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Pond & Water Gardening/Questions Answered by Expert Jonathan Cauble
| Subject | Date Asked |
| Goldfish dying | 12/28/2010 |
| Q: I have a a 4000 litre outside pond with a biological filter with many goldfish and 3 koi. th ... A: It could be a virus (least likely), bacteria, or parasite, but test for ammonia and nitrate to be ... | |
| science fair fish project | 12/26/2010 |
| Q: I teach 2nd grade. Recently I had a Beta fish visit my classroom and it died. We are studying animal ... A: I can help you with this. I just need to know how much time you have to prepare for the experiment ... | |
| koi in a bass pond | 12/19/2010 |
| Q: I have an approximately 2 acre pond fed by an artesian spring. The water is crystal clear when it ... A: There should be no negative effects caused by adding koi. The bass, if agressive, may chase the koi ... | |
| Discolored Water, HELP | 12/18/2010 |
| Q: I have a freshwater goldfish pond. 7 years. Always ( I mean always) has been CRYSTAL clear. Two ... A: It is possible that the berries are to blame, but it would show in the water chemistry. In just ... | |
| Discolored Water, HELP | 12/18/2010 |
| Q: I have a freshwater goldfish pond. 7 years. Always ( I mean always) has been CRYSTAL clear. Two ... A: The usual cause is a buildup of either sediment or nitric compounds, such as Ammonia. Test for ... | |
| Harlequins | 12/13/2010 |
| Q: I done a 20% water change from my 90 litre tank, which contains an 8" pleco catfish, 6 female and 3 ... A: You don't want to add salt to your aquarium. Check for nitrate and general hardness. High levels ... | |
| ph | 11/23/2010 |
| Q: I have a existing 700 gallon pond with 12 6" goldfish for nine years now. I built a 3500 gallon pond ... A: It is hard to say exactly how much baking soda because pH is on a logarithmic scale, meaning that ... | |
| ph | 11/22/2010 |
| Q: I have a existing 700 gallon pond with 12 6" goldfish for nine years now. I built a 3500 gallon pond ... A: 7.2 is a great pH and you should be raising your old pond's pH, not lowering the new one's pH. It ... | |
| over winter large koi in MN pond | 11/21/2010 |
| Q: My pond is 4000 gallons, 4 feet deep at the waterfall end. Surface size is approx 16' x 8'.I ... A: There is probably not a risk of dying because 4000 gallons is a good amount of water for 100 small ... | |
| koi | 11/12/2010 |
| Q: Well I never was able to find any answer you sent, which makes me believe the web site is a bunch of ... A: I answered your question already. I'm sorry if you somehow didn't receive it. I assure you, I have ... | |
| coi karp "ick" | 11/10/2010 |
| Q: I filled my new 250 gallon pond with fresh water from my well, in rural Virginia. waited two months, ... A: First off, 13 fish are way too many for 250 gallons. There is just about no way you could maintain ... | |
| Dying Koi | 11/9/2010 |
| Q: Recent History; I have had the pond for about 6 months. I live in AZ where the Temperature ... A: Chlorine definitely killed the fish. You always need to use dechlorinator when using tap water. It ... | |
| baby koi and treatment | 11/7/2010 |
| Q: We have a pond and we brought them inside for the winter. We believe that one of the koi is sick, ... A: The simplest answer is that paracide green will kill parasites. Baby koi are more susceptible to ... | |
| blue heron | 10/21/2010 |
| Q: I have a koi pond in Western Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh, netted to prevent blue heron from taking the ... A: They hunt all year round. Their eating habits are dictated by their migratory habits. This year ... | |
| my pond fish | 10/20/2010 |
| Q: i have 6 goldfish feeder fish and 1 fan tail goldfish in my pond its getting close to winter and i ... A: I'd say your best choice was to move only the fantail inside, into the tropical aquarium, still ... | |
| algae death | 10/19/2010 |
| Q: We have a 12' by 18' pond that is about 6" deep with plants at one end and 18" deep at the other ... A: The snails probably starved. There's not much that will kill snails without killing fish. It is ... | |
| algae death | 10/18/2010 |
| Q: We have a 12' by 18' pond that is about 6" deep with plants at one end and 18" deep at the other ... A: Ozone is actually good for ponds. The only thing that seems to have changed is the work you had ... | |
| my pond fish | 10/17/2010 |
| Q: i have 6 goldfish feeder fish and 1 fan tail goldfish in my pond its getting close to winter and i ... A: You would need a larger aquarium for those fish. You would want to use water from the pond (not ... | |
| Frog in small lined pond | 10/14/2010 |
| Q: I live near Chicago and have a small (4.5' by 6')pond with a lining. This year a frog has lived in ... A: Turtles, not frogs hibernate in the mud. Frogs prefer crevices in logs, rocks, etc. It will likely ... | |
| pond algae followup | 10/12/2010 |
| Q: Jonathan, You may recall my inquiry in regard to algae issue with artificial pond in indoor eagle ... A: I'd say you can safely eliminate your tap water as the cause. Your test shows that perhaps Carbon ... | |
| Water Hyacinth - Overwintering in containers | 10/11/2010 |
| Q: I have a Water Hyacinth that I'd like to bring indoors for the winter to keep it from freezing. I've ... A: Chlorine doesn't evaporate anymore. This is a little different in every region, but most ... | |
| fish in pond | 10/9/2010 |
| Q: I have a natural pond approx. 30ft circle & 15ft deep I would like to stock it with fish (to keep it ... A: I believe you are asking me what kind of fish you should get. You should get whatever you like, ... | |
