/r/ponds
Anything about ponds, but posts about making ponds are especially encouraged.
Anything about ponds, but posts about making ponds are especially encouraged.
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- Posts should be about ponds
- Follow the reddit content policy and reddiquette
- No spam
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/r/ponds
79,103 Subscribers
Zone 9a NW Oregon not cold enough for torpor?
I’m in the Beaverton OR area zone 9a. I have an above ground pond that’s about 400 gallons. It has 5 goldfish (Sarasa comet and shubunkin), mosquito fish, trapdoor snails, and lots of plants. Water temp still at 45 degrees here and fish still moving around. It’s been a long time since I fed since the water temp got to 50 (maybe that was mud October if I remember right). It’s like fall/winter/spring are like one long shoulder season here most of the time. Mid-late October we go from sunny/dry to more clouds and rain, and by no means does it feel warm it is not nearly as cold as most of the US in terms of the low temps. Plus I think my neighborhood may be a milder microclimate being lower in the area and having large trees. The hikari wheat germ koi pellets I feed (among other things) says it is for cooler temps and to stop feeding when temps are above 40, but I had stopped when water temp got down to 50 as that is what I read everywhere else. Given how long it stays cool but not cold, should I have fed longer? Anyone else in a mild climate that lingers on the cusp of feeding temps for months? I know there are bugs and plants they may be able to nibble on but sure feels like I am starving them.
05:29 UTC
Baby pond setup
Hi everyone, I just installed this pond a week ago, so no landscaping etc yet! Eventually I want to put plants in to hide the hosing connecting the pump to the cascade. Once we’ve decided on the final positioning of the cascade I’ll cut the tubing so it’s not quite so unsightly. Maybe small fish at a later date, I’ll need to work out a rain overflow system so I don’t lose them.
Pond holds 100 litres (~24 US gallons) and it’s been raining recently so quite full.
If there are any other Aussies here… We have resident striped marsh frogs already. I’m hoping the fountain keeps the water clear from cane toad and mosquito larvae. So far, so good 🤞🏼The cascade, being slower-moving, I’m expecting cane toad activity and maybe some friendly blue tongues as well.
01:49 UTC
Above ground pond under construction. Napkin math puts it at around 4000-4200 gal. I'm in the tropics and would like suggestions for fun tropical fish that would do well with some plants.
22:18 UTC
Little Inherited Pond
Hello! I posted this pond when I first bought our house and was planning to make some changes to it. I haven’t so far and I still have no idea how many gallons it is. But I was hoping to add a few red minnows. But is there another small fish that could exist with them and in this small size but that would eat algae/plant matter?
Also, I had been using a pond fogger. Is that safe to use once fish move in? I’ve both heard that it will hide them from predators and that it could reduce the oxygen at the water surface.
Also pictures, my water hyacinths that were inspired by this thread but are dying… not sure why.
18:57 UTC
Can I use old pond liner as underlayment?
I already have one pond I built myself--a semi-formal, circular, half-raised pond in the front garden. I used actual pond underlayment and cut a big circle out of a huge liner (45mil EPDM). Now I'm digging a second pond in the back and I'm wondering: can I just use leftover scraps of the unused liner from the front pond as an underlayment for the new pond?
I did some google searching and one source said to poke holes in it so water doesn't get caught between the two. That makes sense. Another talked about how the real reason to use underlayment is to prevent gas buildup under the pond--the underlayment gives a way for gas to escape (or something like that).
Yay or nay on unused pond liner scraps as an underlayment? Is it necessary to poke holes? If so, how many? Even if I can only cover half the new pond this way, it would save me money on some underlayment.
Thank you all for the help!
00:46 UTC
Aerating my pond through the winter
We've had several days with temps in the teens, so the pond has frozen over. But the aerators are still bubbling away, and creating these lacy, delicate pillars of frozen froth. These are frozen mostly solid, but they grow and shrink as the temps rise and fall.
Extra bonus points to you if you can find the deer in the 4th photo.
I know, I know, it's the internet, so I'm totally prepared for "Is that an aerator in my pond is or is just happy to see me?" jokes...
