# Ponds



## saltydad (Jun 27, 2008)

Are there any members here who also have, or are interested in, backyard ponds? In addition to being interested in reefs and FO,and tropical gardens (go nanas!), I just finished having a small pond put in my backyard. It has 3 fish residents, 2 Sarassa comets and a Shubunkin. Let me know if I'm alone here in this.


----------



## atlantic reefer (Jun 26, 2008)

I don't have a pond but i think the nice garden ones with the waterfalls would be very nice to have.


----------



## MediaHound (Jul 19, 2006)

I have a half barrel with some lillypads... ! 
Always wanted a pond but never did it. If I do one I will do it massive!


----------



## Kogo (Mar 14, 2008)

my brother in law keeps a planted pond outdoors that produces garamies, and my club sponsors a large pond that houses many cichlids including Oscars, red devils, and many African cichlid species.


----------



## JBarlak (Mar 16, 2008)

hows the pond's pump doing at flamingo Gardens since you are talking about it


----------



## saltydad (Jun 27, 2008)

MediaHound said:


> I have a half barrel with some lillypads... !
> Always wanted a pond but never did it. If I do one I will do it massive!


Now this lady has some pond. Bonnie's Plants online. Couldn't believe it when I saw it.


----------



## saltydad (Jun 27, 2008)

Here's an update on the new pond. The tropical water lily Foxfire is blooming, as is the Thalia delbata (water canna), and the water hyacinth. Another tropical lily, Avalanche, has yet to bloom and my hardy lily, Black Princess is still to show it's flower. The fish are doing fine, and the surrounding plantings are about done, with 10 varieties of elephant ear, 3 types of bananas, 2 Chinese Windmill palms.


----------



## nicco0315 (Jul 29, 2008)

very cool. I would do one I'm just not into the mosquitoes out here. they tend to reproduce where they can.


----------



## MediaHound (Jul 19, 2006)

Beautiful!!!!!! 

Josie - thats what the mosquito magnet is for! 
Wife and I have one and we love it! Wouldn't do without it ever again... 
Mosquito Magnet® | Home


----------



## nicco0315 (Jul 29, 2008)

MediaHound said:


> Beautiful!!!!!!
> 
> Josie - thats what the mosquito magnet is for!
> Wife and I have one and we love it! Wouldn't do without it ever again...
> Mosquito Magnet® | Home


Wow I haven't heard of one of those till now I will be checking that out. Learn something new every time.


----------



## Kogo (Mar 14, 2008)

JBarlak said:


> hows the pond's pump doing at flamingo Gardens since you are talking about it



the flamingo pond is still dark and cloudy, but the water is biologically clean and the fish are doing well... we just need to do a thorough cleaning and head count of the fish inside.


----------



## saltydad (Jun 27, 2008)

nicco0315 said:


> very cool. I would do one I'm just not into the mosquitoes out here. they tend to reproduce where they can.



Rremember that if the water is flowing well and not stagnant, the little critters are loath to lay their eggs.My waterfall and surface skimmer and a 2000 gph pump take care of that. Also, my fish are very effective mosquito larvae predators. I've actually watched dragonflies lay eggs in the water surface, but the fish love their nymphs. I worry more about the unseen water catchers that I haven't put Dunks in.


----------



## mskitty (Jan 11, 2008)

fishies eat mosquito eggs......


----------



## nicco0315 (Jul 29, 2008)

mskitty said:


> fishies eat mosquito eggs......


Very true never thought of that.


----------



## saltydad (Jun 27, 2008)

Some pics of the pond fish.


----------



## roc-aquarium (Aug 26, 2008)

I am jealous. I will have a pond next spring. I am just worried about the winters up here in Western, NY. I'll need to go deep and add some kind of de-icer.


----------



## djrichie (May 15, 2008)

Very nice... I want one


----------



## saltydad (Jun 27, 2008)

roc-aquarium said:


> I am jealous. I will have a pond next spring. I am just worried about the winters up here in Western, NY. I'll need to go deep and add some kind of de-icer.


All you need to do is use a de-icer to keep a hole open in the ice for gas exchange. Thermo-Pond makes a nice one that's inexpensive to buy and to run. A depth of 2 1/2 ft. to 3 ft. is sufficient. Go for it!


----------



## saltydad (Jun 27, 2008)

Hey Kogo...any pix of the Flamingo Gardens pond you aere talking about? Inquiring minds want to see.


