Wisconsin Pond Build

[addy1]

Nice lil ones hertz, I still have seen none, except the rosey reds, they made a ton, in the lotus tub. I keep the herd hungry, they wipe out the eggs as soon as they are dropped.

 

[CountryEscape]

I saw another baby tonight, about 1" long, red and white, with black tail. Still have no idea if goldfish or koi, since goldies were in koi pond plenty long enough to have spawned. I assume it's a goldie. Won't probably know until old enough to see whiskers, right?

 

[herzausstahl]

Cool herz and hope the bird comes back to visit your feeder. Neat your fish are becoming more used to you and you have new little ones too even if they do become sushi but I'm thinking they or at least some will survive as you have lots of hiding places.

I haven't seen him yet JW, the fish go back and forth, sometimes they care and sometimes they don't. I have seen the little ones swim right by the big ones and they don't care, of course they could be full! I have seen them swimming everywhere so I do expect some to make it.

Nice lil ones hertz, I still have seen none, except the rosey reds, they made a ton, in the lotus tub. I keep the herd hungry, they wipe out the eggs as soon as they are dropped.

Thanks Addy, not sure which ones they are from as I do have rosey reds in there too, but guessing the goldfish. I have hardly fed mine all summer, plus they don't like to come to the surface yet to feed so not really an issue. So what will you do with all the fry in the lotus tub?

I saw another baby tonight, about 1" long, red and white, with black tail. Still have no idea if goldfish or koi, since goldies were in koi pond plenty long enough to have spawned. I assume it's a goldie. Won't probably know until old enough to see whiskers, right?

Not sure Patti, but guessing time will tell! That or someone on here with a ton more experience than me.

So here is what I did with my extra 450 gph pump. I added what looks like water flowing out of the wall in the stream. This way I also get a little more circulation when the stream isn't running.



Here is what I ended up doing to spruce up my whiskey barrel:

 

[callingcolleen1]

Your pond and stream look really good hertz, nice rock lantern too! Love the stream where the fish swim up!

 

[herzausstahl]

Thanks colleen, its probaly 8-10" deep through most of that first stage so I hope they stay there. I didn't like the stream as much last year, felt the sides had too much of a canyon feel and looked a bit unnatural, so I added the falls this year and some more rock to fill the depth. Definitely glad I did it and also good to hear others agree with me!

 

[j.w]

That looks like it will work good w/ that extra pump pushing water in your stream for ya. Like your whiskey barrel set up too and does it have a liner in it or just the wood sides?

 

[addy1]

Thanks Addy, not sure which ones they are from as I do have rosey reds in there too, but guessing the goldfish. I have hardly fed mine all summer, plus they don't like to come to the surface yet to feed so not really an issue. So what will you do with all the fry in the lotus tub?

Well since we made the connection between the large pond and the lotus tub, I am sure some will migrate into the large pond. They are on their own. Letting nature takes its course. I am sure some get snacked on, have a ton of frogs, the lil fry might get eaten in the big pond.

 

[herzausstahl]

That looks like it will work good w/ that extra pump pushing water in your stream for ya. Like your whiskey barrel set up too and does it have a liner in it or just the wood sides?

It doesn't have a liner, the wood still holds water pretty well. I will have to find a liner when it doesn't hold water anymore.


Addy I am all about nature taking its course, thats what I plan to do with mine.

 

[herzausstahl]

Addy, are you leaving the adult rosy reds in the lotus tubs over winter or moving them to the main pond? Did you do the same with the Shubies in your deck pond?

 

[sissy]

my babies under my side porch roof .I told them it was time to leave home I need to do the ceiling part of the roof .Momma 's not paying rent time to go .

 

[j.w]

Neat sissy, and they will leave pretty soon it looks like to me!

 

[addy1]

Addy, are you leaving the adult rosy reds in the lotus tubs over winter or moving them to the main pond? Did you do the same with the Shubies in your deck pond?

I left the roseys in the lotus tub. We did drop to 10F, it was a warm winter. I will leave them there next winter also, I do leave a aerator running that keeps the ice off the lotus tub and the big pond.

The deck pond had 3 goldfish in it. we where able to catch two, one stayed in all winter, it did fine. It is shallow, maybe 18 inches. No insulation, so at this moment not sure what we are going to do with them. They might get turfed to the big pond, might get hauled inside, last option is a heater. I think that pond would freeze solid with a bad winter.

 

[herzausstahl]

Thanks addy,
I was wondering about the lotus tub freezing solid if left alone and the same with the deck pond, but see you've got it covered!

 

[addy1]

I don't think the lotus tub would freeze solid, it is 2.5 feet deep, we would have to have a horrible winter. But it can ice over totally, so I use the aerator to keep a hole in the ice.

 

[CountryEscape]

My "bowl" lotus has about a dozen leaves, and I just noticed a bud above the water! I'm going to be a lotus grandma. LOL So, I got so excited I decided to get the 10 or 12 lotus seeds that are supposed to be yellow flowers, and score them and plant them .... but I cannot for the life of me figure out where in the world I have put them! OMG, is that crazy! I looked for 30 minutes this evening, and nothing. I'm soo ticked off! They were not very expensive, but it's the principal of the matter! Guess I'll have to buy some more. :-(