Imperfect_aquatics Posted June 5, 2022 Share Posted June 5, 2022 I set up my first mini pond today. I bought plants that I thought looked cool…without knowing anything about them 😬 the pond is a 10…ish gallon system between the main pond and the water it holds on top. I’ve currently got it stocked with a few rice fish in hopes they have some babies throughout the summer. Just going to see how it goes and see if the plants survive. The fish have been happily living in it without plants for about a month. I’m just north of Seattle by the co op. I guess my biggest question for @brandonnaturallyand everyone else is will the plants help with water quality? It’s pretty green and murky and I can barely see the fish unless they come to the surface. I’ve even done water changes on the pond but it only seems to be getting worse, visually. p.s. the 5 gallon tank next to it was a plant holding/growing tank. thanks for everyone’s help! Matt 5 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fish Folk Posted June 5, 2022 Share Posted June 5, 2022 (edited) Fish love the green water. Not bad water quality. Just green-water algae. Amazing stuff for fry to eat. Keep going! Looks just fine. Chose some of the same potted plant for one of my tubs yesterday. I'm all in on Guppies. Edited June 5, 2022 by Fish Folk 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Imperfect_aquatics Posted June 5, 2022 Author Share Posted June 5, 2022 On 6/4/2022 at 8:16 PM, Fish Folk said: Fish love the green water. Not bad water quality. Just green-water algae. Amazing stuff for fry to eat. Keep going! Looks just fine. Chose some of the same potted plant for one of my tubs yesterday. I'm all in on Guppies. I wish it was warm enough to do guppies outside here! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrick_G Posted June 5, 2022 Share Posted June 5, 2022 I've found that the green water comes and goes in cycles, but keeping the pond shaded seems to keep the green to a minimum. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Imperfect_aquatics Posted June 5, 2022 Author Share Posted June 5, 2022 On 6/5/2022 at 11:33 AM, Patrick_G said: I've found that the green water comes and goes in cycles, but keeping the pond shaded seems to keep the green to a minimum. Good to know! It’ll get just a few hours of morning sun but will be shaded by the house the majority of that day. Hopefully that’ll help it 🤞 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bnaturally Posted June 5, 2022 Share Posted June 5, 2022 Looks fantastic Matt! Yes, the plants should help with the water clarity, definitely. I think what will happen is eventually the floaters will start propagating and shade out the water a bit, competing for resources and shading the light out. I'd up the water changes a bit until the plants catch up and start covering the surface and it should get better overtime! I'd say it's Brandon approved! 😉 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Imperfect_aquatics Posted June 5, 2022 Author Share Posted June 5, 2022 On 6/5/2022 at 1:28 PM, brandonnaturally said: Looks fantastic Matt! Yes, the plants should help with the water clarity, definitely. I think what will happen is eventually the floaters will start propagating and shade out the water a bit, competing for resources and shading the light out. I'd up the water changes a bit until the plants catch up and start covering the surface and it should get better overtime! I'd say it's Brandon approved! 😉 Thanks Brandon!!!! Little did I know I was going to add another tank to my water changing schedule! Lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bnaturally Posted June 5, 2022 Share Posted June 5, 2022 On 6/5/2022 at 1:44 PM, MattHasMTS said: Thanks Brandon!!!! Little did I know I was going to add another tank to my water changing schedule! Lol Just do what I do and send it over the balcony/into the yard! 😂 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Imperfect_aquatics Posted June 5, 2022 Author Share Posted June 5, 2022 On 6/5/2022 at 3:40 PM, brandonnaturally said: Just do what I do and send it over the balcony/into the yard! 😂 Oh, I’m way ahead of you on that one! Haha 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guppy Guy Posted July 16, 2022 Share Posted July 16, 2022 On 6/5/2022 at 1:38 AM, MattHasMTS said: I wish it was warm enough to do guppies outside here! Sorry I'm late to the game, but how is it going? Where I am, it averages 95, a little warm for guppies. I will be trying a pond anyway though, I will just make it shady and watch the temperature closely. