Decking over a pond ... will run off be safe for fish ?

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davemal

davemal

Piranha
MFK Member
May 15, 2007
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I think I know the answer but just wanted to check .... My plan is to extend my decking 4ft over my pond, to give a shaded area for my fish. The worry I have is the timber is treated so poisonous to fish, also the deck stain I have contains an algaecide also toxic. Will rain and water that runs off the decking harm my fish ?
If this is the case I might either fiber glass some ply to run any water away from the pond under the deck ... or find a new deck stain.
 
Huh, I never thought about that. I have a faux dock over mine. It overhangs by about a foot. I used regular outdoor stain and haven’t had any issues.
I would just stain and dry before it’s over the water.
 
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Drstrangelove said:
Can't you provide shade another way.

There are plants (e.g., water lily) that might work or perhaps you can install some type of wall on the edge of the pond that would block the sun at certain times of the day.
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I have 2 lilies the koi tend to rip them apart if I am 5 mins late feeding them. The carp and koi in my pond make most other plants a non starter.
 
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Leebtattoos said:
Treated lumber is basically pumped/pressurized with water and minimal and/or organic preservatives. They stopped putting harsh chemicals in the wood over a decade ago in USA at least.
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I live in the U.K. we can still cut m.d.f. with no control. Our treated timber still has some nasty stuff in it I think.
 
Haha, I heard ya on the plants. My koi will eat anything and everything. They ate all the plants and lilies I put in the pond. Even the arrow plants I had in rocks around the edges. Not sure how. Maybe they got a hold of the roots and pulled them in that way? Such monsters :p Now they have a bare pond.
 
I googled Pretty easily. The UK does the same as here and replaced the arsenic based preservative to a trace copper based. Copper traces aren’t going to hurt your fish. I.e. copper based medication.

But your pond, your rules. I’ve helped build several docks and catwalks on stock ponds and a few ornamental ponds with no issues with inhabitance. All you’d have in the water with your dimensions would be two 4x4” piers. Or you could use concrete piers depending on depth of pond, and cure them in some trash cans or something first so they don’t raise ph.

Another avenue if its only for shade, is a mesh shade. Those triangle ones are pretty easy to set up and you could use pvc if you need any posts in the water.
 
Leebtattoos said:
I googled Pretty easily. The UK does the same as here and replaced the arsenic based preservative to a trace copper based. Copper traces aren’t going to hurt your fish. I.e. copper based medication.

But your pond, your rules. I’ve helped build several docks and catwalks on stock ponds and a few ornamental ponds with no issues with inhabitance. All you’d have in the water with your dimensions would be two 4x4” piers. Or you could use concrete piers depending on depth of pond, and cure them in some trash cans or something first so they don’t raise ph.

Another avenue if its only for shade, is a mesh shade. Those triangle ones are pretty easy to set up and you could use pvc if you need any posts in the water.
Click to expand...

Thanks that's what I wanted to know, the timber wont be in the water it will be about 18 inches higher. I might put a waterfall under there too as I would like to try sterlets. That shade looks great I didn't think of doing anything like that, it will also help with viewing the fish. Thanks
 
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