I put in a small pond this winter and want to get a few plants for it. Who
in town (or online) has good selection/quality/prices?

Also, any plant suggestions? It gets pretty good sun, but some midday
shade. It's half moon shaped, 7' long, 3' wide, 3' deep in the center, with
1' ledges on the tips. I also have a hypertufa veggie filter (sans veggies
at the moment) 1.5'x2.5'x1.5' deep that spills over into the pond.

What's an appropriate fish stocking rate for this size pond and should I
wait until later in the year to add fish?

You may want to post to rec.ponds. Also, there is a very good source for
aquatic plants on 183, called "Hill Country Water Gardens."



On Sat, 15 Feb 2003 18:29:03 GMT, "groober" wrote:

I put in a small pond this winter and want to get a few plants for it. Who
in town (or online) has good selection/quality/prices?

Also, any plant suggestions? It gets pretty good sun, but some midday
shade. It's half moon shaped, 7' long, 3' wide, 3' deep in the center, with
1' ledges on the tips. I also have a hypertufa veggie filter (sans veggies
at the moment) 1.5'x2.5'x1.5' deep that spills over into the pond.

What's an appropriate fish stocking rate for this size pond and should I
wait until later in the year to add fish?

Gold fish

"animaux" wrote in message
...
You may want to post to rec.ponds. Also, there is a very good source for
aquatic plants on 183, called "Hill Country Water Gardens."



On Sat, 15 Feb 2003 18:29:03 GMT, "groober" wrote:

I put in a small pond this winter and want to get a few plants for it.
Who
in town (or online) has good selection/quality/prices?

Also, any plant suggestions? It gets pretty good sun, but some midday
shade. It's half moon shaped, 7' long, 3' wide, 3' deep in the center,
with
1' ledges on the tips. I also have a hypertufa veggie filter (sans
veggies
at the moment) 1.5'x2.5'x1.5' deep that spills over into the pond.

What's an appropriate fish stocking rate for this size pond and should I
wait until later in the year to add fish?

I put in a small pond this winter and want to get a few plants for it. Who
in town (or online) has good selection/quality/prices?

I second going to Hill Country Water Gardens (or something like that), on
183 all the way north in Cedar Park.

Also, any plant suggestions? It gets pretty good sun, but some midday
shade. It's half moon shaped, 7' long, 3' wide, 3' deep in the center, with
1' ledges on the tips. I also have a hypertufa veggie filter (sans veggies
at the moment) 1.5'x2.5'x1.5' deep that spills over into the pond.

Lillies are a common choice. Choose hardy ones.

What's an appropriate fish stocking rate for this size pond and should I
wait until later in the year to add fish?

For goldfish (or koi, but beware, koi will eat your plants) the usual
rate is 10 gallons per inch of fish. The fish are measured from the tip of
the mouth to the base of the tail.


--
Victor M. Martinez

http://www.che.utexas.edu/~martiv

I didn't say anything about fish, but we have a 165 gallon pond and have 4
comets (ordinary goldfish) in the pond. They grow to 12 inches. There used to
be a rule of thumb one inch per gallon of water, but I would go much lighter on
the fish load than that. Our 4 fish and the few bottom feeder fish, the pond is
almost maxed out. You do have to be concerned with biological management of the
water by testing it. Eventually, it strikes a balance and becomes an ecosystem.
Our pond is allowed to develop algae, etc. It's all part of a natural element.
We don't try to make our pond look like a swimming pool with clear water.


On Sat, 15 Feb 2003 18:29:03 GMT, "groober" wrote:

I put in a small pond this winter and want to get a few plants for it. Who
in town (or online) has good selection/quality/prices?

Also, any plant suggestions? It gets pretty good sun, but some midday
shade. It's half moon shaped, 7' long, 3' wide, 3' deep in the center, with
1' ledges on the tips. I also have a hypertufa veggie filter (sans veggies
at the moment) 1.5'x2.5'x1.5' deep that spills over into the pond.

What's an appropriate fish stocking rate for this size pond and should I
wait until later in the year to add fish?

animaux wrote:
comets (ordinary goldfish) in the pond. They grow to 12 inches. There used to
be a rule of thumb one inch per gallon of water, but I would go much lighter on

That rule of thumb applies only to tropical slender fish. The rule of thumb
for goldfish is 10 gallons per inch of fish.

the fish load than that. Our 4 fish and the few bottom feeder fish, the pond is

Which bottom feeders do you have? Do they survive the winter?

Our pond is allowed to develop algae, etc. It's all part of a natural element.
We don't try to make our pond look like a swimming pool with clear water.

There is a natural way to prevent string algae (which robs nutrients that
could otherwise be used by the lillies and the bog plants). Submerged barley
bale helps reduce (or eliminate) unsightly string algae. Give it a shot.


--
Victor M. Martinez

http://www.che.utexas.edu/~martiv

"Victor M. Martinez" wrote:
=

animaux wrote:
comets (ordinary goldfish) in the pond. They grow to 12 inches. Ther=
e used to
be a rule of thumb one inch per gallon of water, but I would go much l=
ighter on
=

That rule of thumb applies only to tropical slender fish.
The rule of thumb
for goldfish is 10 gallons per inch of fish.

