Pond Plants & other help.....

[The~Doofie~Man©]

I bought several Parrot feather plants for oxygenation. 2 Lilly's, a grass
like yellow flowered deep water plant and several shallow plant as well. I
have the tags that came with them downstairs.
Anyway my pond is 550 gallons. Exactly how many plants should I have. How
much should be deep/shallow. I take it these are mostly for "curb appeal".
What ratio of oxygenating plants should I have. I'm guessing the more the
better. So far I've only "found" Parrot Feather for oxygenating plants.
Right now I just have a pump/filter set up. The outlet goes to the waterfall
to help somewhat with cleaning. Should I buy or make my own. The pond just
got built so perhaps I should wait and see when even green shows up and how
much of it? Is the set up I have now sufficient for the pond?

I've learned a great deal this past week in the building of the pond. I
actually have a friend who wants me to make one for them. So I have several
questions for the parts.
I assume the kits are for "starting" a pond & are rather a basic filtration
means. If I were to go and buy the components for say a 1500 gallon pond.
I'd need a pump and liner for the size. Is a skimmer really that important?
Depending on the area debris I take it. A UV light?
There are some elaborate pond set ups out there that I've seen on the net,
do they really need to be that way? The bigger the pond the better the
filtering has to be I'd think. Its better to over do than to under do. My
plumbing background has helped me to understand the set ups quite easily,
its just a matter of using what with what.

Any really, REALLY helpful sites (Canadian ones as well "EH") out there that
cover all the basics and then some? For the plants as well. I know I gotta
hit Chapters & buy a few books too.
Janet was right in her e mail to me. The pond can never be big enough!!!
Thanks in advance for the input people.

--
The~Doofie~Man ©
"LET ME SEE YOUR CIGARETTE LIGHTERS!!!!!"
Putting the fun back in FUNeral!!
http://www.geocities.com/doof70/index.html

[Ka30P]

The Doofie Man wrote
>>The bigger the pond the better the
filtering has to be I'd think.<<

Actually it is the opposite. Smaller ponds tend to get over populated with fish
and they need more aggressive filtering.
My pond is 3,000 gallons, has 12 goldfish right now and filtered only by
plants.

As for how many plants.
Plants are good, lots of plants are better until...
the plants use up the oxygen at night that the fish need. Then you need to add
extra air movement into the pond. Bubblers, fountains, anything that moves the
water around.

>>Is a skimmer really that important?<<

It is one of the ponding mistakes I made and I wish I'd put one in.


kathy :-)
<A HREF="http://www.onceuponapond.com/">Once upon a pond</A>

[RichToyBox]

The need for any and all filtration products is dictated more on what kind
of pond you want. A heavily populated koi pond like mine would take more
acreage than I have for a veggie only filter. A plant only water garden
wouldn't need any filtration, but would benefit from water movement and
aeration. A small pond is much harder to keep than a large pond. There is
an old saying, that the solution to pollution is dilution, and larger ponds
have the ability to do more dilution. Skimmers really help to keep most of
the stuff off the bottom by catching it before it sinks, so they are high on
my recommendations list. Bottom drains help to keep the bottom of the pond
self cleaning, and this is good. I have upgraded filtration every year on
my ponds to keep ahead of the growing load. Numbers of fish have grown
some, but size of fish has grown more.
--
RichToyBox
http://www.geocities.com/richtoybox/pondintro.html
"The~Doofie~Man©" > wrote in message
...
> I bought several Parrot feather plants for oxygenation. 2 Lilly's, a grass
> like yellow flowered deep water plant and several shallow plant as well. I
> have the tags that came with them downstairs.
> Anyway my pond is 550 gallons. Exactly how many plants should I have. How
> much should be deep/shallow. I take it these are mostly for "curb appeal".
> What ratio of oxygenating plants should I have. I'm guessing the more the
> better. So far I've only "found" Parrot Feather for oxygenating plants.
> Right now I just have a pump/filter set up. The outlet goes to the
waterfall
> to help somewhat with cleaning. Should I buy or make my own. The pond just
> got built so perhaps I should wait and see when even green shows up and
how
> much of it? Is the set up I have now sufficient for the pond?
>
> I've learned a great deal this past week in the building of the pond. I
> actually have a friend who wants me to make one for them. So I have
several
> questions for the parts.
> I assume the kits are for "starting" a pond & are rather a basic
filtration
> means. If I were to go and buy the components for say a 1500 gallon pond.
> I'd need a pump and liner for the size. Is a skimmer really that
important?
> Depending on the area debris I take it. A UV light?
> There are some elaborate pond set ups out there that I've seen on the net,
> do they really need to be that way? The bigger the pond the better the
> filtering has to be I'd think. Its better to over do than to under do. My
> plumbing background has helped me to understand the set ups quite easily,
> its just a matter of using what with what.
>
> Any really, REALLY helpful sites (Canadian ones as well "EH") out there
that
> cover all the basics and then some? For the plants as well. I know I gotta
> hit Chapters & buy a few books too.
> Janet was right in her e mail to me. The pond can never be big enough!!!
> Thanks in advance for the input people.
>
> --
> The~Doofie~Man ©
> "LET ME SEE YOUR CIGARETTE LIGHTERS!!!!!"
> Putting the fun back in FUNeral!!
> http://www.geocities.com/doof70/index.html
>
>

