I'm UBER excited about the new koi pond that I'll be putting up for display in my front yard, and I'm looking to give it a little extra oomph! I'm including a picture of it, does anyone have some flower recommendations that would look poppin in it? Thanks! :)
Koi grow to be over 2' long, and they grow FAST.
That kiddie wading pool will not work.
a) too small. Adult Koi need 1000 gallons per fish. Growing babies need 50 gallons per fish minimum.
b) above grade it will over heat in the summer, freeze in the winter.
c) Koi eat plants, dig in the substrate and generally make a mess of their tank.
d) A pond the proper size is classed as a pool in some jurisdictions, requiring a minimum fence height, secure gates and similar restrictions.
Here is what I would do:
1) Rent a tractor and dig a real pond, including minimum depth 3', and minimum volume 1000 gallons. In the back yard.
2) Use pond liner.
3) Install a good filter system.
4) Make shelves and islands that the fish cannot get to. Plants will grow on these, perhaps in pots, or direct planted.
5) Keep Goldfish
Or
1) Dig a small hole in the front yard, or use a more sturdy material like a stock watering tank. Dig it in for the insulation, keeping it cool in the summer. 100 gallons is OK. High quality filter.
2) Stock it with 3 Goldfish, and plants you can over winter indoors. Either dormant plants (OK in the garage) or plants that can live like a house plant.
3) Set up a 75 gallon minimum aquarium in the house for the winter home of the goldfish. Select one that is low and long rather than tall. Something like a standard 75 gallon is good. 4' long. You could get by with about a 40 gallon breeder style the first year, 3 golds grow fast, but for their fist winter that is OK.
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Aquatic plant are divided into several groups according to where they grow.
Research each one, see what grows in your area and if you have to dig it out to overwinter in a protected location. (Keep these in pots in the pond). Be aware that many states have regulations about invasive plants, and water plants are high on the lists where they can grow and become a menace to lakes and streams.
Go to your local pond store or nursery with a pond section and ask.
Fully submerged: Forget it. Even Goldfish eat plants.
Floating plants. Roots hang down into the water, leaves on the surface or a short distance above.
Water Hyacinth (pretty, long flowering, but banned in many areas)
Water Lettuce (no flowers but nice leaves)
Floating Hearts
Root in the soil (or pot), leaves float: Water lilies are an example. If the pot is in a protected place so the fish cannot dig it up water lilies are good. They cover the surface, shading the water thus minimize algae. There are tropical (bring them indoors to overwinter) and temperate lilies. The temperate zone plants can stay in the pond over the winter, or you can take them out, divide them and put them back.
Roots in the soil, stems strong enough that the leaves are above the water.
There is a red Lobelia that was fine in my pond until it fell over. The golds started eating the leaves and decided they could eat the stem, too.
Water Primrose
Parrot Feather (no flowers, but fern-like graceful leaves. Overwinter it indoors)
Arrowhead (several species)
Pickerel Weed
Lizard Tail (flowers interesting rather than pretty)
Pennywort (insignificant flowers, nice leaves)
Papyrus (dwarf, medium and tall species)
Lotus
Plants that grow on the margins, in less than 6" of water. Many of these have flowers, and can be grown in protected areas the fish cannot get to.
Bacopa (several species- not Sutura, real Bacopa)
Lysmachia nummularia
Acorus- several species and varieties from dwarf to tall. Taller ones are OK in deeper water.
Many Sedges
Marsh Marigold
Many others.
Plants that grow in damp soil, not in the pond.
Japanese Iris
Calla Lily
Canna Lily
Many sedges (Flowers are rather subtle on these, grown for grassy looks)
Many others.
Plants to avoid: Invasive and hard to remove:
Water Mint
A variegated grass-like plant.
Chameleon Plant
Cattail (there is a dwarf that is not too bad)
Horsetails (even the dwarf can be invasive, but it can look like a lawn if there is enough shallow area of the pond)
Giant reed
Ribbon Grass
http://www.dragonflyaquatics.com/lotus.html
Very good information Diana.
There is a pond and water garden forum on here on DG. There is a lot of good information there as well and everyone is very friendly.
Id go to the local book store and sit with a coffee reading about ponds for stocking fish, it is not just a case of filling a kids paddle pool and then adding fish of any type, the pond need to accommodate not only the fish, it needs gravel or other type of bottoming, any plant you add to the pond will put down roots just like our border plants and these will soon puncture the bottom of the plastic pond, also the dog with want to jump into the pond for sure till it gets used to it and all dogs claws will damage the plastic pond.
Diana has covered everything you need to check out BEFORE you stock a pond with anything living, fish, pond cleaning snails or even living plants, you need to allow plants to settle long before fish and as Diana has said, you need to get a pond or water garden site with info on the size you require for the amount of fish as each one needs a special size for a healthy life, It's very important you know all this before the fish suffer due to mistakes made at the start.
Love a good planned pond and hope you get it all done properly as it will give you very many years of enjoyment.
Best Regards.
WeeNel.
... and I have said nothing about cycling the system, either.
Fish in water is not a complete system.
There need to be a lot of beneficial microorganisms that deal with the wastes and make them less toxic.
At this point I would get a bottle of nitrifying bacteria. Make sure it has Nitrospira species of bacteria. Do not waste your money on other products.
Add this to the current home of the fish. These are the bacteria that remove the ammonia that fish produce via their gills. The bacteria will grow on the filter media, stones, sides of the pool and other surfaces.
These bacteria are found in:
Dr. Tim's One and Only
Tetra Safe Start
Microbe Lift's Nite Out II
and probably other products. But if the bottle does not include Nitrospira species it is not the right stuff.
The water would need to be circulated via some type of pump. In warm weather, as the water warms up - the oxygen in the water is depleted. Cooler water holds more oxygen.
I would circulate the entire volume of the pond at least once per hour. You can get by with less, but more is definitely better.
Please go speak to someone who has a pond for keeping fish, it would be very crewel to put fish into an un-suitable container with water, no shade, no pump to circulate the oxegen, no area for the fish to hide away when resting, no plant-life they need and no bottoming material the require to help stimulate there feeding and it helps gather any waste material they produce constantly.
Keeping fish is not a cheap hobby, it's also time consuming till you get the balance right, it's a worry, its very costly so you need to make sure you have the knowledge, the ability the time and the space and money to care for live fish who after all, are happy staying put, it's you who wishes to uproot them so make sure it's done properly to give you enjoyment and the fish a HAPPY home suitable for their needs.
Best of luck and kindest Regards.
WeeNel.
Downie - Nel has some valid points. I would read as much on the subject as you can get your hands on to start and then go from there. If you want it badly enough, you can put in a very enjoyable pond, have it accent your landscaping and be a healthy environment for your fish too.
