It’s crazy to think that we finally have the ability to start pushing water through this beauty. Just a few things left before it will be time to fill her back up.

I have a 110-gal stock tank pond. It has started to grow slime algae because I have fish in there, and I was giving them supplemental fish food (I didn't realize it would cause algae, but here we are). So I bought Japanese trapdoor snails. They came in the mail, they are amazing! 6 of them.

My question is, do they work? I haven't noticed any reduction in algae and it's been about a week. I'm not sure what to expect, maybe my expectations are too high. At least they are adorable and very suited to the environment, I'm sure they can't hurt.

Planning a bog filter and water fall. Should I have water fall fall directly into pond or should the waterfall flow into bog? Bog will be bottom fed flowing into a small river and onto pond.

Benefits of one or the other or downfalls of one or the other? Thanks for the advice

today i went out to my pond and noticed a newt for the first time ever.

and i know nothing about them, what do they eat? how did it get the ? is it good for my pond? is there anything else i should know ?

not sure if makes a difference but i thought i’d mention i’ve only spotted 1 singular newt and from a book i have i’ve deduced it do be a male smooth newt

https://preview.redd.it/49sgqb6j0bwc1.jpg?width=3060&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ede63f8baa8856c7c9e67583f746fabed2df0bd6

We have been using this concrete pond (800 gal, ~1ft deep, in WA state) for 10 years. We have about a dozen goldfish/Koi. It has a mesh filter, UV filter and pump. We add a correct amount of pond salt and the pond has plants (not many at the moment due to it being early spring).
However, for the past 2 or 3 years we have gotten what I assume is string algae that clings to the walls, pots, and plants. I have added barley straw extract but that does not seem to be helping too much. The pond gets sun though I have an umbrella for it during the summer.
What could I be doing to help rid our pond of this problem? Snails (that like just algae), chemicals, peroxide, diatoms...?

Mine keeps blowing fuses in the smart control and I cannot get it running so seeing what is comparable. I run it at max and never use the variable rate.

It runs 500-660 watts. I am looking for a good pump with similar output and low wattage.

The waterfall for this one has 5' of vertical and 38' of horizontal 3" ID 3.5 OD PVC pipe.

I’ve been looking to add 2 comet goldfish to my pond given that we’ve had two goldfish die (presumably over winters) in the past two years. I don’t know if it’s better to find them locally from a garden center or to have them shipped from an online company that specializes in fish. There is a garden center relatively close by that sells various pond fish, but I’m hesitant because I don’t know if garden centers have high standards when it comes to fish health, and I obviously don’t want to introduce a disease to the other fish (7 total) and turtle in my pond. Any recommendations or input is appreciated! Thanks!

Hello! I plan to build an above ground 300 gallon turtle pond with a sandy platform and multiple basking spots for 3 res turtles, 2 females and 1 male. Inspired by Dan's pond here: https://youtu.be/FJjbXqZWxlo?si=-qkweopdlFp5FZJV I have so many questions so any advice about anything would be awesome. (Inspo pics of your ponds is welcome!) A few main concerns of mine are: -Will the sun be enough uv/uvb for them to bask in? (Washington state) -Will the turtles not be aggressive if it's only 1 male in there? -What do I do in winter when it snows or gets to be in the negatives outside

• I'm not looking to breed them but if somehow it happens and they lay eggs, can I feed those to the turtles or what can I do to prevent a turtle invasion on our planet?

Thanks!

So I'd like to start this by saying my strong preference is to run the pump and filter through winter, and maybe make some adjustments to facilitate that most safely (safe for the pump).

However, I'm perhaps open-minded to pulling the pump, plumbing, and filter and letting the pond sit "dead" all winter.

My last pump, Shinmaywa Norris 1/3 hp, died in winter. The impeller and motor were still fine, but the plastic housing that gets some direct sunlight (direct though through 2.5 feet of water) sheered off in winter. the pond wasn't touched or moved, but just the housing cracked off clean and made the whole thing a major electric shock risk.

So I'd like to keep running the (new) pump through winter, but this past experience made pumps seem rather fragile. Are all pumps going to suffer in cold water? Is it hopeless? Why can't they build a tougher pump? One made entirely of steel and aluminum would not have this problem, so is using plastic entirely a factor of planned obsolescence?

If manufacturers are intentionally sabotaging their products to have short longevity, there may not be resolution. But also running a pump in cold -- though not frozen water -- seems like it should not be a big issue, physically speaking. I'm not suggesting a conspiracy; there doesn't need to be a conspiracy (a conversation) when all the players already think alike, and under capitalism, schemes of planned obsolescence often run that way, i.e. unspoken "conspiracies."

I am making my first ever pond and I made a rough terrible sketch and rough size measurements (some reason the dog wouldnt hold the tape measure for me.

I am wanting to know how much liner (and sub liner) would I need to get
But also how much rocks do you think I'd need?

Also possible gallon estimates so I know what size of pump/filter to get.
My wife wants me to get a couple of fish, but it would likely be just a few starter minnow that I expect to die until the ecosystem balances. but In the end would just be a handful of whatever.

I'll also have to ask around for local water plant suggestions.

https://preview.redd.it/3jf2ts2wj4wc1.png?width=684&format=png&auto=webp&s=33dcd199b8f466e4b09f9b51c2db3c38119a7ac4

Please no criticism and only helpful suggestions. Its my first project of this kind and I have watched tons of videos but I figure after awhile you can only do so much until I have to just dive in.

Just wondering if you're supposed to have the waterfall on 24/7 to help with oxygenation or is it ok to turn it off at night to save electricity

Moved in a couple of months ago. I'd like to add some plants to help with the health of the pond and for aesthetic reasons.

I live in Zone 7b and the pond gets about 4-6 hours of sunlight then shade the rest of the day.

I have never had plants and the info out there is overwhelming. Any suggestions for a plant newb?

Here's the pond: https://imgur.com/a/Z6GsJmJ

The dirt around my pond managed to cave in under the liner and push the liner up... This happend after the last bad storm and I was dumb enough to leave the liner empty prior to that because I was cleaning it. I really don't want to dig it up again but I don't know if I have any other options.

this picture was taken about a week ago and since then the lilies have started to resurface and other plants have grown in slightly more. the water is crystal clear, to the point where my brother almost drank some out of a glass i had used to check the clarity mistaking it for drinking water.

are there any improvements you think i should make?

There are no fish and I just filled the pond up.