New pond, new baby goldfish!

[CountryEscape]

Oh, I have no idea of what would "show" best, but I just know what I like! I like big color, not speckles. I was describing the "big babies" to my sister who lives in AZ and has a large koi only pond. She was getting a kick out of it when I said, "Oh, there's the little black baby." So far only saw one bigger black baby, and now I saw a tiny black one, too. It was hanging out with the mostly white tiny baby. They are both less than 1" long, more like 1/2" but not the teeny tiny fry look. They have body to them already. Not sure how old, but did see 2 goldies going at it under the lilies a couple of weeks ago, so suspect the newest babies are theirs. I'm just thrilled that I'm seeing so many colors! OK, solid orange is ok, but patterns intrigue me! And, when you have patterns, you can count fish! I have 4 of my goldfish that are solid orange, 2 are larger, 2 smaller. The other 5 I can tell apart, as they have white in different places. Then I have 4 more goldies - Spot, the white with red and black spots fantail; Shubie, my Shubunkin female; and two all white goldies with red spots on the top of their heads - one is a Comet, one common goldie.

 

[addy1]

A lot of my shubie babies are real black with deep reds and oranges. Just waiting to see how they end up.

 

[CountryEscape]

Yes, I have a feeling the black will not remain black, so it's a crap shoot to wait and see! I'm thrilled the others are all really pretty marked! It's like Christmas, just watching them grow up and being able to tell the difference in all of them so far.

 

[CometKeith]

Country, That is great about all the babies. The black ones will definitely change, I had one go from black to orange and a year later it turned all white. If they are hanging out by the waterfall that's usually an indication they need more oxygen. You might try putting in a few airstones if you haven't already.

 

[CountryEscape]

Thanks, CometKeith. They are not by the waterfall all the time, though, just every now and then and that's when I spot them. They also hang out by the lily plants, and I've learned to stay still to see them there. However, I've seen my fish hang out near where the bog flows back into the pond, too, so maybe an airstone would be a good idea. I don't know where to get a big one, though. I've seen small ones for aquariums, but I don't see that it would do any good for a large pond. I do have a fountain that splashes water all the time, too. The waterfall used to splash from the DIY tub about 4' off the water, but now since the waterfall has a stream and it's pretty much completed, the water drop is only about 6-8". That being said, if you still think I should have an airstone, where is the best place to buy them, and how big are they? The ones I saw at PetSmart were maybe 2" round as the biggest. I suspect there is some place to get them much larger for a pond, but not sure where.
Thanks!

 

[addy1]

Mine love to hang out by the bog waterfall, think they have figured out it is a good food place. Especially when I am working in the bog stir up stuff that falls into the pond.

 

[CometKeith]

Country, I did a google search on pond aerators and a lot came up. It looks like if you want to buy one over the internet there are tons of choices. I am sold on having good aeration. It helps the pond out in the summer when the water gets warm and O2 levels go down. it helps in the winter when the pond gets snow cover and gas exchange is more difficult and the O2 goes down, and it helps in the spring reduce anaerobic decay and keeps your water fresher. I leave mine going year round now. I used to think it was cute when I saw my fish hang out by the waterfall and then I read a whole article explaining that fish do it because that part of the pond is richer in O2.

 

[CountryEscape]

I will look, CometKeith, but is there a specific size/diameter, etc. that you have found works best for you? I have a 4,000 gal pond, with 4' depth in the middle, 41" on each end. What would you recommend as far as how many (2 I suspect? and leave the fountain in the middle?) and what size. Thanks!!!

 

[addy1]

I will look, CometKeith, but is there a specific size/diameter, etc. that you have found works best for you? I have a 4,000 gal pond, with 4' depth in the middle, 41" on each end. What would you recommend as far as how many (2 I suspect? and leave the fountain in the middle?) and what size. Thanks!!!

I have two running, two inch discs, mid pond, one on each side. I never see the fish going for air, do see them hang out at the waterfall off and on, but not continuously. The food and plants circulate there, they love snacking.

 

[CometKeith]

Country, I think what Addy is suggesting makes sense. You can always turn them off if you don't need them. Also you should try to keep your waterfall running as long as you can in the year and start as early as possible. Keeping the water moving keeps it much fresher and reduces anaerobic decay. My pond doesn't get a lot of sun in the winter months but I am able to keep my waterfall running until Dec 1 and start it back up around March 1. If your pond is in the sun more you can leave it going later and start it sooner. I take my bio filter out when the temps go below 50 degrees but keep everything else going. The airstones are never turned off. Even the few days we had total snow cover of 2 feet and no openings in the ice the fish were fine with the airstones running. I did not lose a single fish through winter or spring when I followed these procedures.

