Bought a house with a pond

[Mrk13p]

Well we just bought a house and surprisingly, there's a huge pond In the back. I don't know anything about ponds but I have kept cichlids all my life. I currently have a 240 gallon stocked with Africans but I'm excited to tackle this pond. I took a few pics and wanted to know if it was worth it or should I just cover it. I don't know how long it's been unattended so I'm not sure what condition it is in. Let me know what you guys think.

 

[celebrist]

Does it hold water

 

[Mrk13p]

Does it hold water

hopefully it does lol. i asked the neighbors and they said the house was known as the pond house cause all the kids would want to come look at the fish. This was almost 4 years ago though and it has been empty since. Thats what the neighbors tell me. Im gonna make a visit again in a couple of weeks as this house is 15 hrs away from me. What should i be looking for to figure out what this pond can handle.

 

[Wailua Boy]

looks like you have a lot of potential and you could reseal fairly easily with a paint on sealer or liner if needed. Try to calculate gallons...The depth of ponds can be a limiting factor, depending on your region/climate.

 

[Mrk13p]

looks like you have a lot of potential and you could reseal fairly easily with a paint on sealer or liner if needed. Try to calculate gallons...The depth of ponds can be a limiting factor, depending on your region/climate.

thanks for the reply... i can see that there is a liner in place under the rocks and there is a return pipe. i was looking for a drain or pump but couldnt find anything. Ill take measurements next time im up. bad thing is, the house is in oregon and it rains 6 months out of the year. what potential probs does this pose? off the top of my head i would guess the depth would be about 4 ft.

 

[Yellow River]

Where are you located? The reason I ask is because if you go threw the four season then you have to do upkeep depending on change.

 

[Mrk13p]

In Oregon. We do go through the 4 seasons plus it rains 6 months out the year

 

[Anthony Nolet]

The seasons are definitely all there. Been here 21 years (my whole life) didn't have a snow day until like 7th grade. But in the years after that we had a few and one year the river (south umpqua) partially froze over! It's hasn't done that since. Some years the river gets crazy high from rain and what not and some years it doesn't go up as far. Summer's are always pretty similar. A few really hot weeks and sometimes a few weird rains in the summer. We're almost to the rainy season which is the worst time of year. Idk what part of Oregon you are in but I am interested in what people say about you having a pond around here.

 

[Yellow River]

If your going to just have gold fish do DIY methods as best you can but if your going to have fresh water rays or expensive koi I'd recommend research further or doing it professionally. Structure consists of 45mm rubber lining(recommended carpet patting underneath). The patting is to help you avoid piercing from rocks you use to line the pond. Filtration is key not only for the success of your aquatic life but also for water clarity so you can enjoy your pond rather than just maintaining it. For the filtration I recommend a bio filter/waterfall because the water play helps oxygenate you pond. It is also lessens the amount of equipment you have to hide. A skimmer is key for maintenance and for your fish. Some leaves that fall into the pond may raise the pH levels too high for your fish and the skimmer can also be used for extra filtration by adding bio pads inside the components. That's the simplest I can break it down. Depending on the purpose of the pond the rocks you use make a difference the plants you use mater and the pond ground cover matter. For the bottom of the pond I recommend small pea pebbles to help the debree settle.

 

[Thekid]

If your going to just have gold fish do DIY methods as best you can but if your going to have fresh water rays or expensive koi I'd recommend research further or doing it professionally. Structure consists of 45mm rubber lining(recommended carpet patting underneath). The patting is to help you avoid piercing from rocks you use to line the pond. Filtration is key not only for the success of your aquatic life but also for water clarity so you can enjoy your pond rather than just maintaining it. For the filtration I recommend a bio filter/waterfall because the water play helps oxygenate you pond. It is also lessens the amount of equipment you have to hide. A skimmer is key for maintenance and for your fish. Some leaves that fall into the pond may raise the pH levels too high for your fish and the skimmer can also be used for extra filtration by adding bio pads inside the components. That's the simplest I can break it down. Depending on the purpose of the pond the rocks you use make a difference the plants you use mater and the pond ground cover matter. For the bottom of the pond I recommend small pea pebbles to help the debree settle.

Sorry but leaves will drop ph not raise it.

If possible use shelfs for plants you can keep in a pot and try to use water lilies and other floating plants for open water.