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"At Bob's
Tropical Fish,
Fish is our Business"
At Bob's
Tropical Fish we try to help any way
we can. We have put together some answers to the most common questions about
Water Gardening.
Q. I'm planning a new pond or fountain. What should I consider?
Size: for plants and goldfish almost any size surface area and 12"
to 18" deep. Koi need at least 6 to 8 feet surface and at least one section
of the pond 2.5 to 3 feet deep.
Location: shade will keep down algae bloom BUT water lilies need a
bare minimum of 3 to 4 hours sun to bloom and leaves, tassels, etc falling from
tress can cause serious problems in the pond so it is best not to locate
directly under trees.
Pond lining: a preformed shell or flexible liner is recommended for
plants and fish as concrete must be sealed and cured.
Q. What about pumps and filters?
Pump/Filter: will be determined by special features (waterfall,
fountain) and type and number of fish. Filtration is MECHANICAL (pump), CHEMICAL
(carbon or zeolite), BIOLOGICAL (a container filled with a media that will allow
beneficial bacteria to colonize and help remove or neutralize waste). A pump is
used to circulate water in the pond and/or through a filter, for a waterfall or
fountain and to oxygenate the water. A small pond with a good balance of plants
and goldfish does not necessarily require a pump or filter. Size of pump will be
designated by gallons per hour or horsepower. For MECHANICAL or CHEMICAL
filtration, turn the water in the pond every 2 hours. BIOLOGICAL filtration,
every 4-6 hours.
Q. My pond is constructed...what next?
Use a chlorine remover to insure any chlorine/chloramine in the water is
neutralized. Plants may be added immediately. Fish about two weeks after plants.
Please be patient with your new pond. It can take four to eight weeks to balance
and will probably turn "green" before it reaches that balance and
clears.
Q. How do I get rid of ALGAE (green soupy water or "moss")?
If your pond has plants and fish, work toward a goal of 50% to 70% of your
water surface with plant coverage. Check your pH - too high or too low can
affect algae growth. Stop feeding your fish until algae is under control, then
feed sparingly. To help clear "green water", there are flocculants,
enzymes and ultra-violet lights available. For string algae or blanket weed you
may try enzymes, yellow cornmeal or an in-line magnet.
Q. What plants are recommended?
All plants work as natural filters and give shade, shelter and food for your
fish. The premiere plants are lilies and lotus. Both like sun, give good surface
coverage and have beautiful blooms. Lotus and hardy lilies die back in the
winter, but are perennial. Tropical day and night blooming lilies may or may not
be perennial in Texas, but are worth the gamble for their vibrant colors, aroma
and frequency of bloom. Marginal or bog plants add variety and interest to your
pond; from Arum to Water Poppy, both hardy and tropical, there are too many
types to name here. Oxygenators are underwater plants that may be left free
floating or potted and help with surface coverage and as spawning media for
fish.
Q. So, how about fish?
As a lily is the prized plant, a koi is the prized fish. Unfortunately, as they
grow larger, koi will turn over pots, uproot and eat lilies, so we usually
suggest goldfish to go with your lilies or consider two ponds - one for koi, one
for lilies. Keep in mind that goldfish will grow to the size of the pond, but
koi continue to grow and can reach a size of 2 to 3 feet and 30 to 60 pounds, so
you must allow more space for them. You can purchase imported koi or domestic
koi. The more expensive koi have been selectively bred for color and markings.
The goldfish family has many varieties - for the pond, the best choices are
regular pond comets (gold or red), sarassa comets (red and white), shubunkins
(multicolor or "calico"), or gold or calico fantails. These will
usually grow 8 to 12 inches in an average pond.
Q. How many fish should I have in my pond?
A general rule is 2 to 3 inches of fish per square foot. REMEMBER THAT
THEY GROW!
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Please give us a call or drop us an email and we will be happy to assist you in finding
what you need.
Call: 706-863-9478
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