Hi from Maryland!

[JBViper4]

Hi all,

I've been quarantined for 51 days so I started looking at my backyard looking for something to do lol. So I found this forum....super helpful for my last 24 hours of lurking.

I have a 300g 'pond' next to my backyard patio. It's been going for 15 years, and I haven't lost a fish to disease or herons for the last 6 or so. I'm 10 miles from the Chesapeake and two miles from a wildlife preserve so I count myself as very lucky. My pond is only 24" deep - 9' x 3' and is currently overstocked with 13 fish. 10 Comets (2 - 4") and 3 koi (a 9" and a pair of 5"). So it's time to grow hahaha.

I'm going to build a bog filter with two waterfalls into an (expanded) 1000 g pond. I have a pretty small backyard (and a nosy HOA) so I need to keep it small.

I'll be hitting this forum up, so thanks in advance for any and all advice you wish to share.

 

[sissy]

Welcome and you must be extremely lucky then .Glad you are ok and hope for the best for you .At least the pond gets you out in the fresh air with lots to do and we are willing to answer any questions for you so your project goes with no problems

 

[j.w]

@JBViper4
No koi are gonna like it in that small of a pond for long. They get huge. I'd stick w/goldfish and get new homes for the koi.

 

[Stephen Noble]

Welcome JBViper! Sounds like a great project. An HOA, huh? Yuck. Good luck with those guys. Let us know how your project goes.

 

[mrsclem]

Welcome JBViper- where in Maryland are you located. We have several members here. I'm in St. Mary's county. Also have HOA but what they don't know can't hurt me!

 

[JBViper4]

Welcome JBViper- where in Maryland are you located. We have several members here. I'm in St. Mary's county. Also have HOA but what they don't know can't hurt me!

I'm in Harford County, and my HOA won't bother me really. If they ask, it's just a simple garden. LOL I'll have to bring in the digging equipment under cover.

 

[cas]

Can't wait to follow your build!

 

[Jhn]

Welcome, I live near Annapolis,....we always enjoy pics of current set ups....(not so subtle hint)

 

[JBViper4]

Welcome, I live near Annapolis,....we always enjoy pics of current set ups....(not so subtle hint)

I need to sort out how to post pics here and will do some 'before' shots this week. Thanks!

 

[addy1]

I have a pretty small backyard (and a nosy HOA)

Dig in the dark of night! We have our last rental over in Pasadena and our new old boat is in a slip near Annapolis.

Welcome to our forum!

 

[gliebig]

I'm in Harford County, and my HOA won't bother me really. If they ask, it's just a simple garden. LOL I'll have to bring in the digging equipment under cover.

I'm in Bel Air.

 

[JBViper4]

I'm in Bel Air.

Me too. Right off 924.

 

[gliebig]

Me too. Right off 924.

Same here. High neighbor.

 

[JBViper4]

Here are some pics. My new bog is going to the left - behind the tree stump (which grows 30' high over the pond each summer - may be why herons miss the opportunity!) and the waterfall will spill into the expanded pond. According to my calculations, I currently have 370 gl in this pond which will grow to approximately 2000 gl (minus 300-40 gl in the bog) outward and to the right.

With the exception of the koi, all fish are 2nd 3rd 4th generation comets. The big tail is the queen momma and she is eating in preparation for another rough mating season. The "beaver dam" at the end are branches from last year's growth of that tree stump. Gives nice cover and protects the pond overwinter. I heat the pond with a trough heater, and haven't lost a fish yet despite the shallow depth.

I will shoot pics throughout the project and will be posting a thread once I get through all of the info already covered on the forum.

Thanks for the warm welcome...

 

[gliebig]

I think I have that same tree that you have cut back. Does it get massive leaves? I cut mine down as it was getting out of control. Someone told me it was actually a weed.