Pond world Virgin

[oneman1pond]

I installed a small 400 gallon pond by the entrance to my front door. I got this pond from a friend of mine or seriously neglected the pond. It was full of string algae and green sludge. I got the pond to my house and took my pressure washer to it to get rid of all the green. I dug the hole in a few hours and installed the pond. I filled the pond with the garden hose witch took about an hour and a half or so give or take, I didn't time it. once it was full I placed 2 aquatic plants that my friend gave me with the pond. I'm not sure what type of plants they are but they are a purple color and they have small roundish leaves with a pointed tip. The plants had string algae on it and I put them back in the pond. Should I take them back out or is it to late? Also it looks like my pond has a greenish looking or cloudy tint to it. it's not crystal clear like I expected it to be. I have a mechanical box Filter I purchased from Lowes and the pump sits inside pumping the water out through a fountain nozzle that sits just above the water. I'm hoping that is going to provide the pond with enough oxygen.
I have heard more then one say something about quilt batting, what exactly is quilt batting? Can I use quilt batting with what I already have set up? or would I need to rearrange some things in the pond? Again I'm a true noob to this so I will be asking a lot of questions. Also what chemicals should I buy if any to put in my pond without hurting my small goldfish. Im looking for a good water tester right now does anyone have any suggestions?
Thank you all in advance.

 

[fishin4cars]

Welcome aboard, Oh my goodness, The thread title is cute. So lets get started, Good idea on the test kit, Aquarium Pharmaceuticals Master test kit and a Aquarium Pharmaceuticals KH test kit, and while your there grab a bottle of chlorine/chloramine remover. Be sure and check to make sure you can treat the most gallons for least amount of $$ Aqua safe for ponds is a reasonable priced product to start. Bothe kit and neutralizer are available at most pet stores or online.Cloudiness is normal on a new setup. Algae is not only normal, It's actually a benefit if kept under control. Small amounts are good sources of food for fish and other wildlife and it helps in removing some nitrates. Plants do the same thing and out compete algae if there are enough in the pond.Before adding anyfish there are a few things to consider, One it's best to test the water, post the results and adjust if needed before adding fish. It's far easier to start with a clean slate and balanced water. Second, I don't recommend starting with 10/$1 feeder goldfish. These are far more prone to possible diseases than the fish that are a little more pricier. Fewer to start with is better, No more than three or four are needed to start up. They are tough if you just monitor and make your adjustments needed to the water gradually once the fish are in the pond.Once you get the fish, then comes feeding the fish. PLEASE listen, Far more fish are killed by a simple mistake by newbies, It's what I call killing your fish with kindness. That is over feeding! You only want to put enough food in to feed the fish that they can completely consume within 5 minutes. If after 5 minutes there is food left remove it and throw it away. Start with 1-2 pellets per fish. adjust up or down as needed. The more they get used to you and the more stable the pond becomes the more they will eat. as that time comes you can learn to feed a little more as in more often. but at first start with one or two feedings a day. A fish will not starve in a established pond even if left alone for weeks at a time.

 

[sissy]

quilt batting you can buy any where .I have 3 of those filter boxes for my stock tanks but they may not be enough to filter you water as my biggest stock tank is 250 gallons and no fish and i have 2 of them in there and have to clean them 2 times a week .You may need bigger but you can wait and see .My stock tanks are in sun .
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[oneman1pond]

Again I'm going to ask a lot of questions, please be patient with me.. So with quilt batting you put the quilt batting material inside the mechanical pond filter over the pump? I'm going to be purchasing a larger pump and filter soon but for now I will have to make the best of what I have. I have seen many different models, so my next question is what combo of the two would be suitable for a 400 gallon pond? I'm also going to get a water test kit..... probably tomorrow. Thanx again

 

