African Cichlid Pond

[garyfla]

Hi
Curious as to how you intend to keep the pH up?? Ponds tend to go acid due to rain ,decaying vegetation.
"Rocky" setup will be VERY hard to maintain in a pond. What is the winter plan for the plants??
I'd suggest for that type of setup a stocktank in a sheltered location would be a better choice for the fish but not so good for the water plants lol you will have a lot more control over it for sure.
How long and cold are your winters?? I thought Africans were very tough on plants??
I've kept tropical plants and fish in ponds but I'm in south florida so a lot less problems
gary

 

[Goodcreature]

--what's your source of electricity going to be? You need it for pumps/filters at least. Chances are you are going to want some lights around it both for esthetic and safety reasons so nobody walks into it by accident in the dark. Solar lights are much cheaper than they used to be but still have to be replaced every couple of years. Similar style lights with permanent wiring are cheaper in the long run but still require power. Figure these into the design before you turn the first shovel of dirt.

--Plants grow. Put in whatever you like but keep in mind that after a couple of months, much less a couple of years, you will be spending more time pulling out excess than worrying about shortages. Surplus water plants make excellent compost after they are chopped up a bit.

--Predators. Raccoons, snakes and birds, primarily herons, will rip through your livestock in short order. Some thoughts to defenses might be in order.

--Leaves. These will endeavor to fill up the pond to the brim every fall. Scooping them out, without wreaking havoc on your "good" plants, is a challenge. One solution is to get one of those big nets they sell to drape over fruit trees to keep birds from eating the produce. Put it on before you think you need to.

--Unwanted chemicals. Anybody in the neighborhood use a lawn service, Terminix or similar? Those chemicals travel in the wind. Chances are you would be fine but if anybody really nearby gets sprayed on a regular basis you might want to keep a tarp handy to throw over the pond for the days this work is being done.

--Permanence. This is most likely going to be around for a LONG time, but the day may come when for one reason or another you don't want it any more. Then you are faced with having to find dirt to fill it in. Solution--one I wish I had used--is to use the dirt to build up a berm around the edge of the hole rather than hauling it off and leaving the water level with the ground. Since you are not going to have fish over winter the loss of insulation is not a factor. This will be unstable and prone to slides until grass or other plantings grow up on it, but it's a possibility to consider. After that it will look terrific. You can use rocks, wood or other materials to brace it and can also build one section of it higher than the rest and base your waterfall there.

--Harvest/intaking. How are you planning to capture the fish in the fall to bring them indoors? You will nearly have to take out all the plants, including the lilies which will be a challenge as their roots become large in a short time and also intertwine with each other. Even with that obstacle removed they are going to be tricky to catch. Do you have a potential market if they breed heavily? That could be a whole lotta fish goin' on there.

My Dad said that he's got a plan for the electrical, but I think I ought to check on it.

I realize that maintaining the plants, namely cutting them back, could become a chore later, but I'm willing to take it on.

We don't have racoons or herons, but we definitely have snakes, and the neighbors have cats that roam everywhere, particularly onto our property. I don't see the snakes becoming too much of a problem, but the cats concern me. I've been considering investing in a good slingshot though...:evil_lol:

We already thought about the leaves, and planned to have the pond closer to the house away from all the trees.

We have a pest control company come out every month or so to spray for bugs, but we can ask them to use granules instead. However, the neighbors (same ones with the cats) also get their property sprayed. They don't live right next to us, but their house is about 50-75 yards away. Do you think we'll be alright?

I suggested an above ground pond, but the folks wanted something bigger and more permanent. I think we'll definitely have a berm of sorts around the pond.

The harvesting is what concerns me most. I cringe at the thought of having to remove everything, particularly the lilies, so that I can get the fish out. I was planning on using a seine net to get all the fish, but to use it I'll have to get absolutely everything out of the pond first. Gah!

And, what do you guys think about the peacock vs. mbuna?

 

[Goodcreature]

Hi
Curious as to how you intend to keep the pH up?? Ponds tend to go acid due to rain ,decaying vegetation.

I thought about that. Since the water here is so hard and alkaline, with a pH upwards of 9.3 and a KH of over 300ppm, I think the buffering capacity of the water will last a while, not to mention that it will require refillings more often, since it gets so hot here in the summer.

"Rocky" setup will be VERY hard to maintain in a pond. What is the winter plan for the plants??

