Hi Everyone!
I am new here and I look forward to learning from all of you. I live in Fort Worth, TX and I am turning my backyard into a garden, except for a place where my papillons can do their business. My boyfriend and I are going to build a pond with a waterfall. My question is, is there any plant fish WONT eat? We are facing the fish or foliage delima. I know the pond has to be pretty deep here in TX to keep fish from burning up. Any help would be appreciated.
Hi! Newby here
Welcome to DG! Are you planning to have koi? Koi tend to really munch on plants. Goldfish might nibble, but seldom destroy plants. That being said, I know some people have been successful at keeping both koi and plants - perhaps they'll chime in with their methods. (I only have goldfish and orfes - they don't bother my plants)
As for suggestions on building your pond, here's my two cents:
1. consider a bottom drain - this is not for draining the pond, rather it is part of the filtration and drastically reduces the maintenance and greatly improves water clarity.
2. a biological filter - this helps pond achieve proper balance and provides a place for good bacteria to grow
3. a mechanical filter - ideally your bottom drain would be plumbed to this filter. It's purpose it to trap the solid waste that the bottom drain sucks up from the bottom of the pond. A skimmer can also be used as a mechanical filter, but plumbing a bottom drain to a skimmer is not the best solution as it will require regular cleaning. A separate barrel filter that can be drained periodically will require much less maintenance.
4. no rocks on the bottom - many might disagree here, so this is just my opinion. I've had both - rock bottom and then no rock bottom. The rockless bottom, by far, ROCKS ;o)
My first pond had none of these things and I had nothing but trouble and frustration with it. After 1 year I tore it up and started over. Now, well into my 2nd season, I can say that I would never exclude any of these 4 things if I ever had to start over again. It might sound like a lot to some, but I can assure you that it has been worth it to me. My pond requires very little maintenance and is a source of pure joy, no more frustration.
Having said all that, I KNOW there are plenty of ponders with a much simpler setup and they enjoy their ponds just as well. Sometimes what works for one, doesn't work for another. So I would just encourage you to do all kinds of reading and research. But most of all, have fun doing it!!
Welcome to the wonderful world of ponds Bluesmaven! You will find a lot of folks willing to help you here. I thouroughly agree with Songs regarding the need for filtration. I have never had a bottom drain but when I made my first little pond I had no filter and all I ended up with was a green hole in the ground. As far as plants go, the goldfish will not bother them. I only got Koi this year. They are probably in the 6 to 8 inch range right now and have not bothered my plants either. The fish do like to root in the pots, just put some lava rock or some smooth stone in the pots and stop about an inch from the top and that should keep them from stirring up the soil and clouding the water. I have heard that the ones they seem to like to nibble on are the water lettuce and water hyacinth with the dangling roots. There are various ways to protect their roots so you could have those as well. I would also give you the advice to build as big as you have room for. The thing I hear quite often is "I wish I had made it bigger" Whatever you choose to do I am sure it will turn out lovely and you will get much enjoyment from it.
Thanks so much to both of you! I will take your advice, I can't wait to get it done!!!!!!!
Consider planting 'fish tough' aquatic plants in tubs, with a topping of stone, set on pots above the pond floor. Koi spend most of the night just chobbling anything in deep water...
Where you have ravenous horde of large fish and a shortage of aquatic plants, you might consider a strategy of introducing 'koi proof' plants and growing tender plants in protected positions, perhaps rethink what you feed the koi.
When a koi's diet is ample with protein and veggies they will get along better with plantings.
Floating large tubs or nets where plants that koi easily destroy are protected will give them a chance to build up in numbers before offering them to the fish, as the plants bulk up the 'plant island' will overflow with plants... anacharis, water hyacinth, more vulnerable auquatic plants could build up numbers and make an attractive floating island feature
'Koi tough' plants such as thalia, aquatic iris, pickerel, cattail, cyperus, sweet flag, water mint, eleocharis, nuphar will provide chewy plant offerings that can cope with grazing, as they bulk up and knock the edge off the koi's appetites, more tender vulnerable plants can be introduced in protected positions to build up numbers
Too many hungry fish, insufficient fish/plant ratio and the juicier, tender roots will be munched fist
Outnumber the volume of fish with a good selection of aquatic plants and you get a very pleasant relationship between the two...
It is a koi's main pleasure in life after dark, to go sucking chewing and spitting everything on the bottom of a pond even if only for the bit of algae they can find on a pebble. Finding a worm, snail spawn or tasty bug is a task they will vacuum the entire pond for every night
Yups, you can have a very well planted pond and koi thriving, consider establishing the fish tough plants in numbers, first...
Regards, andy
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