Setting up my nano pond

[CACAdmin]

Well, with the summer-like weather here, I decided it was time to begin the setup of my nano-pond on my balcony. Nothing to post pics of yet as all I did so far was:


cleaned up the pond and pump
filled it up with water
started up the pump (with seeded filter media)
added a handful of frogbitOver the next few weeks, I will gradually add some marisas (they handle both cool and hot temps well) and some water lettuce. Eventually, when we get summer temps with warm nights, I will add some fish (this year I will try Limia Tridens who have been raised at room temps). I did the same with some platys last year and they did fine. Hets are another great pond fish but sadly I lost my little colony of them this past winter.

[CACAdmin]

I went out and picked up some water lettuce (large variety) and water hyacinthe today and added it along with one marisa. Here is how the pond looks at the moment:

http://www.canadianaquariumconnection.com/jb_images/pond-2008-05-18.jpg

[blainep]

Looks like a good start to your little pond. Looking forward to the updates.

[Melody]

Looks like another official sign of Spring in this forum! Good 4 U!

[CACAdmin]

Yup... we went from winter to summer (forgot spring)... and so:
Step #1: Clean off balcony
Step #2: Set up Pond

I may live in a concrete hirise but I still manage to create my little piece of nature (& my neighbors who have been fertilizing their lawns and gardens today ahve definitely added to the 'natural' aroma. :twitcy:

PS... I look forward to seeing how the Tridens do in the pond... they are 'middle of the tank' fish so I might not see much of them. I wonder what they'll think of the various insects on the menu... quess time will tell. More on that mid-July I would think.

[James]

Looks good. So you don't heat it?
Made me take a look at our patio, just not sure what I would do in the winter.

[CACAdmin]

No, I don't heat it. Hence, why it is seasonal. Marisas are the perfect pond snail as they can handle a wide range of temps... 11C-35.5C (approx. 52F-96F). They can tolerate the 11C for only 24 hrs so occasional dips overnight to that would be ok but preferably higher temps. Keep in mind that water temps don't drop rapidly as do air temps. My pond water temp last night dropped to 15.5C (60F). The larger the pond, the less the change in water temperature.

Although marisas are plant eaters, they don't tend to touch tougher plant leaves like water hyacinth or the large variety of water lettuce. I find that as the pond gets sun some of the day there is adequate algae for them and they only nibble at the smaller floating plants (frogbit) but that it multiplies much faster than they consume it.

Whether it be an in-ground pond or tub, there are no worries about environmental impact with marisa snails either as they cannot survive our mildest winters even here on the BC coast (8C for a period of 5 hrs or more is lethal to them).

Needless to say fish will not be added until water temps remain above 70 overnight.

[Soggybottom]

Forethought AND follow-through, good job! I can't seem to make it past forethought. I was thinking for a while about how I need to pressure wash the balcony floor. Then a week or two later I realized I had no way of getting water out there for a pressure washer. So back to square one. Scrubbing on hands and knees I guess...seems like something that will require an extended period of planning and preparation :yes:

[Katalyst]

Forethought AND follow-through, good job! I can't seem to make it past forethought. I was thinking for a while about how I need to pressure wash the balcony floor. Then a week or two later I realized I had no way of getting water out there for a pressure washer. So back to square one. Scrubbing on hands and knees I guess...seems like something that will require an extended period of planning and preparation :yes:
How about a python or a hose connected to the sink?

[Katalyst]

I went out and picked up some water lettuce (large variety) and water hyacinthe today and added it along with one marisa. Here is how the pond looks at the moment:

http://www.canadianaquariumconnection.com/jb_images/pond-2008-05-18.jpg
That looks awesome Jay! I'd love to set one up myself one day...One day when I don't have mutant monster raccons from the planet Kryton living in my yard! Its still winter here Jay, send some shine shine this way please!

