Pond Rebuild Phase 1

[Gordo33]

Plan on emptying the pond this weekend and moving the fish and plants to a temporary home. I am considering using this as the temporary home.
https://scene7.samsclub.com/is/image/samsclub/0084566209652_A?wid=280&hei=280
to keep the water in the pool filtered I will use a 100 gal stock tank and plumb a pump that will sit in the pool. The stock tank is from the waterfall that filters my pond . I plan to keep the yellow flag iris and lava rock in the stock tank.

The pool is 22 inches deep. I will fill it to 16- 18 inches . I'm afraid of going to high with the water level especially with the recent heavy rains we have experienced.
I have alot of Hornwort and anacharis that I hope to save.
Also 5 pots of hardy water lilies
The fish are a mostly comets with a few shubunkins. Not sure how many but best guess is around 30. There are a few frogs that have made a home as well.

I would appreciate any input . Things to consider to ensure the safety and survival of the fish and plants during the rebuild.

 

[sissy]

Make sure our wnd and bad weather are not coming your way .The wind is terrible .I tried again to get out the front door but the wind won't let me .I had to go out the sliding glass doors and walk all the way around the house to get to the pond and basement and believe me fighting that wind all the way down there was no fun .Good luck ,I have been in your shoes and it is hard work rebuilding .If you ar leaving the lava rock in with your fish you may want to protect them from getting scratched by it .I saved as much of my original pond water as possible so I could get the fish back in fast .I even worked all night and day to make the rebuild go as fast as I could .I used plenty of quilt bating because the fish produce a lot more waste and ammonia when stressed .Do not feed them

 

[mrsclem]

Also remember to put netting over the pool to keep the fish from jumping out.

 

[addy1]

The lilies just put them in some water, keep them wet, they will be fine. The hornwort and anacharis do the same, grab it and keep in a bucket wet it will be fine. No need for circulation, if the water gets gross, just drain some and add more from the hose.

 

[Gordo33]

The wind is terrible .I tried again to get out the front door but the wind won't let me .I had to go out the sliding glass doors and walk all the way around the house to get to the pond and basement and believe me fighting that wind all the way down there was no fun .

Wow we had the heavy rains yesterday without the high winds . Streams and creeks were flooding roads.

.I saved as much of my original pond water as possible so I could get the fish back in fast .I even worked all night and day to make the rebuild go as fast as I could .I used plenty of quilt bating because the fish produce a lot more waste and ammonia when stressed

Great tips thanks.

.Do not feed them

I don't feed the fish they live off plants , algae and pond ctitters. So I'm hoping they will be able to feed off the anacharis in the temporary home. Won't be able to get this project completed for a few weeks due to work and what ever weather conditions and life present. My target is April 30th.

 

[Gordo33]

The lilies just put them in some water, keep them wet, they will be fine.

Should I fertilize the lillies? Normally I would start adding tabs to the pots once a month once I see leaves heading up towards the ponds surface. If I wasn't doing the rebuild I would be adding the ferts this weekend anyway.

 

[Meyer Jordan]

Should I fertilize the lillies? Normally I would start adding tabs to the pots once a month once I see leaves heading up towards the ponds surface. If I wasn't doing the rebuild I would be adding the ferts this weekend anyway.

I would not fertilize the lilies until they are returned to the renovated main pond.

 

[Gordo33]

I would not fertilize the lilies until they are returned to the renovated main pond.

.

I want to understand the reasoning. Could you please explain your recommendation
Thanks .
Another question with the lillies. If I was not doing the rebuild I would have divided the lillies and repotted them. Should I wait even if the pots are over grown?

 

[mrsclem]

I was going to divide mine and had moved them to a stock tank. Surprise! 32* this morning. Any new growth could be damaged by frost or freeze. I would wait till after last frost date IMO.

 

[addy1]

Mine are growing, leaves to the surface. The cold hit of 32 should not bother them, the water temp is 45, at least I don't think they will be bothered. The leaves still look good this am.

Gordo, unless you are putting the lilies in a lot of water, during the rebuild, you don't really want to encourage a lot of growth until they have a place to grow.

You are in my zone I have divided mine in the fall , early spring, late spring they survive me! I used to be so careful, now just take a knife and hack them apart. They all come back and overgrow the pots again.
Sometime fertilize, sometimes don't. They all still grow and bloom a lot.

 

[Gordo33]

You are in my zone I have divided mine in the fall , early spring, late spring they survive me! I used to be so careful, now just take a knife and hack them apart. They all come back and overgrow the pots again.

Thanks , being relatively new to ponds there is still the fear of screwing up. It does seem it takes a lot to cause permanent damage to plants or even the pond. I have learned to be more aggressive with thinning plants seeing they come back as strong or stronger.

 

[Lisak1]

It's funny how fast you get really bold with your plants. In the beginning they were all my babies. Now it's sometimes me against them - I'M LOOKING AT YOU IRISES! Oh, how we battle it out! And my horsetail rush really needed a talking to last fall! My pond - I'll tell you where to grow! haha!

 

[addy1]

Mine need hacking again! just don't have the time right now

 

[Waterbug]

It's funny how fast you get really bold with your plants. In the beginning they were all my babies. Now it's sometimes me against them - I'M LOOKING AT YOU IRISES! Oh, how we battle it out! And my horsetail rush really needed a talking to last fall! My pond - I'll tell you where to grow! haha!

Oh yeah.

 

[Gordo33]

Pond and stream was emptied last week. The fish, frogs and plants are doing good in their temporary home

The fun has begun. I will start a new thread to show how the rebuild is progressing