pump/filter for 8x8x2 pond?

[Guy Bowerman]

Hi, I'm getting an 8'x8'x20-24" pond and am trying to decide if a
pump/filter is a must have. I checked the rec.ponds faq but am not sure
how much difference the volume/temperature makes.

I'd like the pond to have some amphibians (we see plenty of Pacific Tree
frogs in the garden) and possibly some small fish if I can find
compatible and preferrably native. With the right balance of
oxygenating/shade providing plants, beneficial molluscs etc would a pond
of that size maintain its own balance without the need for a pump/filter
or is the pond too small for that? The garden contractor says
pump/filter is vital. Location is Pacific Northwest if that is relevant
wrt seasons.

Also, is this something one can compromise on, ie run a pump some of the
time? Garden contractor says no, pump must run all the time..

Thanks
Guy

ps sorry if this is a vfaq

[kathy]

Hi Guy!

You are right you can filter a pond with just plants
as that is what I do with my frog bog.(800 gallons
and stuffed with plants.)
The one thing you want to watch out for is getting too
many plants and too many inhabitants in there at
the same time. Plants start using oxygen in the night
hours and the animals can be in severe distress by
morning. I had this happen in my bog when I kept
fish in there. Just before the sun came up they were
gasping at the surface. The frog bog is now fishless.
(I use Mosquito Dunks to keep those critters out.)
A pump will keep oxygen in the water overnight.
So it will probably depend on how many tadpoles you
end up with.
Basically our ponds aren't like Mother Nature's ponds
as ours are smaller and more heavily stocked which is
why ponds, especially those will fish, need filtering and
water movement throughout the day. So it is a question
of balance.

kathy

[southernbc]

Hi Guy,

I am located in southern BC. As far as I know the size of your pond is
not the most important factor for a self sustaining eco system. Balance
seems to be the key. A pond that size will probably prove too small to
"winter" fish in, in the NW. I cannot say how to achieve a perfect
balance but I would suggest a relatively small number of fish and wide
variety of both submerged (oxygenators) and floating plants (Shade and
mechanical filtration). I would think the bottom should have a layer of
gravel to encourage bacteria growth. If you are not planning to use a
pump it may be a good idea to consider at least using an airstone to
help remove toxic gasses from the water and increase oxygen pickup.

No Degrees, No Training, just a relatively new ponder in your area.

You Can see my pond at http://www.boundary-ca.net/pond/index.html

Have a Great Day!
Don Mann - Greenwood BC

Guy Bowerman wrote:
> Hi, I'm getting an 8'x8'x20-24" pond and am trying to decide if a
> pump/filter is a must have. I checked the rec.ponds faq but am not sure
> how much difference the volume/temperature makes.
>
> I'd like the pond to have some amphibians (we see plenty of Pacific Tree
> frogs in the garden) and possibly some small fish if I can find
> compatible and preferrably native. With the right balance of
> oxygenating/shade providing plants, beneficial molluscs etc would a pond
> of that size maintain its own balance without the need for a pump/filter
> or is the pond too small for that? The garden contractor says
> pump/filter is vital. Location is Pacific Northwest if that is relevant
> wrt seasons.
>
> Also, is this something one can compromise on, ie run a pump some of the
> time? Garden contractor says no, pump must run all the time..
>
> Thanks
> Guy
>
> ps sorry if this is a vfaq

[~ jan JJsPond.us]

>On Tue, 11 Jan 2005 20:04:45 GMT, Guy Bowerman > wrote:

>Hi, I'm getting an 8'x8'x20-24" pond and am trying to decide if a
>pump/filter is a must have.
>I'd like the pond to have some amphibians (we see plenty of Pacific Tree
>frogs in the garden) and possibly some small fish if I can find
>compatible and preferrably native.

Hi Guy, and welcome to RP. :o)

Check out my website listed at the end and click on My Lilypond. Made
exactly along the line of your thinking. It is 15X5.5 and 2 feet deep. Put
in because I wanted the most sunny area in the yard to grow tropical lilies
and for the Pacific Tree Frogs to mate in (they are SO cool). The first
year I only used a solar pump, when the taddy started growing legs I put in
3 goldfish, they bred, had lots of fry and I didn't have one day of pea
soup. So much for the fact you need a filter & pump going 24/7. Lots of
water & plants, plus low fish load, you don't.

The next year though I wanted more water sound/movement and the solar pump
just wasn't reliable, so I put in power and the last 2 summers I've
filtered with a 500 gph pump and a fake flowerpot filter (can be seen at
the bottom page of My Filter) because I started putting in more than 3
goldfish. I do remove all the big goldfish before winter and all the fry in
spring before the frogs come, because they will eat the eggs and taddies.
HTHs, ~ jan

See my ponds and filter design:
http://users.owt.com/jjspond/

~Keep 'em Wet!~
Tri-Cities WA Zone 7a
To e-mail see website

[jedi]

"~ jan JJsPond.us" > wrote in message
...
> >On Tue, 11 Jan 2005 20:04:45 GMT, Guy Bowerman >
wrote:
>
> >Hi, I'm getting an 8'x8'x20-24" pond and am trying to decide if a
> >pump/filter is a must have.
> >I'd like the pond to have some amphibians (we see plenty of Pacific Tree
> >frogs in the garden) and possibly some small fish if I can find
> >compatible and preferrably native.
>
> Hi Guy, and welcome to RP. :o)
>
> Check out my website listed at the end and click on My Lilypond. Made
> exactly along the line of your thinking. It is 15X5.5 and 2 feet deep. Put
> in because I wanted the most sunny area in the yard to grow tropical
lilies
> and for the Pacific Tree Frogs to mate in (they are SO cool). The first
> year I only used a solar pump, when the taddy started growing legs I put
in
> 3 goldfish, they bred, had lots of fry and I didn't have one day of pea
> soup. So much for the fact you need a filter & pump going 24/7. Lots of
> water & plants, plus low fish load, you don't.
>
> The next year though I wanted more water sound/movement and the solar pump
> just wasn't reliable, so I put in power and the last 2 summers I've
> filtered with a 500 gph pump and a fake flowerpot filter (can be seen at
> the bottom page of My Filter) because I started putting in more than 3
> goldfish. I do remove all the big goldfish before winter and all the fry
in
> spring before the frogs come, because they will eat the eggs and taddies.
> HTHs, ~ jan
>
> See my ponds and filter design:
> http://users.owt.com/jjspond/
>
> ~Keep 'em Wet!~
> Tri-Cities WA Zone 7a
> To e-mail see website

What an inspiration! I have been to your site recently but I had entirely
overlooked the lily pond somehow. I was expecting to find Buffy or Spike on
the Demon page....

[~ jan JJsPond.us]

On Tue, 22 Feb 2005 18:07:00 -0500, "jedi" > wrote:

>What an inspiration! I have been to your site recently but I had entirely
>overlooked the lily pond somehow. I was expecting to find Buffy or Spike on
>the Demon page....

LOL! Thanks. Buffy or Spike.... ;o) Demon of course came from my typing
short "Demonstration" I left it.... as I knew a pond, run by committee,
maintained by volunteers was going to be a PITA at times. Fortunately, and
quite amazingly, I think it has been one of the best and easiest maintained
garden of the many various ones out about a dozen different kinds. If for
no other reason, that one can go out there and maintain the plants of the
pond in the heat of the day, because one is wading in cool water. :o) ~ jan


See my ponds and filter design:
http://users.owt.com/jjspond/

~Keep 'em Wet!~
Tri-Cities WA Zone 7a
To e-mail see website