[CACAdmin]

Forethought AND follow-through, good job! I can't seem to make it past forethought.
Well it sounds good when you put it that way (howver, as this is year #3, it doesn't require too much figuring out... just the 'follow through'... and that's easy enough when the sun is shining and the other option is doing stuff like dishes and laundry. :laugh:

[CACAdmin]

That looks awesome Jay! I'd love to set one up myself one day...One day when I don't have mutant monster raccons from the planet Kryton living in my yard! Its still winter here Jay, send some shine shine this way please!
Winter? ... I thought it had finally warmed up there. As for the monster racoons, with a pond the size of mine, if one tried to go fishing in it, they'd probably find themselves sitting in an empty tub and the plants, fish and water would all be on the floor of the balcony (There's a reason I call it a nano-tub. :laugh: )

If you can't have a pond, I'll just keep posting pics of mine, and hopefully other members will do of theirs and you can enjoy them all vicariously.

[Katalyst]

Winter? ... I thought it had finally warmed up there. As for the monster racoons, with a pond the size of mine, if one tried to go fishing in it, they'd probably find themselves sitting in an empty tub and the plants, fish and water would all be on the floor of the balcony (There's a reason I call it a nano-tub. :laugh: )

If you can't have a pond, I'll just keep posting pics of mine, and hopefully other members will do of theirs and you can enjoy them all vicariously.

Thanks Jay, I will live vicariously! It warmed up here, for like a minute! :twitcy: Am back with the heat on and water bottles on my lap! :Holiday-1: Good thing I am headed back to Florida in 2 weeks! :yes:

[Soggybottom]

How about a python or a hose connected to the sink?

Hmm, good thinking. I don't have a python, but I have examined my faucets and I think it may be possible to hook a hose on there with an adapter of some kind. I will check RONA for parts, the guys there are really helpful (as I found out last time I almost flooded my apt :)

[Melody]

Well it sounds good when you put it that way (howver, as this is year #3, it doesn't require too much figuring out... just the 'follow through'... and that's easy enough when the sun is shining and the other option is doing stuff like dishes and laundry. :laugh:

It is NOT year three! There is no way the time has gone that fast and that's final. You should be ashamed of yourself, saying stuff that makes a girl feel like she's aging so fast when nothing could be further from the truth! :chatterbox:

[CACAdmin]

Well, only 2 years have passed. This is just the beginning of year 3 :DevilGrin: . I think it's high time you got a pond or tub going.:Whip:
As for aging... just keep in mind, I'll always be waaaaay older than you.:yes:

[Melody]

This is of little comfort when men age better than women... although that could be because they don't obsess over it like women. :rolleyes: I don't mind aging in itself, but it needn't happen so quickly either!

My neighbours are happy if I cut my lawn. If I plant flowers they're beside themselves. If I got a pond out there on top of all that, they'd bring a cake over thinking they had a new neighbour.:twitcy:

[CACAdmin]

Cake is good. :yes: Maybe they're even have a 'Welcome Neighbor' Bar-B-Q to kick off the summer.

As for aging, time does go by way too fast. I'd be happy to stop the process any time.:laugh:

As for my pond, I added another snail 2 days ago. Water temps overnight are only dropping to 64 and they seem to be quite content (roaming around dining on alage and food I toss in once a day). And guess what? I haven't managed to kill the plants yet. :twitcy:

[Melody]

My tanks can dip to 67 unheated, so 64 shouldn't be a prob. :NoWay:

[CACAdmin]

Pond temps are still only 68 but the marisas obviously don't seem to mind one bit. In fact they are obviously quite happy to be out there. How can I possibly tell, you ask? Well, this morning, while cleaning the filter sponge in the pond, I discovered a an egg clutch. So... more baby marisas on the way.::D:

[Melody]

It's funny how much trouble we can go through to get a snail to lay eggs, yet when we leave them to it they appear to fumble through without our assistance or manipulation :laugh: .

