GardenBanter.co.uk - View Single Post

24-04-2006, 12:43 PM posted to rec.gardens

On 23 Apr 2006 19:03:35 -0700, wrote:

Idea: I want to build a little (250-300 gallon) pond in the backyard of
my suburban north-Florida home.

Question 1: Will this little pond be a serious haven for mosquitoes and
every other nasty, winged insect (including fire ants that love black
plastic like my planned pond liner spread over the ground)?

No. When stocked with ruby-red minnows and/or goldfish, the mosquito
larvae will be eaten. Surprisingly, properly stocked ponds reduce
mosquito populations. Also, mosquitoes will not lay eggs in moving
water.

Location: My backyard is fully fenced-in (5-foot high wood fence) and
is located in the middle of a residential area. The site I selected is
about 30-35 feet away from my patio area, and one end will be located
at the top of a hill the other end will be about 5"-6" lower. I
figured I can just berm up the lower end. Then drape the end of the
plastic pond liner over the top of the berm to hold the berm in place.
(The soil in my yard, like most of Florida, is very sandy.) There'll
be a small (8-foot high) Dogwood tree located on the south side and a
section of my backyard's fence will be located west side of the pond
and will shade the later evening sun. In all, the pond will probably
get about 6 hours of direct sun and a couple hours of semi-shaded.

Questions 2 & 3: Is this location okay? Or will it get too much sun...
and end up being green, algae-filled swamp in a matter of weeks?

Your location is fine. Many aquatic plants require some sun to grow
well. You may have algae bloom issue--but there are remedies such as
using barley hay or algae-eating fish.

To add interest to my little pond, and to keep the bug population in
check, I figured I'd add some inhabitants. I figured the best thing
to add would be some local tadpoles, minnows (little bluegills/panfish
or whatever they're called in this part of the country) a couple
adult frogs, and maybe a turtle or two.

You probably want to forget about turtles.

Questions 4 , 5 & 6: Best to stay with local creatures, right? What do
you think about adding some African Cichlids (in place of the local
fish), from a tropical fish store? Cichlids are tough little fish,
surely they could survive in my pond, right?

Probably not. The ruby reds are excellent. Paradise fish can
withstand temperature changes. With a 300 gallon pond, resist the
temptation of adding too many fish--ten should be plenty.

I also want a little water fall on one end of the pond.

Questions 7, 8 & 9: How gallon-per-hour pump should I use? How many
hours a day should the pump run? Should my pond have some sort of
filtration system?

The more fish you add, the more filtration required. A 500-gallon per
hour is about right. You will need to maintain a filter and clean the
pump on a regular basis. Run it continuously.

Question 10 & a bonus: Are ponds worthwhile or are they more bother
than they're worth?

Keep it simple and as balanced as possible, and they are easy to
maintain. I have a 7,000-gallon pond for over 12 years and love it.
Fortunately, it is spring-fed and drains to a creek--no pump required!

Please give me your thoughts, ideas and experiences.

Patrick