Is it too late in the season to add more koi and plants to my pond? If it's not too late, what are some hardy plants that I can add that will survive the salt that I add during water changings (to dechlorinate the water for the koi and goldfish) yet provide them with much needed shade?
Too Late to Add Koi and Plants???
- Thread starter PinKoiPam
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it's not too late, I dont think. I'm adding plants right now 
Any floating plant will be fine until it gets very cold and water lilies too. I'm adding water lily right now.
How much salt did you add? I buy plants from http://www.lilyblooms.com/ or from http://www.bonniesplants.com/. They are easy to order as they tell you if it's hardy or tropical.
I'm also in NC in the triangle, where are you located?
Any floating plant will be fine until it gets very cold and water lilies too. I'm adding water lily right now.How much salt did you add? I buy plants from http://www.lilyblooms.com/ or from http://www.bonniesplants.com/. They are easy to order as they tell you if it's hardy or tropical.
I'm also in NC in the triangle, where are you located?
Just a small handful of the salt pentacrystals. I'm in the triangle too...Clayton. I'm headed over to Atlantic Avenue Orchid & Garden Center on Atlantic Ave in Raleigh. I bought a GORGEOUS lotus from them at the beginning of the summer that's still blooming.
Just a small handful of the salt pentacrystals. I'm in the triangle too...Clayton. I'm headed over to Atlantic Avenue Orchid & Garden Center on Atlantic Ave in Raleigh. I bought a GORGEOUS lotus from them at the beginning of the summer that's still blooming.it's not too late, I dont think. I'm adding plants right now
How much salt did you add? I buy plants from http://www.lilyblooms.com/ or from http://www.bonniesplants.com/. They are easy to order as they tell you if it's hardy or tropical.
I'm also in NC in the triangle, where are you located?
I'm in Durham
I was at Raleigh farmer's market last weekend and got some nice big plants for my pond. you could look into that too.
Mmathis
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@PinKoiPam Don't forget that you'll want to quarantine any new fish BEFORE they go into the pond -- assuming you already have fish in the pond. If these will be your first fish, then you don't need to QT. Opinions on the period of QT vary, but a minimum of 4 weeks is best.
Mmathis
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@PinKoiPam What is/are salt pentacrystals? I tried Googling that, but didn't find anything.
Sodium Thiosulfate (Na2S2O3·5H2O)
Just got back from Atlantic Orchid & Garden. Got some good deals! Bought 2 koi got 2 free. All the pond/bog plants were 30% off, I bought 4: umbrella palm, colocasia mojito, colocasia bikini-tini, and something else (can't remember what it isI'm in Durham
)WHAT!!!! How? I have them floating in their plastic bag in the pond right now. QT them for 4 week where?
Pics?I'm in Durham
Haha, I need pictures!Just got back from Atlantic Orchid & Garden. Got some good deals! Bought 2 koi got 2 free. All the pond/bog plants were 30% off, I bought 4: umbrella palm, colocasia mojito, colocasia bikini-tini, and something else (can't remember what it is
With adding 4 koi to your pond right away, please keep watch your water preamiter as 4 koi can cause ammonia spike. It shouldn't be that bad for established pond but if the pond is small, it could still hurt the balance a bit.
Next year the koi will be big. You might want to start thinking about expanding the pond now
Koi is tempting for me, but I wont do it, they get too big and live too long lol.
Expand the pond! WHAT!!! It's 4000 gallons. It should be bigger?Haha, I need pictures!
With adding 4 koi to your pond right away, please keep watch your water preamiter as 4 koi can cause ammonia spike. It shouldn't be that bad for established pond but if the pond is small, it could still hurt the balance a bit.
Next year the koi will be big. You might want to start thinking about expanding the pond now
Koi is tempting for me, but I wont do it, they get too big and live too long lol.
Oh sorry, 4000 should be fine!!!
WHAT!!!! How? I have them floating in their plastic bag in the pond right now. QT them for 4 week where?
With new fish, they could carry disease and make your other fish sick. People recommend quaratine new fish in a seperate holding tank for at least 4-8 weeks since some disease you wont see them until a long time. The new fish usually stress out to the max already being caught and transfer, so they are easy to get sick.
I have to admit that I can only do it for a few weeks, and haven't done so with the last group. I risked my older fish there. I gave my new fish a salt bath though just to kill off any parasite at least. I try not to get new fish just because I dont have patient or space for quarantine. But when I do, I put it in my indoor tank (pretty tight space so I dont want to do it often.)
OK, I have an indoor tank that is not in use. I'll put them in there.
Yes, Thalia! That's the one I bought and couldn't remember the name.
So...I've put them into a 15-column aquarium and placed the water lettuce on top. How's this? Does this look okay?
Mmathis
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Um, not really, for 3 reasons I can think of. With that vertical space, there is reduced surface area. They won't have as much oxygen, as gas exchange takes place on the surface of the water. And that's pretty small space. 2nd, the temperature of the water is likely to really heat up -- maybe moving it to a totally shaded, protected spot. And 3rd, what kind of filtration and oxygenation do you have? I can't see anything in the pics. They are going to need a lot of filtration. And a 4th thing......what if water from that tank gets into the pond? Via splashing or rain. That defeats the process of quarantine. And koi are jumpers, too. They might decide to go for a swim on their own.
I don't mean to sound totally negative.....I know you're trying. Do you have access to something like a Rubbermaid stock tank? I think they would do much better with more space.
I don't mean to sound totally negative.....I know you're trying. Do you have access to something like a Rubbermaid stock tank? I think they would do much better with more space.