Small garden pond help

[Stella1955]

I recently put in a preformed garden pond measuring 39 inches long x 28 inches wide x 15 inches deep for a total of 33 gallons. I have a Pondmaster 190 GPH small to medium pump with filter that I am going to use in it. I also am going to use Pondcare AccuClear Pond Clarifier since it is such a small pond. I do not have a waterfall and the area I am using it in can only have this size of pond in it. I have 3 planted freshwater aquariums and at one time I attempted to install a 8 ft. long x 6 ft. wide x 6 ft. deep pond with a waterfall but was unsuccessful. I need some help in maintaining this garden pond since I have never really had an outdoor pond. Any help that anyone can give me would be great. I wanted to know if the pump I am using will be adequate for circulation and keeping my pond clear? I do not have any plants or fish in this pond either. I also wanted to know since I live in PA. what winterizing do I need and do I need to turn off my pump when it gets colder weather? I also wanted to know if I should use some type of heater in the pond? Like I said I need some help with this and any and all help that I get I really appreciate it.
Thank you.

 

[CometKeith]

Hi Stella. Welcome! I'll try to answer a few questions. I don't like to add chemicals to my pond. I don't think they really do much and sometimes you need to add other chemicals to get rid of the problems from the first batch of chemicals. Because your pond is only 15 inches deep must of it will get frozen in the winter. You definitely don't want to let a pump freeze in the water. I usually take mine out around Thanksgiving and put it back in March but my pond is deeper than yours. Is there going to be any wildlife in the pond? That will help answer more of your questions. Good luck!

 

[Mmathis]

Hello and welcome! I don’t really have any helpful advice, except that I wonder if you need to be concerned with the water freezing in the winter. That’s a pretty small volume of water, and barely qualifies as a pond.

And why are you going to use the Accuclear Pond Clarifier “since it’s such a small pond?” I’m not understanding what the size of the pond has to do with it, but maybe you have a reason I hadn’t considered.

What kind of fish were you planning to have?

How are you planning to set up the pump and filter? You have to have a little bit of depth for the pump to have enough water to sit in to be effective..

And just curious, but why was your attempt at a larger pond not successful? Maybe we can give you some pointers.

 

[GBBUDD]

Welcome, Also coming from a planted tank world I would look at your new pond much like a planted tank being 33 gallons the water parameters can change very very fast. I'd do the 10-to 30% water changes every week during the growing months this will do more for your water clarity then any filter. Mother nature will probably out pace your little filter. Plants are also a huge benefit to the equation the more shade you provide to your pond the less algae will explode so if by trees or by say lilly pads the less light the better your pond will be clear/ less algae. 6 foot wide by 6 foot deep is a challenge to build maintain and can be dangerous. if the sides ever gave way and you were in the pond for maintenance it could be a real problem. was there a main drain with the pond that deep?

 

[Lisak1]

Welcome @Stella1955 !

One question to clarify - you said you do not have plants or fish in your pond. Do you plan to have either in this pond in the future?

 

[sissy]

welcome and in PA the pond will freeze so to protect the pump you will needs to take it out .I was born in PA and my parents were born there near Berwick and Bloomsburg and Benton .I know how cold it can get up there and I grew up with a pond there that my dad built at our vacation home

 

[Stella1955]

Hi Stella. Welcome! I'll try to answer a few questions. I don't like to add chemicals to my pond. I don't think they really do much and sometimes you need to add other chemicals to get rid of the problems from the first batch of chemicals. Because your pond is only 15 inches deep must of it will get frozen in the winter. You definitely don't want to let a pump freeze in the water. I usually take mine out around Thanksgiving and put it back in March but my pond is deeper than yours. Is there going to be any wildlife in the pond? That will help answer more of your questions. Good luck!

I do not have any plants or wildlife, such as fish or snails, in my pond

 

[Stella1955]

Hi Stella. Welcome! I'll try to answer a few questions. I don't like to add chemicals to my pond. I don't think they really do much and sometimes you need to add other chemicals to get rid of the problems from the first batch of chemicals. Because your pond is only 15 inches deep must of it will get frozen in the winter. You definitely don't want to let a pump freeze in the water. I usually take mine out around Thanksgiving and put it back in March but my pond is deeper than yours. Is there going to be any wildlife in the pond? That will help answer more of your questions. Good luck!

Thanks for the information. Do you think I should use a deicer since the winters gets pretty cold in PA

 

[Stella1955]

Welcome @Stella1955 !

One question to clarify - you said you do not have plants or fish in your pond. Do you plan to have either in this pond in the future?