I won't have a ton of rocks in the pond if that's what you mean, and the plants will all be "hardy" plants so that they can survive the short cold spells we have here, since they only last from late October/early November to early February. Whenever it gets cold, it only goes down to about 40*F, although it occasionally makes it to the 30's.

 

[Steelviper]

I have a converted spa that i use as a fish pond. 700 gallons built in filtration and is heated. I have had Cichlids and koi in there before. The Cichlids do real well but you cannot see them very well when your looking from above. Just cannot see their colors. I currently keep Tropical fish in the pond.(Tetras, Rainbows,Silver Dollars, and many other Tropical fish and a few oddballs.

 

[SubRosa]

May I suggest an alternatine? Cover part of the bottom of the pond in large smooth river stones, preferably a part that normal water movement keeps clear of floaters. The algae that grows on them is the natural food of Mbuna and provides lots of hiding places. You might want to keep floaters to a minimum in order to maximize algae growth in the pond. A UV would be a good way to keep the water clear. This would also be the ultimate set up for other more difficult grazers such as Tropheus and Petrochromis.

 

[garyfla]

Hi
A method I used for a grow out pond(Swords platies I made the pond 4 feet square Then placed a 1/8 inch hardware cloth on the bottom. Plants were kept in pots and placed on this . By attaching handles to the 4 corners you could lift it straight up and capture about 90 percent of the fish. Also very useful for removing debris. gary

 

[Goodcreature]

May I suggest an alternatine? Cover part of the bottom of the pond in large smooth river stones, preferably a part that normal water movement keeps clear of floaters. The algae that grows on them is the natural food of Mbuna and provides lots of hiding places. You might want to keep floaters to a minimum in order to maximize algae growth in the pond. A UV would be a good way to keep the water clear. This would also be the ultimate set up for other more difficult grazers such as Tropheus and Petrochromis.

Man, that sounds great. The only problem is that I don't have the money to buy a filter with a UV stage, or even just a plain filter that I could modify, so I might run into trouble culturing the desired algae without also causing an algae bloom. I guess what I could do is move any floaters, like you said, to the other side of the pond, then really try to stock up on fast growing, nitrate sucking plants, while maintaining a reduced bioload. The algae I want is going to grow, although at a possibly reduced rate, as long as it has plenty of sun, so all I really need to do is adjust my plant placement. Guys, I think you've just about sold me on the Mbuna, plus my parents want them.

A method I used for a grow out pond(Swords platies I made the pond 4 feet square Then placed a 1/8 inch hardware cloth on the bottom. Plants were kept in pots and placed on this . By attaching handles to the 4 corners you could lift it straight up and capture about 90 percent of the fish. Also very useful for removing debris.

I guess that's much easier in a square pond. The one we're planning is a cross between a kidney bean and a crescent moon.:irked: I'll play around with it and see what I can do.

 

[garyfla]

Hi
Always thought the major drawback to ponds is the limited viewing.. I got a frame less glass door give to me so used it to make a 2x7 foot window in my above ground pool.. Seemed like a really good idea but in practice had a lot of serious drawbacks lol. First it grew algae like a champ second it allowed great views of the plant roots not the fish third it had a minor leak that could never be stopped. Last it had to be covered while mowing the lawn for fear of breakage. Had I done this while building the pond I tink some of the problems could have been reduced if not eliminated When I redid the pond I removed it and used it for a door to the green house / aviary. Has worked well there EXCEPT birds don't quite understand "Glass!! lost a few finches who flew into it and broke their necks .. I put decals on it which stopped that but of course blocks the view . gary

 

[SubRosa]

You can always situate buckets or trays full of used tank water in sunny places or simply add a bit of fertilizer to tap water. By rotating stones back and forth between the set up and the pond you can supply more algae if needed. You'll need to prevent or deal with mosquitos with a set up like this.

 

[Goodcreature]

You can always situate buckets or trays full of used tank water in sunny places or simply add a bit of fertilizer to tap water. By rotating stones back and forth between the set up and the pond you can supply more algae if needed.

Sounds like that would work. I'd have to limit the number of stones I would actually switch out, but I guess I wouldn't even need to have too many, since the stocking would be pretty light.

Could you give me some species that would work well in a pond like this? They can't be too pricey, since I still have to stock this thing.