markinnz Posted March 5, 2014 Report Share Posted March 5, 2014 Hi there, Newbie owner of anything fish related here :-) I've just bought a property up near Mangawhai that has a largish is pond out back (about 15m in diameter and 1m deep I think), and it looks a bit unhealthy (lovely light brown colour). It has no trees over hanging it and no plants in it (that I can see) though does have frogs and the ducks/geese seem to like it. I'm not sure where the water comes from but even over the dry few months the level has not changed. I'm after some advise as to how I can revive the pond and get it healthy again, as well as what plants to put in it and what fish to put in .. I'd prefer NZ natives. So far I got a cheapie solar pump/fountain to go in it just to get the water moving and some oxygen in it (every little helps I guess), what else should I be looking at ? Thanks Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calculator Posted March 5, 2014 Report Share Posted March 5, 2014 Yay, someone else from Mangawhai, Maybe I will see you up there occasionally when I am working. :bggrn: Your pond is probably spring feed, as there is lots of water close to the surface in the foothills of the brederwans. Does your pond flow into a stream or when it overflows does it just run down a paddock? If it is connected to a stream you could see if there are any eels, feed them, then encourage them to 'hang out' in the pond. Water movement could help clear up the pond, but if the pond has lots of gunk floating in it any filter on your solar pump could clog up very quickly. I don't know much about native pond plants, but I do know you want to do everything to make sure you don't get 'alligator weed' in your pond, as it is annoyingly invasive, and very hard to get rid of. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ss_boy86 Posted March 5, 2014 Report Share Posted March 5, 2014 Welcome to the forum! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markinnz Posted March 5, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 5, 2014 Thanks :-) The pond overflows down a paddock to another pond lower down, not seen it doing that as there has been no rain since we moved in. Getting some eels into it would be fun, I've seen them get quite social when people have food :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted March 5, 2014 Report Share Posted March 5, 2014 Nothing from your description makes it sound unhealthy. Sounds like it probably has a lot of sediment floating around, but I'm not sure what might be a practical way of clearing that up. If you were able to locate where the water is coming in and maybe do something to keep that from disturbing the bottom of the pond some so it settles.... Otherwise, I'd just go and buy something like a few dozen water lillies and plant them through the pond. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr A Posted March 5, 2014 Report Share Posted March 5, 2014 The ducks/geese won't be doing much for the water clarity. Anyway plant the bejesus out of it. Sunlight on water directly = murky water. Something like Swamp Paperbark trees around the outside could be a go-er. Quite a few native swamp/marginal plants available on trademe, and I'm always a fan of the various North American pitcher plants (Sarracenia), which will do well in or around the edge of the pond. Perhaps with the solar pump as suggested, don't bother with the filtration, just use it as a water-mover. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M@. Posted March 6, 2014 Report Share Posted March 6, 2014 If there is a chance that it will overflow into a natural waterway (lake or stream/river) then you won't be able to introduce any fish to it without a permit In terms of native fish, there are Eels as mentioned. Other options could be Koura, Banded Kokopu, Inanga, or bullies. Inanga would be the only ones you would be likely to see during the day, but they wont be able to breed, so you would need to re-stock every couple of years. Banded Kokopu could potentialy breed, and some species of bullies (Crans, maybe Commons). Koura would definately breed, and in a pond that size you could potentially get enough for a feed once or twice a year! (might need some big rocks in the bottom for cover) All these guys would take out your tadpoles though (Koura might be ok), so if you wanted to keep the frogs hanging around, something like White Cloud Mountain Minnows would be able to co-exist happily with them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted March 6, 2014 Report Share Posted March 6, 2014 The ducks/geese won't be doing much for the water clarity. Ah yes, didn't think about the ducks and geese. Shotgun should sort that issue out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markinnz Posted March 6, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 6, 2014 Ah yes, didn't think about the ducks and geese. Shotgun should sort that issue out. Hehehe .. was tempted! But I just sold them on TradeMe instead ;-) Previously owner of the house bought them but left them here when they moved out (along with a bunch of bantams). Going to be amusing rounding them up on sunday! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueether Posted March 6, 2014 Report Share Posted March 6, 2014 Water should clear once the birds are gone. You could plant some of the native sedges/carex and rushes around the edges and something like cabbage trees, manuka etc on the north side for shade. What's the temp at the moment? Koura and eels will do ok into the low 20's and inanga night as well. The only bully that will spawn in a pond is going to be common bullies, best collected from a landlocked population. Inanga, smelt and banded kokopu (maybe even giants) should do ok and you might see the kokopu out in the day if they get used to feeding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calculator Posted March 6, 2014 Report Share Posted March 6, 2014 If you are going to plant tree's around your pond you may want to keep in mind that if you plant trees on the 'dam' of your pond when they die (naturally or cut down) there root ball will rot, causing a weak spot in the dam possibly causing it to collapse. Or at least that is what the (pond builder?) told us when talking about the pond we got put in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted March 6, 2014 Report Share Posted March 6, 2014 If the water source to the pond is through trees, peat or organic material it may just be stained. Many of the streams on THE west coast run brown with tannin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ss_boy86 Posted March 6, 2014 Report Share Posted March 6, 2014 have you got rid ofthe bantems already??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ss_boy86 Posted March 6, 2014 Report Share Posted March 6, 2014 If there is a chance that it will overflow into a natural waterway (lake or stream/river) then you won't be able to introduce any fish to it without a permit In terms of native fish, there are Eels as mentioned. Other options could be Koura, Banded Kokopu, Inanga, or bullies. Inanga would be the only ones you would be likely to see during the day, but they wont be able to breed, so you would need to re-stock every couple of years. Banded Kokopu could potentialy breed, and some species of bullies (Crans, maybe Commons). Koura would definately breed, and in a pond that size you could potentially get enough for a feed once or twice a year! (might need some big rocks in the bottom for cover) All these guys would take out your tadpoles though (Koura might be ok), so if you wanted to keep the frogs hanging around, something like White Cloud Mountain Minnows would be able to co-exist happily with them Hey M@ these Koura would go fine in a pond??? my parents also have a large dam up there near mangawhai, any1 know the cost of these? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M@. Posted March 6, 2014 Report Share Posted March 6, 2014 Hey M@ these Koura would go fine in a pond??? my parents also have a large dam up there near mangawhai, any1 know the cost of these? Yea, some rocks or sunken logs for cover would create suitable habitat for them, but would probably do ok without - they like moving things around so would probably dig themselves little hidey holes regardless. Your best bet for getting some would be to grab a net, jump in a stream and start looking under rocks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calculator Posted March 6, 2014 Report Share Posted March 6, 2014 Yea, some rocks or sunken logs for cover would create suitable habitat for them, but would probably do ok without - they like moving things around so would probably dig themselves little hidey holes regardless. Your best bet for getting some would be to grab a net, jump in a stream and start looking under rocks! I have seen some in the streams before, up in the bush, but I haven't seen any in a while. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ss_boy86 Posted March 7, 2014 Report Share Posted March 7, 2014 I have seen some in the streams before, up in the bush, but I haven't seen any in a while. Cheers, Have located some to get once added in some decorations Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markinnz Posted March 9, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 9, 2014 have you got rid ofthe bantems already??? No they are still roaming about :-( The geese are gone now, only took 40 minutes to herd, grab the noisy beasties :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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