Moved into a house that has an existing pond

[kotok]

I've talked to the owner at the local pond shop about my pond and he told me I should clean the pond and bring in the existing equipment before we proceed. Near the end of draining, I discovered a fish that managed to survive the last year and a half the house was vacant. I've sprayed the pond down and have to vac out the last bit of muck. The fish is in a bucket in the shade w/ a lilly pad plant.

Is it alright fill the pond up and put the fish in once I'm done cleaning it? I believe the fish is some sort of bottom feeder and no equipment has been running in the pond for a couple of months. Also, Is rainwater safe to fill up a pond or should I avoid it? I have a downspout close to the pond but I don't know if the asphalt shingles emit trace elements.

Thanks

 

[sissy]

not if you have city water

 

[j.w]

kotok
Gee wish you could have saved some of the old pond water instead of dumping it all. Now the water has to start all over in the cycling process. If you have chlorine in your water you need to add a dechlor every time you do a big water change. If none of that stuff then just add the water in from your well and get a test kit........liquid kind is more accurate and test your levels. You can use rainwater and some have used it off their roofs w/ no ill effects but ya never know for sure what's in it. Adding the fish to that brand new water might put it into shock or might be ok. Do it slowly by letting the bag/container w/ fish in it float for about 15 mins so water temps adjust and then let a little of the new pond water into the container and let float 15 mins more and then maybe one more time and then let it go in the pond. Hope he is ok in that sparkling clean water. Water is going to turn green eventually but fish don't mind but you will. I like lots of plants in my pond and like to plant them in 100% clay kitty litter from Walmart w/ no additives. If you have more Q.A's ask away

 

[addy1]

to our group! good advice given above ^^

 

[kotok]

Yeah I wish I had more buckets. I managed to save about 2 gallons which the fish is in, but the ponds gotta be at least 400 gallons. Does lowes typically
carry things like Dechlor, Pondstart and PH testing stuff? Any recommendations on a basic kit to get the water ready? I'd like to do the local guy, but his store hours don't work for me during the week and I'd like to get the fish back before it dies.

 

[sissy]

You can invest in a stock tank and lowes does carry some stuff and petsmart and petco .I don't know how far you are from Lancaster PA as there is that pet place and that fish place there .I went there one time when I visited PA and also order from them online ,they are fast shippers and being you are in PA you should get it really fast .

 

[j.w]

I don't think Lowes has anything like that but not sure.

Petco carries a good brand of API test kits: http://www.petco.com...reCat=LookAhead

They have different size of the Amquel water conditioner: http://www.petco.com...at=OnSiteSearch

Hopefully someone will post about how to add ammonia to your water to speed up the cycle of your pond so that it will be safe to put the fish back in.

 

[Shoestring Ponder]

Good thinking putting the poor forgotten fish in existing pond water. I was not sure from your post that is what you did. Please keep us posted and possibly post a pic of that lonely guy. How Gr8 that you discovered it. Just shows you how they can exist in even bad conditions...but for how long, one never knows. :goldfish:

 

[sissy]

I think lowes only has test strips and they are not good .Any good pet store carries most of the stuff you may need

 

[kotok]

good I'll try out pet smart tonight and get some pics of the lone fish uploaded.

 

[don't ask]

welcome
kotok

i would think you'd be ok running drain to pond but i would buy and put screening over the end of downspout to catch/collect any debris.. or get/ make a rain barrel and run a house from that to pond..usually the outlet is off the bottom so you won't get the debris coming out

 

[taherrmann4]

The only problem I see with the downspout is if you get a lot of rain you could potentially be changing a large amount of the water out and that may not be good. I had mine initially draining into my pond but during heavy rains I would lose a large amount of the pond water and it would be replaced by rain water, shortly afterward I would get an out break of algae or some green water. With a 400 gallon pond this wOuld b a concern.

 

[don't ask]

forgot to mention you need to take into account over filling of pond during such times

 

[sissy]

yep your fish may end up being down stream way down stream .

 

[kotok]

Here's the fish that's managed to survive so far. Its still just as active. Any guess as to how long it can survive
in a bucket kept ouf of the sun in 65 degree weather? The pond's been full of decaying leaves for some time now.

I wanted to get to the pet store but I didn't have time to do the homework and fit it in.

Is there a consensus on a gravel lined bed? It seems gravel has some pluses and some minuses. Can it be added later w/ out any
adverse affects to the water? I just want to make sure I have all my ducks in a row.

Thanks for the advice on rainwater. I think i'll just pay the money for cleaner water and use tap.


How expensive of a hobby is this? The guy I talked to said its expensive. I can understand all the initial costs w/ equipment and flora/fauna but
is it expensive to maintain?

My pond is 4' x 10' and averages 2' to 3' ft w/ the plant ledges. I've heard that its a good idea to have 2 - 3 trapdoor snails per sq. ftl.
According to my calcs the pond is 600 gallons and roughly 130 sq. ft. area under water.2 hundred snails snails seems like a lot.

I'd also like somewhat clear water. Do most of you have a UV filter or does the stuff you add to water do alright?