Building a Pond in Chicago Area - Advice Gladly Taken

[DrellDrell]

Yup. I suggest you wait patiently. Tough I know. But give it time and your pond will do what ponds do. It looks great by the way!

I thought someone would say to wait. Similar experience when I would set up freshwater aquariums before - large or small it was the same thing: wait for mother nature. Thanks for the compliment on the pond. The family spends a lot of time just watching the pond and talking about it. The pond is giving payback already.

 

[Lisak1]

Well, you did a great job - you should enjoy all your hard work! And yes, waiting is hard. But it's the best in the long run. An old time pond guy told us it takes three years for your pond water to mature. Just let it be - keep it free of debris, don't overload with fish, don't overfeed the fish you do have and you will be a happy pond owner for many years to come.

 

[addy1]

Very nice pond

 

[DrellDrell]

For a quick update, the pond water has cleared up significantly in the last two days. It has shown signs of increase clarity in the last week or so. Then today I noticed I can see the 18" to 24" depths quite well and can see the deepest section of about 40" good - I drop a PVC elbow down the deepest section a few weeks and I can see it now.

I added a few larger size water hyacinth and the WH that I already had are growing quicker now. There is a plant I have in a floating basket that have big red blooms every day or so (can't remember the name of the plant). The King Tut is growing and the two water lilys are doing very week. Every pad that comes up is increasingly bigger. And one water lily is averaging a pod a day. The other about one every other day.

We feed the fish every 2-3 days. I added a Matala green filter to the skimmer. And I have been impatiently waiting of more water clarity.

I think all things are just coming together now. Even the plants on the back outer end of the pond are filling in well. See pics attached.

 

[Lisak1]

Your hyacinths look amazing! And your red flowered plant is a hibiscus. It could be a hardy variety, but it would only be hardy if it was planted in the ground. You could easily do that at the end of the season and overwinter it in the ground and then repot it next year for the pond. Or you could bring it indoors and treat it as a houseplant until spring. It's so pretty!

 

[addy1]

Looking great! I have a hibiscus that looks like that in the ground, covered with huge red flowers right now.

 

[tbendl]

Wow it looks wonderful!

 

[Tula]

Your pond is just beautiful

 

[DrellDrell]

Your pond is just beautiful

Thanks to you and tbendl. The pond is even clearer today. Really enjoying the pond more now. May add one more comet of the game size as the three fish I have. Hoping to see some new fish for a spawning in the Spring.