New member water help new pond project

[GBBUDD]

@brokensword I was heading in that direction until I noticed they maybe different from what we know they look more like 6" solid from other pics . But also he backed up the blocks with brick columns per say and it looks like a stone and mortar 6 inch inlay i'll call it so the 4" maybe 6" and backed up with another 4 to 6" I agree if it had been only the 4" on edge it would undoubtedly fail. but with the backing it may have enough to hold. lets just say I would drain that area in the winter so the ice does not expand and put added pressure on the wall.

 

[j.w]

The chlorine will disparate on it's own over a few days but if you have chloramine in your water too I'm not sure if that will leave on it's own. Do not just put all your fish back in their at once or you may well run into big trouble.

 

[GBBUDD]

as far as I am aware @j.w not many municipalities in the US use chlorine for just the reason you addressed it evaporates quickly when exposed to air. while chloramine last much longer it will not dissipate just sitting in an open container like chlorine

 

[j.w]

Not sure either but what about Chloramine?

 

[j.w]

Info on I guess it's called monochloramine that is in our water.

https://www.tampabaywater.org/monochloramine-information-for-fish-owners

 

[Danfromuncle]

@brokensword I was heading in that direction until I noticed they maybe different from what we know they look more like 6" solid from other pics . But also he backed up the blocks with brick columns per say and it looks like a stone and mortar 6 inch inlay i'll call it so the 4" maybe 6" and backed up with another 4 to 6" I agree if it had been only the 4" on edge it would undoubtedly fail. but with the backing it may have enough to hold. lets just say I would drain that area in the winter so the ice does not expand and put added pressure on the wall.

We added more sand and cement going up the edges to create a bowl shape, there isn't that much water in the top pond , your idea to drain it during winter because of the ice expansion is really good i certainly hadn't thought of that. Thankyou

 

[poconojoe]

Absolutely beautiful!

I would not take a chance. Add a water dechlorinator/conditioner.

You'll need to add some plants. The more the better. Plants are an important part of the pond's ecosystem.
Floating plants don't need soil or pots, just throw them in. Other plants can be grown in mesh bags so the roots have better contact with the water. You can buy the mesh bags or make them.
A lot of us use plain no-frills kitty litter as a plant medium instead of soil. The cheap kind with no additives. It may cloud the water when you first use it, but will clear in a day.

Another part of the puzzle is the fish waste.
To jump start the cycle, some people add ammonia to simulate fish waste. I have no idea how much needs to be added. I have never done it that way. I always just wait a couple weeks, then add some cheap feeder goldfish to get the cycle going. I still have most of those feeder goldfish over 10 years now.

You'll also see that a lot of us don't use store bought filters. We filter exclusively with a bog. There's almost zero maintenance and they are very efficient in filtering the water.
That's why some responders asked about that small upper area. Seems that would be a good spot for a bog.
With a bog, the water gets pumped through a series of pvc pipes with slits cut in them. They are covered with 12 inches of pea gravel. Plants are grown directly in the pea gravel, no pots and little if any soil. The water flows up through the gravel and back to the pond. The plants extract the excess nutrients that are formed from the fish waste.

That's a lot of water you have there and a good amount of fish. Plus those fish will multiply like crazy. A lot of ponds get overpopulated within a few years.
I'm a little concerned that those pressure filters may not be up to the task. I hope I'm wrong.

My pond is only around 1800 gallons and has gotten overpopulated. Before the bog I had two pressure filters and a UV light. They were inadequate, mostly due to the overpopulation. My water was a constant solid green. I sold that equipment after adding on the bog. My water has been crystal clear since, plus the bog is another area to grow plants in.