[The~Doofie~Man©]

Question about bottom drains.
I assume they are laid under the liner with slope & installed using the
bulkhead method. This is used for large ponds where one doesn't want to
drain-vacuum the pond all the time.

--
The~Doofie~Man ©
"LET ME SEE YOUR CIGARETTE LIGHTERS!!!!!"
Putting the fun back in FUNeral!!
http://www.geocities.com/doof70/index.html

"RichToyBox" > wrote in message
news:GZzpc.55690$536.9594037@attbi_s03...
> The need for any and all filtration products is dictated more on what kind
> of pond you want. A heavily populated koi pond like mine would take more
> acreage than I have for a veggie only filter. A plant only water garden
> wouldn't need any filtration, but would benefit from water movement and
> aeration. A small pond is much harder to keep than a large pond. There
is
> an old saying, that the solution to pollution is dilution, and larger
ponds
> have the ability to do more dilution. Skimmers really help to keep most
of
> the stuff off the bottom by catching it before it sinks, so they are high
on
> my recommendations list. Bottom drains help to keep the bottom of the
pond
> self cleaning, and this is good. I have upgraded filtration every year on
> my ponds to keep ahead of the growing load. Numbers of fish have grown
> some, but size of fish has grown more.
> --
> RichToyBox
> http://www.geocities.com/richtoybox/pondintro.html
> "The~Doofie~Man©" > wrote in message
> ...
> > I bought several Parrot feather plants for oxygenation. 2 Lilly's, a
grass
> > like yellow flowered deep water plant and several shallow plant as well.
I
> > have the tags that came with them downstairs.
> > Anyway my pond is 550 gallons. Exactly how many plants should I have.
How
> > much should be deep/shallow. I take it these are mostly for "curb
appeal".
> > What ratio of oxygenating plants should I have. I'm guessing the more
the
> > better. So far I've only "found" Parrot Feather for oxygenating plants.
> > Right now I just have a pump/filter set up. The outlet goes to the
> waterfall
> > to help somewhat with cleaning. Should I buy or make my own. The pond
just
> > got built so perhaps I should wait and see when even green shows up and
> how
> > much of it? Is the set up I have now sufficient for the pond?
> >
> > I've learned a great deal this past week in the building of the pond. I
> > actually have a friend who wants me to make one for them. So I have
> several
> > questions for the parts.
> > I assume the kits are for "starting" a pond & are rather a basic
> filtration
> > means. If I were to go and buy the components for say a 1500 gallon
pond.
> > I'd need a pump and liner for the size. Is a skimmer really that
> important?
> > Depending on the area debris I take it. A UV light?
> > There are some elaborate pond set ups out there that I've seen on the
net,
> > do they really need to be that way? The bigger the pond the better the
> > filtering has to be I'd think. Its better to over do than to under do.
My
> > plumbing background has helped me to understand the set ups quite
easily,
> > its just a matter of using what with what.
> >
> > Any really, REALLY helpful sites (Canadian ones as well "EH") out there
> that
> > cover all the basics and then some? For the plants as well. I know I
gotta
> > hit Chapters & buy a few books too.
> > Janet was right in her e mail to me. The pond can never be big enough!!!
> > Thanks in advance for the input people.
> >
> > --
> > The~Doofie~Man ©
> > "LET ME SEE YOUR CIGARETTE LIGHTERS!!!!!"
> > Putting the fun back in FUNeral!!
> > http://www.geocities.com/doof70/index.html
> >
> >
>
>

[Sean Dinh]

I use 1" bulkhead for the Bottom Drain, at the lowest point of the pond. It
drains into a vegetable filter/settling tank. With current plumbing, it could
only drain about 30% of the pond. I have to use a bucket to drain the rest. I
would have to lower the plumbing to the same level of the bottom drain to be
able to drain the whole pond.

