So, My Dad Has a Pond....

[PrettyFishies]

Setup at the fairgrounds. He's in a train club.

Anyways, they used it as decoration but put a waterfall pump in for movement. There are fish, goldfish, involved.

The question is, what can we do to set this up to be more hospitable for the fish (and any other wildlife that find it)?

I was thinking a submersible filter/pump, test for PH and adjust as needed. Maybe some algone to ward off algae.

What do you guys think?

 

[glassbird]

Forget the algea killing stuff. It is more likely to poison the fish than affect the algea. Algea is best prevented by putting pond plants in the pond...they use up the nutrients that the algea needs to grow.

How big is this pond? How many fish? You will need a filter, unless the pond is VERY big. Yes, you need to test for pH, but probably do not need to adjust it. Those pH adjusting chemicals can be very risky. Fish can usually adapt to a specific pH, but do not deal well AT ALL with sudden shifts, and those pH adjusting chemicals can cause exactly that.

You also need to test for ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates. Get a drop-type test kit, not dip strips (highly inaccurate and expensive, too). You will need to find a way to do partial water changes, unless this pond is VERY large.

 

[PrettyFishies]

Cool. So filter and water changes. It's a small pond, maybe 45 gallons. I'm not new to fish, just ponds. I have all the test kits for my tanks. So I'll have to go out and run some tests and get some dechlirinator.

What kind of filter can we get that I can also attach a waterfall/spray? One with bio-media

What plants do you reccomend for such a small pond and that are HARDY with very little maintenance.

 

[glassbird]

I live in New England, so I just go with simple plants that I can throw out at the end of the season. Water hyacinth floats on top, and the fish love to nibble the roots. The other type of plant has a name that escapes me at the moment...it's just called "the oxygenator" by my local pond store. It comes in a bunch of fronds, held together by a sinking weight. No root system, and it just drops out of sight in the pond. Not exciting, visually. I opted to not bother with it last year (at first), just hyacinths...and I had green water for half the season. I could NOT get ahead of it, even with the belated addition of those plants. Next year, I will have BOTH, right from the start!

Lots of filters out there that come with a spray. If I can find a good one, I will come back and post a link.

 

[glassbird]

This is one to look at. There are many companies that make this style of filter, each a little different. I actually make my own filter boxes, and pull water thru them with various pumps. If you decide to go for something like this, be sure to get the whole kit, not just the filter box...unless you have a pump already that you want to use. With this one, I think you could opt to leave off the sprayer and and direct the outflow hose to a waterfall instead.

Pond Filters & Water Quality: Lifegard Aquatics Pond Filtration Systems