[sissy]

no you would put a hose from you pump going into a basket with quilt batting in it and it needs to be in the water .Worst is cleaning the batting with a hose and I soak it in peroxide and water hang to dry and while that is drying I put a another piece in the basket and back a forth .Quilt batting is similar to the floss they put in fish tanks to keep them clean but much cheaper a twin sized one should cost around 6 dollars or less and should last a long time and the after it is falling apart i rip it up and put it out for birdies to use for nesting .For your pond you could get a small tote and tank adapter and spruce up the outside of the tote with potted flowers to hide it .You can go on you tube or here to see how to make a filter .I buy my tank adapters at pet mountain.com
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cheaper and tractor supply sells them .You can use the small sized tank adapter .My set up one is a plantainer from lowes and the other one is just a tote .I pull my water from the bottom of my tanks so I can put plants in the top to help clean and aerate the pond .I used plumbing pipes to fit the end of the tank adapter and the blue filter stuff in the top of my basket is a furnace filter from lowes and under that is quilt batting this way the furnice filter picks up the heavy stuff and the quilt batting picks up the fine stuff .i hope this helps and i also soak and use lava rock in my filters .I buy the lava rock at the garden center soak and clean it well in peroxide and water cheapest way to go

 

[crsublette]

It is as Larken (fishin4cars) said, start with fewer fish and follow the guidelines for proper feeding as well. Fish volume and feeding can make your filtration system become antiquated quite fast. Also, look into what you are going to do about fish population control.

Do not add pond products to the water "just because you think it needs it". This causes so many problems. If you are going to add something, then know exactly why you are adding it. Assume nothing about the products sold at pond stores otherwise they will bite you in the...

Yeah, the API freshwater master test kit is good and also get the API KH test kit. If you use city water, then get a test kit for chlorine or chloramine, whichever your city uses.

4 most important tests. Ammonia, Nitrites, KH, and Chlorine/Chloramine. The last one might not matter if you are on well water.

Ammonia is what can become toxic to fish to the point of extremely poisonous killing them within a week or so. Ammonia also creates Nitrites. Your bio-filter helps to neutralize ammonia. Generally, you want this always to be zero, but a very small blip here and there will not be harmful as long as it eventually disappears after a day or so.

Nitrites are even more poisonous than ammonia. Your bio-filter helps to neturalize nitrites. You want this to always be zero on your test kit.

KH. This is also called "total alkalinity" or "carbonate hardness" just so you know when you read it on the test kit or when written by folk. When the water is high in KH, then it is said to be "alkaline". When the water is low in KH, then it is said to be "acidic". When folk are talking about water being soft or hard, they are not talking about the KH.

KH is quite complex, but, as a beginner, all you need to know is that KH is the energy source for your bio-filtration to keep your pond healthy, stable, and consistent. If your KH is quite high, then you are very good. If your KH is quite low, then your pond will be less stable, less consistent, and ultimately less healthy for your fish. When your KH becomes low, then your water will become more acidic, that is a lower pH (near 7 and below). When the KH becomes high, then your water will become more alkaline, that is a higher pH (above 7). Unlike some toprical fish, koi carp fish and goldfish will stay quite healthy in a high KH water.

Chlorine/chloramine. Often found in city water and is extremely toxic to fish and will kill them quick. So, if it is in your water, then the water must be treated to remove it.


Once you are familiar with these test kits and how to properly react to the tests when things go wrong, then you can learn about the other water quality parameters such as pH, Nitrates, GH, oxygen, total dissolved solids, etc.

For the typical goldfish ponderer, the most commonly misunderstood and useless test seems to be the test for pH and it is quite misleading and it is not helpful and will aggravate you to no end. pH is the result of your KH test kit result. When the pH is being fixed, it is primarily your KH that you are fixing. When testing the PH, you are being reactive to the problems thus treating the problem after it has happened. When observing KH, you are being proactive thus treating the problem before it has happened. This is why focusing pH can become quite aggravating. All that matters with pH is that it is conistent and that it is stable. KH is what makes it consistent and stable. pH can give you hints about your carbon dioxide and calcium level, which a little more complex and less of an issue for begginers. So, please, first become familiar with the above four water quality parameters.

 

[sissy]

I just use bags of activated charcoal and bags of crushed oyster shells in my filters .3lb bag at pet mountain named acurel and crushed oyster shells from tractor supply .They use it to feed to chickens to harden egg shells the hens lay .Keep it easy or you may be pulling your hair out trying to figure it all out .Remember it is a small pond and it should be easy and if you make it hard you will fail and regret starting your FUN project .We don't want you to fail but like crs and fishin said at first test kits will be your savior .Ponds go through a breaking in stage .I call it like potty training a child patience and you will win .When they pee on the floor forget it clean it :razz: :razz: and go on .There are a few men who have potty trained a boy by peeing in the woods too . :razz: :razz: BIG MEN like there daddies

