We're gonna need a bigger pond...

[Gemma]

Welcome

 

[Becky]

Great to have you here @Captain Audio!

 

[Captain Audio]

Welcome

Great to have you here @Captain Audio!

Thank you both.

Here's 3 more photos, taken about 45 minutes ago.

Close-up 3

• Captain Audio
• Sep 19, 2018

Close-up 2

• Captain Audio
• Sep 19, 2018

Close-up 1

• Captain Audio
• Sep 19, 2018

Turns out it's a little harder to focus on objects or animals under water than it is on land.
I guess the reflections confuse the camera's AF system. As good a reason as any to practice a bit more!

Plants aren't all that great at adding oxygen to the pond, but they are great at helping to filter the water - so definitely a good thing to add!

Really? A lot of what I read about keeping fish in a pond put a fairly big emphasis on oxygenating plants. Gardening stores here sell specific plants just for that purpose.
Made sense to me at least. I mean, terrestrial plants take co2 from the atmosphere and pump out oxygen, why would aquatic plants be any different?

Always happy to learn a little more so I'll keep on reading.

 

[addy1]

Welcome to our group!

Like said above, take your old preform, fill with pea gravel and plants water fall back into the pond. The plants will help keep your pond very nice.

 

[Lisak1]

Made sense to me at least. I mean, terrestrial plants take co2 from the atmosphere and pump out oxygen, why would aquatic plants be any different?

They do - they also reverse the process at night and consume oxygen, just like all plants.

Also - no need to choose between a bog filter and a waterfall - our bog filter feeds our waterfall.

 

[Captain Audio]

Welcome to our group!

Like said above, take your old preform, fill with pea gravel and plants water fall back into the pond. The plants will help keep your pond very nice.

Cheers addy1
The idea sounds simple enough. I just have to get my head around how to construct it now.
I'm sure there's plenty of ideas floating around these forums, will certainly have a look for some inspiration.

They do - they also reverse the process at night and consume oxygen, just like all plants.

Also - no need to choose between a bog filter and a waterfall - our bog filter feeds our waterfall.

I'm familiar with the reversal at night. Just thought you were saying that the effect of pond vegetation has a negligible effect on the amount of oxygen overall.
It will certainly make any pond look nicer, like you said.

 

[sissy]

looks good but you may end up overstocked .Seems like fish just love to breed and breed and breed .

 

[j.w]

Like your new pond @Captain Audio and sure wish I would have added a bog to my pond but not going to now. Maybe the next one! Fish do love to eat the eggs they lay and I have not had too much of a population growth in mine over almost 20 yrs but then I try not to feed them too much. Actually you don't even need to feed goldfish as they eat lots of bugs, worms etc. that come into contact w/them. I didn't feed mine for several yrs and they did well. Less fish food means less fish poo also from over feeding. You need to feed koi tho as I don't think they can get enough from nature to keep them healthy. Your net up high will help to keep Mr Heron away but they are crafty suckers and like to sneak right up to a pond and put there long skinny heads under a free area and wait till fish come right up to them and then snatch them out. I had to extend my net down to the ground. Actually have a wire decorative fence around the bottom that I clip the hanging net to. Now fish are safe, somewhat. You never know what will come to wreak havoc and tear what you think is safe up to break into. I had to make some adjustments to make mine harder to get into by a racoon. It's like Fort Knox now!
Some cats will catch fish but the one I have never has.
I don't have a ton of plants in my pond but I have a few. The more places the eggs can be hidden the more chance some will survive and hatch.

 

[Telion]

Welcome.

 

[Captain Audio]

Like your new pond @Captain Audio and sure wish I would have added a bog to my pond but not going to now. Maybe the next one! Fish do love to eat the eggs they lay and I have not had too much of a population growth in mine over almost 20 yrs but then I try not to feed them too much. Actually you don't even need to feed goldfish as they eat lots of bugs, worms etc. that come into contact w/them. I didn't feed mine for several yrs and they did well. Less fish food means less fish poo also from over feeding. You need to feed koi tho as I don't think they can get enough from nature to keep them healthy. Your net up high will help to keep Mr Heron away but they are crafty suckers and like to sneak right up to a pond and put there long skinny heads under a free area and wait till fish come right up to them and then snatch them out. I had to extend my net down to the ground. Actually have a wire decorative fence around the bottom that I clip the hanging net to. Now fish are safe, somewhat. You never know what will come to wreak havoc and tear what you think is safe up to break into. I had to make some adjustments to make mine harder to get into by a racoon. It's like Fort Knox now!
Some cats will catch fish but the one I have never has.
I don't have a ton of plants in my pond but I have a few. The more places the eggs can be hidden the more chance some will survive and hatch.

Thank you @j.w.

I realize now that the number of fish in the pound is probably a little high... Hoping they won't grow too quickly and eat the offspring they produce before they hatch. Hehe...

The big heron shield needs a bit of work indeed. As you said, they are crafty. I usually picture herons with their long extended necks and did not realize it can be retracted... They could probably sit quite comfortably under my 55cm / 21.5" "fence".
Measures will be taken.
Never heard of raccoons stealing fish, btw. Good to hear you managed to keep them away as well!

Good point regarding the plants. The goldfish in my old pond always did their business right in a corner where there was a fast growing large-ish plant for eggs to latch on to. That I will keep in mind when selecting more pond vegetation. Thanks!

Now it's time to get on with that bog filter. I will be posting a new topic for that in the proper forum.

Welcome.

Thank you!

 

[CometKeith]

Thank you @j.w.

I realize now that the number of fish in the pound is probably a little high... Hoping they won't grow too quickly and eat the offspring they produce before they hatch. Hehe...

The big heron shield needs a bit of work indeed. As you said, they are crafty. I usually picture herons with their long extended necks and did not realize it can be retracted... They could probably sit quite comfortably under my 55cm / 21.5" "fence".
Measures will be taken.
Never heard of raccoons stealing fish, btw. Good to hear you managed to keep them away as well!

Good point regarding the plants. The goldfish in my old pond always did their business right in a corner where there was a fast growing large-ish plant for eggs to latch on to. That I will keep in mind when selecting more pond vegetation. Thanks!

Now it's time to get on with that bog filter. I will be posting a new topic for that in the proper forum.



Thank you!

Hi and welcome! It looks like you caught the pond bug and it has taken hold pretty well! I think you are doing a great job with the new pond. All of us have started somewhere. My guess is you will not be planting grass seed anytime soon as you will want space for your pond to grow!