Totally newb

[Cll119]

Hello all! I'm excited to find this site. I just purchased a home a month ago and it came with a pond and fish in the backyard. We figured this is pretty and it's nice to have a waterfall feature....yeah. No. These fish are stress. The old owners left us with nothing and there is no pond companies in our area! We tracked someone down when the pump failed thank goodness but other than that I'm completely clueless as to how to deal with these fish and there is so much conflicting information on the net. Then today while we were feeding out pop these little guys!! Any advice to start me out? Anything you feel I should have in regards to chemicals? Equipment? We had to buy a bubbler when the pump broke and the guy who put in the new pump told me that would be OK for winter so the pond won't freeze over but other than that and food I'm a blank slate. And hit me with any advice. I don't even know what kind of fish I have! I'm pretty sure they aren't koi though. Sorry for the rant/dump.

 

[MitchM]

Welcome!
Start by posting some pictures of your pond, fish and equipment.
Also, some measurements of your pond - length, width and approximate depth.
We can certainly help you from there.
Also, approximately where you are located.

 

[Cll119]

Welcome!
Start by posting some pictures of your pond, fish and equipment.
Also, some measurements of your pond - length, width and approximate depth.
We can certainly help you from there.
Also, approximately where you are located.

 

[Cll119]

So here are 2 pics of my pond the first one is when we took possession of the house with all the water plants in the other one was when we first viewed the house. I have no idea how deep it is the guy who fixed the waterfall said he guessed it was about 4ft deep. I will try to grab some pics of the fish tomorrow when they get fed they tend to chill out under the Lilly pads when it's sunny. And I'm in south suburbs of Chicago. Is far as equipment there is none besides the pump I had to replace and the air stones we had to buy while waiting to get the waterfall back up.

 

[Gemma]

Welcome to the forum!
The first thing "I" would do is getting a test kit and test at the very least Ammonia and Nitrite to make sure those fish are swimming in safe water.

Keeping a pond doesn't have to be neither expensive nor labor intensive..it only gets to be that if you start dumping chemicals in there trying to adjust things.

Does it have a skimmer with filter pads or just a pump feeding the fall? Is the waterfall a bio (box with filter media in it)or just a spill?

 

[Jhn]

Looks like it has a skimmer, off to the left. This should have a leaf net and some sort of filter pads in it. This should be cleaned/checked at least weekly, depending on how much plant matter ends up in the pond.

Also, dimensions of the pond will help us make sure you have the right size pump in the skimmer for proper circulation (you want 1.5 to 2 total volume per hour turnover).

Agree with getting test kits to check water quality. Very nice looking pond.

 

[MitchM]

Really like all the plants around the pond.
Have a close look around the edge of the pond. It looks like surface water could enter the pond which would give you some water quality problems. A small trench or berm around the perimeter could solve that issue.

 

[Tula]

Welcome ! Your pond is pretty and so are it's surroundings

 

[j.w]

@Cll119

 

[CometKeith]

Hi. Welcome to GPF! Actually there are a lot of nice people her that can give you excellent advice. Don't be in a hurry to do anything until you learn a lot. You can keep this thread going and ask questions and people will be glad to help you. Pond keeping can be a rewarding hobby, but there is a lot to know. You don't want to hurt your fish while you learn what to do so it is definitely best to ask questions first, Good luck!

 

[Cll119]

Thank everyone for all the responses so far. I have a Matala Versiflow 1/5 hp pump in a skimmer box with a net and green pad stuff. I replaced what the gentleman who built the pond had. The greenery around the pond looks nice but it was mainly weeds and dandelion sticker plants. Next year I want to take up most of the greenery but the 2 bushes and put in rocks for dranage as it gets wet over there and the weeds were growing into the pond. But that may change. I'm going to try to get some pictures of my fishes today see if someone can help me id them. Also does anyone have any food they can recommend? I am worried about winter coming now that I got little ones
Thanks again this is a great place .So exciting

 

[Gemma]

I'm not sure what your climate is, but here in zone 5 the temperature will start to drop soon, the fish metabolism will start to slow down and I usually switch from high protein, to Wheat Germ (Omega One) which is also easier on the filter....I do not feed my fish in the winter, the pond freezes over and they sink to the bottom until some time in Feb-March. I resume feeding in Apr-May, starting again with a Wheat Germ and gradually switching to high protein as the temp. rises

Your fish are better off not being fed, until you are sure the water parameters are in check

 

[Lisak1]

Chicago? Good grief! You’re in the pond Mecca of the world! Aquascape is in st Charles. Lots of great resources in and around the city AND right here on the GPF!

Anyway - welcome! It sounds like the fish are managing just fine on their own... ahem!

 

[sissy]

The pond volumn of water would help us help you .Measure the pond and the depth .What kind of fish and how many .It is a really pretty pond and you must be doing somethings right already .Congrats on your purchase

 

[Tara]

Welcome, your pond is lovely. Out of curiosity, what is the white pvc pipe for.