Any Advice For A Pond Rookie On A Budget?

I've always wanted to do a garden pond. This year will be a trial run. Thought I would figure out if location is right, and try not to waste too much money on the trial run. I have it mostly dug and here are the few details.

-Using a pond liner, approximate size is 5ft x 6 1/2ft. Deepest part about 3ft. Most of it closer to 2ft. Calculator says I am about 400 gallons give or take but I could still modify that.

-On the south side of house but partially under the eave and a sun porch protects it from sun after 2PM. Overall shaded most of the day. It will get intense sunlight perhaps 3 or 4 hours per day during mid-summer.

-My intent is to grow some plants for indoor use in the aquariums. Probably throw 100 guppy and swordtail fry in it to grow out for 10-12weeks. That would be about zero bio-load on 400G so I might get a few goldfish but they will be small. I live in Iowa and would probably have to go deeper to overwinter goldfish. So I will keep it reasonable. Just a few fancy goldies that will still be small this summer. They can live indoors next winter.

I am undecided on pumps and filtration.. I need to keep the price reasonable as the indoor tanks consume my hobby money.

Any new pond owner tips welcomed.

 

Swordtails and Platties need heated tanks. I would recommend the Fancies or Orandas. You could keep 25 Fancies, Orandas, or Fantails. You could also keep a mix of the three. I like the waterfall pond filters. Tetra also sells submersible box pond filters that work for up to 500 gallons for $32.99 USD at Petsmart. They are also nice filters. I'm wanting to start up a large Koi pond soon.

 

Swordtails and Platties need heated tanks. I would recommend the Fancies or Orandas. You could keep 25 Fancies, Orandas, or Fantails. You could also keep a mix of the three. I like the waterfall pond filters. Tetra also sells submersible box pond filters that work for up to 500 gallons for $32.99 USD at Petsmart. They are also nice filters. I'm wanting to start up a large Koi pond soon.

Thank you Katie, the filter sounds like a very good deal. I may have to see what water temps run before I decide. I am hopeful I can keep tropicals for 8 weeks but we'll see. I do like Koi but have nowhere to house fish that large in winter. We had a good rain this evening and it holds water. It's half full but unfortunately the pond liner isn't in yet lol. I'll have to get the sump pump out before I can continue work on it. Glad I finished digging it already.

 

I'm hopeful my husband will get one of his friends to dig out a koi pond that's fairly deep. I may just end up getting an above ground pool and modify it for use as a koi pond. I'd like to have a pond dug out by Summer, but I'm beginning to doubt that'll happen. At least he has no objections as to the multiple aquariums.

 

I'm hopeful my husband will get one of his friends to dig out a koi pond that's fairly deep. I may just end up getting an above ground pool and modify it for use as a koi pond. I'd like to have a pond dug out by Summer, but I'm beginning to doubt that'll happen. At least he has no objections as to the multiple aquariums.

My wife has no idea I dug a pond over the weekend. Told her I was doing some yardwork. It's in the yard and digging it was in fact work right? I'll let her pick out a fountain or something.

Yes, find somebody with a tractor. Pretty sure I am under 500G and it was hard work.

 

Luckily, my husband has a couple friends that work with landscape so they have the machinery needed. I've always wanted koi. When I was a kid, I was working on talking my parents into digging me a koi pond when there was a horrific incident at the pond across from my house. Needless to say, the pond didn't work out. Now, my husband has told me he'll get his friends to dig me one up, but I'm still not sure if that'll happen. I may very well end up taking matters into my own hands.

 

Luckily, my husband has a couple friends that work with landscape so they have the machinery needed. I've always wanted koi. When I was a kid, I was working on talking my parents into digging me a koi pond when there was a horrific incident at the pond across from my house. Needless to say, the pond didn't work out. Now, my husband has told me he'll get his friends to dig me one up, but I'm still not sure if that'll happen. I may very well end up taking matters into my own hands.

In ground would be better for coldwater species, or any species for that matter. You will see large water temp swings unless it is in the shade.

 

My house is surrounded by trees on three sides so it'd be in the shade no matter where I put it just about.

 

That should work out if it's large enough, other than normal leaf litter. I made sure mine was mostly shaded. You could go broke fighting algae otherwise.

 

I'd prefer the pond be in-ground, but I have bird dogs that will eat anything they can get a hold of not to mention they love going for a swim.

 

Hi, I have a patio pond and have the tetra submersible box filter and 550gph pump and fountain which sounds powerful but is not by the time you run the fountain. I'll find a few links when I have a minute.

I am in Wisconsin and this was my first winter with my 5 goldfish who I left out doors with a floating pond de-icer. They all lived . I am very happy to say. The lowest I ever saw it get near the top of the water (I have a thermometer that transmits the temperature to inside) was about 33 degrees so I know it was warmer at the bottom. Goldfish just go into hibernation mode and you quit feeding them at temperatures under 50 degree. My pond is only about 22" deep and they were just fine but I think the pond de-iced was key.

I have a UV filter also that keeps away green water and algae.

Here is the filter and pump:


Here is the de-icer


And the submersible UV filter:

 

Just a tip (something I didn't really look into before doing my pond), make sure you figure out the electrical work that you will need to get power to the pump. You might need to pay for an electrician to come run wires through a conduit underground (or just use a buried cable). It all depends on your by-laws, so check those before you start. It might run the cost up

 

Just a tip (something I didn't really look into before doing my pond), make sure you figure out the electrical work that you will need to get power to the pump. You might need to pay for an electrician to come run wires through a conduit underground (or just use a buried cable). It all depends on your by-laws, so check those before you start. It might run the cost up

Thanks. It is just a few feet from a garage with power. I'll put an outlet on the outside wall.

Hole is dug now. Elevation is not quite correct based on last heavy rain so I have more work to do. I am going to go slow and get it right before I throw a liner in. I'll use a few 100G containers for minI ponds to entertain myself in the meantime. I do hope to use the large pond a few months this summer though.