Newbie who adopted pond with new house

[VassagoX]

Hello!

I have no idea what to do here. I bought a new house in Utah and have adopted a pond with about 10 goldfish. The previous owner told me he never fed the fish, but everything I have read has said you need to. He also told me that he never had to do anything with them or the pond other than unclog the pump here and there. How is this possible? Isn't there a lot more involved? The algae seems to be growing a bit out of control. Can I pull some out? I've also tried feeding the fish food from the pet store for pond goldfish, they weren't interested at all. I want to be a responsible owner, but I'm so very new. I've already had one young fish die for unknown reasons. Please help!

Anyone in Utah care to give pointers face to face? Lol

Thanks!

 

[audioenvy]

Where in Utah are you located?

 

[VassagoX]

West Jordan.

 

[sissy]

He could be right since he is not feeding them they eat everything in the pond and keep it stable .I feed maybe 3 or 4 times a week and I have koi .Welcome to the sight and if you decide to feed only do it once or twice a week or you may upset the balance of the pond

 

[VassagoX]

What should I do about this algae? How do I know of it's too much? I can barely see the fish in there.

 

[audioenvy]

I live in Orem and last year at this time was basically was where you are now, except I don't think anyone had ever put fish in the pond in my backyard. It has taken a lot of work to get the pond to the point now where the water is clear and tests well--but of course I'm already planning a full redo.

I'm far from an expert but would certainly be willing to talk ponds with you any time.

 

[Mmathis]

Hello and welcome! A new house with a pond.....both exciting and daunting! You've come to the right place for help!

Believe it or not, he was right about not having to feed the fish. Goldfish can and do survive perfectly well by just eating the algae that grows on the side of the pond.....as well as catching insects from the surface, etc. Algae isn't a bad thing, but too much of it means that there are more nutrients in the water than your biological system can handle. It bothers us more than it does the fish. You can remove the stringy algae manually, if you choose.

How large is your pond? What are the dimensions and how many gallons? What kind of pump does it have? Is there a filter [it could be inside the pond or outside]? Is there any provision for water movement, such as a waterfall? Is your "source" water [the water you put in the pond] well water or city water?

I would stop feeding, or feed very sparingly. The cause of excess algae is excess nutrients in the water. If you can, add plants. Underwater [submergent] plants will help with the nutrient problem and [during the day time] will add oxygen to the water. Plants where the roots make direct contact with the water [some marginals, parrots feather....] will help. If there isn't any shade covering the pond, water lily pads will cover the surface for shade -- also helping to eliminate algae by blocking the sun [but they don't have an effect on nutrient levels]. So, providing any kind of shade is helpful. Remove any uneaten food.

And the fish might not be eating right now because they're either not hungry or they might see you as a predator [dark shape looming over them....]. If the previous owner never fed them or messed with the pond very much, they don't know that you are a good guy. Give them time. Patience!

You could do some partial water changes, but be sure to add a dechlorinator/dechloramine to the new water. "Topping off" isn't a good idea for routine maintenance, so it's always best to remove old water before you add fresh. I know there will be some who say they never remove old water, and always "top off," but as water evaporates, any minerals or chemicals that are naturally in the water are left behind during evaporation, and the only way to keep these from reaching high [and potentially lethal] concentrations is to physically remove them by removing the water.

Get a pond water test kit and start monitoring your water quality. We recommend a liquid, or "drop" test rather than test strips, and most use API brand. You'll want to test for ammonia, nitrites, nitrates, pH, KH, and GH. At first, just keep a record of the results, but don't panic [freak out/over-react] if your results are "off." Mainly, for now, just get a baseline. Then report those back to us. But always give us the NUMBERS for each test result -- don't say "normal," "fine," or "OK." Oh, and do the same tests on your SOURCE water initially.

As a general rule, we don't advocate the use of CHEMICALS of any kind except for de-chlorinator. Let Mother Nature do her job -- it's just up to you to provide the attention to maintenance [filter cleanings, etc. -- more on that once we know what kind of filtration set-up you have] and the hardest part, which is PATIENCE!

 

[sissy]

Algae is just a way of protecting your fish .You can get a uv . But please do not use algaecides they only cause more problems .Uv is safer .I got mine off toppdog seller on ebay 18 watt with bulb for 38 dollars with free shipping and extra bulbs are 7.99 for 2 of them .Fist you need a liquid test kit .how big is the pond and how deep is it

 

[Mmathis]

@audioenvy Orem? @VassagoX Where in Utah is West Jordan? Not to hijack this thread, but my fresh-out-of-college son [and only child] has just taken a job in Orem......which is a looooong way from Louisiana. We are in the process now of working out the logistics of getting him, his belongings, his car, and his cat moved out there. Right now, though, he doesn't yet have a place to stay and we are shocked at the price of apartments in the Orem/Provo area . Do you mind if I PM either one of you guys to chat or otherwise seek peace of mind?

OK, now, back to our originally posted thread......

 

[audioenvy]

There's algae and then there's this:

That's from BEFORE I added fish and it's AFTER having someone clear out the first batch of algae (it just came back). So not all algae is from over feeding.

I did have to add algaecide initially to get control but after adding filtration and UV and giving some time for the pond to reach stasis I very rarely have a string algae outbreak and the water is clear. Still, I think in Utah in full sun there are times when string algae goes on a rampage.