| dead shubunkin | 10/6/2010 |
| Q: I have 5 Shubunkin fish in a large garden pond, this morning I notice one floating at the top with ... A: The only way to stop fish from eating plants is by making the plant inaccessible. You can do this ... | |
| a formerly whiskey/wine 1/2 barrel for pond | 10/2/2010 |
| Q: I bought a 1/2 oak barrel intending to use it as a small garden pond. It was for sale as a planter. ... A: Properly made alcohol has a complete lack of bacteria. It is possible that some residue left behind ... | |
| Yellow Taro | 10/1/2010 |
| Q: I live in a zone 6 in NJ. What winter care do I give the Yellow Taro plants in my outdoor pond A: You're in luck! This is a fairly simple process. You will be storing the bulb and not the whole ... | |
| Koy Fish | 9/30/2010 |
| Q: They are swimming really slow and not happy - is there anything we can do ? ANSWER: Sulfer salt in ... A: I do not mean to sound negative, but there's usually not a window of more than a few hours. ... | |
| Wetlands | 9/27/2010 |
| Q: Our back yard is very wet much of the year due to natural springs uphill from us. It was suggested ... A: The brown part is the seed pod. The fuzzy white things inside are the seeds. Collect these and ... | |
| Baby Koi | 9/25/2010 |
| Q: My name is April Callies. We have 10,000 gallon pond with 8 full grown coi fish. My husband loves ... A: They should be just fine, as long as you do a few things. Firstly, check your area's freezing ... | |
| my snails keep dying | 9/23/2010 |
| Q: I have a prefab pond that holds approx. 160 gal. I have added plants from the local river and lakes ... A: There are several reasons why your snails may be dying. As always, check the pH, salinity, and ... | |
| pond water | 9/21/2010 |
| Q: I promise I will stop bugging you about this. Just 1 more question... what would I use for the ... A: After re-checking my literature, I remembered that the ca/mg balance only applies to reef tanks ... | |
| high ph | 9/21/2010 |
| Q: I recently moved to east Texas from Pa. I had 4 ponds there and never had a problem. Here the ph ... A: That bicarbonate and Calcium carbonate alkalinity are off the charts. I've never seen anything like ... | |
| high ph | 9/21/2010 |
| Q: I recently moved to east Texas from Pa. I had 4 ponds there and never had a problem. Here the ph ... A: Hardness is often an ill-defined parameter. Hardness, I suppose, could refer to all three elements: ... | |
| high ph | 9/20/2010 |
| Q: I recently moved to east Texas from Pa. I had 4 ponds there and never had a problem. Here the ph ... A: Hydrochloric acid (muriatic acid) is the best approach to solving your problem. Your alkalinity and ... | |
| our fish died overnight | 9/20/2010 |
| Q: We really need some advice about a backyard pond. We just rented a home that had a pond, the ... A: There are several biological and chemical processes that occur in pond water. The ultimate result ... | |
| koi fish poisoning | 9/20/2010 |
| Q: I have a dam approx 200 000 l water. all my koi fish died in a matter of 1-2 days (80 > than 40 cm ... A: That is about a 1:500,000 l ratio poison to water. That product could definitely do some damage, ... | |
| green water in pond | 9/18/2010 |
| Q: I have a 500 gal pond, cannot stop the water from turning green. Pond is covered by lattice on top ... A: The simplest solution would be an ultraviolet clarifier. It exposes the algae that passes through ... | |
| pregnant goldfish | 9/17/2010 |
| Q: I have a goldfish that is so big that it cant swim upright I assume that it is pregnant but it looks ... A: Typically, when a goldfish is pregnant the males in the water will be slightly aggressive with the ... | |
| Copper sulfate in small clay pond | 9/16/2010 |
| Q: My pond (20'x12'x4'deep) was full of stink grass/musk-grass chara algae until I raked out most of ... A: It depends on the hardness of the water. In very hard waters, Copper Sulfate only has a reaction ... | |
| Duckweed problem | 9/13/2010 |
| Q: I have a small pond in my garden with no filter and this year during the summer in England it has ... A: I'm sorry that I don't have any wonderful news for you. The only successful way I have found to ... | |
| worm type things | 9/11/2010 |
| Q: I have a pond with around 10 fish in it, recently I have found my filter is clogging up with what ... A: I believe it is an egg from a snail, more specifically a Lymnaea Sternalis. I personally do not ... | |
| dying fish | 9/9/2010 |
| Q: I have 2000 gal pond, circulate 1550 GPH, 2 mechanical filters, 250 gal ... A: Try raising the salt level in the pond. It weakens parasites and helps the fish to expel them. Be ... | |
| KIDNEY POND | 9/9/2010 |
| Q: I HAVE A KIDNEY POND ABOUT 3FT WIDE X 1FT DEEP WITH 4 GOLD FISH IN IT ONE PUMP CIRCULATING WATER AND ... A: In order to safely have fish, you need the pump to circulate through a filter that has bot ... | |
| dying fish | 9/6/2010 |
| Q: I have 2000 gal pond, circulate 1550 GPH, 2 mechanical filters, 250 gal ... A: There are a few things I can't yet eliminate. It is possibly a bacterial infection. They are ... | |
| dying fish | 9/6/2010 |
| Q: I have 2000 gal pond, circulate 1550 GPH, 2 mechanical filters, 250 gal ... A: If I were on the scene, the first thing I would do is to grab a recently deceased fish and use a ... | |
| bottom feeder for a pond | 9/5/2010 |
| Q: well my family has a pond, and we were thinking about getting a bottom feeder or two, to help keep ... A: You're only choice is a high-finned banded shark. They are not actually sharks. They are, as far ... | |
| Green Water since May | 9/3/2010 |
