Ok, chubbygold, heres 2 pics of our pond:

http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z99/Sha...23/IMG_1130.jpg

we have a dock and a little paddle boat, oh and incase ur wondering, the big stick like thing is a big swing

and heres the shallow end were the goldfish are going:

http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z99/Sha...23/IMG_1131.jpg

were making it prettier next year and probably adding a waterfall , the pipe in the water in the second pic is connected to our airpump

:

that is big....i thought u were going to buy one...... but....i am speachless... :

we were gonna, but my dad changed his mind, and like I said this one is huge! The fish are going in the shallow section which is still quite big, so u see, thats why I think a koi would do fine in there, lots of water lol! Even if they produce lots of waste I think the pond has enough bacteria to handle it since its so big

OMGOSH!IS THAT REALLY YOUR POND?! That is HUGE! I dont know...it doesn't look like you need a filter for 1 koi in that pond! but i dont know but omgosh, you are right, it's huge!

i don't think there is a filter big enough

lol, I wasnt kidding huh? lol, yup thats really our pond, I dont think i'd need a filter but maybe i'll convert the waterfall into a minifilter just incase



I agree with u on that, unless we got a huge one that they use on dolphin tanks LOL

Shamu, that is a really beautiful pond.... Wow, what lovely scenery around your place. Most koi keepers would be totally jealous of that pond. In fact, they use mud bottom ponds in Japan to grow out the big champions you see in the shows.

thanks! they wont get the whole pond, but their little section is plenty of room I think, and its safer for them that way . Im sure that after I add fish the pond will turn black with mud everywhere LOL

Shamu,
That is not a pond, it is a LAKE!!! LOL! It is so pretty!!! Good luck with your fish! I can't wait for you to finish it so we can see more pics!!!!

thanks! Next year we're adding a waterfall and putting some rocks around it. Im gonna find some kind of net to make the goldie section and maybe add some water lillies, it'll be so cool!!!!

I bet! And just think, you thought you weren't gonna get your pond! It was there all along!

lol, maybe but i'd still rather have a smaller pond where I know the fishies would be safer, it'll be hard keping predators away on this pond since hawks and herons and other big birds like that like to come by for a snack in the summer, Im probably gonna get one of those waterspraying scarecrows and some predator decoys, this will be cool too though

Yeah, but wouldn't those predators visit a smaller pond just like a big one? I mean, either way, there is dinner there, you know? I am sure you will find a great way to make the pond spectacular!

You sure are not kidding when you said it's big lol. Shamu, that is a beautiful pond, when you got it fix up a little even though it's very pretty already post a picture! I really want to see. Oh and man i think there should be enough space for more than 1 koi in there lol. Would 1 koi in there alone be lonely? Oh and btw are you sure there are no fish in there yet? lol like someone said from above, it does look like a lake! lol. I really wish i have that hahaha but yeah good luck and have fun with it. I heard big pond is easier to maintain but you might have a big of a problem seeing your koi lol.

Wow Shamu, talk about a perfet compromise! Cool pond. I'm speechless too. And very envious. You are very very lucky to live there an dhave that pond and I can see it looking even better with goldies in. Keep us picture posted every step of the way please okay ?!

I am so jealous!! You can swim with your fishies!!! coool.

Wow!! Terrific! How deep is the deep end?

What is the main water source?


Oliver

I sure missed a lot. Last I heard, your Dad said no. What did you say to change his mind?

I'm glad you were able to convince him to use part of that lake/pond. Good for you! Do you know where/who you would be buying your Koi from?

Shamu, you can build hiding spots for your fish in that pond. Have your dad purchase flue tiles and lay them on their sides in the pond. This will create great hiding areas for the fish when predators are around.... A flue tile is a big, rectangular tunnel that they build chimney's out of. They're made from fired terra cotta and do really well in ponds. I've got several in my pond. They act as shelves for the water lilies and hiding spaces for the fish when predators come around. Just remember where they are when you're wading around and don't bump them. They are heavy and you'll get a bruise! ( I speak from experience, LOL).......