[CACAdmin]

Isn't it though. :rolleyes: I figured in the cooler temps they'd be less active. Maybe they just wanted to snuggle to stay warm.:wink:

[CACAdmin]

Well, as they appear to have gotten 'in the mood' once even in the pond, I figured I'd put the clutch up on the auction... now you just watch... they'll stop laying. :spinny: :twitcy:

[CACAdmin]

Well, summer has finally arrived on the coast... long overdue. We went from freezing to frying.:spinny: :twitcy: So now the pond temps have suddenly risen to 78F (my apartment air temp is 88F :wideeyed: ). So, I decided to add a few Limia Triden juvies to the pond and see how they do.

The plants decided overnight to start growing so I took a pic to show the sudden progress. (I'll soon have water lettuce to put in the tanks.::D:
http://www.canadianaquariumconnection.com/jb_images/pond-June-29-08.jpg

[Melody]

The plants are definitly growing - that's amazing! Are you using fert's?

[CACAdmin]

Actually, now that you mention it, yes, I did add some of the AquaPlant ferts I have been using irecently n my tanks as well. That was a week or two ago (not quite sure exactly when... life is a bit of a blur when you work shift work...lol. Or at least that's my excuse. :err: No comments from the peanut gallery either...I am not getting old :twitcy: ). I had all but given up on warm weather ever coming and the plants growing... I figured they needed a boost. Apparently it worked.::D:

[amber2461]

Wow, nice looking plants Jay ...

[CACAdmin]

Thanks, Marge! Good to see you.:smile: We've missed you around here lately. Hope you and all the fishies are doing well. BTW those Limia Tridens are offspring (several generations later) of the ones I got from you.. something like great-great grand-fry.:wink:

[amber2461]

I have been too busy with work, what else is new eh? I work weekends (shift work) and get weekdays off ... no rest for the wicked .. lol

Glad to know that they are doing well in your tank (no surprise actually).

Your snail is doing okay ... surprisingly ... hahahahaha

[CACAdmin]

Oh, I know all about shift work... I think maybe you'll just have to buy a winning lottery ticket so you can spend more time with both your fish and us... I know, when you work too much something has to give and of course your fish come before us. ::(:

[CACAdmin]

PS... Glad to hear the Brig is doing fine. Did you ever get any more nerites?

[James]

Nice looking plants,,hmmmm,,you don't need to prune those do you???

[Melody]

He can prune those right into my tanks! :yes:

[CACAdmin]

Pruning in this case just means gathering little plantlets from the surface and finding another pond or tank to live. My fry tank eagerly awaits the benits of the first pond 'pruning':wink:

[Melody]

Finding another tank OF MELODY'S for them to live in... try again Jay.

Speaking of which, Marge brought me a big bunch of Java Moss if you need some. Thanks Marge!

[CACAdmin]

I'm sure some will find their way to your house at some point...but not today:nah: ... just dropping off your auction purchases this time... my fry tank gets plantlets first. :laugh:

[Melody]

You are very selfish Jay :laugh: , a notion that is truly laughable, but I'm sulking so I can say it anyway....lol.

[CACAdmin]

Update on the pond. I had added a couple of young Limia Tridens to the pond at the beginning of the warmer weather and had thought they didn't survive it as I hadn't seen them, even when looking. Good thing I kept feeding a variety of food to the marisas as guess what I found today when I checked on the snail clutches in the pond? Yup :yes: , a pair of Limia Tridens. I should have known better than assume they didn't make it. They're great ones at hiding and I'm sure that the moment I moved the plants on the surface or stuck my hand in the pond, they dashed for cover behind the rocks.

Tough little fish they are what with sporadic feeding (as I don't necessarily feed daily in the pond) and pond temps that have dropped to 66F. (It's really cooled off at night lately). They've grown into quite healthy young adults. ::D: Amazing!

[Gramma]

I brought some of Jay's water lettuce home with me and put a few in each of the tanks. I just like the way the roots hang down. Thanks again Jay.

[CACAdmin]

You're welcome. It's great for soaking up excess nitrates and the roots provide excellent hiding places for fry.