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3,560 Gallon Native Fish Pond

Started by Guest_Yeahson421_* , Aug 26 2013 02:58 PM

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60 replies to this topic

#21 Guest_Yeahson421_*

Guests

Posted 29 August 2013 - 08:23 PM

That's my plan for this weekend! And I do plan to snorkel frequently, and even if I wasn't, the purpose of the pond to me is also breeding in addition to aesthetics.

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#22 Guest_Yeahson421_*

Guests

Posted 04 September 2013 - 07:43 PM

So, I put in some waterlillies, and as I'm typing this I am acclimating about 50 Ghost Shrimp to the pond. Now, pictures!

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#23 mattknepley

NANFA Member

Smack-dab between the Savannah and the Saluda.

Posted 04 September 2013 - 08:24 PM

Very cool!

Matt Knepley
"No thanks, a third of a gopher would merely arouse my appetite..."

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#24 Guest_Gavinswildlife_*

Guests

Posted 05 September 2013 - 03:05 PM

Ghost shrimp... Can survive in Minnesota? O_o

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#25 Guest_Yeahson421_*

Guests

Posted 05 September 2013 - 03:47 PM

I occasionally find them in the Mississippi. I would have collected them, but I never find them in large enough numbers to effectively stock my pond.

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#26 Guest_gzeiger_*

Guests

Posted 06 September 2013 - 12:34 PM

Given a sufficient head start that would be interesting. I have my doubts that they'll survive the stocking list posted above in a pond with minimal structure like this, but good luck.

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#27 Guest_Yeahson421_*

Guests

Posted 07 September 2013 - 03:53 PM

Well, I'm hoping that with, as you said, a good headstart and heavy planting, they should be in good shape.

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#28 Guest_Yeahson421_*

Guests

Posted 07 September 2013 - 03:56 PM

We finally got a new pump and got the waterfall running, take a look!

CAM00373.jpg 184.3KB 2 downloads

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#29 Guest_Irate Mormon_*

Guests

Posted 15 September 2013 - 04:20 PM

If you are emotionally invested in the ghost shrimp, keep in mind that they don't like current and are fond of leaf litter as a habitat. Also keep in mind that even very small fishes will eat them!

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#30 Guest_gzeiger_*

Guests

Posted 15 September 2013 - 08:00 PM

The current from that waterfall should be fine for them in a pond that big. I give them about zero chance of surviving the fish though.

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#31 Guest_Yeahson421_*

Guests

Posted 22 September 2013 - 10:49 AM

The shrimp are meant for food, I just hope they'll last for a year or so. Also, what would anyone think about putting some Studfish in the pond? Are they too big, too predatory, or too likely to outcompete my other fish?

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#32 Michael Wolfe

Board of Directors

North Georgia, Oconee River Drainage

Posted 22 September 2013 - 10:59 AM

I think that if you have the Russetfinned Topminnows you were talking about you will already have the niche filled... the topminnow niche... studfish are similar, and you will have more luck with something like the russetfins breeding (did you read those articles in AC, the studfish are a tougher group to breed). I think I know someone with a cement pond that has good luck with some starthead-type topminnows reproducing... stick with those.

Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing. - Benjamin Franklin

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#33 Guest_Yeahson421_*

Guests

Posted 20 March 2014 - 09:31 PM

Hello all, with Minnesota finally getting warm (~30-50 degrees Fahrenheit), the ice has started melting. I quickly realized I would need to add a stock tank heater for the melting to end anytime before June, so I added one. I began draining the pond to survey how the winter went. I drained it to within a foot of the bottom. The pond froze more than halfway down! I've found two of my 8 Bluehead Chubs floating, but I can't seem to find any others, so I hope that's a good sign. There are three factors that I believe lead to the first winter not going well:
1. I didn't get a leaf net done early enough to make a difference. Tens of pounds of leaves fell in, adding exponentially to the biomass the pond would have to handle, as well as creating pitch black water conditions.
2. I wasn't prepared for the ice to come when it did, so the pond had to lay stagnant and sealed for more than a week before I could add some airstones, which was made even more taxing by number 1.
3. I underestimated the power of the cold. Next year I plan to cover 90% of the ponds surface with marine plywood or spray foam panels and use a pond deicer all year in addition to my airstones to keep the conditions less hostile.