 

[GBBUDD]

I Don't believe @Lisak1 USES declarators and I know I am not real good about using them if a human can drink it then I would bet it's fine for just about all wild life. let me put it this was the fish breed like rabbits I just found at least 30 frozen frogs in the shallows of the pond and I have seen more worm like and beetles like bugs then I can shake a stick at if I use a declinator and they multiply more then they are now NOOOOOO thank you

 

[GBBUDD]

The planter bags @poconojoe was referring to could be a way to place some plants on your falls . though i'm betting your Plan is to not interrupt the falls with any plants but in my eye it could be pretty cool. Also that area at the top if your pumping to that area that could be turned into a bog. Make a pipe run across the bottom that has cuts across 1/3 of the way through the pipe every 6" and fill that area on top of the caped end pipe with 3/4 and or 3/8 pea stone That could stop the mass expansion of ice and give you a filter with a place for some beautiful plants. Pretty much everyone here on this site has a bog Or wants to build one on there pond.

 

[Danfromuncle]

Absolutely beautiful!

I would not take a chance. Add a water dechlorinator/conditioner.

You'll need to add some plants. The more the better. Plants are an important part of the pond's ecosystem.
Floating plants don't need soil or pots, just throw them in. Other plants can be grown in mesh bags so the roots have better contact with the water. You can buy the mesh bags or make them.
A lot of us use plain no-frills kitty litter as a plant medium instead of soil. The cheap kind with no additives. It may cloud the water when you first use it, but will clear in a day.

Another part of the puzzle is the fish waste.
To jump start the cycle, some people add ammonia to simulate fish waste. I have no idea how much needs to be added. I have never done it that way. I always just wait a couple weeks, then add some cheap feeder goldfish to get the cycle going. I still have most of those feeder goldfish over 10 years now.

You'll also see that a lot of us don't use store bought filters. We filter exclusively with a bog. There's almost zero maintenance and they are very efficient in filtering the water.
That's why some responders asked about that small upper area. Seems that would be a good spot for a bog.
With a bog, the water gets pumped through a series of pvc pipes with slits cut in them. They are covered with 12 inches of pea gravel. Plants are grown directly in the pea gravel, no pots and little if any soil. The water flows up through the gravel and back to the pond. The plants extract the excess nutrients that are formed from the fish waste.

That's a lot of water you have there and a good amount of fish. Plus those fish will multiply like crazy. A lot of ponds get overpopulated within a few years.
I'm a little concerned that those pressure filters may not be up to the task. I hope I'm wrong.

My pond is only around 1800 gallons and has gotten overpopulated. Before the bog I had two pressure filters and a UV light. They were inadequate, mostly due to the overpopulation. My water was a constant solid green. I sold that equipment after adding on the bog. My water has been crystal clear since, plus the bog is another area to grow plants in.

Wow thankyou for such a very informative response.
We will definitely as you said put a pipe with slits and an end cap from one of the pumps into a a gravel pea shingle bed at the bottom of the top pool and create a natural bog filter with plants it will also look fantastic and soften it

 

[JamieB]

Treat the water with an appropriate amount of dechlorinater/ conditioner. Then give it a day. Use a bucket, and daily mix a little of the holding water into the new pond, and top off the holding tank with pond water. Add the fish from their holding tank to the pond just a few at a time. Give it a week before adding more. With that many fish, you’ll want to start slow, and give the bacteria time to develop. Start with just a few, then do that same number next time, then if they are still fine, maybe that number again, then double that, and so on.

 

[poconojoe]

Wow thankyou for such a very informative response.
We will definitely as you said put a pipe with slits and an end cap from one of the pumps into a a gravel pea shingle bed at the bottom of the top pool and create a natural bog filter with plants it will also look fantastic and soften it

My add-on bog build

I finally did it! I joined the bog club! The bog is approximately 14 feet by 5 feet and about 12 inches deep. I know my 1600+ gallon pond has been overpopulated due to my fish reproductive rates! Last year the water never cleared up to my liking. I figured my two pressure filters and my...

www.gardenpondforum.com

 

[addy1]

Welcome to our forum! Great looking pond!

 

[Lisak1]

@GBBUDD is correct - I stopped using dechlor for top offs. If I were going to add a significant amount of water to the pond at one time, I'd use it, but for a few hundred gallons at a time I don't and have never had an issue. Our village does use chlorine though, not chloramines. Know your water supply.

 

[GBBUDD]

My City uses Chloramine and i do the same i only use it when i do large water adding like pond expansions.