Pond questions (with pictures)

[Steve]

I'm a bit stuck for ideas with our pond. Over winter we have lost about 4 fish. We used to have 14 goldfish a long time ago, now theres only 2 (and we have a sterlet which we never see - we were told this would clear our blanketweed etc). Some of the fish were getting quite big too! A couple we had for years, they were kept in an aquarium in the house, maybe 10 years old! (though i know this is pushing life expectancy, its odd that the majority died)

What do we do with the remaining 2 fish? If the sterlet died, would it float to the surface?

The "vegetation" is a type of grass, which goes absolutely wild in summer. We have to cut it back or its weight tips the pots over into the water.

I'm wondering if it would be best to empty the pond, clean or replace the liner and start again, to rid the pond of any infections or diseases? Though I know this would spoil the micro-ecosystem, and the frogs are due any time.

Also, I'm looking to get some more powerful filtration. Any recommendations? The current filter is an all-in-one UV and sponge and biological unit but it doesn't seem to be working very well. I have tried cleaning the quartz tube etc. I think its just undersized. At the moment its switched off.

Whatever we do, I want to get some fine mesh to put over the pond, to stop birds (and maybe the frogs? we do get a bit overrun with them sometimes) - I found one fish laying on its side on the path, dead. Though it could have jumped out, I find this highly unlikely.

The filter is in the box (didnt open it 'cos its full of spiders - dirty great big huge spiders with long legs and huge bodies):


From above: You can see the location of the pump. The pond goes under the deck about a foot.


One of the remaining fish: (there was a straw bale on the end of that string, dont know if its still here)


Any advice and tips welcome!

 

[breezer]

I suggest you use

to get the spiders.

When did you last change

a) The actual uv tube

b) the sponge filters

If the weed takes over it may be time to take it all out, (plants are not my thing) but i would suggest a water lily (but move the pump if you do)

You should not have a weed that is "rampant in a small pond, since it will take over, as yours seems to.

it may also be a good idea to clean the pond now, but dont use any chemicals.

 

[Steve]

UV tube - last year sometime. It still glows at the ends.

Sponge - never. Though i do rinse it every so often, because it gets so gunked up in the summer its unreal. The gunk provides good manuere for the grass

the blanket weed does take over. Tried lilys. died. not much luck there. maybe they were too deep.

What i'll do is split the grass (it provides shade) so theres only half as much, and put some lilys in shallow pots along the shelf at the back. 5h1t scared of frogs though

I took the strainer off the pump long ago - its enclosed in 2 pond plantpots now, tiewrapped together. It works. It was getting blocked every other day!

 

[Thermo]

change the uv bulb (should put a new one in every year) and the sponges as breezer says. how long since you cleaned the pond out?
a mixture of plants will be better than the mass you have at one end, and a bit of routine maintenance and clearing every now and then, especially if one plant start to dominate!

 

[breezer]

also lilies should not be on the shelf, they need to be 12-24 inches down.

 

[Steve]

OK, so the way forward is to get a holding tank for the fish, drain the pond, clear the debris from the bottom and shelves, new filter and pipes, maybe new pump, get the grass out and put back a smaller amount, get some hardy lilys (the ones we had before struggled to reach the surface - from 24-30 inches deep).

Refill the pond, allow to settle for a week or so, and put back the fish.

Here's my worry. Putting the 3 old fish back in. What if they are carrying infections etc? We shouldn't have any trouble with the Sterlet and the goldfish should we? I mean, they should get on ok? The guy at the fish shop said so. www.viscum.co.uk (cant recommend this place enough)

Cheers for the advice, keep it coming.

 

[Thermo]

when i do pond cleaning i always use the tetra chlorine killer as i fill the pond. i also always add the tetra medi fin which helps to protect the fish.

 

[breezer]

I dont think you need a new pump.

just a good clean

this help?

 

[Thermo]

pump should b fine, may hve a filter on it that could do with a clean. Dont overstock the pond either

 

[AndyBill]

probably a heron took the fish

 

[MGFDude]

Whatever we do, I want to get some fine mesh to put over the pond, to stop birds (and maybe the frogs? we do get a bit overrun with them sometimes) -

If you don't like frogs this may not be a brilliant idea !
When I moved to this house and inherited my pond it had a net over the top - I was horrified one morning at how many frogs had got themselves tangled in the net
Took me ages to cut them all free
They will seemingly stop at nothing to return to the pond they were 'born' in ...

Snag with not having a net is the herons - I have lost probably 50 fish over the last 10 years to them Grrrr - some very nice ones too

As for filtration - I just added another filter with UV and another pump to mine to increase the amount of filtration - all sourced very cheaply (out of season) from everyones favourite auction site

Good luck

 

[crazycanuck]

your filter is probably ok grasses have got to go. plant some type water lilies with broad leaves they clean water ,supply oxygen to water and shade fish from direct sun

 

[animal1]

hiya crafty, just picking up on what you said about viscum, be very careful of that place. I keep koi and the guy that owns it (1 of 2 brothers) will tell you anything to get a sale, has tried giving me advice in the past, all of which was aimed at him getting his bulk products sold (laguna range is flavour of month at minute). Try http://forum.koimag.co.uk/default.asp this website for advice, the people within the forum are extremely helpful and will give you tips on keeping your goldfish/sterlet without losses.

The sterlet do eat algae etc but will not be enough to make a noticeable difference, any good koi place will tell ya..... the sterlets are ok with goldfish, the problem comes if you have to treat the goldfish for any ailments, this can cause problems for the sterlet.

What type of filter do you have? is it layers of foam and then some plastic piping underneath?


Regards, Tim