| Q: but I am now at my wits end having tried everything suggested. My pond has a high ph level, but ... A: The cause of you high pH is most likely a high alkalinity, or KH. It is usually caused by an influx ... | |
| perch dying | 8/31/2010 |
| Q: i have a pond for the larger fish when they reach size. all my perch are dying they have cloudy eye ... A: I don't know if you have a GH test in your kit. High GH weakens the immune system over time and it ... | |
| perch dying | 8/29/2010 |
| Q: i have a pond for the larger fish when they reach size. all my perch are dying they have cloudy eye ... A: I need some more information. What of your water chemistry did you test to be fine? The cloudy ... | |
| fish dying | 8/26/2010 |
| Q: I have a 1500 gallon pond with a tetra pond filter, one water fall and another rock/water accent. ... A: Yes, all those tadpoles would put a strain on available oxygen in the water. Once they are frogs ... | |
| What is coming out of this fish? | 8/25/2010 |
| Q: I wasn't really sure about who to direct this question to; I hope you can help. I have a water ... A: That is generally what fish eggs look like, a long strand of several eggs. They also do resemble ... | |
| water chemistry | 8/24/2010 |
| Q: I have a pond that is about 2 months old and is about 900 gallons. Have been using Tetra pond test ... A: There are three ways to soften your water (GH). 1) Aerate water in a container with peat moss for ... | |
| Pond & Fish info | 8/22/2010 |
| Q: We have a 650 to 750 gallon pond with waterfall. At present we have around 20 feeder goldfish of ... A: 650-700 gallons is enough for that many fish for a year or so. Once they all are each about 4", you ... | |
| pump cleaning | 8/19/2010 |
| Q: hi i have bought a second hand pond pump and filter how can i deep clean them so i don't transfer ... A: Having them sit outside of the water for more than a few hours should kill any aquatic parasites, ... | |
| my fish | 8/18/2010 |
| Q: i have a pond 9"long by 4" wide the deep end is 4" the middle 3" and the shallow 2" deep in it i ... A: From my approximation, I believe your pond is between 700 and 900 gallons. The very conservative ... | |
| ( : (|) <--- monkey | 8/10/2010 |
| Q: How does one control the maggots of the lily beetle as they eat and damage the lilies. The pond is ... A: I'm sorry. I don't know about that particular beetle. | |
| pond | 8/8/2010 |
| Q: I have made a pond that holds 6,ooo ltrs of water, I wonderd if you could tell me please what size ... A: You should look for a pump that moves approximately 10,000-15,000 liters per hour. The filter you ... | |
| Fish reporoduction | 8/8/2010 |
| Q: Sorry for such a silly question, but are shebunkins egg bearing (in plant roots) or live bearing? ... A: All goldfish (sorry if there are any exceptions that I am overlooking) lay eggs to reproduce. There ... | |
| Pond life dying | 8/8/2010 |
| Q: I have a very small pond about 8 cubic feet. Since we moved in about 3 three years ago there have ... A: There are kits to test water parameters. Each one should be less than nine dollars. Some pet ... | |
| Pond life dying | 8/7/2010 |
| Q: I have a very small pond about 8 cubic feet. Since we moved in about 3 three years ago there have ... A: My preliminary guess is that the continued presence of frogs has driven the ammonia level up. Frogs ... | |
| butterfly koi | 8/5/2010 |
| Q: I have a butterfly koi which I have had for 7 years in our 10,000.00 gal pond with one other koi and ... A: I often base my conclusions partially on sequence of events. The sequence of events here doesn't ... | |
| Worm like marks on lily leaves | 8/5/2010 |
| Q: I have worm like lines on the leaves of my water lillies - both hardy and tropical. What can they be ... A: The damage is from some sort of insect. The easiest way to identify the type of insect is to find ... | |
| fish appeared | 8/3/2010 |
| Q: When I cleaned the filter on my pump I noticed fish swimming in the bottom of my pond,I didn't put ... A: They are gambusia or some other mosquito fish. They most likely came in with a plant. They could ... | |
| Foam in my pond | 8/2/2010 |
| Q: My pond used to have a leak and after we repair the leak a lot foaming is forming in the pond and ... A: It sounds like a filamentous green algae. The algae is there because of the nutrients in the water. ... | |
| Identifying my pond fish | 8/2/2010 |
| Q: We have four large fish in our little pond. We have always thought that they were just goldfish as ... A: The large white fish is definitely a koi. The small white one, I'm about 90% certain of being a ... | |
| Foam in my pond | 8/2/2010 |
| Q: My pond used to have a leak and after we repair the leak a lot foaming is forming in the pond and ... A: It could be from some input material, such as the seam tape's adhesive. It's quite hard to pinpoint ... | |
| severely bloated goldfish | 8/1/2010 |
| Q: I have never even been aware of any disease about bloating goldfish until today. I have a 1000 ... A: A salt bath, as it is often called, is meant to kill any external parasites the fish may have. It ... | |
| severely bloated goldfish | 8/1/2010 |
| Q: I have never even been aware of any disease about bloating goldfish until today. I have a 1000 ... A: Are each of the fish's scales raised, almost resembling a pine-cone? What is sounds like you are ... | |
| Pond Pump | 7/26/2010 |
| Q: so I have a question about my parents pond pump- if this doesn't make sence I will ask again and ... A: More than likely, there used to be another pump hooked up; and it was at some point removed. The ... | |
| green water in fountain | 7/23/2010 |
