Before we scooped out the first bucket of muck we began envisioning what we'd like the pond to look like, considering our goals for the project, researching, formulating our game plan, and, of course (the most fun part), thinking of all the fish and other creatures we wanted to see in our pond.
As I mentioned previously, the pond was originally stocked with Koi. When all of those were eaten my friend who owns the house and lived in it at the time sought a cheaper replacement, and I was able to convince him to get Rainbow Trout ($2 ea. versus $200 ea.). We really didn't know much about them or what it took to keep them in a backyard pond, since there really isn't much information about it on the internet, so we figured we'd just give it a try. We stocked it with about 20 Rainbows and man, was it awesome! I might be bias because I grew up catching trout, but I really can't see how Koi can hold a candle to them in terms of beauty, character, personality, and sheer entertainment. They swam laps from one end of the pond to another all day long, often playing tag with each other, jumping out of the water for bugs, and were all around just tons of fun to watch.
They did great for about a month, then due to an unfortunate incident with algaecide they all died. That single incident made me deeply despise pond chemicals and strive to design and maintain an all natural pond as I've seen many others do. An entire ecosystem was destroyed that day with the contents of a box. Even if used properly and 'fish safe' (though usually not for trout), what else is it killing on the other ecological tiers?
Anyways, due to our experiences during that month, we decided we definitely want Rainbow Trout again
After thinking of other native Northwest species that might be able to live in a pond, we came across a gentleman in Gresham, OR who raises and sells Sturgeon and Channel Catfish! Wow, Sturgeon?! In a backyard pond? Turns out they do very well, so we're planning on getting a couple. We're thinking both the Sturgeon and Catfish should help with the algae and other organic matter on the bottom of the pond as well. So, our three fish choices are:
- Rainbow Trout - 15 or so, 8"+
- Sturgeon - 2-3, around 15"-17"
- Channel Catfish - 4-6, around 5"-6"
From what I've read this shouldn't overpopulate the pond, but if so we'll reduce the number of Rainbow Trout.
Aside from the fish, we're thinking of getting 30 or so Japanese Trap Door Snails. We found a place that sells ones about the size of a golf ball, so hopefully the fish won't be able to eat them, right? I hope not, they're $2 each
For the past three years the pond has been a breeding ground for green frogs. A couple months ago they were so loud we could barely hold a conversation out on our deck without yelling at each other. With the pond drained we haven't seen as many frogs hanging around, but since the rain has filled up the two waterfall pools there's quite a few tadpoles up there. I assume once the fish get in the pond the tadpoles (and likely the adult frogs) won't be able to survive down there. I'm hoping that although the waterfall will be running 24/7 they'll be able to breed in the two waterfall pools where there won't be any fish.
We've heard varying reports from people who have had put crawdads in their pond. Some say they thrive and do well, even with fish and other creatures. Some say the fish eat them when they molt. Some say they'll eat the snails. I'd love to hear what you guys think about them, cause that'd be a lot of fun.
We've also heard varying reports of turtles living in backyard ponds. Some say you
have to have a fence around the yard or they'll wander off. Some say they've had a couple turtles in their pond for years and they've always stuck around and done well. Some say they'll eat all our plants. Some say they only take an occasional nibble and they're fine. Any input here?
Again, we're new to this, so any input would be highly appreciated!
Lastly, it seems plants are always the one thing that gets overlooked in ponds. Many of them that I see don't have more than one or two, and from what I've gathered that's not enough for a healthy ecosystem and an algae-free pond. We've selected four types of plants for our pond, but since we don't know how big they are until we get them we won't know if we've ordered enough. What do you guys think of this list?
- Anacharis - I've heard it's a must for maintaining water quality and keeping algae growth low. We're thinking of purchasing 20 of these.
- Water Lilies - What pond is complete without them? The pads will provide shade for the fish and block sunlight on the bottom to prevent algae growth. How big are these when you purchase them? We're thinking of getting two since they're pretty spendy, but we'll try to find the money for more if suggested.
- Iris - We'll probably plant some of these, since we already have them. Are they in any way beneficial?
- Water Hyancith - It looks nice and I hear it does a good job at providing shade and extracting nutrients from the water.
- Duckweed - Maybe. It's rather ugly but we hear it does an excellent job of absorbing nutrients and also provides a natural snack for the fish.
Any thoughts or suggestions?