cycling a pond

[krap101]

do you just do the same thingy? because my and my mom were thinking abouta pond for about a month and finally got one. we woulda gotten it the 2nd day but the only one left had a hole. today we got a 90 gallon pond i think and it was 70$. to me thats 1/2 decent. so do u cycle it the same as a tank? are there any things to watch out for? and can you use like a powerhead thingy for the filter or do you need specifically a pond filter. what would be a reasonable price for a 90 gallon filter thingy. i would of gotten the pvc tarp stuff because it came in a package with filter and everything but only problem the filter was only meant for like a 40 gal pond. so its all set up. ive had some goldfish for a lil while getting them ready for their pond. but i know i have to cycle it. is there a biofilter for a pond? can you keep ne other fish in a pond?

 

[krap101]

sry wrong forum can sum1 move it or should i make a new 1?

 

[Kerrinne]

This might be better served in the pond section of the forum. More avid pond keepers there can answer your questions better. But I will tell you that you do need an adequate filter and water circulation. My dad has a waterfall on one end of his pond and a hose under some rocks that comes out and sprays into the other end.

The ponds do cycle the same as my dad's is now seeing an ammonia rise. His pond is massive though probably 6 feet wide x 40 feet long and about four feet deep. I have no idea how many gallons that translates to, but it's a lot!

 

[RogerMcAllen]

Moved, I am not sure exactly how they cycle. But I would thing it would be the same a cycling a similar sized tank. I never really worried about it because I have a low bioload for a couple thousand gallon pond.

 

[William]

Its the same bacteria cycle as in aquariums, You can even use Biospira to jumpstart it, no?


Find some way to put the pond filter media in contact with your tank water for a few weeks before setting up the pond and putting fish in.

 

[krap101]

ic wuts the min. size of a goldfish to go in a pond?

 

[RogerMcAllen]

You can put any size in a pond. I would suggest going to your LFS and buying a dozen feeders. By the end of the summer they should end up being almost 4" long.

 

[krap101]

oh because i have 1 like 3-4 inch i think ryoku or sumtin. and another white fish with red gills and gray around forgot the name goldfish.. could u put like a pleco in there? is there any other coldwateer fish youi could put in?>

 

[krap101]

and wuts the coldest a goldfish can live in?

 

[RogerMcAllen]

I live in the south suburbs of chicago, and mine (just plain feeders) lived in my pond over winter. Since your pond will be only 90 gal, you will need to bring your fish in for the winter. I would be hesitant on the pleco because they get large very quickly and are sensative to temp changes in the fall. If you have fancy goldfish, I don't think that they do as well in cold temps.

 

[krap101]

ic okay... actually i have a 100 gallon but i dont think thatll make any difference.. is there nething i can do to keep them outside in the winter?

should i get like a 50 gallon heater for it?
and if i got a 300 gph pump for my filter could i get something to like divide the power because my mom really wants a frog spitter thingy and we both want this fountain.

 

[RogerMcAllen]

Heating would be futile and expensive for a pond that shallow. I think you would need at least 3-4' deep to consider housing fish over the winter.

As far as spitters and fountains, that sounds fine.

 

[krap101]

yeah i think it is around there in depth. i was kinda confused because in the book it said 4-5 ft deep

 

[RogerMcAllen]

I don't want to sound like I am attacking, but that is impossible. A pond that was 2' x 2' by 4' deep would be 119 gallons by the calcculator, which is more than what you say you have.

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/calcs2.php?type=tankcapacity

What are you actual dimensions?
I am assuming that you have a preformed pond, and not a liner. If this is the case, you could just move it inside for the winter perhaps.

 

[krap101]

oh i guess thats possible but still it might tip over since its two levels.

im sorry i meant the book said it had to be 4-5 ft deep to keep them out in the winter. also its kind of hard to measure a non square pond. any tips?

i was thinking about getting some like 10 or 16 gallon tubs i cant remember you know the green ones frmo tubberware. and i was thinking i could keep them in there.

 

[krap101]

its 1 ft deep in center and 1/2 a foot on sides. its a squarish rounded triangle so its kinda hard to measure. ill try and take a pic of it and also get a pic of it.

 

[krap101]

http://www.lowes.com/lkn?action=truespectraProcessor&catalogid=POND&prodname=039694079184#

 

[RogerMcAllen]

Ok, that pond will freeze solid during the winter in Illinois, so you are right in thinking you will have to bring it inside. I was planning on doing something like that too, and I think your best bet would be something like a 50 gallon or so water trough. I have a fairly nice rubbermaid tub that I bought at my Home Depot.

 

[krap101]

when they get bigger can they stay outside??

 

[RogerMcAllen]

No, because your pond is not deep enough, it will freeze solid during the winter killing the fish. Another reason I would say no is because they are fancies, which do not do as well in cold conditions.