----------



## saltydad (Jun 27, 2008)

Man, it's cold outside! I noticed that the pond has begun to ice, so I set up the de-icer. I had to wade into the pond; the water temp was 40F. My voice is still 2 octaves too high.


----------



## MediaHound (Jul 19, 2006)

lol @ 2 octaves! 
I slipped into my swimming pool last night (stupid me) and it was COLD!! I feel for ya!


----------



## morishidol (Nov 22, 2008)

Heres a pic of my 1,200 gallon pond I put in myself this summer,,it is 7x9 feet and 3 feet deep,,also put in around it and the waterfall 2,700 pounds of tennesee riple flag stone.


----------



## MediaHound (Jul 19, 2006)

Pretty sweet pond, Jason! Thats a decent amount of flagstone, and it looks great from the pic. 
Whats in it as far as livestock goes? 
How much sun is it getting?


----------



## fishfinder (Aug 31, 2008)

As a young child in the 50's I saw my first garden pond with goldfish. The woman who owned it didn't mind if we came to watch her fish. I remember checking them in winter, with the goldfish frozen into the ice. I was devastated, until spring when they thawed out and went along their merry way. No harm done.


----------



## Hockeyref (Nov 17, 2008)

Here's some pic's of my 1000 gal pond. Two thirds of the pond is under a patio cover. I built this pond last march.



















Rick


----------



## roc-aquarium (Aug 26, 2008)

Hockey man,
What kind of wood did you use in the pond construction? I really like the look. Thinking about doing something like that this spring with a deck around it.
Thanks,
Dave


----------



## Hockeyref (Nov 17, 2008)

Here's a few construction pic's. I used regular framing material except for boards touching the ground, which are pressure treated. Plywood on the inside and outside. Then I used 3x6 beams with rabbited interlocking corners and a 3/4 inch bolt going through the entire corner.


----------



## saltydad (Jun 27, 2008)

Jason and Hockeyref. those are beautiful ponds, fascinatingly different but great! Hockeyref, I built a pond similar to yours as a demo for aquatic plants and fish at the garden center I managed years ago. I must admit yours is stunningly more beautiful. Tell us about the fish and plantings guys.


----------



## MediaHound (Jul 19, 2006)

Very nice work Rick! Stain color looks great. 
Are you going to attach more shelves to the back and perhaps some staghorns or other plants that would do well up there?


----------



## Hockeyref (Nov 17, 2008)

MediaHound said:


> Very nice work Rick! Stain color looks great.
> Are you going to attach more shelves to the back and perhaps some staghorns or other plants that would do well up there?


I never thought about a staghorn. That is one plant that would actually do well, as most of the pond is under a patio cover and gets very little sun. Thanks for the idea.



saltydad said:


> Jason and Hockeyref. those are beautiful ponds, fascinatingly different but great! Hockeyref, I built a pond similar to yours as a demo for aquatic plants and fish at the garden center I managed years ago. I must admit yours is stunningly more beautiful. Tell us about the fish and plantings guys.


I have 7 small koi ranging from about 4" to 9" and 3 comets about 4". As for the plants, I'm not sure of the names of the plants that I have. I attached some plant baskets at the end of the pond that gets sunlight and have about 6 1 gallon pots with plants. The plants really help with water quality. All of them flower at some point during the spring and some are still flowering. I also attached some exterior planters on the same end with some regular plants on the outdside. I appreciate the comments

Rick


----------



## Hockeyref (Nov 17, 2008)

morishidol said:


> Heres a pic of my 1,200 gallon pond I put in myself this summer,,it is 7x9 feet and 3 feet deep,,also put in around it and the waterfall 2,700 pounds of tennesee riple flag stone.


Beautiful job!!! Very well done.

Rick


----------



## morishidol (Nov 22, 2008)

some more pics of my pond!!!


----------



## saltydad (Jun 27, 2008)

morishidol said:


> some more pics of my pond!!!


Great! Love the bananas; what variety?

BTW, you can see construction shots of my pond at my Flickr site.

Flickr: hgorinson's Photostream


----------



## morishidol (Nov 22, 2008)

saltydad said:


> Great! Love the bananas; what variety?
> 
> BTW, you can see construction shots of my pond at my Flickr site.
> 
> Flickr: hgorinson's Photostream


Dwarf Cavendish,,Double Mahoi,,Siam,,Rojo,,you can only really see the dwarf because it is covering alot of the other ones that are planted by it,,,,next year I am changing the water fall ,,and moving it to the long side of the wall so I can put a 9 foot windmill palm in each corner of the pond!!


