Fish Thread

[ShrekDawg]

Nice ponds!
Ive been dreading cleaning mine out. After having to start over with new fish last year I lost a little enthusiasm and didn’t close it down properly for the winter. It made for a gross mess.
Over this past week I got it all cleaned out, potted some water lilies, and my husband made me a box to enclose my filter Next I need to re stain the dock and fix the rock around the edges. After that I have patio to put in so we can finally get out patio furniture and gazebo set up. I feel guilty we’ve had all the supplies in storage for over a year now

Glad you finally got it cleaned it out!!! I bet it’ll be nice once it’s finished!!! Don’t feel bad. I always procrastinate on stuff too

I need to clean out our little pond in the front but I’m going to wait until the frogs leave. Or maybe add a couple feeder goldfish to it for now then move them when they outgrow it. There’s all sorts of bug larvae and tadpoles in it and some weird bugs swimming at the top haha it’s a bit more natural

 

[My2butterflies]

Glad you finally got it cleaned it out!!! I bet it’ll be nice once it’s finished!!! Don’t feel bad. I always procrastinate on stuff too

I need to clean out our little pond in the front but I’m going to wait until the frogs leave. Or maybe add a couple feeder goldfish to it for now then move them when they outgrow it. There’s all sorts of bug larvae and tadpoles in it and some weird bugs swimming at the top haha it’s a bit more natural

Id probably add a couple feeders in that case. Mostly just to keep the bugs down.

I still hope to get out and work on it today, but this is what it looks like right now.

the poor dock is so faded.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Id probably add a couple feeders in that case. Mostly just to keep the bugs down.

I still hope to get out and work on it today, but this is what it looks like right now. View attachment 2115991
the poor dock is so faded.

Yeah I think that’s what I’m going to do. I hate to kill any frogs/tadpoles but I’m sure the mosquitoes are loving it so gotta keep them down haha

And oh wow that’s really nice!!

 

[Granny Hatchet]

this made my day. Archer fish or ? I dont know why I dont get alerts when someone posts here ??

 

[My2butterflies]

this made my day. Archer fish or ? I dont know why I dont get alerts when someone posts here ?? View attachment 2116035

I was thinking sunfish?

 

[My2butterflies]

Yeah I think that’s what I’m going to do. I hate to kill any frogs/tadpoles but I’m sure the mosquitoes are loving it so gotta keep them down haha

And oh wow that’s really nice!!

Im the same way. I’d hate to kill or turn away frogs and tadpoles, but biting bugs are a no go for me. Lol

And thank you. I started with a preformed 175g pond from menards. We put koi in it and had to upgrade!

 

[Granny Hatchet]

There is a fish that spits water to catch the bugs/knocks them off the branches then eats them when they fall in the water.
I am up to 7 small tanks. 2 preformed ponds and their both a mess. I am amazed there are feeder fish in them.

 

[Granny Hatchet]

KDOGGS, I never seen anything like that in your tank. Its not rotted plant matter ?

 

[Granny Hatchet]

 

[AllenK RGV]

I am a potential future pond owner as I have a 12' round inground/aboveground pool I want and plan to convert into a water feature. The only fish I would really want to keep would probably be black mollies for mosquito control. In my mental plan this will mostly be a cattail, water lillie and hyacinth pond. I also would like to leave the existing vinyl or whatever liner in place and mortar in river rock over it.

Have I found the right thread to pick peoples minds on fish safe mortar to use? Or should I just be lazy and fiberglass over it? I spent around 15 years of my life dabbling in aquariums and have kept everything from fresh to salt water systems and finished that chapter of my life with a reef aquarium. So I'm pretty good with filtration and sump systems for the bioload I would be putting in there which is about none. What I am lacking in is the fish safe side of construction materials (concrete/mortar/affordable sealers). Silicones are within my wheelhouse so is pond turnover, and fluid mechanics.