My outdoor pond is 4'X3'x14" and it has six goldfish. Three are are 6
inches long and are 4 years old.

the fish load than that. Our 4 fish and the few bottom feeder fish, t=
he pond is
=

Which bottom feeders do you have? Do they survive the winter?
=

Our pond is allowed to develop algae, etc. It's all part of a natural=
element.
We don't try to make our pond look like a swimming pool with clear wa=
ter.
=

There is a natural way to prevent string algae (which robs nutrients th=
at
could otherwise be used by the lillies and the bog plants). Submerged b=
arley
bale helps reduce (or eliminate) unsightly string algae. Give it a shot=
=2E

Yes, there is is a plant grower in my area that has a large pond and
uses barley bale. There is also a straw that accomplishes this. My guess
is this lady wants that the algae in her pond and in my opinion, I don't
think its that big of a deal. True, it may divert some nutrients from
bog marginals but not that much. Some people demand a clear pond. In a
balanced pond in nature, you will find this. But its all in the
preference of that person's taste. The fact that there is a water
feature is sufficient, regardles of whether its clear or not.

--
Victor M. Martinez

http://www.che.utexas.edu/~martiv

-- =

J. Kolenovsky, A+, Network +, MCP
=F4=BF=F4 - http://www.celestialhabitats.com
=F4=BF=F4 - http://www.hal-pc.org/~garden/personal.html

On Sun, 16 Feb 2003 16:41:09 +0000 (UTC), (Victor M.
Martinez) wrote:

That rule of thumb applies only to tropical slender fish. The rule of thumb
for goldfish is 10 gallons per inch of fish.

Yes, you are right.

Which bottom feeders do you have? Do they survive the winter?

We have Kory catfish, but we bring them in during the winter. I don't know
anything which would survive outside and bottom feed, but I have to believe
there must be something.

There is a natural way to prevent string algae (which robs nutrients that
could otherwise be used by the lillies and the bog plants). Submerged barley
bale helps reduce (or eliminate) unsightly string algae. Give it a shot.

Yes, I use barley mats. There is a nice balance in the pond. Sting algae is a
pain in the butt. I'm going to power wash the pond and try to get rid of it all
sometime this coming week. It was just too cold and windy today or we were
going to address the pond today.

V

On Sun, 16 Feb 2003 11:13:41 -0600, J Kolenovsky wrote:

My outdoor pond is 4'X3'x14" and it has six goldfish. Three are are 6
inches long and are 4 years old.

You are eventually going to have problems with ammonia in the water. That is
way too many goldfish.

The fish are 4 years old.

animaux wrote:
=

On Sun, 16 Feb 2003 11:13:41 -0600, J Kolenovsky wr=
ote:
=

My outdoor pond is 4'X3'x14" and it has six goldfish. Three are are 6
inches long and are 4 years old.
=

You are eventually going to have problems with ammonia in the water. T=
hat is
way too many goldfish.

-- =

J. Kolenovsky, A+, Network +, MCP
=F4=BF=F4 - http://www.celestialhabitats.com
=F4=BF=F4 - http://www.hal-pc.org/~garden/personal.html

I installed this 4'X3'x14" pond in May, 1992. I have gotten the numbers
right for the fish to survive. The first batch (2'3's of them)came out
after 6 years and went to a school courtyard pond in 1998. The last 1/3
came out in 2000 and went to Nelson Water Gardens production pond. The
three 6 inchers have been in since 1998. =


animaux wrote:
=

On Sun, 16 Feb 2003 11:13:41 -0600, J Kolenovsky wr=
ote:
=

My outdoor pond is 4'X3'x14" and it has six goldfish. Three are are 6
inches long and are 4 years old.
=

You are eventually going to have problems with ammonia in the water. T=
hat is
way too many goldfish.

-- =

J. Kolenovsky, A+, Network +, MCP
=F4=BF=F4 - http://www.celestialhabitats.com
=F4=BF=F4 - http://www.hal-pc.org/~garden/personal.html

Oh, and I have bird netting strung across the rabiit fence that
surrounds the pond. Keeps dogs, cats and herons out. The bullfrogs and
water snake seem to get in o-k.

animaux wrote:
You are eventually going to have problems with ammonia in the water. T=
hat is
way too many goldfish.

-- =

J. Kolenovsky, A+, Network +, MCP
=F4=BF=F4 - http://www.celestialhabitats.com
=F4=BF=F4 - http://www.hal-pc.org/~garden/personal.html

animaux wrote:
We have Kory catfish, but we bring them in during the winter. I don't know
anything which would survive outside and bottom feed, but I have to believe
there must be something.

You mean cory cats? How on earth do you manage to catch them? They're not
large, two inches at the most?
I've heard weather loaches can survive our winters, particularly if they
come from northern China.


There is a natural way to prevent string algae (which robs nutrients that


--
Victor M. Martinez

http://www.che.utexas.edu/~martiv

On Mon, 17 Feb 2003 17:46:50 +0000 (UTC), (Victor M.
Martinez) wrote:

You mean cory cats? How on earth do you manage to catch them? They're not
large, two inches at the most?
I've heard weather loaches can survive our winters, particularly if they
come from northern China.

Yes, cory cats. My husband catches them! He's a patient man. Do the weather
loaches eat algae? I need something to eat the string algae faster than the
goldfish. They eat it from the sides, but they much prefer duckweed!

V

animaux wrote:
Yes, cory cats. My husband catches them! He's a patient man. Do the weather
loaches eat algae? I need something to eat the string algae faster than the
goldfish. They eat it from the sides, but they much prefer duckweed!

Nope, weather loaches eat snails. You can add snails (make sure they're non-
plant eating snails) to eat the algae.

--
Victor M. Martinez

http://www.che.utexas.edu/~martiv