----------



## MediaHound (Jul 19, 2006)

morishidol said:


> some more pics of my pond!!!


Stuttgart cannas look awesome as well!


----------



## roc-aquarium (Aug 26, 2008)

Hockey guy,
Thanks for posting the construction pictures. You made it look deceptively easy. I have a feeling there will be lots of bruised thumbs and swearing involved when I build mine.


----------



## Hockeyref (Nov 17, 2008)

roc-aquarium said:


> Hockey guy,
> Thanks for posting the construction pictures. You made it look deceptively easy. I have a feeling there will be lots of bruised thumbs and swearing involved when I build mine.


Well being a general contracor has its advantages...........You can do though. Let me know if I can be of any help.

Rick


----------



## saltydad (Jun 27, 2008)

Here's some pf my pond at night.


----------



## BlueSaphire (Nov 3, 2009)

Wish I could, but all the fish would be torn up in a day by all the cats that get into my yard


----------



## AliceInDallas (Dec 18, 2010)

Hi, Salty Dad. No you are not alone in the interest in both indoor and outdoor "water features". Your question made me smile, because I was just where you are, about 15 years ago, and I have now come full circle. 15 years ago I had one freshwater 90 gallon and a 50 gallon salt in the house, and a new smallish pond in the backyard with 6 koi and a few goldfish :fish5::animated_fish_swimm. Then after 4 years, got out of salt and fresh tanks to move north to the farm, with the 6 now-medium sized koi and (too) many additional goldfish ..... relocating them into a new 20,000 gallon cold water spring pond dug with a backhoe and lined with rubber. Now 10 years later, I am preparing to move 12 HUGE koi and a couple shubies and NO goldfish back down south to the city, into a new 3000 gallon pond :fish-in-a-bag: ..... and am getting back into freshwater in the house (after the 10 year absence) with a new 90 gallon freshwater. Fate has called me back to my roots. 

I feel like in my 10 years with the 20,000 gallon pond, fending off country predators and ice storms and pump outages and pond leaks and waaaayyyy too many goldfish, that I learned a lot .... but am ready to go back to something smaller.  

Incidentally, I smiled when I saw the male nurses thing - I learned to love and respect male nurses during my long (35 year) career in the mental health field - and there are none better, in my book.


----------



## blessedfamily (Dec 11, 2010)

My beautiful pond that is currently covered in snow  Started out with a 90 gallon preformed and went to 1,200 gallon lined with koi and goldfish..I am wanting to go bigger eventually.Enjoy 



<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/5352086016/" title="IMG_5386 by kalbs5402, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5169/5352086016_17c301ae8e.jpg" width="500" height="185" alt="IMG_5386"


----------



## saltydad (Jun 27, 2008)

Well, it's getting to be that time again, folks. When the water temp is up consistently I'll be doing a vacuum and clean up. I also will take out my hardy lilies and lotus and divide and repot. I wish there were more ponders close to me as I'll have more than I know what to do with, and I like giving stuff away to nice folks. 
What is on your spring pond schedule?


----------



## M1ster Stanl3y (Dec 10, 2010)

Redoing my moms pond this memorial day as it developed a small leak over the winter. So her 3 sons , 2 grandsons, and 1granddaughter are coming in to catch fish, drain repastic redecorate n fill. Should be a good time.


----------



## friz (Mar 12, 2011)

Just dug this little pond over the weekend. Plan to use it for a few common goldfish and a common pleco.


----------



## heninquins (Nov 10, 2011)

Nice ponds! I am very inspired and would like to putting a pond very soon in back yard. I would like to thank you all for sharing your valuable information and beautiful pond pictures.


----------



## saltydad (Jun 27, 2008)

Anyone ever mailed lotus tubers? I am sending one of mine to a friend in Tennessee. Thanks!


----------



## Kehy (Apr 19, 2011)

I just got the thumbs up from my landlord to add a container pond. I'll be using it to hopefully grow out some aquatic plants and dwarf water lillies


----------



## saltydad (Jun 27, 2008)

Some updated pics of my pond. Was decimated this spring by a great blue heron, but seems fine now.


----------

