DIY POND - Can I FIX it?

[@DJ-uk5mm]

I’m only a couple of minutes in but I can help you with your blanket we problem. Blanket weed is not a problem it’s actually a photosynthesising plant so it’s really good for your pond. Also you noticed that your fish were displaying breeding behaviour but if you don’t have any surface for them to lay their eggs on The blanket weed is a good surface of a love laying eggs on. I would recommend that you buy some gravel wash it and then put at least 2 inches in the bottom of the pond. Secondly, you need to plant the pond up with pond weed of the oxygenating type. Horn wart is great as it is free floating as it grows. It will use up the nitrates in the pond and help balance the pond. Another good oxygenator is Canadian pondweed (elodea Canadensis). You could even put a couple of small watermelons in there. All of the surfaces will attract nitrifying bacteria which will reduce the potential for ammonia or nitrogen spikes in a natural way without using chemicals. What you can’t see is a microbial life, there will be billions of micro organisms living in the pond if you let it develop naturally Whenever you get an algal bloom, it’s a sign that nature is trying to redress the balance for you. That blanket weed that you removed is really good fertiliser for your vegetable patch or your flowers and plants and chuck it away. Put it on your garden. If you get the balance right you won’t need any filters in your pond, I once kept a goldfish called Barney alive for 12 years in a large flower pot. I never fed him and there were no filters of any kind other than natural gravel and plants in the pond Barney became quite tame but sadly in the deep freeze about 10 years ago, he froze to death When the pot iced up completely …. I should’ve moved it into my garage but I was away for a week when the freeze hit. Bare this in mind. I know the winters have been mild in the UK recently, but if a freeze comes make sure you keep the water moving or put an inflatable ball on the surface of the pond and let the air out and deflate it to expose area of surface water. Good luck.

[@fatheadedfish]

Wow, I want to first thank you for taking the time to write so much! I really do appreciate all the input I get from people watching my videos. It’s a massive reason I make them in the first place. I definitely see your points regarding planting up the pond and this providing a way to balance out the pond as well as somewhere for eggs to be laid. I think next summer I will take your advice and add lots of oxygenating plants! Also I had not heard of the watermelon trick, very good advice. Thanks again I really appreciate it!

[@james3418]

love your red and white wakin mate there stunning. i added some wakin and Watonai to my pond earlier this year. id suggest getting a bigger filter with the stock you have you will find maintenance and issues far less think overkill i can highly recommend the lotus clearpond 5 stage filters i've been running mine for well over 10 years and never had any issues i use the clearpond 18 for 1000ltr pond so is overkill but is trouble free. keep the videos coming mate

[@fatheadedfish]

Hello mate, thanks for the comment I really appreciate friendly feedback and advice I will definitely take that on board. I’ve actually seen a few large kockney koi filters, multi bay system s going second hard but will definitely look into the lotus. Lots more videos in the works as well :)

[@johnpage5103]

love your vlogs mate, hes an idea for ya put the net half way up the pond so you have ya pond half covered so you get best of both worlds you stop alot of the debris going in to the pond and you have your area were you can spend time with you really nice goldfish without the net yeah the odd bit would get in the pond but it better than all of the blossom going into the pond

[@fatheadedfish]

Thank you really appreciate the feedback :) nice to hear. I think I may just do that. Definitely need to spend some time e time looking at the fish in all there glory! After all that’s the point of the pond! I’ll half cover it and see how it goes! Luckily think there will be less stuff falling in my pond now…until autumn haha

[@wawi911]

I would assume filtering should go least dense to densest, so the biggest particles are stopped by one layer, then smaller bellow and smaller bellow that. If you have filter floss on top, it's stopping everything before it even gets to the sponges, they're still growing good bacteria though so it might not matter if you're doing matenance (replacing the floss) often enough :)

[@fatheadedfish]

You know what, I think you may be on to something there haha. Now you mention it was set up with floss underneath the other two layers of sponge when I bought it originally. Sometime you juts need sometime else to have a look at see what you’re doing wrong. Thanks a lot :)

[@petelongrs]

Easy to do, do it more. Totally agree.

[@fatheadedfish]

This is always been my way of approaching things to do with any fish keeping. I keep marine as well and use this approach there. Thanks for watching and the comments!

[@steviesfishandplants]

That flowering shrub above the pond is called a weigelia.

[@fatheadedfish]

Amazing. Thanks for reminding me of the name. Think it needs a trim this year! And thanks for watching :)

[@caironhorn2656]

great video fish are looking well :)

[@fatheadedfish]

Thanks :) glad you enjoyed it! Seems like there is always something going on with a pond!

[@kevinwhite1077]

👍👍

[@fatheadedfish]

Cheers :)

[@petelongrs]

All looks good to me mate? Don't overthink things; it can be expensive ;)

[@fatheadedfish]

You’re right there! I try to keep costs down but things can get expensive quick!

[@canonlensesandcameras4425]

try blanket answer