Reclaiming the Pond!

[Tula]

Welcome to our friendly forum Your pond is very nice and it sounds like you've got everything up and running

 

[YatYas]

Thanks for the encouragement guys and gals, I think I'm going to enjoy this new project...hope it's not an expensive one, ha!
I've been looking at all the pond pics posted on the site and there are some really beautiful setups!!


TM, that sounds great! I'd be interested in getting in the loop down here with other pond people. Never knew there was a brother/sisterhood of pond people! Pretty neat!
Here are some pics from this afternoon

 

[Rach B]

Beautiful pond bet u cant wait to get some fish in it!

 

[haver79]

Welcome and what an improvement you have made to the pond already! It looks very nice. Watch out this ponding thing is addicting!

 

[Mmathis]

@YatYas Are you on Face Book?

 

[YatYas]

Thanks for the compliments!

I did put some minnows back in, but guess I should wait a couple more days before adding any colorful fish, right?

Yes I'm on, FB...

 

[YatYas]

Thanks for all the help thus far, I really like to hear the feedback! What would yall recommend as far as water test kits? I did read on here that the drop test kits are less expensive, easier to use, etc., but there are 100 different kinds...any recommendation on which would be good and how often the water should be tested?
Thanks

 

[Mmathis]

Most of us use the API Master Freshwater kit. It contains 2 types of pH tests (regular and high-range), ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates. For a newly set up pond, you need to check it probably at least once a week. It's going to take weeks for the pond to cycle. Mainly, at this point, you want to see ammonia, etc., but you don't want the levels too high or you'll harm the fish. If levels do go up, don't add any chemicals to the water, but instead do a partial water change.

 

[moby]

Very nice! What kind of fish have you in mind for it?

 

[YatYas]

TM, I just picked up the API kit today so I'll test the water this afternoon and will post the results!

I'm not sure yet, moby. I really like the colors of koi so I was thinking of adding 2 to see how things turn out. If they do well for a few weeks, I'll add a few comet gold fish as well. But I'm open to suggestions ha

 

[Mmathis]

TM, I just picked up the API kit today so I'll test the water this afternoon and will post the results!

I'm not sure yet, moby. I really like the colors of koi so I was thinking of adding 2 to see how things turn out. If they do well for a few weeks, I'll add a few comet gold fish as well. But I'm open to suggestions ha

Remember to post the actual numbers rather than "they were normal." You do have a few fish in there now, don't you?

 

[YatYas]

Ok will do. Yes ma'am, I have a handful of minnows in there and they're doing fine thus far.

 

[Mmathis]

Ok will do. Yes ma'am, I have a handful of minnows in there and they're doing fine thus far.

While I appreciate the show of respect, it's really not necessary to call me "ma'am," LOL! It tends to make us older ladies feel, well, OLD.

 

[YatYas]

Haha ok ;-)

 

[moby]

...and I'll second that comment as well Turtlemom!

Regarding fish, koi produce a lot of waste, eat a lot of pellets, grow big and at a faster rate than goldies etc. They also tend to need better conditions i.e. cleaner better filtered water and more aeration than other less finicky types IMHO. They can also destroy plants to some degree as they shovel around in pots disturbing soil or detritus more than others. That said, I have 2 large ghost koi and 26 of the types I've mentioned below. The koi pair charge around beaching themselves amongst the plants and it looks like a war zone at times, then things settle down and all is fine, till next time! They're tame and can be hand fed so that's a bonus! If you want to go just for koi your filtration and aeration needs to be adequate to cope with them, a couple would be fine with other types IMHO.Just some info you may not be aware of at this moment hopefully others will confirm or dispel my thoughts.
There are a lot of other colourful fish...shubunkins are multi coloured themselves, then there's golden orfe, blue orfe, regular orange goldfish and the lesser seen yellow goldfish. The comets as you say are particularly nice with their flowing tails. I choose all my fish with the long tails as I prefer them to short stubby ones.