 

[addy1]

Country, I think what Addy is suggesting makes sense. You can always turn them off if you don't need them. Also you should try to keep your waterfall running as long as you can in the year and start as early as possible. Keeping the water moving keeps it much fresher and reduces anaerobic decay. My pond doesn't get a lot of sun in the winter months but I am able to keep my waterfall running until Dec 1 and start it back up around March 1. If your pond is in the sun more you can leave it going later and start it sooner. I take my bio filter out when the temps go below 50 degrees but keep everything else going. The airstones are never turned off. Even the few days we had total snow cover of 2 feet and no openings in the ice the fish were fine with the airstones running. I did not lose a single fish through winter or spring when I followed these procedures.

Country this is the air pump I am using:

http://www.ebay.com/...=item519abf2d2aT

This is the airstone

http://www.ebay.com/itm/4-Round-Air...632?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3cbaff9098

Think it uses a light bulb of electricity a month.

Cometkeith
Glad to see what you do. We are going to play with turn off time. The pump has made no difference on our electric bill, our pond is full sun, even in the winter. The stream will be off once it starts to get cold, it will cool the pond too fast. Last year just let it freeze no air etc, didn't know we had 5 fish, but this year have a bunch of fish, so need to keep some air in the water. Once the lilies die back, I will pull them out, and clean where they sit and the rest of the pond, use waterdogs waterbug design, I had something similar for my pool it works great. Then sink the the lilies, done! lol Well need to get past the leaf drop..........

Both pumps will need to be brought in so they don't freeze up. The deer enjoyed walking on the pond last year, the ice was about 8 inches deep. Not quite ready for the cold yet..............but are looking forward to some cooler temps. The pumps are just about where that tuft of grass is.

 

[taherrmann4]

Country, I think what Addy is suggesting makes sense. You can always turn them off if you don't need them. Also you should try to keep your waterfall running as long as you can in the year and start as early as possible. Keeping the water moving keeps it much fresher and reduces anaerobic decay. My pond doesn't get a lot of sun in the winter months but I am able to keep my waterfall running until Dec 1 and start it back up around March 1. If your pond is in the sun more you can leave it going later and start it sooner. I take my bio filter out when the temps go below 50 degrees but keep everything else going. The airstones are never turned off. Even the few days we had total snow cover of 2 feet and no openings in the ice the fish were fine with the airstones running. I did not lose a single fish through winter or spring when I followed these procedures.

CometKeith why do you take out your bio filter once the temps go down below 50?

 

[CometKeith]

Everything i have read says the beneficial bacterial will not survive in temperatures below 50 degrees. I don't see the point of leaving the biofilter hooked up to the system. Possible freezing temps might damage it. Also at those temps I am not feeding and the fish's metabolism slows down so additional filters are not required. I do keep my pump going until mid thirties and it does have a small pre-filter.Ugh we are talking about winter already!

 

[CountryEscape]

Addy and CometKeith, thanks so much for the added info! Addy, I had never seen those 4" discs, guess I wasn't looking in the right places!
CometKeith, if I remove my bio filter, that is also what runs my waterfall, so I'm planning to keep it all running (not for the sake of the bio benefit, but for the waterfall benefit and moving water) until it gets pretty chilly, but not so it cools the water down to freezing quicker than the temps are going to do on their own. My fountain will be either shut off, or I will take off the top and just let the water shoot up the pipe, if I can somehow keep the floating heater I plan to put on the pond above the pipe, so it doesn't freeze and crack. I probably will just unhook the pump (which is submersible) and let it shoot the water up to keep some circulation all winter. Addy, the pump you posted has a very small outlet, so I'm wondering if the air stone needs a pump with small outlet? My pump I'm using right now in the pond is a 4200 gph size, and has a 1" outlet. I know I can decrease it, but don't want to burn up the pump, so thinking I need to get a different pump for the airstone(s), which is ok, as if I am to run the airstones during the year, I'll need something else to run them. Or, can I use the same pump and add another pipe to the split that goes to the waterfall and fountain now? I don't want to over run the pump.
These may be ideas for next year, too. Looks like the temps are going to break here finally in Sunday, so hoping that the heat wave will finally relax a little and let us enjoy the outdoors just a little more than early morning and late evening.

 

[addy1]

Addy, the pump you posted has a very small outlet, so I'm wondering if the air stone needs a pump with small outlet?

LOL You lost me country, the air pump output is larger than a normal air line, it comes with a larger airline that attaches to the manifold, which you attach the air stone air line to.

It puts out some good air, if you want look with the ptz, to the left of the water fall you can see the air coming up

I have heard that pondmaster is a good air pump also

http://www.google.com/search?q=pond...s=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a