The Official Pond Thread...

[Chris5]

Ok Guys with the nice weather starting to settle in, I figured it would be a good time to start seeing some of the groups ponds (i know there out there) Since I have been a member for awhile now I haven't done any pics of the pond, so here they are...
The pond is still coming out of winter mode and by tomorrow it should be running and clear again, The pond water must hit about a temp of 55 degrees before the koi come out of dorminant mode and start looking for food, uv hasnt turned on yet either so thats why it looks green....will post update pictures, cant wait to show you guys the giant koi we got in there

I do not know excatly how many gallons it is, its a custom pond dug into the ground using a black pond liner to prevent leak outs. Last year we added a custom stream. Equipment being used: Pond canister filter and giant UV sterlizer. Plants: Lilly pads and misc. water shrubbery.

 

[beefbroccoli]

nice pond and nice yard

 

[Chris5]

Thanks :division:...Wil keep this thread updated when it starts clearing and the stream is put on !!

 

[Falco]

Sweet looking pond

A family friend of mine built a very large pond with a multi tier waterfall last summer and ever since I have loved them. Very cool to hang out around them during the spring/summer time!

 

[spykes]

i got a question, do you leave your koi in the pond even tho it's winter and there is a layer of ice?

 

[scarf_ace1981]

if i'm not mistaken koi can be kept outdoor all year round. when the pond freezes @ the top they stay @ the bottom their metabolism slows down too.

 

[jhale]

yes, the pond has to be deep enough so the koi do not get frozen in the ice.

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

I saw a show on Animal Planet once that showed a guys koi pond and it was heated year round. He goes to Japan and China to buy prize winning koi. His pond was the size of a medium sized in ground pool and had bridges and stuff going around and over it. The show was taped and you could see him and the interviewer standing there in thick winter jackets and there was snow on the ground but the pond was nice and warm, and completely thawed. I think it was emergency vets cause they rushed a koi to a vet hospital for some emergency surgery or something.

 

[KuyaMark]

Nice hey chris lets go catch the big white one and cook him

 

[Chris5]

if i'm not mistaken koi can be kept outdoor all year round. when the pond freezes @ the top they stay @ the bottom their metabolism slows down too.

Exactly right! We use a floating circular heater to keep the top layer of the water from feezing during the winter, other than that the fish mostly stay at the bottom and do-not move much. Today i see there shadows moving around so it must be getting warmer in there :fish:and I have to say every winter-summer one of them has babies, its like clock work, its my step-fathers pond so he maintains it, and i have the 65g marine, but from time to time i like to admire the koi...:tongue1:
In a couple of weeks when all the plants start coming out of the ground around the pond it looks pretty amazing, esp the lillies in the pond since one lilly has this amazing flower that blooms at mid day for a couple of hours in the summer, i will post pics of everything as the pond comes around...

 

[noodleman]

can't wait till those summer pics are here .....the stream looks pretty long, where does it led to?

 

[Chris5]

It goes from up the hill as pictured (right on the border of my neighbors) lol down through the garden into the pond, its actually part of the filter....The canister box in the pond picks up the water sends it up through to the canister filter at the top of the stream, through the uv light than back down via the "stream" and back into the pond....:afro:

 

[spykes]

im designing my pond for my pop's place, it's gonna have a skimmer and whatnot. the only thing i gotta ask is what do you guys do for stray cats and other furry creatures?

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

Motion sensors and pellet guns LOL

 

[Chris5]

Bird Sighting ....

I actually have a horror story, 2 yrs ago we found a huge bird hovering over the pond eyeing the fish, I actually have a pic of it....long story short, the night before my cuzs wedding we found a bloodbath of koi's excecuted in half from this thing, it was crazy, the bird was huge, like something from the local nature center or something, i think it was a herring (is that how you spell it) anyway we put a special net up over the pond, held it on with the rock wall and the bird came back one more time and just sat on the net looking down on the fish, i cant imagine what the fish were thiinking lol ...:bigeyes: but the net worked and the thing never came back....:champagne

If you look closely the bird is perched in the middle of the pond....Its gray....

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

Good ID on the bird. Fish were thinking OH $HIT both times.

 

[spykes]

do you think i should start off with comets and make a mesh netting over the pond for a start? i had my koi for a long time in tanks. they need a upgrade so im looking foward to this.
i would do this at my poconos house but im afraid of bears

 

[masterswimmer]

That's a beautiful pond. Nice job.

The bird is a Blue Heron. They wreak havoc in my pond as well.

In the winter, like Chris said, the koi stay below the ice. The floating heater is to allow for oxygen exchange. They are actually not supposed to be fed at all when the water temp drops to 55 deg or below.

Dave, why would you use a skimmer on a fresh water pond? Skimmers don't do anything with fresh water, only salt.

I can't wait to see the 'in season' pix Chris.

Russ

 

[spykes]

That's a beautiful pond. Nice job.

The bird is a Blue Heron. They wreak havoc in my pond as well.

In the winter, like Chris said, the koi stay below the ice. The floating heater is to allow for oxygen exchange. They are actually not supposed to be fed at all when the water temp drops to 55 deg or below.

Dave, why would you use a skimmer on a fresh water pond? Skimmers don't do anything with fresh water, only salt.

I can't wait to see the 'in season' pix Chris.

Russ

russ not true, i can make a skimmer work in freshwater. russ believe me i can.

 

[jhale]

your afraid of bears?