People here have 4" BD, so they have to use much better BD. Standard bulkhead is
too risky.

"The~Doofie~Man©" wrote:

> Question about bottom drains.
> I assume they are laid under the liner with slope & installed using the
> bulkhead method. This is used for large ponds where one doesn't want to
> drain-vacuum the pond all the time.

[RichToyBox]

Most of the commercial bottom drains are put through the liner in the bottom
of the pond, and top and bottom of the liner clamped with a type of bulkhead
fitting. Mine is a vertical pipe into the deepest part of the pond that
goes through the side of the pond at about 6 or 8 inches below the surface.
They do make a commercial retro drain that is plumbed on top of the liner.
Some people really worry about having a hole in the bottom of the pond.
--
RichToyBox
http://www.geocities.com/richtoybox/pondintro.html
"The~Doofie~Man©" > wrote in message
...
> Question about bottom drains.
> I assume they are laid under the liner with slope & installed using the
> bulkhead method. This is used for large ponds where one doesn't want to
> drain-vacuum the pond all the time.
>
> --
> The~Doofie~Man ©
> "LET ME SEE YOUR CIGARETTE LIGHTERS!!!!!"
> Putting the fun back in FUNeral!!
> http://www.geocities.com/doof70/index.html
>
> "RichToyBox" > wrote in message
> news:GZzpc.55690$536.9594037@attbi_s03...
> > The need for any and all filtration products is dictated more on what
kind
> > of pond you want. A heavily populated koi pond like mine would take
more
> > acreage than I have for a veggie only filter. A plant only water garden
> > wouldn't need any filtration, but would benefit from water movement and
> > aeration. A small pond is much harder to keep than a large pond. There
> is
> > an old saying, that the solution to pollution is dilution, and larger
> ponds
> > have the ability to do more dilution. Skimmers really help to keep most
> of
> > the stuff off the bottom by catching it before it sinks, so they are
high
> on
> > my recommendations list. Bottom drains help to keep the bottom of the
> pond
> > self cleaning, and this is good. I have upgraded filtration every year
on
> > my ponds to keep ahead of the growing load. Numbers of fish have grown
> > some, but size of fish has grown more.
> > --
> > RichToyBox
> > http://www.geocities.com/richtoybox/pondintro.html
> > "The~Doofie~Man©" > wrote in message
> > ...
> > > I bought several Parrot feather plants for oxygenation. 2 Lilly's, a
> grass
> > > like yellow flowered deep water plant and several shallow plant as
well.
> I
> > > have the tags that came with them downstairs.
> > > Anyway my pond is 550 gallons. Exactly how many plants should I have.
> How
> > > much should be deep/shallow. I take it these are mostly for "curb
> appeal".
> > > What ratio of oxygenating plants should I have. I'm guessing the more
> the
> > > better. So far I've only "found" Parrot Feather for oxygenating
plants.
> > > Right now I just have a pump/filter set up. The outlet goes to the
> > waterfall
> > > to help somewhat with cleaning. Should I buy or make my own. The pond
> just
> > > got built so perhaps I should wait and see when even green shows up
and
> > how
> > > much of it? Is the set up I have now sufficient for the pond?
> > >
> > > I've learned a great deal this past week in the building of the pond.
I
> > > actually have a friend who wants me to make one for them. So I have
> > several
> > > questions for the parts.
> > > I assume the kits are for "starting" a pond & are rather a basic
> > filtration
> > > means. If I were to go and buy the components for say a 1500 gallon
> pond.
> > > I'd need a pump and liner for the size. Is a skimmer really that
> > important?
> > > Depending on the area debris I take it. A UV light?
> > > There are some elaborate pond set ups out there that I've seen on the
> net,
> > > do they really need to be that way? The bigger the pond the better the
> > > filtering has to be I'd think. Its better to over do than to under do.
> My
> > > plumbing background has helped me to understand the set ups quite
> easily,
> > > its just a matter of using what with what.
> > >
> > > Any really, REALLY helpful sites (Canadian ones as well "EH") out
there
> > that
> > > cover all the basics and then some? For the plants as well. I know I
> gotta
> > > hit Chapters & buy a few books too.
> > > Janet was right in her e mail to me. The pond can never be big
enough!!!
> > > Thanks in advance for the input people.
> > >
> > > --
> > > The~Doofie~Man ©
> > > "LET ME SEE YOUR CIGARETTE LIGHTERS!!!!!"
> > > Putting the fun back in FUNeral!!
> > > http://www.geocities.com/doof70/index.html
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
>
>