My pond plan. Will it work??

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lix.ma14

Hydrolycus Armatus
MFK Member
Jan 7, 2011
7,182
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92
Ontario, Canada
Hey guys. I am planning make a small pond in my backyard that is just beside my deck where it can shade the pond. It's going to be around 5 feet by 6 feet and around 2 feet deep. I going to dig a hole and put pond lining etc. I am very interested in putting:

.2 large mouth bass

. a few pickeral (2 or 3)

. a few trout (2 or 3)

.2 sterlet sturgeon

. gars?

.northern pike if i can find one

.yellow perch

.stripe bass??

Will they cohab with each other?? What kind of fish shouldn't I add?
my other questions are:

. how deep does my pond need to be for it to not freeze over?? i live in southern canada (south eastern ontario).

. do I need a waterfall for my pond to be successful?

. WHAT IS A MUST FOR POND EQUIPEMENT?

.Do I need to clean my pond or do I just leave it there? Maintenence?

.Are plants a must? what plants do you recommend?

.Is a pond beside a deck safe. would the pond cause the deck to collaspe eventually.

.Does anyone know the rule of a license for a pond? DO I NEED AN ACTUAL FENCE?

i am just in the beginning of research and I'll be glad to read your advice.

thanks
 
i noticed that the fish stock is insanely overstocked. What fish should I take out right off the bat?? I have to keep the LMBs since they are in my growout tank right now.
 
thanks. Can somebody answer my other questions?
 
I would make it 3' deep. No you don't need a waterfall though it does look nice. Don't know about your other questions.
 
I would scratch that entire stock list and really do some more research on every fish you might think you want in there before dumping them in. You have all predators except the sturgeon but its the pike I would worry about killing the rest of your stock. Remember its not only a dog eat dog world but a fish eat fish one too. As for the rest of your questions :

how deep does my pond need to be for it to not freeze over?? i live in southern canada (south eastern ontario).

Your going to need to be at least 3' deep

. do I need a waterfall for my pond to be successful?

No but they are aesthetically pleasing and they sound great at night if your relaxing on the deck. You may have a little problem in the summer with black flys if you use flat rocks stacked on each other with the water flowing over them unless you use Mosquito Dunks which also kill black fly larvae or you get lucky and have enough natural predators to keep them in line since they can be a nasty and somewhat painful problem

. WHAT IS A MUST FOR POND EQUIPEMENT?

Pump, Filter and possibly a UV light and a heater to keep a hole open in the ice in the winter time, one with an aerator preferably.

.Do I need to clean my pond or do I just leave it there? Maintenence?

Just like an aquarium, occasional water changes, filter/pump cleaning , removing debris from the surface and the bottom with a pond net etc

.Are plants a must? what plants do you recommend?

Floating plants give cover to the fish and make them feel more secure and they look nice. I bought three water hyacinth in the beginning of summer and I have more than I can give away now. Hardy Lilly and Hardy Lotus can add a real nice touch to the aesthetics as well. Submerged plants oxygenate water. Floating plants as well as the submerged will suck excess nutrients out of the water to help keep it clear. You might also look into some type of snail to help clean up the pond. I have Japanese Trapdoor snails, they get big almost like apple snails, eat algae and decaying plant matter and they reproduce easily but not crazy like a lot of other snails will. And they don't eat your live plants.

.Is a pond beside a deck safe. would the pond cause the deck to collaspe eventually.
Is the pond under the deck? ;)

.Does anyone know the rule of a license for a pond? DO I NEED AN ACTUAL FENCE?
No clue for your location but probably, you need to call your city building department and ask for the codes. They will gladly tell you everything you need to know.

Hope that helps a little, just keep researching.
 
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