 

[audioenvy]

Do you mind if I PM either one of you guys to chat or otherwise seek peace of mind?

I don't mind at all. I grew up in Orem went to school here then lived nearly 20 years in North Carolina before moving back two years ago. Orem/Provo rental housing is limited partially due to the two growing universities in the area. I see TONS of apartments being built but I'm sure the cost is significantly higher than Louisiana (but less than California where a lot of current Utah residents came from).

 

[Mmathis]

Still, I think in Utah in full sun there are times when string algae goes on a rampage.

Yes, once that stuff takes hold, it can be a real challenge to keep it at bay -- almost no matter where you live. Plants really can make a big difference, though.

 

[VassagoX]

I live in Orem and last year at this time was basically was where you are now, except I don't think anyone had ever put fish in the pond in my backyard. It has taken a lot of work to get the pond to the point now where the water is clear and tests well--but of course I'm already planning a full redo.

I'm far from an expert but would certainly be willing to talk ponds with you any time.

That would be fantastic! I'm so completely lost. I'll pm you.

 

[VassagoX]

Hello and welcome! A new house with a pond.....both exciting and daunting! You've come to the right place for help!

Believe it or not, he was right about not having to feed the fish. Goldfish can and do survive perfectly well by just eating the algae that grows on the side of the pond.....as well as catching insects from the surface, etc. Algae isn't a bad thing, but too much of it means that there are more nutrients in the water than your biological system can handle. It bothers us more than it does the fish. You can remove the stringy algae manually, if you choose.

It really is growing fast. I'll probably remove some, but obviously leave the edges, if that's what the fish are mostly relying on.

How large is your pond? What are the dimensions and how many gallons? What kind of pump does it have? Is there a filter [it could be inside the pond or outside]? Is there any provision for water movement, such as a waterfall? Is your "source" water [the water you put in the pond] well water or city water?

It's relatively small. Maybe about 8'x5'. I'm not sure on the gallons. It's three tier with a hidden compartment the fish swim into under the pump. I'm not sure what kind of pump, but it does pull water through and create a waterfall of sorts that flows into the main pond. It mostly sustains itself through sprinkler runoff from the garden nearby. I'll take pictures and post them when it's light.

I would stop feeding, or feed very sparingly. The cause of excess algae is excess nutrients in the water. If you can, add plants. Underwater [submergent] plants will help with the nutrient problem and [during the day time] will add oxygen to the water. Plants where the roots make direct contact with the water [some marginals, parrots feather....] will help. If there isn't any shade covering the pond, water lily pads will cover the surface for shade -- also helping to eliminate algae by blocking the sun [but they don't have an effect on nutrient levels]. So, providing any kind of shade is helpful. Remove any uneaten food.

I stopped feeding after a couple attempts. The two larger fish did eat a couple, but the smaller fish didn't touch it.

And the fish might not be eating right now because they're either not hungry or they might see you as a predator [dark shape looming over them....]. If the previous owner never fed them or messed with the pond very much, they don't know that you are a good guy. Give them time. Patience!

You could do some partial water changes, but be sure to add a dechlorinator/dechloramine to the new water. "Topping off" isn't a good idea for routine maintenance, so it's always best to remove old water before you add fresh. I know there will be some who say they never remove old water, and always "top off," but as water evaporates, any minerals or chemicals that are naturally in the water are left behind during evaporation, and the only way to keep these from reaching high [and potentially lethal] concentrations is to physically remove them by removing the water.

Get a pond water test kit and start monitoring your water quality. We recommend a liquid, or "drop" test rather than test strips, and most use API brand. You'll want to test for ammonia, nitrites, nitrates, pH, KH, and GH. At first, just keep a record of the results, but don't panic [freak out/over-react] if your results are "off." Mainly, for now, just get a baseline. Then report those back to us. But always give us the NUMBERS for each test result -- don't say "normal," "fine," or "OK." Oh, and do the same tests on your SOURCE water initially.

As a general rule, we don't advocate the use of CHEMICALS of any kind except for de-chlorinator. Let Mother Nature do her job -- it's just up to you to provide the attention to maintenance [filter cleanings, etc. -- more on that once we know what kind of filtration set-up you have] and the hardest part, which is PATIENCE!

Thank you for such an informative reply. I'll have to work on collecting the needed kits and such. I certainly don't want to use chemicals that can the fish. I'm trying to be patient, but I hate to think I'm responsible for the one fish death and do not want more.

 

[VassagoX]

@audioenvy Orem? @VassagoX Where in Utah is West Jordan? Not to hijack this thread, but my fresh-out-of-college son [and only child] has just taken a job in Orem......which is a looooong way from Louisiana. We are in the process now of working out the logistics of getting him, his belongings, his car, and his cat moved out there. Right now, though, he doesn't yet have a place to stay and we are shocked at the price of apartments in the Orem/Provo area . Do you mind if I PM either one of you guys to chat or otherwise seek peace of mind?

OK, now, back to our originally posted thread......

It's not cheap here by any means. The housing market is booming and apartments are only increasing. There are nice gems hidden throughout the valley, but I didn't search as far south as Orem as I work further North.

Feel free to reach out.