Well, i will try to keep this reasonably short but its been a bit of a learning curve. I bought this bungalow approx 4 years ago to retire to, it had a pond but the previous owner had also inherited it and it was just a big green puddle no mention of fish. we moved in in August and attacked the garden that is very small and dominated by the pond and lots of over grown shrubs (tenants don't do ponds gardens or anything else for that matter). Anyway sorted the garden found loads of frogs and noticed some movement in the pond possibly fish.
First mistake cleared out 99% of the weed and put in a couple of bunches of barley straw read somewhere it would clear the green stuff, after a few weeks it cleared a bit and yes there are fish lots of them including some quite big koi, and at least 20 gold fish mostly white a couple of black ones 2 red ones and one white and red,
Last week things started to go wrong Fish on surface panting and blowing bubbles, sprayed them with the hose pipe seemed to help but again read somewhere that tap water not good for fish so on the net and ordered a Velda 2500 filter airiator with UV no idea what i was doing but i thought order something to cover all basis and it seems to have worked water clearing fish seem normal.
Now after reading the forums i see that the weed i pulled out was probably keeping the fish alive, and strangely these fish do not seem to like fish food they chew at the weed and suck around the green algae at first they did not even see fish food as food now they are eating a little bit but i net most of it out as they just leave it, they even suck out any snails that fall in the pond, but as far as i can see they look in very good nick, no sores no damaged tails, fat tummys, and oh so quick to dive deep if they see a shadow very shy especially the Koi.
Yesterday i noticed a 2 inch long black gold fish (maybe), and some very small white ones, at least one smaller Koi. So I still have no idea how many fish i have or what they are but as the water clears I see more and more.
The Pond by the way is egg shaped 10ft long 5ft 6ins wide at the thick end and varies in depth from 20ins to 36ins depending where you put the stick in. I have had a child saftey grid fitted just below water level as we have 2 year old grand daughter, and i thought safety first.
i have put lots of new weed back but it grows slowly i also found a poorly lilie pulled it out took it out of its tiny pot and put it in a basket with a grit pebbles and aquatic soil all in a small sack and that seems to be doing ok have about 10 leaves up.
Six weeks ago i just did not care or know anything about the pond now i am hooked, I think i have been lucky not to have killed all the fish due to ignorance now i am reading learning and trying to put it right,
Any advice will be greatly appreciated, especially on how to run pond successfully and economically everything is so expensive at equatic and garden centers.
Sorry to bang on but i did warn you. Finally the gold fish range in size from about 7ins to about an inch. the koi i think they are 3 one is dark gold and brown approx 15ins another is about 6ins and i get glimpses of a smaller one but it could be a dark colored Gold fish.
I think that will do for now.
Tim B
First mistake cleared out 99% of the weed and put in a couple of bunches of barley straw read somewhere it would clear the green stuff, after a few weeks it cleared a bit and yes there are fish lots of them including some quite big koi, and at least 20 gold fish mostly white a couple of black ones 2 red ones and one white and red,
Last week things started to go wrong Fish on surface panting and blowing bubbles, sprayed them with the hose pipe seemed to help but again read somewhere that tap water not good for fish so on the net and ordered a Velda 2500 filter airiator with UV no idea what i was doing but i thought order something to cover all basis and it seems to have worked water clearing fish seem normal.
Now after reading the forums i see that the weed i pulled out was probably keeping the fish alive, and strangely these fish do not seem to like fish food they chew at the weed and suck around the green algae at first they did not even see fish food as food now they are eating a little bit but i net most of it out as they just leave it, they even suck out any snails that fall in the pond, but as far as i can see they look in very good nick, no sores no damaged tails, fat tummys, and oh so quick to dive deep if they see a shadow very shy especially the Koi.
Yesterday i noticed a 2 inch long black gold fish (maybe), and some very small white ones, at least one smaller Koi. So I still have no idea how many fish i have or what they are but as the water clears I see more and more.
The Pond by the way is egg shaped 10ft long 5ft 6ins wide at the thick end and varies in depth from 20ins to 36ins depending where you put the stick in. I have had a child saftey grid fitted just below water level as we have 2 year old grand daughter, and i thought safety first.
i have put lots of new weed back but it grows slowly i also found a poorly lilie pulled it out took it out of its tiny pot and put it in a basket with a grit pebbles and aquatic soil all in a small sack and that seems to be doing ok have about 10 leaves up.
Six weeks ago i just did not care or know anything about the pond now i am hooked, I think i have been lucky not to have killed all the fish due to ignorance now i am reading learning and trying to put it right,
Any advice will be greatly appreciated, especially on how to run pond successfully and economically everything is so expensive at equatic and garden centers.
Sorry to bang on but i did warn you. Finally the gold fish range in size from about 7ins to about an inch. the koi i think they are 3 one is dark gold and brown approx 15ins another is about 6ins and i get glimpses of a smaller one but it could be a dark colored Gold fish.
I think that will do for now.
Tim B