plan to build an outdoor pond

[paltik]

hello i'm new here, i just want to ask what are the basics of building an outdoor pond? i've kept fish in a tank and i want to try this new project. how different is a fishtank from a pond, when it comes to maintenance and all those stuff?

thanks in advance! big fish are real cool!


NB: i have a problem with stray cats loitering around our yard and i'm worried that those jerks would come feasting on my pond fish

 

[rottbo]

they make little electtric fences to go around ponds or put in an alligator gar or arapaima the cats wont try to get the fish more than once if they survive the first try that is

 

[paltik]

won't the alligator gar eat the fish that i'm going to keep?

 

[Fabio's Dad]

When I first built a pond, I didn't factor in the environment quite enough. If there are any nearby trees, especially high Ph trees like pines, it can get challenging. I don't know how big you're thinking, but a friend of mine made a grate out of rebar and it works great for his little pond. He lives in the country, too, so he has to deal with racoons and coyotes and such.

 

[Fabio's Dad]

As far as the stray cats go, you can put thumb tacs into tape.(going into the sticky side) Then lay the tape around the pond on the border or on a board. It only takes a cat one time to learn to stop stepping there! It works great for cars! he he

 

[paltik]

thanks for the info!

i hope those cats would go away. they litter our lawn with their stinky poop and all that loose fur!

pesky stray animals. i'll shoot them with my BB gun next time

 

[paltik]

hey that's a nice one

 

[guppy]

Okay, not going to get into keeping the cats away from the yard here but I have found that if a pond is 30" or more in depth very few critters, cats, dogs, racoons, or wading birds can feed there.
Other considerations for out doors are heat, sunlight, cold, and rain. If it rains will runoff from the area enter the pond and is that a problem? If you get monsoon rains can you emplace a screened overflow? Are the fish jumpers? If you get to much sun can you screen the pond with shade cloth? Are mosquitos going to be a problem? What kind of stocking level do you want?(it makes a difference on filtration). Autofill or by hand? Above ground, in ground, or combined? What kind of fish.
First take a look at where you want the pond and how big can it be, then decide your budget. Then try and answer some of the questions above. That will get you to where you can start actual planning.

 

[paltik]

i plan to keep koi in it.

hmmm.. mosquitoes.. don't the koi eat wrigglers?

 

[guppy]

Small koi will big ones aren't very good at it but you can always add a swarm of cheap guppies or gambusia, danios, or medaka to a koi pond, they will keep the wriggler's population knocked down.