Water from clean clear river

[Meg]

Hi all. I have just built a pond and I’ll be lining it next week and putting plants and a filter in ready for the water. Problem is. I live on a farm and we have well water, and our wells are very small so unless it rains drastically over the next week after it’s ready I won’t be able to fill it up. (Top ups and water changes I’ll be fine to do well water)

But the farmer on my land just told me he has an IBS tank and there’s a really clean and clear river up on the moors we could use as a water source. I’ve got a test kit I can use on the water to check it but what I’m asking is would that water be okay for my pond? It’s 15x13x4ft. Thanks

 

[combatwombat]

Lots of people have stream-fed ponds, but those are open systems. Not sure how that would apply to your situation, but if it's a relatively clean river, I'm more of a "water is water" when it comes to ponding. Especially when you're starting new and have no plants/fish in the pond yet. Someone raising show koi might have a different opinion. Possible parasites and whatnot.

Is this practical, though? You said "IBS tank." Do you mean IBC tank? Or is IBS something different? An IBC tank is usually about 275 gallons. That's a lot of trips to the river for your 5,000 gallon pond.

How close to the house is your pond? I'd rather try to find a way to temporarily pipe gutters into the pond until it's full.

 

[WaterGardener]

If you are worried about diseases and parasites, you could hit the river water in the pond with Potassium Permanganate. That seems to kill most everything, but you have to be careful with it. Wear gloves and goggles, and it will stain everything it touches, skin and clothing, purple. It would be best not to have plants or fish in the pond at the time so your dosage wouldn't need to be as critical.

Clear water is not necessarily good or healthy water.

It would be a lot easier to fill the pond gradually, over several days or even weeks, and not overwhelm your wells.

 

[Mmathis]

Good question, so will be interested in answers.

 

[GBBUDD]

The biggest issue with using stream or river water Especially in a farm area is both pesticide and fertilizer RUN OFF . All the fish test kits will never tell you what's in the water . Phosphorous being one of the exceptions as all fertilizers are loaded with phosphorous. Yes parasites could also be an issue to be concerned with but a healthy pond can have all the nasty parasites in the world in it but the fishes slime is there defence and again if healthy they can deal with some of these critters.
A rain capture system would be best or a new well. I have a larger build and i go through 150 gallons in the peak of summer like it was air

 

[Meg]

Lots of people have stream-fed ponds, but those are open systems. Not sure how that would apply to your situation, but if it's a relatively clean river, I'm more of a "water is water" when it comes to ponding. Especially when you're starting new and have no plants/fish in the pond yet. Someone raising show koi might have a different opinion. Possible parasites and whatnot.

Is this practical, though? You said "IBS tank." Do you mean IBC tank? Or is IBS something different? An IBC tank is usually about 275 gallons. That's a lot of trips to the river for your 5,000 gallon pond.

How close to the house is your pond? I'd rather try to find a way to temporarily pipe gutters into the pond until it's full.

Yeah IBC sorry I know that’s the problem it is a lot of trips and so I don’t know what to do really apparently the pond is 0.5 miles. So I’m really not sure what to do. Once it’s full it’s fine

 

[brokensword]

Yeah IBC sorry I know that’s the problem it is a lot of trips and so I don’t know what to do really apparently the pond is 0.5 miles. So I’m really not sure what to do. Once it’s full it’s fine

can you just trickle the water from your well AND divert rainwater into your pond? Guess depends on how far from both sources as to which might help you. Like you said; once filled, the problem is less/not there.