Pond Newbie

[Jacquard_The_Ripper]

Hi there:

I'm new here and thought I should introduce myself. My husband and I
are getting ready to overhaul our backyard, and he really wants a
pond. That's okay with me, so I'd like to hear from any of you that
would like to offer advice to a beginner in Zone 3. We're pretty
handy and avid gardeners. Any sites that have info you recommend
reading? Any things I mustn't forget? We'd like to have fish
eventually (we breed cichlids indoors) and we'd like to have some
water movement or a small waterfall.

Thanks,
Cynthia

[K30a]

Hello Cynthia,
Welcome to rec.ponds.
Here are some good sites to start with:
http://www.pondrushes.net/
and
http://www.geocities.com/bickal2000/pond.htm
and
http://www.fishpondinfo.com

My most important tip is do not overstock.


k30a

[John Hines]

Jacquard_The_Ripper > wrote:

>I'm new here and thought I should introduce myself. My husband and I
>are getting ready to overhaul our backyard, and he really wants a
>pond. That's okay with me, so I'd like to hear from any of you that
>would like to offer advice to a beginner in Zone 3.

Dig deep. Winters are going to be your problem, says john here in zone
5, who has struggled for a couple of years, keeping the pond going over
the winter.

[Bonnie Espenshade]

Jacquard_The_Ripper wrote:
> Hi there:
>
> I'm new here and thought I should introduce myself. My husband and I
> are getting ready to overhaul our backyard, and he really wants a
> pond. That's okay with me, so I'd like to hear from any of you that
> would like to offer advice to a beginner in Zone 3. We're pretty
> handy and avid gardeners. Any sites that have info you recommend
> reading? Any things I mustn't forget? We'd like to have fish
> eventually (we breed cichlids indoors) and we'd like to have some
> water movement or a small waterfall.
>
> Thanks,
> Cynthia

Put in the largest pond you can afford. If you don't you'll
be adding another one next year. Also, read all the books
you can put your hands on, Helen Nash's Low-Maintence Water
Garden and The Complete Pond Builder are two good books
-there are many others.
K30a will have a list of sites to visit.

--
Bonnie
NJ
http://home.earthlink.net/~maebe43/

[Tbumpy]

<<Put in the largest pond you can afford. If you don't you'll
be adding another one next year. Also, read all the books
you can put your hands on, Helen Nash's Low-Maintence Water
Garden and The Complete Pond Builder are two good books
-there are many others.
K30a will have a list of sites to visit.

--
Bonnie
NJ>>

I have to agree with Bonnie. We started out with two preformed ponds of a few
hundred gallons and within two years we built a 3500 gallon one. One thing to
make sure you do is to plan ahead for your plantings. We ended up improvising
after finishing the pond by using bricks and milk crates to prop up the plants
to a level that's happy for them and to accomodate layers of plantings.

[Jacquard_The_Ripper]

On Sat, 12 Jul 2003 01:51:51 GMT, "Nedra" >
wrote:

>Zone 3?? Plan on bringing your fishies inside! Your
>winters are fierce and long. I don't think you'd be happy
>knowing your fishies were freezing their tushes off out
>in a pond.... no matter how deep you dig.
>BTW, I do believe that a 5 foot depth would be as
>shallow as I'd go!

LOL yes, we figured that. We think we can leave the fish out from May
until October, and then they can come inside. And yes, we know it has
to be deep. We were thinking roughly 8' by 12' and about 5' deep at
the deepest.

Cynthia

[Phyllis and Jim Hurley]

Hi Cynthia,

As so many have suggested, find out how deep it has to be to avoid freezing
solid. Enjoy the books and the addictive hobby. We love our
addiction/ponds.

J

--
____________________________________________
Check out Jog-A-Thon fundraiser (clears $140+ per jogger) at:
www.jogathon.net
See our pond at: http://www.home.bellsouth.net/p/pwp-jameshurley
"Jacquard_The_Ripper" > wrote in message
...
> Hi there:
>
> I'm new here and thought I should introduce myself. My husband and I
> are getting ready to overhaul our backyard, and he really wants a
> pond. That's okay with me, so I'd like to hear from any of you that
> would like to offer advice to a beginner in Zone 3. We're pretty
> handy and avid gardeners. Any sites that have info you recommend
> reading? Any things I mustn't forget? We'd like to have fish
> eventually (we breed cichlids indoors) and we'd like to have some
> water movement or a small waterfall.
>
> Thanks,
> Cynthia

[John Rutz]

John Hines wrote:
> Jacquard_The_Ripper > wrote:
>
>
>>I'm new here and thought I should introduce myself. My husband and I
>>are getting ready to overhaul our backyard, and he really wants a
>>pond. That's okay with me, so I'd like to hear from any of you that
>>would like to offer advice to a beginner in Zone 3.
>
>
> Dig deep. Winters are going to be your problem, says john here in zone
> 5, who has struggled for a couple of years, keeping the pond going over
> the winter.
>
>

in z 3 i would go 5 - 6 ft deep in at least one quarter of the pond if
not more to keep an area ice free and warmer for the fish
--
John Rutz
Z5 New Mexico

never miss a good oportunity to shut up

see my pond at:

http://www.fuerjefe.com

[[email protected]]

seriously, seriously consider designing a greenhouse over the pond right from the get
go. You will want to bring the fish inside before the water temp drops below 55oF as
that is when their immune system stops functioning effectively. And once they are
warm inside you cannot take them out and dump them into a cold pond either. So the
water is going to have to be somewhere around 60-65oF even if you keep the koi in the
basement.
I have a greenhouse arrangement over my koi pond in zone 5. The pond is 4 feet deep,
but 1.5 feet above ground level (not good for keeping the warmth in).
I started feeding around April 15 when the water is above 55oF.
I quit feeding around Oct 8th when the temp drops below 55oF.
A greenhouse is going to get you more time to sit by the pond and enjoy, and going to
warm that water up faster. Ingrid


(Jacquard_The_Ripper) wrote:
>LOL yes, we figured that. We think we can leave the fish out from May
>until October, and then they can come inside. And yes, we know it has
>to be deep. We were thinking roughly 8' by 12' and about 5' deep at
>the deepest.


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