New Pond Owner!

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Hi guys, im new too this pond stuff, but i always wanted to get one since i was in year 6.
But my parents wouldn't let me, so instead i got lots of tanks and raised fish and various other aquatic animals in them.

I just need a few questions answered, i use a fly screen to cover the pond is this poisonous?

The water is yellow, and the aquatic plants are starting to rot. I trim them, will the grow back?

I use gravel on the bottom of the pond, but many decayed leaves and other droppings are sliding into them, will they get naturally removed?

I want a natural pond, with no filter running, is that okay? Or do i have to use a filter?, and if so are there any solar powered ones since i have no idea how to get a power source into my garden.

Right now i have a Shurbunkin and a comet in the pond to test if the water is ok, i have 1 30cm koi, 3 baby kois and a comet soon to be in the pond
:wink:

Thanks ^^.
 

DrDave

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Have you heard of the Dead Sea? No inlet or outlet, hence no circulation. No circulation, waste accumulates and eventually everything dies.

At the very least (my preference) you need a bio filter. That requires power.

Getting power to a pond requires digging a trench and running conduit, then pulling wires. If you can't go under, then build a Pergola or other structure and run the conduit along the structure overhead.

It might not be easy and if you have to pay someone it won't be cheap, but the alternatives are no pond or move it to the power.
 
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Won't fish disturb the water enough to maintain a natural circulation, and if i had sufficient plants to consume waste and provide Oxygen for fish would it be possible to have no filters?

I just added my prized fish into that pond (Koi, Comets and Shurbunkins)
Should i remove them and put them back into the tank???

Please reply ASAP!
 
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Sorry for double post but, i moved the fish back into the tanks..

Now the question is will a gravity filter be enough the circulate the water and keep it clean?, and does it use nothing but gravity to power it?. :banghead3:

Thank you :wink:
 

DrDave

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Gravity brings it down but something has to push it back up. Good move putting them back into tanks with some form of circulation.
 
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You mentioned that you had aquariums growing up. Well, the filtration concept works the same. The pond is a closed system and there needs to be some way to clean the water.

Water quality is also the same. The leaves that fall to the bottom will rot and make the water dirty and unsafe. You can prevent that by installing a pump, netting the pond during fall and scooping out or vacuuming up the leaves and debris.

Different aquatic plants have different requirements. Floating plants will die in the cold and will not grow back. Submersibles will survive most winters (I do not know what zone you are in). Hardys and Marginals have their own requirements too. You must know what plant type you have and what zone you live in to know what to do for the winter.

Fly screen?
 
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Well i have no other choice then, also one of my baby koi is getting a swim bladder problem, i moved him into a isolating tank, but i hope he will get better soon.. :bowdown:

And yes a fly screen its pretty much a giant flexible net that prevents flies from getting indoor. I use it to prevent leaves and debris from entering my pond.
 

DrDave

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With a big enough solar panel, you can power a city. It all comes down to watts needed to power your pump.
P=IE
Watts=Amps*Volts
 
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Are there any pond pumps that have that size solar panel available?

And thanks for the replies guys! Really helped ^^, Especially the elite DrDave!
 

DrCase

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can you run a long extensioncord out to your pond and get a normal pump??? or like DrDave said move the pond to the power...you need it
 

DrDave

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"Where there is a will, there is a way." "Excuses are an opportunity for failure".

The devil made me do it....

The bottom line is: You can do it if you really want to.
 
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Thanks guys for your advices, i have found my answer, i will get an extension cord some how near my pond and purchase a DC gravity filter and pump.

Ill keep you guys updated and post a picture of the finished project!.
 
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Update:

Sadly enough i had to remove my pond since my dad said the retaining wall could not hold the pond's water pressure and will collapse..
So now im back to having a garden bed agian :bowdown:, thanks for the help guys.
 

DrDave

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Thats too bad. If the retaining wall is that fragile, it won't hold back the dirt when it rains. If it is tall, then I would stay away from it.:eek2:
 

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