| Q: ..I just bought a fountain for my patio. It has a copper pipe that draws the water up from the pump ... A: It does sound like you are experiencing an algae problem, although it is remotely possible that it ... | |
| Koi spawning | 7/22/2010 |
| Q: I recently added a new koi to my pond. I have 3 koi's just over 1foot. As soon as I added the new ... A: Fish, even koi, can be territorial, therefore aggressive towards newly introduced fish. It is more ... | |
| ducks and algae | 7/21/2010 |
| Q: Do ducks like algae? do they eat it? can it harm them? Have a 30 foot by 100 foot pond with plastic ... A: Ducks do like algae. They eat it as well as other vegetation. By 'sandfill,' I assume you mean ... | |
| Tannin colored water | 7/20/2010 |
| Q: I have a mature, well filtered and balanced pond. I keep it lightly salted for the health of my koi. ... A: Scoop some water up in a cup. Let is sit undisturbed for 24 hours. If the brown color is settled ... | |
| dying fish | 7/17/2010 |
| Q: We made our above ground pond last year...old cistern 6'x8'by 3'deep. We had goldfish and they did ... A: It is most likely a lack of oxygen. As the temperature rises, the amount of oxygen that the water ... | |
| tiny black fish that eat algae just appeared | 7/17/2010 |
| Q: I have a pond that I inherited upon purchase of my home, it has three goldfish..It is a manmade pond ... A: A few more far fetched guesses... In a storm during a high water level, the fish could have come ... | |
| My Pond Fish | 7/17/2010 |
| Q: I had 20 small to large goldfish in my pond that is 6x8x4. I had the pond cleaned in April. ... A: Often times, when you clean a pond entirely it kills off the bacterial colonies that are responsible ... | |
| critters in new pond | 7/6/2010 |
| Q: there seems to be a very small tadpole like thing in my new pond and water fall......how do I figure ... A: Wasps are attracted mostly to open sources of garbage and flowering weeds, as well as water. The ... | |
| catfish-moose | 7/6/2010 |
| Q: I have a pretty big catfish that has been in my 3000 gallon koi pond for about 8 years. at the ... A: This is a tough decision for anyone to come to. There are several ways, but options are limited ... | |
| removing muck from a goldfish stream | 7/4/2010 |
| Q: I have a small spring/stream in my back yard that I dammed up and created a goldfish pond. It's ... A: My favorite method uses a solids-handling pump to remove sludge and water at the same time. Refill ... | |
| brownish red scum on pond surface | 7/2/2010 |
| Q: I have a medium size water garden with fish. ( approx. 1000 gal.) It has developed, almost ... A: It sounds like an algae bloom. The bubbles contain gasses from the algae's gas exchange. You ... | |
| Well | 7/1/2010 |
| Q: I have a pond that is fed by an underground well. i do not know many specifics of it because it was ... A: I'm not sure exactly what the contact is like on your setup. If the float calve is working ... | |
| Fish problems | 7/1/2010 |
| Q: moving to my present address this year, I inherited a large garden pond, 10,000 litres 10 x 8. The ... A: The dead squirrel and badger situation is very bad for water condition. I would do another large ... | |
| dying goldfish | 7/1/2010 |
| Q: We moved to our home in a rural area of Vancouver Island six years ago and bought 40 goldfish to ... A: It seems like everything is in order. It is possible that there are pH swings. Eliminate this as ... | |
| green koi pond water | 6/28/2010 |
| Q: Our pond is @1,000 gallons and 1 year old. We have 7 koi and 4 plants. Our ponds gets allot of ... A: Nutrient control is the only real way to control water. Get a comprehensive water test performed ... | |
| Missing catfish | 6/27/2010 |
| Q: We have had a vacation home in the Catskill Mtns. for 25 years. About 12 years ago we dug a pond 60' ... A: That is a tough one. My best guess is that a disease came and wiped them all out. Catfish are a ... | |
| Goldfish and Wild Goldfish | 6/23/2010 |
| Q: Our 3000 Gal Pond has Koi and a couple of large Goldfish. After last years spawn the baby fish ... A: Goldfish do in fact often come out a bronze-ish color. The barbels you speak of are only common ... | |
| Too many Bubbles | 6/22/2010 |
| Q: My problem is we just built are first pond outside,the problum we have is we have a lot of bubbles ... A: It is most likely a construction input, such as mineral dust on the rocks you used. You should be ... | |
| Pregnant goldfish | 6/17/2010 |
| Q: I have a pond in my back garden with 10 goldfish in it and one of the females seems to be ready to ... A: Goldfish lay unfertilized eggs and then the males swim over the laid eggs and fertilize them. So, ... | |
| hardy water lilies | 6/15/2010 |
| Q: Why do hardy water lilies seem to not grow in my spring fed pond? Is the PH an issue. I have tried ... A: Since your pond is spring fed, I also assume that it drains on its own accord. This being the case, ... | |
| Rust Coloured 'Gunge'!!?? | 6/14/2010 |
| Q: My mother has a small garden pond in which she has a number of standard goldfish. The pond has been ... A: It could be one of three things: 1) Algae, brown or a green variety that is dying. 2) Mineral ... | |
| dying goldfish | 6/13/2010 |
| Q: I have a pond in the backyard, have had it about 5 years. I had 7 goldfish in it, they produced two ... A: From your description, it was most likely the algaecide. What levels were tested and what were the ... | |
| Water Lily pads are looking skeletal | 6/13/2010 |
| Q: Our pond is approx. 500 gallons. There are no fish in it, yet this year. The lily pads are getting ... A: It is definitely a pest with a chewing mouthpart, most likely aphids or mites. The solution depends ... | |
