Starting New Pond

[txbelle221]

I have purchased my preformed pond of 175 gallons(from Lowes) and this weekend I will start digging the hole. I found alot of information about installing pond liners, but not much about installing preformed ponds. I just wanted to know if anyone had some advice from installation, to plants and fish and upkeep

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Christy

 

[ryan]

I would dig the hole with the liner beside you and try to carve out a similar shape to make it easy ot fit, then layer the hole with a 1"-2" layer of sand.

Possible fish:
Golden Rudd (Scardinius erythrophthalmus)
Golden Minnows (Phoxinus phoxinus)-Fast well oxygenated water needed.
Gudgeon (Gobio gobio)
Three-Spined Stickleback (Gasteroseus aculeatus)
Ten-Spined Sitckleback (Pungitius pungitius)
Rosyred Minnow (Pimephales promelas) (Licence)
Rainbow Dace (Cyprinella lutrensis)
Common Minnow (Phoxinus phoxinus)-Fast well oxygenated water needed.
Sunfish (A Lepomis species)
Goldfish (Carassius auratus)
Comets (Carassius auratus)
Wheather Loaches (Misgurnus anguillicaudatus)........

In the way of planting do you have any shelves and how deep is the pond? I would recommend an external filter and oxygen pump for nearly all the fish species listed above.

 

[txbelle221]

Thanks for the info!!

The literature on the pond says that it is 18" deep. It has two side shelves and an Island shelf off center that is not as deep as the side shelves. It is an odd shaped pond. I do plan on having a filter and pump but I have not made any choices yet. I also would like to have a waterfall on one end for decoration and added surface movement. I was thinking that I should get a separate pump for the waterfall. I only know about ponds what I have just read in the past few days....but I am really excited!!

 

[ryan]

You can just use the filter outlet to run the water fall, much easier. I would plant the side shelves with some marginal species of plants and a Lily in the deepest part of the pond then maybe a few floating species like Water Lettuces.

 

[txbelle221]

Thanks for the info!!!! I can't wait to get started!!!