A Garden Pond Newbie

Hello All

Im looking forward to getting to getting some helpful hints and tips for my pond from you all and sorry if my into seems a bit long winded!
Please feel free to comment and help a fellow (new) enthusiast out. As stated I'm a garden pond newbie..... well sort of:) As a young child my parents had a garden pond and thats where my love for pond and fish started. I always knew I wanted a pond when i got my own home so decided to splash out this year after the missus and myself bought our home last year.

There was already a small pond in situ- possibly 2000L but the liner was worn and is was a swamp with no filter or any sign of life bar the 100's of frogs we relocated when taking out the old liner and sludge. Basically we widened and deepened the existing hole that was already there. We dug the pond down to 36inches at its deepest point and it averages 30 inches and left some ledges for plants. The pond is about 13ft long possibly more and 6.5ft at its widest (I estimate the pond volume at 5500L but i could be wrong as I'm no mathematician)

Current Filter setup is Oase Filtral 9000 which is always on. I have the filter connected to a waterfall that works 24/7 and there is a solar oxygenator setup to work at night too but can work during the day if needed.

We currently have some Goldfish, Dace, small Koi, gold and blue orfe and a small 5/6inch Diamond Sturgeon. All fish are doing really well and are very active at present given the nice weather. We got the sturgeon as my gf felt sorry for him being on his own. She loves a sob story lol:)

I have planted some Water Lilies, Arrum Lilies, Elodea and flowering rush which have yet to grow too much in all honesty so not sure what i can do here. There is also some water hyacinth which isn't too visible in the picture below.

PS no frogs were harmed in the making of this pond- there are more than you would believe hiding in the pond itself and around the rock garden at the back of our garden. We also swapped out some of the taller rocks for flatter ones to make it easier for any animals that may have fallen in to get out more easily.
The pic below was taken in March- will get up a new one tonight.

Looks good , sounds as though you have covered everything . Just one point is there a net over the pond or are you serving breakfast to the local herons . My pond is netted and some morning i have two herons on the roof of the house behind me .

Welcome along. Pond looks lovely and that's some lawn

Thanks Robert and a good point raised. I had been checking for the dreaded heron since we got the fish and luckily enough i saw him land one morning shortly after getting them (no more than 5 days later in fact) as i was brushing my teeth at 6.30am. I snook out the back and hid behind our shed and ran at him screaming to give him a good scare (Hopefully the neighbors didn't hear me lol). They are much bigger up close than i would have imagined!

I then bought a Decoy Heron and the Velda Heron Stop Spinner. There hasn't been a sign of his return since and all fish accounted for but obviously that's not to say he wont be back with some friends. I have heard mixed reviews about whether these decoys / scarers will work long term but they look better than a net in my opinion.
Just incase he did return I bought the Velda Heron Stop Fence as my next deterrent and the dreaded net as a last resort. Has anyone else used similar products to much success long term? I know if i was using the net i would have to keep it up off the surface of the pond as the heron could still stab the fish otherwise.

Will

Cheers Iain, that lawn takes some cutting let me tell you!

Looks great!! The Filtral filters are a handy unit but when it come to cleaning them they are horrible! I've a 5000 in my pond and it's the one thing that I hate cleaning!! As Robert says get a small net for protection!

Also, is the pond surface below the grass line? If so be wary of any pesticides or fertilizers you may use on the grass (which looks very green!!) and on the small flower bed behind as they may spill over.....

Hi FR85,

Thanks for the comment. The pond was built in early march, it does get the sun from 11am until the evening. The plants went in a few days after the pond was built- i suppose i might just be a bit impatient:) however since a week ago i have noticed a lily has developed 2 small shoots coming above the leaves that were already there so that's a good sign. I'm really looking forward to the plants coming to light over the next few weeks.

Yes the pond is below the grass line but we don't use any pesticides or chemicals on the plants.... i think the frogs have us covered there as they are eating any slugs etc. Have to say we are delighted with all the frogs running around the garden- we leave the grass quite long for them too.

Trust me when i say heron decoys and scares dont work . You must net the pond Now , mr heron has seen the pond and knows where breakfast can be got and believe you me he will be back probably with a few friends . My current raised pond built about 8 years ago has had cover on it since day one , but i still see the odd heron sitting on the roof behind us , just incase the covers were left off