| fish losing enthusiam for food | 6/8/2010 |
| Q: I have an outdoor water feature/waterfall. Top section is about 4' deep and 4'x5' rectangular. ... A: I have a couple of theories. Is the only aeration provided last for just 5 hours per day? If so, ... | |
| Yellow Taro Colocasia esculenta | 6/7/2010 |
| Q: I bought this pond plant Saturday and its was standing up straight. The tag says level 1/2 so i put ... A: Taro plants are very top heavy, and you may need to, depending on the size of your pond, get a ... | |
| Water Lilies | 6/4/2010 |
| Q: I recently was spreading Ronstar, some got on my water lilies and now they are all rotting on the ... A: Ronstar (herbicide) would most likely do severe damage to a lily. The good news is that it ... | |
| pond for ducks | 6/2/2010 |
| Q: I have 4 roune ducks that need a pond, they have out grown the kiddy pool..Haha...I've down some ... A: It is true that you will be dealing with a lot of gross stuff. For that reason you want a ... | |
| chloramines added to water | 5/31/2010 |
| Q: We have a pond-2700 to 3000 gallons that has been in place for 3 years. This year starting mid-May, ... A: Technically you want 0 ppm. Up to 1 ppm is acceptable for a short period of time, although it would ... | |
| chloramines added to water | 5/30/2010 |
| Q: We have a pond-2700 to 3000 gallons that has been in place for 3 years. This year starting mid-May, ... A: The only difference between the two is that chloramine is bonded with ammonia to make it hold up ... | |
| water pond | 5/30/2010 |
| Q: I've got a pond/waterfall. It's about 8ft long, 6ft wide, and 4ft deep. I just ordered a new liner ... A: That is the same size I would have recommended for the given dimensions. If it didn't fit, it must ... | |
| pond liner | 5/27/2010 |
| Q: I am in the middle of redoing my parents pond. because of the shape of the pond, we had to get 2 ... A: Yes, definitely seam the liner! The best way is to rub the liners with isopropyl alcohol where you ... | |
| Newbie Question | 5/25/2010 |
| Q: We have recently installed a pond in our back yard. We did this with the intention of making it ... A: I believe the best solution to be feeding in two different spots at the same time. Start at any ... | |
| pH problems | 5/24/2010 |
| Q: I live in the Bull Mountains in Montana near Roundup. This is Zone 3/4. I have a 1200 gal pond ... A: It is really hard to say a certain absolute ratio. I would use at least 3 gallons of water per tbsp ... | |
| Water Lillies and worms | 5/22/2010 |
| Q: I have a water lilly plant 2 year old and this year the pads are appearing brown and delaying, ... A: It is possible that those critters are eating all of the decayed organic matter that would otherwise ... | |
| fish pond...fish dying | 5/21/2010 |
| Q: I recently started a fish pond around 250 gallon. Started with 3 fish, 2 comets and a koi. They ... A: The cause of your problem is either high Ammonia or low pH, or both. Test both of these and if ... | |
| Pond Water | 5/21/2010 |
| Q: I have recently inserted a bag of Barley Straw Pellets into my pond, but soon after the entire water ... A: Oh, I see. It turned brown, which is normal. It should take about 2 weeks for them to start ... | |
| Ph too high in pond | 5/18/2010 |
| Q: please can you help us? We have rebuilt our pond, we used a pondliner,natural slate which was bedded ... A: The reason for your high pH is high alkalinity (KH). Test that and see where it is. It should be ... | |
| Pond Goldfish | 5/18/2010 |
| Q: I keep goldfish in my horse watering troughs,plus a small meditation garden pool out back. I bought ... A: If the fish died from anything other than natural causes, washing out the tanks might make the ... | |
| very small tiny worms in pond | 5/17/2010 |
| Q: I have a preformed 300 gallon pond with 24 gold fish in it. I have a 1300 gallon an hour UV light ... A: The worm-like creatures are either insect larvae or actual worms. Whatever they are, unless they ... | |
| pH problems | 5/16/2010 |
| Q: I live in the Bull Mountains in Montana near Roundup. This is Zone 3/4. I have a 1200 gal pond ... A: Your pond sounds beautiful. The best way to lower the alkalinity is with hydrochloric acid, but you ... | |
| water garden rocks | 5/15/2010 |
| Q: The rocks in our man-made pond (no fish) have become covered with green slime and release air ... A: There is a simple solution as long as you don't have any fish, snails, frogs, reptiles, cats, birds, ... | |
| Pond Maintenance | 5/11/2010 |
| Q: can you help, He had to change the pond because it was leaking it holds over 100gal water and last ... A: In short, yes it was a mistake, but an understandable one. There is a colony of bacteria in the ... | |
| Goldfish going mad! | 5/11/2010 |
| Q: i need some help! I've had my goldfish for 10 years and they have been fine until now. i have ... A: That sounds exactly like what has happened. Typically, it is recommended to "quarantine" any new ... | |
| Goldfish injury "beached itself onto a rock" | 5/2/2010 |
| Q: One of my large goldfish in my Koi pond beached itself today during spawning activities. It was a ... A: I'm glad to hear that you got to it in time. It sounds like his swim bladder became damaged in his ... | |
| Ich/treatment effect on clams and snails | 5/1/2010 |
| Q: Being a first time "ponder" I made the classic mistakes.I did not quarantine before adding any of ... A: I would avoid using any sort of ich medicine. With proper water conditions, the fish should be able ... | |
| Ulcer on Pond Fish | 4/28/2010 |
