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Eldachleich's 250 Gallon Goldfish Pond

5K views 24 replies 10 participants last post by  Eldachleich 
#1 ·
This thread is dedicated to my new goldfish pond.
After much debate about where to build it. How to build it, and how big it would be. It was finally decided it would replace a rather messy and unattractive smaller tub pond.

Total this pond cost $275 to build. Its around 6' long, 4' wide at the widest part, and 2' deep. The back wall is made of 2 rows of 5 cinderblocks. With a cap of basic grey bricks.
The front wall consists of 75 decorative bricks stacked 5 bricks high.
The pond took a total of 5 bags of mortar and 1 day to build.
The pond is lined with a 13' x 10' pond liner which is weighted by the top layer of bricks.
The top layer of bricks serves a ledge to weigh the edge of the pond liner and stop predators.
Total this pond holds 250 gallons of water.

OK! Specifics out of the way... asyou can see I still have alot to do with it. Next paycheck will be used on the pump, the waterfall, and an appropriately sized filter. And come spring, both aquatic and terrestrial plants.
For now whats in it is all the plants, fish, and equipment from my tub pond.
I suppose I should list those too...
Well...
FLORA - Red Stemmed Parrots Feather, Lemon Bacopa, Water Lettuce, Mosaic Plant, Java Fern, Anubias, Sensitive Fern, Water Velvet, Frogbit, Dwarf Water Lettuce, Rotala, Giant Jungle Val, Various Stem Plants, and a Generic Petco Tropical Water Lily.

FAUNA - 1 Calico Ryukin Goldfish, 1 Small Orange and White Ryukin Goldfish, 1 Black Moor Goldfish, 1 Giant Red Oranda Goldfish, 1 Creamsicle Balloon Molly, 15 Whitecloud Minnows, 1 Dalmatian Sailfin Molly, 1 Bristlenose Pleco, and 3 Tree Frogs.
And that's it.
I left for Italy the day after the build and have been here for a few weeks so.. no updates. I do have some shots of the build that I took.
When I get back I'll be sure to post some updates.
 
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#4 ·
Ok...
So finally got home and am able to upload a few pics.
These are all from the days of the build before I left for Italy.
I promise to get some more current pictures and upload them.
But for some pics from before, during, and after the build.
Waterfall and different plants soon to come.
 

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#5 ·
Love it! Wish I lived in a mild climate to do something like this.
 
#6 ·
You could do this is Spokane...
Ive had fancy goldfish ponds in the UK...
The hardier breeds like Wakins and Oranda's survive harsh winters very well..


I also wouldnt really call where I live mild.
Sure it never freezes or snows... But you know..
We have lots of other things that make up for that.
Very high humidity, very hot weather..
Lots of scorching sun.. Followed quickly by extremely dry weather that switches from hot to cold daily..
Followed by such hot dry winds that can suck up a gallon of water per second..
And then months of cold rain... which is quickly followed by the hot humid weather again...

It doesnt sound that bad.. but it is...
 
#9 ·
Well it's been a while and life got busy...
Is still busy actually.

Some updates.


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#13 ·
Thank you!
It still needs a lot of work done. But I'm loving it.





wow, nothing beats natural sunlight for fish color and plant happiness. Sweet!
No kidding! And this is a pretty shady pond lol.


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#14 ·
For the record the water lily is called Dauben, a small blue tropical lily particularly suited for shady ponds.

It's also beautifully fragrant.

Another flower opened today, I was told the flowers would go more blue with shade, and that they have.
The first picture is of the first flower, the second one is of the new flower.

The pictures don't even capture the colour difference properly.

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#17 ·
You have a really clean looking build there! Now you have me wanting to surround my plastic container pond with a decorative stone wall around the perimeter haha... just need to find the funds
 
#19 ·
The lily had really gone off... never more than two flowers at a time though.
... all the parrots feather I removed from the other mini pond I slug over the side.
The cymbidium orchid finally stopped all their blooms.
And I got more fish. There's 4 shubunkin, 3 sarasa comets, a calico ryukin, an orange comet, and an oranda.

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#20 ·
For the first time ever my lily produced three flowers.
I hour this becomes a trend with it.
Bugs always get stuck in the center of the flowers.


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#21 ·
The cymbidium orchids along the pond have finally dropped all their flowers.

But now a newer orchid has taken their place.

Maxillaria tenuifolia.
The flowers aren't very large or impressive, and they hide in the foliage.
But people manage to find this one as if drawn by a magnet.

It makes the whole pond smell of coconut oil.

One of my favorite orchids.

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