Pond fish are a different breed from our pets indoors. They are naturally a lot more skittish and suspicious of activity at the shoreline. They have to be to avoid getting eaten. You will have to accept a few losses here and there. It's part of the life cycle of nature. That's why I try not to get too attached to my outdoor fish. They get fed at the same spot every day though and come running when I show up with the fish chow. LOL..... I tap the side of the pond a couple of times and that's their signal that it's mealtime. Your fish will get used to you too.

do u have to drive to the pond?

theres is other fish in there, thats one of the reasons the goldies dont get the whole pond lol



nope, out house is right beside it

Oliver, the deep end is 3-4 meters deep. We use our pond for water supply, water gets replaced only by rain and melted snow in the spring which is alot lol

gardengirl, good idea, i'll give them hiding spots and I realize I might lose a few, oh well, there'll be lots that survive too!

My dad said no to digging another pond but I convinced him to let me use this one

Oh shamu, do you know what kind of fishes are already in the pond?

bull heads (thats what I wanna keep the goldies away from), minnows, and some other silver ones a bit smaller than a mature goldie, they're all peaceful fish, but Im scared the bullheads would eat baby goldies, we also have to keep them on one end, cause we go swimming in the pond and it would suck to jump in and kill a goldie by landing on it

oooh ok and wow you get to swim with fish! Lucky! lol

lol yeah, but they're usually scared of us, although they do occasionally nip at ur feet lol, but they're cute. In summer they all swim in circles around the bubbles from the airpump, such silly fishies they basically all pile up on each other near the surface and go in circles for hours LOL

aww that is pretty adorable. lol but I think as long as it's friendly or got use to you you should be able to swim with it... lol i know i wouldn't do that in small ond...eww fishy water lol

could u buy one of those underwater camera......that would be so awesome

Wow Shamu - so that is the pond which supplies your house with water? It's HUGE!
When I was a child a friend of my parents used to breed koi in a few huge lakes like yours. He said the only thing that became a problem was that when ducks and wildfowl would land on the lake they'd often bring in fish eggs on their feet - he realised after a while that he was loosing huge numbers of fish and discovered that, by way of the ducks, he had pike growing in there, too. I don't know if you have pike in Canada, but they are big fish with teeth!! Anyway, to keep the 'visitors' away he installed some those high pressure water jets which get triggered by movement.
Looking forward to more pics.
Pixie

yup, thats the pond I was talking about. We do have pike here but not in our pond, we do occasionally get ducks or geese, but they never come to the shallow end cause its so close to our house they're scared. Im also gonna probably install a scarecrow that sprays water



that would be pretty cool, maybe I will depending on the price of one of those things lol

Bull heads eat smaller fish but I wouldn't worry too much about them. Their scavangers but they don't chase their meals. The fish that are the biggest threat are Pike, Bass, waleye.

Bull head, Bluegill/Sunfish, perch will eat smaller fish but fish 3 inches and over won't be bothered much.

Jumping in and landing on a goldfish is something that will never happen. The goldfish will be gone before you even hit the water.


Your pond is smaller than mine but plenty big enough to support a few koi.

I just might do that! I dont think there r any big mean fish cause the river we got the water from is small and shallow, and i've never seen any here in the river or the pond

Holy carp how big is your pond shamu's pond is bigger than most of the native lakes around my area

My pond is around an acre (43,500 sq feet surface area) and 25 feet deep.

that sure is deep! Ours is about 4 meters deep i think, i've never been able to touch the bottom even when I jumped in and tried to reach it I never could but Im kinda glad I didnt, dont wanna acciedently hurt any kind of blind fish living in the dark lol. Oh, the only other threat to the fish I can think of now is giant water beetles (they r so creepy!) r koi fast enough to get away from them? I've seen other fish killed by them, it wasnt pretty! It looked like they has a kinda hollow side that was filled with air, when u touch it its really squishy!

Is this your water bug http://www.eduwebs.org/bugs/giant_water_bug.htm

I have them in my pond. Any healthy fish would be fast enough to get away from them. But they might attack small fish that get too close to them. The bigger fish will eat those beetles.

Wow, I am just amazed at the huge ponds a lot of Koko members have! More like envious. Is this what I get for living in the 'burbs? If I got a pond, it'd probably be the size of a kiddie pool.

Thanks for that Nick so your pond is about the size of 1/48th of our property lol. It is about as deep as our pool. Most of our land is bush though

I call that a lake.. Nice & big pond you got there.

BTW, how can you take some pics of the fish?

oh yeah those r the ones, creepy little things. Whenever I see them I take them in a bucket and dump them in the ditch then when it rains the water level rises and they can swim into the local river if they're willing to make a long journey lol, not like I kill them though, theres always water in the ditch

Oh my gosh!!! That's huge! Do your fish get lost in there? lol! Bet you have no problem getting them to come to you when you through food in there!