| Q: I have an 800 gal pond with a Savio Excellence Pump and biological filter. One of my 7" comets has ... A: Use the recommended amount for an 800 gallon pond. I don't remember the concentrations of the ... | |
| Bubbles in pond | 4/28/2010 |
| Q: I have recently emptied my pond out and filled with new water through a filter for gold fish that ... A: Bubbles are caused by the fact that gas is less dense than liquid. The gas gets trapped in a layer ... | |
| pond vac | 4/28/2010 |
| Q: What size and what kind of wet vac do you recommend to clean a pond? I plan to drain it with the ... A: The power needed for a sludge vac is completely dependent on how long/what diameter the intake tube ... | |
| frog eggs and other microscopic creatures | 4/28/2010 |
| Q: I have a small pond with 2 gold fish and 2 green frogs that survived hibernation. I saw some white ... A: It sounds like they may be water mites. What threw me off is that they typically start development ... | |
| frog eggs and other microscopic creatures | 4/27/2010 |
| Q: I have a small pond with 2 gold fish and 2 green frogs that survived hibernation. I saw some white ... A: I would go ahead and clean it. I also am at a loss as to what those eggs could be. Eight legs ... | |
| shady bog garden | 4/24/2010 |
| Q: I have an area north of my house in zone 5. The soil is sandy and it gets some morning sun. Also Red ... A: Yes, Fran. I believe a bog garden could provide an excellent home to ferns and hosta. You could ... | |
| Downsizing pump & fountain | 4/13/2010 |
| Q: I have a pond in my yard that is oval, about 6.5 x 12 feet. It currently has a large fountain in ... A: As long as the head pressure isn't too great, which it shouldn't be in the new setup described, a ... | |
| Downsizing pump & fountain | 4/12/2010 |
| Q: I have a pond in my yard that is oval, about 6.5 x 12 feet. It currently has a large fountain in ... A: Yes, you can do what you asked in the last paragraph. Only one of the Lowe's in my area still ... | |
| Pond Weeds | 4/11/2010 |
| Q: Can yout ell me what kind of weed this is in the picture. Is there any way to get rid of it? We ... A: I'm sorry, but I cannot identify this with 100% certainty due to the image quality. I'm sure it's ... | |
| harsh winters | 4/8/2010 |
| Q: My local Pond Store,(and only store in my area), as they change employees, keeps giving me different ... A: I've seen bales, solid chunks, and liquid extract. By nature, liquid extracts work the best. The ... | |
| my goldfish spawning | 4/8/2010 |
| Q: I have and outdoor waterfall pond with 6 goldfish in it. I drained the pond to clean it when I ... A: There are several factors at play here. The could either be fertilized or they could be ... | |
| harsh winters | 4/7/2010 |
| Q: My local Pond Store,(and only store in my area), as they change employees, keeps giving me different ... A: Winters are a hard time to deal with ponds in general. I always recommend leaving the pumps on ... | |
| koi disease | 4/6/2010 |
| Q: Some of my Koi seem to look like they are losing their orange scales and now have white skin in that ... A: This could be the result of a few different things. It could be a nasty external parasite. The ... | |
| Pond Eggs | 4/4/2010 |
| Q: Can you tell mne if the attached photo is of some kind of egg or algae? If it is eggs, can you tell ... A: It appears to be filamentous green algae. The bubbles are pockets of trapped gasses. For future ... | |
| fish pond | 3/27/2010 |
| Q: I have a 3'x3'x2' empty pond. I would like to put Tilapia fish(St Peters fish). I also would like to ... A: You would probably only be able to fit 2 tilapia in a pond that size. For the waterfall, I like ... | |
| continuous water circulation without the aid of a pump | 3/15/2010 |
| Q: I'd be grateful if you'd help me. I'm replacing my pond liner(which was torn by ice) with a rigid ... A: Unfortunately, this is not possible. I forgot the name of the principle but it can be observed in ... | |
| koi pond - fish loss | 3/13/2010 |
| Q: I live in Northeastern Ohio, near Cleveland and currently I have 2 Koi Ponds.There is a smaller ... A: I've never heard about not wanting to have the cold and hot water mix. It seems to me that cold and ... | |
| Carp vs. Flora | 3/9/2010 |
| Q: My 1000 gallon pond is about 21 years old. The three large Ghost carb which command the depths are ... A: I'll be able to answer this best in a list of advice. -Some of these plants may not stay healthy ... | |
| Animals drowning in the pond | 3/4/2010 |
| Q: I set up a 250 gallon pond last summer and I had a serious issue with animals dying in the pond,it ... A: That is quite a predicament an I'm sorry you are having to deal with it. When you say you have a ... | |
| Toads | 3/3/2010 |
| Q: My son has recently bought a house and inherited a pond with it, there are some lovely fish, some ... A: I can't tell you for sure what creature you have there. Here is a list of features that may help ... | |
| white foam | 3/2/2010 |
| Q: Just finished a new pondless waterfall, a two-tiered waterfall that empties into a large concrete ... A: I could either be a high level of "dissolved organic compounds" or the result of a particular ... | |
| Fish disease | 2/27/2010 |
| Q: WE have an outdoor pond approx 11,000 gals, we have never had any problems until last year when some ... A: don't listen to those people any more. Fluke is one of the most easily identified fish diseases. ... | |
| cant identify pond creatures + weed | 2/25/2010 |
| Q: Im just getting rid of the hideous blanket weed & amongst it I found small dark red worms or are ... A: The key is to remove as much of it as you can by hand. Dying algae releases toxins into the water ... | |