20:44 UTC
Cleaning sludge out of pong - Final post.
Got the pond cleaned, added a net over ir, got the fish back in. Everything is working great. Pond is clean and clear, and I no longer need to worry about pedetors stealing my fish
20:10 UTC
Took a minute to find Waldo my iguana, he’s at the end. Everyone enjoying the 70 degree weather
I get LOTS of questions lol so I’ll answer them now.
I do not have plans on this, I 💯diy by me. I am female not in construction but it is stupid sturdy. Live in Texas, it’s been through 80 mph winds just fine.
The screen is made out of galvanized steel hardware cloth. Predators can’t break through even my huskies. Also has a dig barrier all the way around. Roof made of same material. Can blow snow off from underneath if needed
The birds are out here year around they have a heated area on my covered patio this is connected to.
Waldo the iguana lives out here. He has a heated enclosure he stays in when it’s cold
The birds don’t poop all over everything. Just under their perches. Mainly in the back two corners just spray it down.
The pond is highly filtered and a pool type bead filter and a waterfall bog filter.
Everything has been out here 4 years.
19:52 UTC
Good resources to learn? Not really a quick question, more like a few.
Go ahead and skip to the bottom for my question if you don't like to read
I'm hoping this is a good place to ask this question. I'm looking to buy a stock tank to both use as a water source for my animals and as a pond for my geese to swim in. I have a creek on the bottom of my property, and while I would like to fence it in for them to use, I can't do it in a way where my goats won't easily escape because of some regulations in my area.
So instead I'm going to set up a ram pump to get the water from the bottom of my property to the top(I line on a hill).
I'm debating between a 300-1100 gallon stock tanks, probably going to go with a 1100 galvanized stock tank for my goats, dogs, and geese.
I want the water to continuously flow in from the creek into the stock tank so that the goose poop is washed out ASAP, but that means I need a drainage system in the pond. I know that'll be a whole hassle having to drill I large hole in the bottom, water proof it, and run it underground back to the creek.
I'm learning to do this and I wanna get it right the first time. I can afford the materials by buying over the course of several months, but unlikely I can afford hiring someone to do it for me. We'll see how I feel about doing it myself after I buy everything and read everything
-What are good sites to learn how to set up a ram pump system to go uphill and possibly set underground so the goats don't knock it loose?
-What's a good sight to learn different drainage systems for stock tank/ponds that also run underground and out to a creek?
-Any other good sites and recommendations?
22:18 UTC
Need help deciding on sand substrate to cap soil
I built a ~1k gallon back yard pond. I'm ready to put in the substrate, liner is working well and no leaks. I'm planning on doing a few inches of soil capped with a few inches of sand. I'm looking at local landscape retailers and I see river, mason, concrete, granite, and an extra white sand for beaches (not actual beach sand with crushed shells). I really wanted a black sand, but can't seem to find one. Any suggestion for one of these over the others?
21:09 UTC
Inverted tank/ dome as a gift: is it worth it or a short term gimmick?
My friend has a small pond with goldfish and loads of frogs and I thought an inverted tank might be a cool gift. However my two main concerns are frogs drowning themselves in there and the fact that it might be too dirty to see anything after a week. If you leave some air at the top does it solve the first issue? Would the oxygen run out quickly? If anyone has experience with these long term I’d love to know
15:52 UTC
Help me winterize my pond, please.
Greetings! It's that time of year again, and I'm sure many others are considering similar preparations. I reside in California's Central Valley, where temperatures can get quite chilly, though freezing is rare. My heater from last year is no longer functional, so I'm exploring options for pond heating this winter. I've considered solar disks, as they seem popular, and also 6-mil plastic sheeting. The local pond center suggests netting is sufficient, but I'd appreciate your insights. Could you share your pond winterization methods and any advice you might have? Thank you for your time and consideration.
00:00 UTC
Suggestions for Raccoons?
Little scoundrels are routinely vandalizing my pond. Usually they'll just rip some plants out or toss some rocks around, but recently they pulled the foam block out of the flap/gate for the skimmer and I don't want this to escalate or permanently damage anything.
