The Yoga Pond

The Yoga Center Pond.

This Pond will be built to contain goldfish and some mosquito fish, floating plants, and bottom plants. The fish will be able to survive year around and will not require feeding of any kind. In fact, feeding the fish will make allow them to grow too big for the pond to support them.

Below are some details (Much help from Pondlady.com). I have more in a word doc that will be sent to Jody.

Materials Needed to build the Pond

1. A shovel (Free)
2. A rake (Free)
3. 14" 28 gauge roofing flashing (Need to obtain cost from local supplier or from construction scrap)
4. 1/2" PVC pipe cut into @ 2' pieces (Need to obtain cost from local supplier or from construction scrap )
5. 15# roofing felt for underlayment (Need to obtain cost from local supplier or from construction scrap – will insulate the pond liner from wear and tear)
6. Pond liner ($85-120, need a local supplier if one exists)
7. Goldfish (Comets) $1.50 each
8. Mosquito fish ($1 each)
   
9. Plants ($3 and up for 6 bunches)
   

Floating plants for your pond are as necessary as water. Half of your pond needs to be covered so your water doesn't get too hot and to provide shade for your fish. Your submerged vegetation needs shade or it will burn in the sun. Floating plants give your fish something to hide under when hungry egrets, herons or raccoons drop by. And during the hottest days of summer, your floating plants are in full bloom adding yet another dimension to your pond.
Water clover is producing a small yellow bloom that looks beautiful against your water lilies. Water poppies are putting forth little white blooms that look like someone threw popcorn over the top of the pond, floating heart, frog bit, hyacinth, water clover, water poppy, water lettuce. Cover at least one half of the surface of your pond with floating plants to avoid algae growth and give your fish some shade in the heat of summer. Sun hitting water produces algae. Keep the algae away by using floating plants. Water hyacinths seem to thrive on toxins and suck them out of the water, leaving it clear. They have long blackish purple roots that trail on forever, acting as a filter for the water and the fish love to snack on the roots of the plant. To keep these plants under control, just dip or rip the extra out and either compost it or give it to a new pond owner.

Underwater plants are necessary for the ecological balance of the pond. If the pond has an appropriate number of goldfish, floating plants and underwater plants, maintenance will be an easy and quick task. The underwater plants serve so many purposes it is next to impossible to have a pond without them. Submerged plants give off oxygen for your fish to breathe and are fertilized by fish waste. They act as a natural filter and your fish eat them. What a perfect plant/animal symbiosis. The underwater grass serves as a filter to keep your water crystal clear. Anacharis, cabomba, or parrot’s feather are oxygenators and fish food. They act as a filter and catch particulate matter. The goldfish waste fertilizes them so they grow fast. The goldfish also eat the plants, but not as fast as they can grow. You need one bunch per square foot of pond surface. You must buy them all at once even if you have to put the water lily off for a few weeks. If you do not have enough anacharis, your fish will eat it all before it has a chance to grow and your water will turn to green pea soup because there is not enough anacharis to give you sufficient filtration.

Fish

Buy goldfish – comets breed. These are the hardiest fish for a pond. Buy from a local small pet supply store, not a big box store. These are likely to be locally raised. One linear foot of fish per 25 square feet of pond surface.