I found a pond, I need advice

[brokensword]

Hard to tell from the vid but how deep is your pond? If you get any kind of winter (ice), you're going to need at least 24", imo. If you want any gravity feed of bog into pond, either put the bog on the high side of your pond or think about raising it. Easy to do if you're going to dig and use a liner as you can use the diggings to berm up around the bog area and create the height.

Document as you go––you'll be glad later on after all your hard work.

 

[CSMcMullen1]

Hard to tell from the vid but how deep is your pond? If you get any kind of winter (ice), you're going to need at least 24", imo. If you want any gravity feed of bog into pond, either put the bog on the high side of your pond or think about raising it. Easy to do if you're going to dig and use a liner as you can use the diggings to berm up around the bog area and create the height.

Document as you go––you'll be glad later on after all your hard work.

I haven't measured the depth yet. But it goes almost to my knee I am 6'2". I was thinking of putting the bog in a shallow tank but may dig one . I have to get the under brush cleard out to see more of how the land goes.

 

[brokensword]

I checked and seems you won't get a lot of freezing weather so the depth info may be moot. As addy's mentioned, make your bog as large as you can as it'll only benefit you. For myself, my pond being enclosed, I didn't have a lot of room left after I dug the pond and put in a patio. I wish I had a larger one and have thought more than once how to link an inside bog with an outside one, just to give me more filtering. Since my waterfall is hollow, I added some lava rock there so I DO have more bio filtering, so maybe I can give a larger bog idea a rest.


Anyway, good luck and post pics or your progress; we like to watch/admire others during their labor/fun!

 

[Lisak1]

so the depth info may be moot

Depth can be important in the heat, too - deeper water will stay cooler for fish.

Don't be too hard on teenagers @sissy - my kids were always out fishing and building forts and catching frogs around our natural ponds when they weren't playing baseball or soccer or hockey or basketball. Kids haven't changed - it's parents who are the ones who should take the heat. And if it weren't for my kids I wouldn't have a pond - our youngest son designed and was the project manager on both my pondless waterfall and the pond at 18 and 19 years of age and his friends were all happy to come and shovel and haul rocks with him. Lots of good kids out there!

 

[CSMcMullen1]

Another thing that may help with freezing is my water going in. The water is from a sump that pumps every 30 min to an hour. I have a waterfall area that will get bio media but not a lot.

 

[ShawnInfirmity]

Any updates on your pond @CSMcMullen1 ?? I'm interested in seeing how it's been working out for you in the last few weeks.

 

[CSMcMullen1]

Any updates on your pond @CSMcMullen1 ?? I'm interested in seeing how it's been working out for you in the last few weeks.

Well I have all the under brush gone. I have 3 larger goldfish I am waiting to put in. I want to put Lilly pads in but I can't find any just yet. Had water tested and my source water is a bit acidic. The power outlet that's down there does not work and I will need to run new . Running new is not fully in my budget right now. I think with a few potted plants and just my 3 fish it should go ok. I have a leperd frog living in it . Starting to get hair algea.

 

[addy1]

Had water tested and my source water is a bit acidic.

My source water is a ph of 5.3 and very soft, be careful with putting fish in. I didn't know that, let the new pond sit for months, added some fish, they all died, poor things.
I had to add crushed oyster shells to help make my water harder and stabilize the ph. It was a year before I added fish again. Now my ph sits just around 7.6.

 

[CSMcMullen1]

My source water is a ph of 5.3 and very soft, be careful with putting fish in. I didn't know that, let the new pond sit for months, added some fish, they all died, poor things.
I had to add crushed oyster shells to help make my water harder and stabilize the ph. It was a year before I added fish again. Now my ph sits just around 7.6.

It shows that it's around 6.3 ish. I have the 3 goldfish I was given in a 20 gallon. I use the pond water to do water changes. They have been in there for about 2 weeks now. I want it to be warmer before they go into the pond.

 

[addy1]

It shows that it's around 6.3 ish

per the net

Most experts list the survival range of goldfish as 6.0 to 8.0

 

[CSMcMullen1]

per the net

Most experts list the survival range of goldfish as 6.0 to 8.0

The frog likes it haha. I need to get a test kit

 

[addy1]

The pond water didn't even get frogs when it was that low of a ph, the next year they moved in once I had the ph stabilized and higher.

 

[j.w]

@CSMcMullen1 Your nice big pond has good bones to it!
Waiting till it's warmer to put the goldfish in is a good idea. Ya don't want to chill them. Neat you have frogs!

 

[CSMcMullen1]

The pond water didn't even get frogs when it was that low of a ph, the next year they moved in once I had the ph stabilized and higher.

There was a lot of large clam shells scattered around. I put them in the pond. I haven't tested the water yet to see if they are doing anything.

 

[addy1]

I used crushed oyster shells, chicken grit, that they sell at tractor supply. They take a long time to break down.

 

[CSMcMullen1]

I used crushed oyster shells, chicken grit, that they sell at tractor supply. They take a long time to break down.

Where did you place them? In high flow area or just in it?

 

[DrCase]

Well I have all the under brush gone. I have 3 larger goldfish I am waiting to put in. I want to put Lilly pads in but I can't find any just yet. Had water tested and my source water is a bit acidic. The power outlet that's down there does not work and I will need to run new . Running new is not fully in my budget right now. I think with a few potted plants and just my 3 fish it should go ok. I have a leperd frog living in it . Starting to get hair algea.

I would run a extension cord for a while just to get some water moving .

 

[addy1]

Where did you place them? In high flow area or just in it?

I have them in my bog water is constantly flowing over the shells.

I would run a extension cord for a while just to get some water moving .

My electrician honey had me running my pond off of extension cords for over a year. A little slow in running wires for me.............I did use 10/3 since it ran over 75 feet

 

[CSMcMullen1]

I have them in my bog water is constantly flowing over the shells.

My electrician honey had me running my pond off of extension cords for over a year. A little slow in running wires for me.............I did use 10/3 since it ran over 75 feet

Did you mix it with other gravel?

 

[addy1]

Did you mix it with other gravel?

I am a somewhat lazy ponder, I cut the bags and just pour it over the bog pea gravel. It is whiter than the gravel, sometimes I stir it with my foot. A cloud of dust comes out which just goes away. Then as it ages it turns darker.