circulation and plenty of aquatic plants. String algae collect on surfaces beneath running water (waterfalls, streams) and is best dealt with by periodic manual extraction. Fish themselves will eat algae and adding a few plecostami ("plecos") helps to keep surfaces algae-free. Anyway, algae are generally not toxic to fish unless overpopulation begins to sap oxygen from the water.

In the fall and winter, I begin to remove water lettuce (so I can see the fish better). Their metabolism drops off with cooler weather and there is less fish waste and less maintenance.

I'm sure there's more stuff to suggest, but don't let Sarasota prevent you from building and enjoying your fish pond!

Wow Michael, I so appreciate you taking the time to give me all of these pointers....My pond is built and running (waterfall into stream into second waterfall and into pond) I have many plants (papyrus, maiden hair fern, obedient, taro, water lily, water celery, bacopa, parrots feather and mint...all in the pond and stream) I have seven shubunkins...The pond is 30" deep and about 9 by 12 but once the shelves were put in it brought the gallons to about 900

The pond is located under two live oaks and will be shaded throughout the Summer (now it gets direct morning to noon light)

When I first was thinking of building a pond here I was discouraged by many sighting all of the shortcomings (bugs, predators, heat, ect...) but I am glad that I went ahead with the project anyway. It is my therapy...My spirits are lifted as soon as I can see it when the sun comes up in the morning...Best thing I ever did The information you have sent will not only help me but anyone else thinking of building a pond here in Florida. Do you have a pic of your pond anywhere on this site? I would love to see it