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Imperfect_aquatics Posted July 17, 2022 Author Share Posted July 17, 2022 On 7/16/2022 at 3:26 PM, Guppy Guy said: Sorry I'm late to the game, but how is it going? Where I am, it averages 95, a little warm for guppies. I will be trying a pond anyway though, I will just make it shady and watch the temperature closely. Mini pond is looking phenomenal! Everybody was right about the plants clearing up the water. I think I only did one or two big water changes early on and the water has been crystal clear ever since! 🙌 The plants are growing better than I ever could've imagined up top too, I thought for sure they’d all be dead in a week! I’ve been dosing it with easy green, not sure if I really need to but it doesn’t seem to be hurting anything. Hoping your guppy pond works out! I’ve kept guppies in fairly high temps with GBR and it seemed to work. I think if you keep things shaded it’ll work out just fine! 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anitstuk Posted August 8, 2022 Share Posted August 8, 2022 Sorry that I'm also late to the conversation but I just wanted to say that your Guppy pond looks good! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PedroPete Posted August 13, 2022 Share Posted August 13, 2022 Have you seen any medaka fry yet? I use java moss for spawning and find that if I don't remove the moss, the fry that are born don't last due to parental predation. On the flip side, most a bunch of java moss after a week into a spare tub, jar, critter keeper, whatever, results in a bunch of fry hatching, which I then move to a grow out tub 🙂 Hope you get some babies yet this summer! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Imperfect_aquatics Posted August 13, 2022 Author Share Posted August 13, 2022 On 8/13/2022 at 2:54 PM, PedroPete said: Have you seen any medaka fry yet? I use java moss for spawning and find that if I don't remove the moss, the fry that are born don't last due to parental predation. On the flip side, most a bunch of java moss after a week into a spare tub, jar, critter keeper, whatever, results in a bunch of fry hatching, which I then move to a grow out tub 🙂 Hope you get some babies yet this summer! That’s great to know! I haven’t seen any fry yet which is a bummer but the fish seem happy (probably from a protein packed fry diet 🙄) and the plants are exploding! There is a very slow “waterfall” in the pond and I’m wondering if that might be creating to much current? Most of the rice fish set ups I’ve seen are basically still so that could be contributing to the lack of fry? There is a TON of water lettuce and hyacinth covering basically the entire top of the water and I haven’t really moved it around and looked for fry, so I might have some and just not realize it…maybe I’ll go take a look now! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PedroPete Posted August 13, 2022 Share Posted August 13, 2022 Happy parents sounds great! My experience suggests the ricefish prefer low current, so a baffle of some sort might be a good idea (although the water lettuce and hyacinth sounds ideal - including for breeding). 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scot Posted August 22, 2022 Share Posted August 22, 2022 On 6/5/2022 at 1:38 AM, MattHasMTS said: I wish it was warm enough to do guppies outside here! If you are growing green water, chances are the water is probably warm enough for guppies for some of the year. Where do you live? I live in Connecticut and I keep fish outside, and just bring some of them in for the winter to keep the culture going if the one outside fails. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Imperfect_aquatics Posted August 22, 2022 Author Share Posted August 22, 2022 I’m just north of Seattle, pretty close to the co op actually. The water has been crystal clear for several months after the initial bloom when I set up the pond. It’s in a shady corner of the deck so even with temps being in the 80’s the water seems to be hovering at 60-70 degrees. The rice fish seem super happy with it though. I’m thinking of maybe setting up another one next year in a place that gets more sun. I haven’t gotten any fry and I’m wondering if the fish just want to get be a little bit warmer to breed. The plants are thriving and I haven’t lost any fish, so I can’t really complain. We tend to have more mild winters than you guys out east. I’m planning on adding a small heater once the temps drop and cover the plants in frost cloth…and hope for the best 🤞 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scot Posted August 22, 2022 Share Posted August 22, 2022 Mine are in full sun, green water is good for breeding fish. It makes it easier for the fry to not get eaten, and feeds them while they are still too small to be fed by you. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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