Hey all

[toups]

Hiya, new here!

Have had a small koi/goldfish pond for about 2 years now (pretty much just winged it fomr the start as a little something to do -- yeah I know probably not the smartest thing! haha). It's about 8'x4' and about 1.5-2' deep.
Live in central MA so it does get cold around here in the winter, was worried about the pond freezing all the way through and having some deaths but after 2 years I haven't had a single fish die (have about 7 koi, 4 goldfish, and 15+ of those mosquito fish (some possibly may have died but they just keep spawning so I can't tell!).

Can't be doing it all wrong then eh? haha. Anywho just felt like saying hello, I'm actually at the beginning of making a larger pond in my yard in a different spot (the previous one isn't in the best location). New one is about 14'x7' and 2.5' deep.


Fun fact about both though ,they are completely solar powered! The first (which will all be moved to the new one when it is complete) has a solar powered waterfall (about 400 GP/h) (with a filter box that I clean regularly) as the main filter and airation as well as two smaller pumps (about 150-200 GP/h) going as well. The second will have those same ones but an additional couple of pumps around. All in all it might have costed a little bit more for the solar panels + battery controls + pumps but I pay nothing for the electric cost

 

[don't ask]

welcome
toups

 

[j.w]

toups
Wow guess you are brave keeping koi in Maine. We all just heard here not too long ago they outlawed Koi in outdoor ponds up there. First state to do so they say. Darn, hope it doesn't start a chain reaction to all the other states. We won't tell anybody

 

[toups]

toups
Wow guess you are brave keeping koi in Maine. We all just heard here not too long ago they outlawed Koi in outdoor ponds up there. First state to do so they say. Darn, hope it doesn't start a chain reaction to all the other states. We won't tell anybody

MA (massachusetts) not maine luckily
that's TOO cold of an area for me haha.

 

[don't ask]

am guessing j.w. forgot there is more than one state that starts with Ma...hehe

 

[j.w]

Oops Maine is ME I believe, sorry there and glad you are in a state that allows them!

 

[addy1]

lol jw! senior moment!

V

to our group!

Post some info on your solar set up in the construction thread, there has been a lot of interest in doing solar from other members.

 

[buckry]

Welcome aboard, love the solar powered idea. I need to figure out a way to supplement my pond with solar power, I mean more than just the landscaping lights. Would love to remove one pump from the grid at least.

 

[sissy]

Welcome and I was looking at those panels at harbor freight .I have been looking into getting the dyocore wind sun turbine ,but everytime I turn around I get hit with a big expense with this house .Now the well pump and insurance has still not sent me a check .Dyocore uses no batteries as back up and uses wind and sun and switches itself from on grid to off grid .I like the fact there are none of those batteries to hassle with and at around 4 thousand dollars not a bad set up .I saw it first featured on the DIY network .

 

[toups]

Thanks for the welcomes,
yeah for the solar I'm just using 12V DC batteries w/ control boxes/timers to set schedules for the pumps as well as have them run at night time when there isn't sunlight. Just using 10watt solar panels and they output plenty of juice to run the pumps constantly when it's sunny and charge the battery at the same time to last another 2-4 hours (depending on how direct the sunlight for the day was) that it uses to go at night. Will look for that thread you were talking about.

 

[Becky]

Hello and welcome to the forums! :wave: