Help im a new pond owner!?

Question

i just addead a 300 gallon pond and i need some help. I need to know the important things i need to maintain a healthy clear pond for fish and turtles. Links will be helpful so i can order the stuff. thx

Answer 1

Your pond needs an ecosystem. It's easy! Fish, plants, aeration, bacteria, filtration, sun/shade.
1. Fish eat algae.
2. Plants add oxygen to the water and shade the fish. They also look pretty. Both submerged (water lilies) and floating (water lettuce, water hyacinth) are good.
3. Aeration (waterfall, fountain, bubbler, sprayer) keep the water moving and oxygenated. Algae hate moving water.
4. Bacteria--the beneficial kind. You buy it in tablet, powder, or liquid form and add it to your pond. It establishes itself and keeps your pond balanced and algae-free.
5. Filtration. Your pump for your waterfall/bubbler/sprayer may have a "prefilter" to keep gunk out of it. A biofilter (basically a tub with a filtering medium such as foam blocks) will provide further filtration. Your bacteria will also live in the foam blocks.
6. Sun/shade. Your pond should have equal amounts of both. Algae hate sun. But do not put your pond too close to a small tree; leaves will get in and decompose.

All the above sound time-consuming and expensive, but most of these are one-time costs. They are also less time-consuming than cleaning your pond out every 2 weeks when it fills with that green muck.

Almost every pond, shortly after it is filled, will have an "algae bloom" where the water turns green and soupy. The above steps, especially the beneficial bacteria, will shortly get that algae bloom under control.

I prefer not to provide links as I cannot guarantee the vendors will be honest. I purchased my supplies from Lowe's, Home Depot, and several local pond stores.

You may click on my icon and e-mail me if you have specific questions. Happy ponding!

Answer 2

You will need a good pump and filter. One of the biggest mistakes is getting too small pump and filter. You need to have a good flow through the pond. The water should go through the filter about once an hour. The biggest problem with pumps is the flow rating in gallons per hour. The pump can be rated at 300 gallons per hour but when you get it hooked to the filter using hoses and connectors it will only pump 150 gallons per hour. Hose length, diameter, and height above the pool all effect the flow rate. There are hundreds of websites selling pumps and filters. You have to find the one you like best and is best for your pond. Better than looking on line would be to go to a local nursery that has ponds and equipement and talk to the person there that has the knowledge. More expensive isn't necessarialy better either. Once you talk to the guy at the nursery and know what you want than you can go on line to buy it. It is usually a lot cheaper. I know this is not helping but it is the truth. A good pump and the right filter will keep your pond in good shape.