Pond watch: 2 weeks later
July 31, 2009
Two weeks after installing my new 717-gallon stock-tank pond, the water has cleared to a soft green, which I actually quite like. I can see the fish clearly, but the water is not so crystalline that the underwater pots and cinderblocks stand out.
If I’d waited another hour to take pictures, the water lilies would have been open. But I got out early to take advantage of cooler temperatures. I’m glad I can see the pond from my kitchen and living room windows, in the comfort of the air conditioning.
Click here to compare these pics with the container pond one week after installation.
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What a pretty heron feeder you have there! 🙂
We’ll see. My old stock-tank pond never fell prey to fishing herons, but this one is larger and may prove more tempting. I’ve given the fish plenty of cave-like hiding places, which is the best I can do. —Pam
Beautiful! Our heat is lifting and we are making the trip out to the ‘burbs this weekend to get our pond tank, which will be a fraction of the size of yours. So exciting!
Any size is fun, Loree, so congratulations. Maybe you can take a dip in it yourselves until your temperatures cool off! —Pam
Hi Pam,
What a nice container poond!! I like!
Ken
Your suggestion to Loree to “take a dip” makes me want a pond tank even more! I’ve always wished I could take a dip in my planted aquarium with the rainbowfish.
Do you think it will clarify more? I like it like this too (Actually, I think I would like it murkier, but then I’m a little goth), but maybe because it’s so big it’s taking longer to clarify than the small stock tank? (What did you do with the small stock tank from the Gruene Hall garden?) Or maybe more elodea would do it (I don’t remember the name of your oxygenating plant–we used elodea in college biology experiments).
Aaanyway… More pictures like this and I’m going to rip out my garden and put in a really big stock tank.
Hey, a stock-tank pond would look awesome in your garden, Chuck. You’d have that great vertical view down into it. I had no idea you were a little goth—I’m intrigued. I’m using anacharis as my oxygenating plant. Probably could use some more. As for the small stock tank from my old garden, it’s sitting in my side yard, waiting for me to turn it into a planter. I want to put it in the entry garden, which I’ve yet to design. So it may sit there for a while longer. —Pam
Yes, it is looking more like a pond every week. I think the plants are even growing.
This is the feature which I don’t have in my garden. Your pond is lovely, Pam! Is that a papyrus plant there? Love it!
Yes, there’s a dwarf papyrus in there, Tatyana. It wants to rule the world, but it is very pretty. —Pam
I love the green to the pond — it’s really establishing nicely. Your fish look quite content. I know what you mean about the Dwarf Papyrus. Mine is starting to break its pot!
Looks great! I love water features, and it’s so much fun to watch yours develop over time…
Pam, what a lovely idea. We are trying to put together a pond in our backyard these upcoming weeks. I would love to hear tips of it and how you installed it and all. What type of pump do you have? What type of fish did you place in their? where did you get the metal container?
Katherine, click here for my post about making the stock-tank pond. —Pam
I hate to say but metal containers aren’t good for fish from everything I have read. The metals change your water quality to be unsuitable for fish and zinc, and who knows what other chemicals, that leach into the water can kill it. I would suggest you research this. Maybe you should remove the fish or cover the metal with pond liner to make it safe? Do you test your water quality?