Spring cleaning and set up ... advice?
Hi,
I'm new to this forum but have had my pond for 5 years ... this will be my 6th. After reading some of the posts I am replanning my filtration and I also just bought a large out-of-pond filtration system for cheap on ebay. I am planning to use one of those prefabricated 3-tier water falls to pass water back into the pond after it goes through the out-of-pond filter system. I bought Lava rock as someone on the forum had suggested for the top tier and will be buying some water type plants for the 2nd tier ... supposedly this will help filtration of the water. Then I guess the 3rd tier will have rocks in it as I usually have.
Here's what I have ...
125 gal prefab hard plastic pond ... butterfly shape ... 4 shelfs, one on each rounded corner ... depth is about 21/2 feet - 23/4 feet ... closer to 3 feet when overflowingly full. Right now have a 100 gal filter/fountain/pump unit (from last year) but am getting a 400 gal out-of-pond biofilter system in the next 2 weeks. I have a prefab 3 tier waterfall unit which I plan to incorporate into my filtration plans. I first had the pond set in the ground the first 2 years but when I had a baby and he got old enough to be going outside I was afraid that he would fall in so I pulled the pond up and it's now only 1/2 set in the ground ... just the deepest part is in the ground, the rest is hidden by decor and flowers and stuff.
Before I get to into the cleaning and setup this season, I was wondering a couple things if anyone can help ...
1) what kind of plants would you suggest for this 2nd tier in the waterfall to help filter water ? ... they will be in full sun
2) I was thinking of putting sand into the bottom of the pond ... would this be a good idea or not?
3) what kind of cleaner crew could I put in the pond to help control algea growth? (snails, fish, tadpoles)
4) what kind of fish and how many do you suggest for this type of pond? I've had goldfish, comets, koi, that kind of stuff ... I really like them but koi get expensive. How many fish would you suggest in this large a pond.
5) any other suggestions for ponding??? I'm always open for things to do with it.
Thanks. I hope to get the pond up and running by the end of April and get some fish in there shortly after, sometime in May. It's just starting to warm up here in Michigan and I'm so looking forward to getting outside again!
Hi,
I'm new to this forum but have had my pond for 5 years ... this will be my 6th. After reading some of the posts I am replanning my filtration and I also just bought a large out-of-pond filtration system for cheap on ebay. I am planning to use one of those prefabricated 3-tier water falls to pass water back into the pond after it goes through the out-of-pond filter system. I bought Lava rock as someone on the forum had suggested for the top tier and will be buying some water type plants for the 2nd tier ... supposedly this will help filtration of the water. Then I guess the 3rd tier will have rocks in it as I usually have.
Here's what I have ...
125 gal prefab hard plastic pond ... butterfly shape ... 4 shelfs, one on each rounded corner ... depth is about 21/2 feet - 23/4 feet ... closer to 3 feet when overflowingly full. Right now have a 100 gal filter/fountain/pump unit (from last year) but am getting a 400 gal out-of-pond biofilter system in the next 2 weeks. I have a prefab 3 tier waterfall unit which I plan to incorporate into my filtration plans. I first had the pond set in the ground the first 2 years but when I had a baby and he got old enough to be going outside I was afraid that he would fall in so I pulled the pond up and it's now only 1/2 set in the ground ... just the deepest part is in the ground, the rest is hidden by decor and flowers and stuff.
Before I get to into the cleaning and setup this season, I was wondering a couple things if anyone can help ...
1) what kind of plants would you suggest for this 2nd tier in the waterfall to help filter water ? ... they will be in full sun
2) I was thinking of putting sand into the bottom of the pond ... would this be a good idea or not?
3) what kind of cleaner crew could I put in the pond to help control algea growth? (snails, fish, tadpoles)
4) what kind of fish and how many do you suggest for this type of pond? I've had goldfish, comets, koi, that kind of stuff ... I really like them but koi get expensive. How many fish would you suggest in this large a pond.
5) any other suggestions for ponding??? I'm always open for things to do with it.
Thanks. I hope to get the pond up and running by the end of April and get some fish in there shortly after, sometime in May. It's just starting to warm up here in Michigan and I'm so looking forward to getting outside again!
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That stinks...