| cant identify pond creatures | 2/25/2010 |
| Q: Im just getting rid of the hideous blanket weed & amongst it I found small dark red worms or are ... A: They may actually be red worms, or they could be midges. I can't tell you what the prawn-like ... | |
| dead goldfish | 2/7/2010 |
| Q: I have an outdoors fish pond the size of a bathtub. The 5 original goldfish have breed and I have ... A: The things that typically kill fish outdoors are: Disease: bacteria, parasites, fungus Poisons: ... | |
| algae and turtles | 2/5/2010 |
| Q: I have a new concrete pond apx 7' X 7'oval, a foot of water #do we need more?# with a 8' high water ... A: Most of this depends on what type of turtles you get. Don't bleach the water. Turtles like a lot ... | |
| Transparent jelly-like worms | 1/22/2010 |
| Q: i have a small pond (150l)which has just matured and have just noticed a dozen or so transparent ... A: The beetles shouldn't harm anything unless they overpopulate. If their numbers get in the hundreds, ... | |
| Fish compatability. | 1/20/2010 |
| Q: My son has built a pond in my backyard(he's 16) he wants to put fish from our local lake in it as a ... A: It's hard for me to say exactly what type of fish are in that particular body of water. It would ... | |
| Selling | 1/18/2010 |
| Q: Hey! I was wondering on what people are "into" I'm 14 and I decided to start a little business ... A: As far as the craw fish go, you have to make sure they're not from the state that you live in. ... | |
| Selling | 1/18/2010 |
| Q: Hey! I was wondering on what people are "into" I'm 14 and I decided to start a little business ... A: The most profitable aquatic livestock right now are freshwater plants and outdoor koi. This is ... | |
| Placostumus | 1/11/2010 |
| Q: I have an outdoor pond in central Florida and temp have been low for a week and poss. 4 more days at ... A: Plecos aren't meant for cold water as they are a South American fish. If you have an indoor ... | |
| Pond fish | 12/20/2009 |
| Q: My pond fish are slowly dying off. The pond has been in place for many years (20 or so) and I have ... A: I'm sorry to hear that you're having trouble with your pond. I will answer your question but I need ... | |
| how to grow minnow bait in farm pond | 10/29/2009 |
| Q: What are the steps I need to take to start a business of growing minnows as bait in a small farm ... A: There are a lot of extra steps you may want to take to start a business. These first steps fall ... | |
| winterize backyard waterfall | 10/26/2009 |
| Q: I have a fake rock waterfall (Austrialian made;foam) with natural rocks below, water runs into ... A: Nice waterfall! You probably need to choose whether or not you want to continue running the ... | |
| Sick shabumpkin | 10/24/2009 |
| Q: I have a sick shabumpkin and was wondering if you could tell me what is wrong with it and if it is ... A: From what I can tell, it looks as if the fish's entire gill cover is missing. The gills are ... | |
| pond questions, inc identifying fish, getting the balance right and how to move to new pond | 10/16/2009 |
| Q: To set the context: I live in England and about six years ago we dug a pond in the garden (at max it ... A: 1) Drain the pond to about a 1/3 of a meter. This will make it much easier to make sure you ... | |
| Oxygenating Plants | 10/15/2009 |
| Q: I am a middle school student and I go to a Magnet school. I am doing my first big science project. ... A: 1. You need 1/2 lb of gravel at the bottom of each tank. You also need an air stone in each. You ... | |
| saltwater/grass growth | 10/15/2009 |
| Q: I am a middle school student named hunter who is researching the effect of saltwater on grass growth ... A: I'm glad you've taken an interest in biology at your age. To start, there are many different ... | |
| Water problems -- fish distressed and dying | 10/12/2009 |
| Q: I live on Kauai in Hawaii. I have a 3,000 gallon, 2-foot deep liner pond which has been established ... A: If they seem to be gasping, there is either an actual shortage of oxygen or there is something ... | |
| feeding fish | 10/11/2009 |
| Q: I live in carrollton TX new pond owner my pond is 2 1/2 foot deep and is 165 gal when do I quit ... A: You should change their diet to a wheat-germ based food once the water temperature reaches 55 ... | |
| water pooling under liner/no hole in liner | 10/8/2009 |
| Q: I recently put in a small pond off of a new brick paver patio. The water runs off the patio into ... A: It looks like water could be getting under the liner on the side adjacent to the patio. You could ... | |
| water pooling under liner/no hole in liner | 10/8/2009 |
| Q: I recently put in a small pond off of a new brick paver patio. The water runs off the patio into ... A: I'd have to see the situation with my own eyes to decide if it were fixable through any simple ... | |
| Overwintering Plants | 10/8/2009 |
| Q: I bought some plants for my pond this year that I have not had before. One is watercress and the ... A: You can eat the rest of the watercress. It's healthy and goes great on a sandwich. I don't mean ... | |
| water pooling under liner/no hole in liner | 10/7/2009 |
| Q: I recently put in a small pond off of a new brick paver patio. The water runs off the patio into ... A: This happens when your water table is higher than average and especially when the ground is ... | |
| pond water chemicals | 10/3/2009 |
| Q: We were topping our Koi pond up with water from the hose pipe and got distracted. It was therefore ... A: Unless the water is from a well, it will usually contain chlorine. Chlorinated water is toxic to ... | |
