Would this be okay for summer?

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DAVIDFBT

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Feb 3, 2008
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I have a new round plastic pond that I filled up yesterday and it is about 65 inches in diameter and is 18 inches deep. (205 gallons) Usually the highs are 100F for July and 90F for August and June. I have a lot of lilies on hand to provide extra shade and I also have alot of other plants like hornwort that I'll get from a natural pond about a mile away, and also some Petsmart pond plants too. There will be 2 comet goldfish, 2 shubunkins, and 10 minnows evetually in this pond. Plus the frog eggs (Now tadpoles) will be in it.

Would the pond overheat in the summer?

And also in the winter, we get ice up to 3 inches thick if we leace it alone, but I'll be breaking holes in it every morning so the fish wont die.
 

DAVIDFBT

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Feb 3, 2008
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Above, and there is a fence nearby it so I would say it gets about 6 hours of direct sunlight in the summer. About 5 now
 

Reddog80p

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Seems a little shallow, may overheat even with tons of shade.
 

Dangerdoll

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right, I agree... see, if it was in the dirt, at least there would be some cooling from the sides... but above ground... I just dont think the pool is thick enough to be able to keep the water at a nice cool temp
 

eroomlorac

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Mar 18, 2008
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For several years I used a green, undecorated, large children's pool as a pond outside for goldfish. It was above ground and very shaded by a pine tree on one sida and my garage on the other. The fish did perfectly fine in there for about 4 years (until a raccoon ate them). In the winter I put in a floating stock tank de-icer. I had that pond going for several years. I also had a pond filter running in it.
 

DAVIDFBT

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Feb 3, 2008
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I forgot to mention that I will be putting dirt on all sides so it looks like its a mound of earth with a pond in the middle. The owner of the house said we can't build an inground pond because she thinks it will lower the house's overall price.
 

Notophthalmus

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Mar 4, 2008
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I was going to suggest doing that, actually. Also, you can provide more shade, and better control water temps, with floating-leaved plants, trellised vines, etc. I've seen plenty of common goldfish survive in similar situations here in Tennessee, where our summers are hotter and longer than yours. If you're going to build the feature, do it soon so the fish can go in in the spring rather than the summer. This should let them acclimate properly.

As for winter- consider investing in a floating de-icer. Breaking the ice can be stressful to the fish.

A well-maintained water feature usually boosts a house's value, but obviously the landlady has final say.
 

DAVIDFBT

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Feb 3, 2008
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I'm planning on putting the fish in when all the chlorine evaporates and when I add the plants and substrate. (Washed playsand) So this weekend I'll first put the 2 Goldfish from my signature in the pond and then the minnows a week later, then the shubunkins. the pond should cycle pretty soon because my old pond had gravel at the bottom so I put in about 3 shovelfuls of gravel to the pond.

I'll keep a 200 watt visitherm heater floating on the surface set at the lowest temperature so I'll have a hole in the ice for the fish to get oxygen.
 
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