Posted: 5/29/2008 11:19:58 PM EDT
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I just put in a 150 gallon containerized pond for the wife. I have two Lilly plants and a solar fountain. My question is how do I control algae? I bought a pond block but it says on the packaging "not recommended for use with live plants". Is there any way to control algae without killing my plants? A side question, do any of you have fish? Are they more trouble than they are worth? My pond is approx 18 inches deep will birds and other animals be able to get at them? Thanks! |
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fish arent too much trouble. i have 2 that are at least 5 years old. i feed them every day, or every other day. i also bring them in during the winter. after the lilies grow out a little, there should be more than enough cover for fish. sorry i cant help you with the algae, i have the same problem. i thought the fish would help. i was wrong. |
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I don't know what to tell you about the algae. An outdoor pond is just one big balancing act. I have a pond about the same size as yours, maybe a bit deeper. Once you get some plants established, things should start to clear up. My pond is getting a bit hard to see down to the bottom, but once the plants get going it should clear up. As for fish, they are pretty easy to deal with. I know a few folks who don't feed their fish, but I like doing it cause you get to keep stock of your lil guys. Yes, some animals will get to your fish. I can't say for certain what is eating mine, but it's pretty rare. I've lost one a year, maybe. One thing I've noticed it that the really "fancy" gold fish don't last long, as they were the first ones to go. Most of them, due to their tails and odd size, just moved really slow. I would suggest getting a a few very small Koi and adding a bunch of regular gold fish. They don't have to all be plain-jane gold fish, either. I had a few all white ones and some with cool colors on them. I normally tell folks to shy away from getting a bunch of Koi for a small pond. First they are expensive, unless you get them really small. Last is that they have a tendency to kill themselves, both of mine jumped out of the pond. The last one was pretty big, too. This winter all of my fish died. The small pond heater I had broke at some point during the winter and the whole pond froze over, killing my fish. I had most of them for at least 5 years. I never brought them in during the winter. |
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Go back to the store where you bought the pond liner and pick up a container of Algae-B-Gone. Follow directions. As to critters getting your fish; the same store may have something called a thrasher alarm. It goes off when the fish become agitated and began thrashing abut. It's designed to scare off the varmints. As I recall, cost is about twenty-four dolars. |
| You need to get a uv light for your pond. It works but get one the correct size. It sterlizes the alge. I did not know that at the time. I have a big pond and paid $300 plus. It ran a day, nothing maybe worse. Same thing day two. Finally i got up early on day four... Crystal clear. It takes a bit to work. As far as critters i can`t help much except a dog, But for Egrets and large birds the Trick is very close to the edge hang small rope 1/4 or so around the edge(all the way around). The birds like to fly up and ambush the fish. Seeing the rope they won`t have a place to land. FEED YOUR FISH as they will grow faster and soon you can hand feed them. They will really become pets. We call our Aquatic hogs. You will NOT have to be told when it is to cool to feed them. They simply will not eat. When it is warm and they hear me comming they are all on the top sucking air. Cool days they ignore me at feeding time. Water lillies are nice as offer good shade for your fish as hot water stresses the fish. The longer your pond runs the more it will be self succifent requiring less of you time. There are no bragging rights saying I paid $300 for that Koi. The best i have found is saying i raised that one from a pup (about 20-25 dollars). Think of your pond as a big aquarium. If i can be of help e-mail me killemgrillem@hotmail |
Sorry to tell you... you bought yourself a nightmare. If you put in fish...YOU WILL have algae.. period. There are a number of different filtering methods around to physically filter the stuff from the water, as well as biological methods to control the nitrates. The BIGGER the "pond" is the easier it is to have it reach an equilibrium and to keep it clean. Fish shit will feed the algae with the quickeness, water changes and a shopvac are your friend. this is the upflow biological filter hidden behind the "waterfall" on the one I built at my house.  this is the falls from the front  These are some of the fish, I have a few koi also.   I built and formed this one from concrete, just like a swimming pool. it is 4 feet deep at the deepest point, with a ledge at 18 inches all the way around. The bottom has a layer of sand about a foot thick and is planted with lillies and papyrus. It holds roughly 3000 gallons and the filter is made from a 50 gallon plastic drum. Animals will stay out if the sides are at least 18 inches and STRAIGHT down, coons will not go in water that they can not touch the bottom of to wash and feed. it keeps your fish safe, birds.. well thats another story.. they will come in.. the trick is to have enough plant cover to provide shade and cover for your fish. |