| storage of water lilies | 10/2/2009 |
| Q: We live in MI with cold winters. This year we want to take our water lilies out of the pond and ... A: Trim the pads and flowers off about 2" above the dirt. Place inside of trash bag or bucket. Bring ... | |
| Pregnant Goldfish | 9/30/2009 |
| Q: We have an concrete outdoor pond with about 1200 L of water the bottom is covered with river rocks ... A: The behavior you are describing is the ritual of the mating season. Male goldfish butt the eggs out ... | |
| fish pond algae cleaning | 9/29/2009 |
| Q: How do I clean the green algae which is growing around the huge quantities of pebbles in the fish ... A: You can do 1 of 2 solutions: 1) Physically remove all of the rocks and scrub them all by hand. In ... | |
| Mosquitos in water feature | 9/29/2009 |
| Q: I am renting a house in Australia with a water feature which hasnt been used for over 1 year. The ... A: To completely empty the water feature, you can usually use the feature's own pump. Sometimes this ... | |
| New pond | 9/28/2009 |
| Q: I installed a 120 gallon pond last weekend, and spent this weekend laying natural rock and adding ... A: To answer your last question first; three full-grown koi in a 700 gallon pond "may" be too much, but ... | |
| identify a fish | 9/23/2009 |
| Q: we caught several small fish in a pond at our apartment complex they are clear with a silvery type ... A: I can tell you what it is if you can provide a picture. Also, what state you are in will help. ... | |
| POND SNAILS | 9/22/2009 |
| Q: Just a couple of questions regarding my pond which ive just built its about 1000 gals biofilter, ... A: I would say "NO!" to snails. They can be beneficial to a pond, but may quickly try to inhabit your ... | |
| well water into pond | 9/22/2009 |
| Q: We have a large pond/lake behind our house and I want to know if we pump well water with high ... A: Get your well water tested. In some localities, it's a free service provided by local government. ... | |
| HELP! I'm completely incompetant! | 9/21/2009 |
| Q: I have a watergarden with goldfish and koi. Recently I noticed that the fish were sluggish and lay ... A: You really do have to diagnose before you treat. Seek help from someone in your area with ... | |
| orange-brown pond water | 9/21/2009 |
| Q: We have a pond, approx. 1200 gal. which was installed in the early spring. It was fine at first, but ... A: This is fixed in 3 easy steps. 1) Locate the source of the problem. (what type of liner do you ... | |
| crossbred??? goldfish/koi fry are dieing | 9/20/2009 |
| Q: I have a large outside pond 26' X 13' X 7'depth. I stocked it with goldfish and koi. Apparently ... A: It sounds like your problem is: 1) There is too much ammonia in the aquarium water. Ammonia comes ... | |
| fish hiding | 9/19/2009 |
| Q: My pond fish have been hiding in a deep well for about a month. Ten or more large goldfish are ... A: The idea is to just leave the net over the pond when you're not there. It also helps to keep leaves ... | |
| fish slugish and lay at bottom of pond | 9/19/2009 |
| Q: I have a watergarden with goldfish and koi. Recently I noticed that the fish were sluggish and lay ... A: I can't answer this question completely without some more troubleshooting. Here are a few theories ... | |
| Liner flooding | 9/17/2009 |
| Q: I have purchased and dug out a 90 Gallon prefab pond. Tried to measure exact and back fill with ... A: I don't believe you are doing anything wrong, necessarily. It could be a result of your pond being ... | |
| Koi babies | 9/16/2009 |
| Q: I have a few large Koi and some mature Rosie Reds. Then I ended up with a lot of babies. About 2 ... A: I have heard cases of koi (cyprinus carpio) and goldfish (carassius auratus) breeding. It is rare ... | |
| 90 gal. pond | 9/15/2009 |
| Q: i have a 90 gal.pond i was wondering what kind of fish i should put in it.would koi,comets,or large ... A: Nice work on the pond. What fish you stock depends on where your pond is. If you live in a warmer ... | |
| Heron speared koi | 9/15/2009 |
| Q: One koi was speared today in its chest by a Heron. I brought it in the house and have it in a small ... A: Hopefully, the wound is superficial and no major organs functions are compromised. You should treat ... | |
| How to cure dropsy | 9/14/2009 |
| Q: how do you cure a shubunkin that has dropsy? I went to the pet shop and asked. The shopkeeper said ... A: I'm sorry to hear that your fish is having problems. If your goldfish is already showing symptoms, ... | |
| koi staying in shallow water | 9/13/2009 |
| Q: out of all my fish I have one that has been staying in shallow water with its back out of water.. If ... A: It's possible that your koi is stressed, especially if there is a lot of direct sunlight or ambient ... | |
| dying fish | 9/12/2009 |
| Q: I put copper sulfate in my pond to kill the algae two days ago I now have about 60 dead fish. They ... A: The first thing you need to do is perform a partial water change. Remove about 25% of the water ... | |
Pond & Water Gardening
Answers by Expert:
Jonathan Cauble
Top Expert on this page
Expertise
I can answer all questions relating to outdoor water gardens. Anything from fish & plant health, water chemistry, and pond construction to equipment recommendations.
Experience
I worked in a water garden specialty store for three years as assistant manager. I am also founder and president of Aquatech, LLC Aquarium Services of Virginia. I have personally troubleshooted over 100 ponds and countless aquariums.
Education/Credentials
Not Applicable
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