Hello from Southern, NJ

[uscstaylor]

Hey Gang
I am a new small pond owner with 2 small koi in a 160 gallon little back yard pond. Im looking forward to asking you all a lot of questions and learning a lot from you guys.
Cheers

 

[ashirley]

Welcome!

 

[sissy]

Welcome and guessing you will need a bigger pond sooner than later .I made the mistake and got koi and they are over 2 feet long .Been all over NJ in my lifetime but don't think I ever visited Galloway ,at least not that i remember

 

[Graham Griggs]

Welcome and guessing you will need a bigger pond sooner than later .I made the mistake and got koi and they are over 2 feet long .Been all over NJ in my lifetime but don't think I ever visited Galloway ,at least not that i remember

I am with sissy - koi will outgrow 160 gallons quite quickly (well 3 - 4 years). Perhaps smaller breeds of fish - shubunkins?

 

[Becky]

Welcome aboard!

 

[uscstaylor]

No problem there, I have a local fish store that will take them and trade them in for smaller ones when I need too. I enjoy the koi so I buy them small 3-4 inches. Only 2 in there, Who knows I'll probably build a 700-1000 gallon pond when they get bigger. Its not that hard to build a pond. I enjoyed it actually...Here's a couple of pics of the 160 gallon pond 7'X5'. The pics dont really do it justice..I still have to get the slate this week and put that in..I'm also making a Bakki shower for it was well. My fish will have a nice condo for them ...lol
pics:

 

[uscstaylor]

Sissy if you go to Smithville, NJ that's Galloway...

 

[sissy]

I have friends in Brick ,Atlantic City and Little Egg Harbor and Parlin .I lived a long time in Edison NJ right by Ford Motor Company plant .My son lives in Woodbridge and tows for the turnpike and parkway

 

[Graham Griggs]

No problem there, I have a local fish store that will take them and trade them in for smaller ones when I need too. I enjoy the koi so I buy them small 3-4 inches. Only 2 in there, Who knows I'll probably build a 700-1000 gallon pond when they get bigger. Its not that hard to build a pond. I enjoyed it actually...Here's a couple of pics of the 160 gallon pond 7'X5'. The pics dont really do it justice..I still have to get the slate this week and put that in..I'm also making a Bakki shower for it was well. My fish will have a nice condo for them ...lol

Great Idea - as 6in Koi are worth about 30 times 3 in ones you might even run at a profit !!
Only comment would be that you need to plant something right next to the pond so that at least one third of the water area is in the shade, surprisingly fish do get sunburn if they can't get out of it.. Also for a new pond the water must not become alkaline as it can from stones, slabs and other building materials. Check every week and just use vinegar or diet soda to bring it back to nuetral
pics:

No problem there, I have a local fish store that will take them and trade them in for smaller ones when I need too. I enjoy the koi so I buy them small 3-4 inches. Only 2 in there, Who knows I'll probably build a 700-1000 gallon pond when they get bigger. Its not that hard to build a pond. I enjoyed it actually...Here's a couple of pics of the 160 gallon pond 7'X5'. The pics dont really do it justice..I still have to get the slate this week and put that in..I'm also making a Bakki shower for it was well. My fish will have a nice condo for them ...lol
pics:

 

[Tula]

Welcome to the forum You might consider some shade for your pond this summer, as smaller ponds heat up more quickly.

 

[Graham Griggs]

Great idea - 6 in koi are worth about 30 times 3 inch ones so you could run at a profit !! Make sure the kids don't give them names or they will never let them go.
My only comments would be that you should plant something right next to the pond on the south side so that at least one third of the water is in the shade, surprisingly fish do get sunburn and die from it if there is nowhere for them to get out of the direct light. If that is not possible then put something plastic (not metal / stone / tile / concrete) in the water that they can hide beneath or inside, perhaps a plastic bucket on its side. Also for a new pond check that the water never gets to be alkaline, which it can from stones, slabs and other building materials, if it does get alkaline then don't use expensive "cures" just put in 4 pints of diet soda, the carbon dioxide will neutralise any excess alkali, keep doing it once a week. Alternatively put a half inch deep layer of compost on the bottom. Make sure it stays neutral or slightly acidic for at least three months before putting the first fish in. I see that you have fountain, that should run 24*7 to ensure that there is enough oxygen in the water. If you have no filter or UV then absolute maximum stocking should be half an inch of fish for each square foot of surface, and preferably lower than that.

Good luck, I will watch with interest, you are about 6 months ahead of me in building my next pond.

 

[addy1]

Welcome to our group!

 

[Lisak1]

diet soda

??? That's a first. I won't put diet soda in my body, I sure don't want it in my pond! Do you have a source for that info?

 

[Graham Griggs]

??? That's a first. I won't put diet soda in my body, I sure don't want it in my pond! Do you have a source for that info?

Hi

I have had several ponds in the past, I have recently moved house so I am working out where to put a pond in this one. (also I have a degree in chemistry - but it is the experience that matters)

New ponds are almost always alkaline because of the materials used to build them and fish cannot stand alkaline water, so my advice is to get a test kit and check regularly. I have lost fish in the past because I did not know that.

As for the diet soda it contains a lot of carbon dioxide. The carbon dioxide will react with any alkaline materials present and form harmless materials such as chalk. If the water is not alkaline then the gas will just bubble away. I agree with you that diet soda is c##p but it is the easiest, cheapest source of carbon dioxide, and it also usually has some citric acid in it which is also a good remedy for alkaline water. The good news is that diet soda is so mildly acidic than you can't "overdose" and make the water too acidic, which you can with some of the other remedies. If you can get a supply of carbon dioxide gas and bubble it through the water then that is much better. The reason for diet soda is that it contains no sugar, which you definitely do not want in your pond, or alternatively use soda water which is nothing but carbon dioxide and water. Compost also contains natural acids, but will make your water green and will take a while to settle down.

The absolute key, however you do it is to get the ph of your pond below 7 (but not too much below), and keep it there for as long as you are prepared to wait before putting in fish. Anything over 7.5 will almost certainly kill the fish.
.

 

[Lisak1]

Our ph is above 8 and has been for five years (no exact number to offer as I stopped testing the pond on a regular basis after year one) and we have both koi and goldfish that are thriving. I think your information might need updating. Please don't take that the wrong way - I'm not trying to be critical or harsh. Just sharing what I know from my own experience.