However, draining the pond proved to unveil incredible ice formations. I have a video I will post tomorrow demonstrating this. Be warned, it is shaky, but that is because I could only hold the camera by the strap. The sounds are really cool.

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#34 Guest_Usil_*

Guests

Posted 21 March 2014 - 12:05 PM

Cool project. Great implementation.

Usil

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#35 Guest_Yeahson421_*

Guests

Posted 08 August 2014 - 08:55 PM

Hello everyone! So, this Spring and Summer the pond has been all over the place. It cleared up very nicely for a few weeks, but there was a sudden jump in temperatures triggering an algae bloom. This algae bloom persisted until just 3 weeks ago thanks to a new UV Clarifier. I had stocked the pond with Rainbow Shiners, St. Croix Rainbow Darters, and some Bleeding Shiners. Unfortunately, as far as I can see I lost all but 2 Bleeding Shiners to a combination of oxygen deprivation from the sheer density of algae as well as decomposition of the lower level of the algae, which also caused an ammonia spike. A cat also did a number on my shiners, but we now have a large solar light that has kept it away at night. However, now that the water is clearing up, I've been able to see fry! So far, the only ones I can confirm are the Rainbow Darters, of which I have seen 15 or more on the bottom from the water's surface, so I'm sure there are far more! I may also have seen some kind of shiner fry, but I am not sure yet. Overall, once again, I've learned a lot and can improve my system from what I have learned. I definitely need to improve my filtration, as well as possibly add a foam fractionator (or phoam phraxionator). My current dilemma is the coat of dead algae along the bottom of the pond. I would really like to clean it up, but I don't want to harm any fry hiding within. Any ideas?

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#36 Guest_jetajockey_*

Guests

Posted 09 September 2014 - 11:36 PM

A little late to the thread but there's not a whole lot you can do other than suck it all up and hope the fry are smart enough to get out of the way.

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#37 gitano

NANFA Member

Posted 28 November 2014 - 07:48 PM

I envy you this pond!

Very cool!

Paul

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#38 Evan P

NANFA Guest

Knoxville, TN

Posted 06 November 2015 - 04:40 PM

It has been quite a while since I've updated this thread! I have had a very successful year, and am very happy with how the pond has been doing. I'll start just by giving a list of fish that I currently have in my system:

Longear Sunfish (Spawned)

DSCN1610.JPG 104.49KB 3 downloads

Blackstripe Topminnow (Spawned)

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Bluntface Shiner (Possibly Spawned)

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Rainbow Darter (Spawned)

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Sunburst Darter

Redfin Darter

Northern Hogsucker

Red Shiner (Possibly Spawned)

Bleeding Shiner (Spawned)

Bleeding Shiner.jpg 74.68KB 3 downloads

Whitefin Yellowfin Shiner (Possibly Spawned)

Stoneroller sp.

Horneyhead Chub (Spawned)

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I have been surprised by the number of species that spawned in the pond, as well as the sheer number of young. I have roughly 100 Horneyhead Chubs after this year's spawning, and that is without me interfering at all. I am excited for more success to come next spring.

I also have a long compilation of some videos I've shot in the pond over the year. Unfortunately, I always seemed to shoot on days with poor visibility, but oh well.

Once I get my winter cover constructed, I'll post another update to give everyone an idea of how I deal with Minnesota winters. Thanks for checking this out!

3,000-4,000 Gallon Pond Full of all sorts of spawning fishes! http://forum.nanfa.org/index.php/topic/13811-3560-gallon-native-fish-pond/page-3