 

[adavisus]

With a small pond, you can bypass a lot of noob problems with 'simple is effective' approach

Establish azolla and allowing it to romp a while can bump off algae and the problems of excess fertility, it will shade and moderate water temperatures, extract surplus fertility, excess azolla can be dumped out as a fertiliser around droughted plants. The fish may take a shine to eating it as it has something like 15% protein content

Water lettuce, Water spangles might be other perty floating plants to add to the task of moderating water quality early in Spring

As algae is the most obvious niggle in such a late Spring, a plant like Azolla is an efficient solution while you baffle yourself with other frets, like don't feed the fish too much, which water squishing gizmo to choose between, what else has the pharmaceutical shelf got to play with

Regards, andy
http://www.flickr.com/photos/21940871@N06/
http://swglist.wordpress.com/

 

[crsublette]

Don't forget Water Hycanith. Very excellent as well at sponging up nitrates.

If your pond surface area is covered with quite a few aquatic floating plants or terrestrial type plants, then be sure to have a good air diffusor in the pond. Only the type of plants that is fully submerged aquatic, with its leaves growing in the water, are the plants that release oxygen into the water.

Azolla is rather quite fascinating plant. It is very multipurpose due to its symbiotic relationship with so many plants. As one for example, Azolla and algae love to thrive with each other and actually Azolla requires algae to grow on its roots to give it sustenances. This is one of the many reasons why Azolla is quite fascinating.

This symbiotic relationship between plant and bacteria or algae is also the reason to be very wary and cautious about using oxidizers and other microbicidal algaecides to control algae since these products will hurt the algae and bacteria that help the Azolla clean the water.

 

[adavisus]

I'd not bet on water hyacinth as it hardly does much of anything in cool spring temperatures, by the time it gets going algae has become a nuisance. While hyacinth is the most efficient extractor of nitrates on the planet, mid summer is off to a bit of a slow start

Another plant which will provide coverage before Summer heat hits is the humble hardy waterlily, the surface coverage of the lilypads is effective at shading, moderating water temps

Regards, andy
http://www.flickr.com/photos/21940871@N06/
http://swglist.wordpress.com/

 

[sissy]

ok what are water spangles

 

[adavisus]

Spangles, aka Salvinia minima, a picturesque floating fern which like Azolla, creates shade and sucks up fertility, easy to control on a small pond. When it grows thick, can repel mosquito from egg laying, and conserve water by reducing evaporation

Nicknamed spangles as early morning, every frond of salvinia minima is likely to have a jewel like droplet of dew catching the light

Regards, andy
http://www.flickr.com/photos/21940871@N06/
http://swglist.wordpress.com/

 

[sissy]

gonna have to ask my garden pond guy see if he can get that .I like the color of them .Thank you

 

[oneman1pond]

Thank you all for the wealth of knowledge here. Its a little much to try to soak all this in at one time. I already have about 50 or so small goldfish in my pond and they seem to be doing fine. The mainly chill out at the bottom of the pond by the filter or under the ledges around the pond. every now and then the swim up to the surface and dive back down to the bottom.
I know I have to check the levels on my pond. I don't want to use any chemicals if I don't have to. Is it to early to buy some of the aquatic plants mentioned above?
I'm working on a budget, and I want to keep things as simple as possible and my pond as clean as possible. I still dont understand the quilt batting technique, but from what im told that is the way to go. there are a lot of things that still dont make since to me but im still learning so im trying not to get flustered.
My wife also talked me into building a small waterfall feature instead of using the fountain.
The bottom line is I dont want to fail. I dont want my pond to go south on me. Im afraid it will turn into a disaster and I will loose my fish since im such a noob at this. Yes im worried but its in, it looks damn good and im in it for the long haul.
I guess the main question I have is what is the single most important thing I have to worrie about right now? What should I be concerned about at this point in my project?
Again thank you all for your support, your answers, and your knowledge. Im sure I wont be a virgin long! :razz:

 

[oneman1pond]

about the aquatic plants.....my wife likes flowers, and I like green. I like grasses and tropical looking plants, I want to feel as if I was lost on a topical island. My wife on the other hand likes anything that has a pretty little flowers. hahaha I know that came out of left field,
I see her taking a interest in the pond as well. I do all the labor while she supervises.