Short of forcing my dog to sleep in the backyard, not sure how to deter the buggers.
edit: Thanks all!
20:38 UTC
Lf some filter advice
I recently set this little pond up. I'm planning on getting plants and some wood to make it pretty. The only thing that's bugging me is the filter. I just dont like the way it sits and idk how I'm going to cover it up. I'd love to hear some advice on how I can make this work.
02:04 UTC
Upgrading pond
My 3 Koi are about 6” long and I decided it is time to give them a bigger home. They spent 3 years in the hard shelI on the left of the picture. I googled for the minimum suggested pond depth but I see a lot of AI generated content that says 2 feet all the way up to 8’ as the minimum. My deepest section so far is 2.5’ which I plan to expand to the rest of the hole while leaving an 8” shelf around. Should I go deeper?
23:19 UTC
So warm it’s steaming
My fish enjoying their nice warm pond. They have no idea it’s winter.
21:47 UTC
Would bonsai trees and a goldfish pond on a terrace work synergistically with each other
A body of water like a pond would increase the humidity of the area where the trees are And it would be beneficial since it gets dry on my terrace. And I can water the trees with the goldfish pond water
Thoughts on this idea?
23:49 UTC
Getting started
Hi all,
Found this sub recently after buying a new property with ponds.
1 pond with 5 fish, while I can't claim to know what they are yet, photos attached. The pond is bare but clean with a filter and pump. I have ordered some oxygenation plants and a couple of Lillies (mostly as it looks sad for the fish).
I want to upgrade the netting (make it look neater) but also know what else I can do.
On the second pond, it looks a mess. I don't know where to start but wondered how much I can improve it without too much cost and maybe without running too many electrical parts. Would be keen on what's needed for the first pond too and if I can work towards requiring less electricity for it.
All suggestions welcome. I just learnt I shouldn't feed the fish much over winter!
Key questions; what are the fish? What can I do for them? How do I clear the water in the second pond? What should I read up on? Thanks!
22:46 UTC
View from my kitchen window
16:44 UTC
They are breeding like rabbits in the front yard mini pond
18:54 UTC
Ammonia - Two test kits, two results
Background - I decided to move my 31 Goldfish into the garage for the winter. They are downsized from a 550 gallon pond to a 350 gallon container. I decided to do this because the pond is only 2 feet deep and I have issues every year with it freezing over, even with multiple air stones running. I figured this is the best way to manage the fish, they are out of the elements, I can run the filter all winter and the garage is cold enough for them to continue hibernating.
Right before I moved them I noticed the pond water ammonia was a little high. So I added about 1/3 of new water from the hose when I moved them to the container. The ammonia continue to climb per the API test. I bough a different test kit the other day from the pond store and the results from that test seem to show no ammonia at all. The fish seem great but I am gearing up to do a water change just to make sure. Before I do that I figured I would check in here and see if there are any thoughts why the ammonia readings are so different.
16:24 UTC
There's a growth? -- Update
This goldfish in our pond has a growth. We noticed it earlier this summer. As of today (December 8) the fish is still alive. The growth seems to be bigger. It's still the only fish with this type of growth.
Does anyone have any ideas of what this could be?
16:20 UTC
The benefit of turning the pumps off for winter
Off
15:11 UTC
Small pond heater… worth it?
I have a small backyard pond about 6’x8’ and 2’ max depth. We use a pump and 3-4 bubblers to keep the pond aerated in the winter. Inevitably, the pond will freeze over completely. The goldfish in the pond have survived each winter since we bought the house (two winters, but the previous owners used the same setup and I don’t believe had any issues with the fish making it through the winter).
Is a pond heater needed? (Located in eastern Ontario) The fish have plenty of oxygen with the bubblers going, but I’m wondering if I’m just inviting issues. I will sometimes break up the ice in the winter, although wonder how much stress that puts on the fish with all the commotion. Pic attached (poor quality took it through bedroom window).
19:30 UTC