I probably won't be adding any plants or fish. With only have 33 gallons in my water garden I never thought of what type of plants I should have in the pond. Any suggestions? I have 3 dirted, planted freshwater aquariums and I thought of just have a water garden because I didn't want any invasive species in my pond

 

[Stella1955]

Welcome @Stella1955 !

One question to clarify - you said you do not have plants or fish in your pond. Do you plan to have either in this pond in the future?

Right now I haven't thought of it but only have 33 gallons in the water garden I am trying to stay away from invasive species of plants in my water garden. Do you think I could add plants to this 33 gallon water garden?

 

[Stella1955]

Welcome, Also coming from a planted tank world I would look at your new pond much like a planted tank being 33 gallons the water parameters can change very very fast. I'd do the 10-to 30% water changes every week during the growing months this will do more for your water clarity then any filter. Mother nature will probably out pace your little filter. Plants are also a huge benefit to the equation the more shade you provide to your pond the less algae will explode so if by trees or by say lilly pads the less light the better your pond will be clear/ less algae. 6 foot wide by 6 foot deep is a challenge to build maintain and can be dangerous. if the sides ever gave way and you were in the pond for maintenance it could be a real problem. was there a main drain with the pond that deep?

About 5 years ago I order a pond kit. I dug a hole measuring 8 foot wide x 8 foot long x 6 foot deep. I installed the filter, the waterfall, the liner, etc. It worked for about a week and I had nothing but trouble. The area where I have my preformed liner is the only size I can put in my yard. I have a lot of rocks and tree roots but this area was perfect and I was able to dig the hole and put the pond liner in without problems. I was also reading where a water garden this size I could also use an air stone to help circulate the water. Is this also a good idea or will the pump be sufficient?

 

[Stella1955]

Hi Stella. Welcome! I'll try to answer a few questions. I don't like to add chemicals to my pond. I don't think they really do much and sometimes you need to add other chemicals to get rid of the problems from the first batch of chemicals. Because your pond is only 15 inches deep must of it will get frozen in the winter. You definitely don't want to let a pump freeze in the water. I usually take mine out around Thanksgiving and put it back in March but my pond is deeper than yours. Is there going to be any wildlife in the pond? That will help answer more of your questions. Good luck!

No wildlife at this time. I am not even sure if 33 gallons would be good to put any plants in. I do have 3 shelves on my preformed liner but I want to stay away from invasive type plants so I haven't thought of any plants at this time. I am wondering if a deicer would be good to run in the winter in a water garden this size.

 

[Stella1955]

Hi Stella. Welcome! I'll try to answer a few questions. I don't like to add chemicals to my pond. I don't think they really do much and sometimes you need to add other chemicals to get rid of the problems from the first batch of chemicals. Because your pond is only 15 inches deep must of it will get frozen in the winter. You definitely don't want to let a pump freeze in the water. I usually take mine out around Thanksgiving and put it back in March but my pond is deeper than yours. Is there going to be any wildlife in the pond? That will help answer more of your questions. Good luck!

thank you very much for the help. Do you think running an air stone along with the filter would help?

 

[Stella1955]

Hello and welcome! I don’t really have any helpful advice, except that I wonder if you need to be concerned with the water freezing in the winter. That’s a pretty small volume of water, and barely qualifies as a pond.

And why are you going to use the Accuclear Pond Clarifier “since it’s such a small pond?” I’m not understanding what the size of the pond has to do with it, but maybe you have a reason I hadn’t considered.

What kind of fish were you planning to have?

How are you planning to set up the pump and filter? You have to have a little bit of depth for the pump to have enough water to sit in to be effective..

And just curious, but why was your attempt at a larger pond not successful? Maybe we can give you some pointers.

About 5 years ago I attempted to install a pond. I ordered the pond kit and I dug a hole measuring 8 foot wide x 8 foot long x 6 foot deep. I installed the pond liner, pump, waterfall, etc. It ran for a week and then I had nothing but trouble. I had to close up the pond and relocate one. Our yard has a lot of tree roots and rocks so the place where I put the water garden was good and had no rocks or tree roots. I dug the hole without any problems. I haven't thought of any plants or fish being only 33 gallon water garden. I was wondering if running an air stone would be benefical for the pump and the water circulation?

 

[Mmathis]

If all you will have is plants, you could get by without a pump/filter. Can you take a few pics of where your pond is now, to give us an idea what you are talking about.

I am surprised that you were able to find a pond kit (your 1st pond) that was for 6 feet deep, AND only 8’x8’ wide! Most of us don’t go that deep, as 2’ - 3’ are sort of average pond depths. Gosh, I’ve dug a lot of holes in my life, but never anything 6’ deep, and even my pond that is around 3.5’, we used an excavator to dig. It’s no wonder you had trouble with that particular pond!