Any pond keepers here

[itsamyheff]

I set up a 2200+ gallon main pond about 2 months ago. It has a 150 gallon pond that dumps out into a 2 tier 5 foot wide water fall. There is also a stream from the 150 gallon down to a 270 gallon pond where all the plants are held. The 270 gallon also has a 5 foot water fall back into the main pond. It is still under construction as far as landscaping and rocks around the borders. I have a iwaki pump for the return to the 150. This pump is a beast. I just introduced my koi into the main pond. They range in size from 15"-28". What are some of your experiences? What do you do during the winter? hat upkeep do you guys perform? Right know I am using the stream as a natural uv. I have a uv for the pond if necessary. Just trying to keep it simple.

 

[midas]

I have an 8000 gallon pond, and an upper pond of roughly 1000 gallons that flows into the main pond via 2 waterfalls, and a stream. We keep Koi and Golden Orfes, plus millions of gambusia. I use a bottom drain that gravity feeds an in-ground tank, where the pumps are located. We fill the upper pond with Water Hyacinth during the summer to control algae and provide extra filtration. Water is usually clear and the fish remain healthy. The fish will stop eating once the water temp gets below 50, usually sometime in Dec, but will over-winter just fine. Hope it goes well for you.

 

[jcampbell]

I have a big pond also! Tons of koi ranging from 4"- 2.5'. Honestly I am not going to pay those high prices on koi food, so I feed them pelleted cat food! It works the same! During the winter I turn off my main waterfall and just keep my UV running and cover the pond with a type of net(not sure what it is called) but it keeps the leaves out and it is almost a must have!! During the summer I would encourage you to keep a large lily pad plant so the fish can hide. I had herrons that took my fish one year because I didn't really have anything covering the surface of the water.

 

[jcampbell]

BigJohn;695788 wrote: We have a 600-700 gallon with a big waterfall and a 130 gallon with small waterfall. I did both of them myself and all the landscaping around them. I also added a stone fire pit and pea gravel surrounding everything. It looks great. We only invested maybe $1,000(not including plants) and was told it was would have cost about $15,000. But this is not including all the gas it cost me hauling truck loads of rock in my truck from the mountains.

Edit:
we have a redtail hawk that has taken a few of our bigger koi. We think it may have eaten our baby slider too.

I keep a net over my pond for leaves and birds!