Pond Season is almost here!

[CACAdmin]

Pond Season is almost here. Some members like Pamelajo have started getting their ponds ready. Plants are the first to be added when it's warm enough. For most fish, the night time temps are the thing to keep an eye on before introducing them to the pond.

This year as with last, I will just have a little nano-pond on my balcony... a large flower pot essentially...lol. Last year I for plants I had water lettuce and water hyacinth both of which did so well I gave plants away. I also put in some reeds which didn't do well... I guess they were more finicky and I'm a know plant killer. :laugh: I stocked it with H. Fermosa. Sadly I lost most when the night temps dropped suddenly one night in the fall.

Here are pics of last year's pond:

Initial setup
http://www.canadianaquariumconnection.com/jb_images/pond.jpg

Pond after the plants had a chance to grow in:
http://www.canadianaquariumconnection.com/jb_images/wh1.jpg


So, how many of you are going to have a pond this year? Tell us about it. Where will it be? How big? What plants do you plan on putting in it. What fish are you going to stock it with? Let's hear all about it. Don't forget to post pics as well so we can see the results of your efforts.

[fishykisses]

i guess it is time to start pulling weeds around the pond and adding some colour - re-stocking due to the Bleeping Heron and investing in a heron dummy!
One thing that's a must in my pond is a replacement light for the UV sterylizer to get rid of the enormous amount of algae in there.
i'll probably re stock with Shubunkins again...i actually like them better than koi, they're quite fancy and more hardy IMO.
I'm quite excited to get started actually.

[Melody]

If I ever have a pond, I want Butterfly Koi. I fell in love with them in a fish store one day. Puppies Fish & Critters had them in their big display tank for awhile.

As for a container pond, If I ever get a round tuit I'll put some snails out there to breed, Maybe a few Livebearers.

[fishykisses]

i've seen butterfly koi too - so beautiful! So Expensive!!!
i am SOO glad i never got any - just to be eaten...i would have had a breakdown.
Shubunkins remind me a bit of the butterfly koi cause of the flowy fins. i really like them.

[Katalyst]

The raccoons here are monsters! And being I have around 30 tree's in the yard I'm afraid it would turn into an all you can eat raccoon buffet. But someday I will have a pond with Jinkins, Tosakins some Sankes & Bekko's...

Your plants are just beautiful...Maybe I should put a little barrel out there with just plants.

[CACAdmin]

Oops, almost forgot... I kept snails in my nano pond too.. Brigs and Marisas. (Thanks for reminding me of that Melody.)

[Katalyst]

Oops, almost forgot... I kept snails in my nano pond too.. Brigs and Marisas. (Thanks for reminding me of that Melody.)

And they don't crawl out or get eaten? That's awesome....I'm sure I'd find my cana stuck to the window with a FEED ME NOW sign dangling from his antennae. :twitcy:

[CACAdmin]

And they don't crawl out or get eaten? That's awesome....I'm sure I'd find my cana stuck to the window with a FEED ME NOW sign dangling from his antennae. :twitcy:
:rofl: I have no idea what my Cana would do. Cana's have voracious appetites so I might be worried that it would decimate my plants. :wideeyed:

However, the Brigs and Marisas dined on algae, (lots of it in the pond) and any microscopic little critters that chanced into the pond. Of course I tossed in some food for them along the way (Bottom Bites and veggies) and as in an aquarium, they found any leftover fish food. The marisas only nibbled at some of the more tender roots of the plants... leaves of water hyacinth and large leafed water lettuce didn't interest them (too tough I guess). They did nibble at the tender new shoots of the water lettuce but it grew faster than they could devour it.

I almost forgot. Mid-summer, I also added frogbit and duckweed (came with the frogbit) and something else which I can't think of the name of at the moment. They dined on that as well but it did flourish and pretty much keep ahead of their munching.

[Melody]

I think that overall, Marisas are the ultimate pond snail, at least for planted ponds. They can't handle most of the pond plants because they're tough to eat. I don't think that even Cana's can eat some of them but they could certainly work away at it.:yes:

[CACAdmin]

Marisas also handle a wide range of temps... warm to hot days and cool nights. Can't wait to get mine out there again this year.

[CACAdmin]

Now I recall the other plant I added to the pond: Fairy Moss (Azolla caroliniana). It needs quieter water to flourish... my pond being small had a little too much agitation with my fountain. But I think it would be great for larger ponds with some still areas.

[Pamelajo]

At our aquarium club we had a speaker in on ponds one tip he had was to keep floating leaves away from fountains etc. their leaves get wet and they can't breath so they don't do well.
This guy turned a 16' x 8' pool into a pond and had another one just a little smaller plus a bog pond. Beautiful and also has one at the cottage.
I am not sure what kind of plants I am putting in yet.

[traco1]

I did spring cleaning in my pond today and wondered if I can put some of my apple snails (brigs) in there? I've got three sarosas in there.

[CACAdmin]

A little early to put Brigs in there... too cold at night. I can't recall their temperature range tolerance but will see if I can find it for you.

[CACAdmin]

From what I can find at the moment it appears that temperature tolerance limits for P. Bridgesiis is 18 - 28°C (64-82°F). More info here (http://www.applesnail.net/content/multi_languages/english.htm) on applesnail.net. So it's best not to introduce Brigs to the pond until the summer (and warmer nights).

[traco1]

Thank you Jay for the info. I'll go take a reading of the pond temp also.

[Candice]

I love to look at ponds and admire those that can keep them. I'm afraid to keep a pond as in my eyes pond = free raccoon food. :P

Somebody take lots of pictures so I can enjoy theirs. :D