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Ponds in the UK

Best time for Pond works?

21 years ago

Just wondering if anyone has an opinion on the best time for pond works? That is I'm going to be getting a new filter and pump, and having to rearrange my water fall, and do partial water change etc. and I am just wondering if with regards to the fish, there is a good time of the year to do it?

I don't want to shock any of them by doing it too soon whist it's still cold, but I also want to try and get the filter in before spring takes hold and algae starts to bloom like crazy! (I already have green water, well, green ice!)

Thanks,

Phil

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Comments (6)

polshampark
21 years ago
I've always heard that the Autumn is the best time to redo ponds, but I was awaiting back surgery at that time so I am enlarging my pond now and have already started clearing existing plants from the edges. As soon as that is done the fish will be transferred to a holding tank so that the preformed pond can be emptied and propped up on the patio. The pond water will then be returned to it along with the fish. They should be okay there for a week or two until the new pond is ready for them to be returned. The new pond will have a new pump and filter and hopefully a small waterfall too.

I'm very excited about the project - and that I will be able to buy some more fish to join the 8 goldfish I already have. Unfortunately I lost 3 this winter due to fungus which I did not treat early enough to save them.

Best of luck with your pond works.

Tricia
AJC_1
21 years ago
Now would be a good time, anywhere between September and end of March, before the waters begin to warm to much.
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Thank you for all the information. This is the first pond I've ever tried to put in and am learning as I go. This weekend I'll be going to a plant swap and one of the people attending is going to give me a couple books she used when setting up her pond. Hopefully they will help me understand more about some of the things you have all mentioned. I plan on getting a submersable pond pump and was under the impression that I could get one that includes a filter. Was I wrong? It's good that I can use the limestone as I have a lot of it and can always get more for free. The dirt in that part of the yard is a layer of good dirt and rotted mulch then a thick layer of builders sand (the orangeish layer and then about 2 feet down I hit the regular sand. The deepest that I've dug so far is on the side closest to the sidewalk between the two shelves is 2 feet. I may remove the one shelf but I'm not sure about that yet. I plan on the larger portion of the pond closest to the driveway to be at least 3 feet deep without any shelves. The sand drains well and is pretty well compacted. When it's dry it can be very hard, in fact when I was putting in the irrigation system in preperation for putting in the front flower I ended up having to use a pick axe in some areas in order to get through the builders sand. Of course we were in a drought at the time so the ground was very dry. I have gutters along the front edge of the roof so there should be little to no run off from the roof into the pond. There is a rain chain on that end of the gutter but I've been carefull to make sure that it will not overhang the pond. The hole in the gutter for the rain chain is fairly small as the main reason for the chain is to keep water from settling in that end of the gutter. I will need to have at least one shelf in the pond for access and for in case one of my cats, my mom's small dog or one of my young neices or nephews falls into the pond. I can really see the youngest of my cats falling in since she has a facination with water, as you can see in the picture. The person who gave me the river rock lives near Floral City in Citrus county.
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Phil_V
Original Author
21 years ago
Oh! Ok, thanks for the input Tricia & AJC. I guess I was under the worng impression then that I SHOULD let the waters warm before doing anything. Although I'm not sure I'll be able to do it by the end of the month as there are a few other things going on at the moment, not least of which is my wife is due to give birth any time soon!

Thanks again,

Phil V
awblessmesturgeon
21 years ago
hi phil. i too think anytime soon is as good a place as any to start. i,m chomping at the bit to do some mods too. just watch temps, if its too low it is detrimental to ground works, the setting of cement, concrete, renders etc and solvent weld glue (see previous post) but once temps are a wee bit more reliable i'd go for it! i will be good luck o/ jo. pls post details of the happy event d:)
deesee
21 years ago
Hi i am glad that now is a good time to redo my pond , i have a 6x6ft pond which i am going to treble in size, i have 12 minnows in at the moment but would like to turn the pond back into a wildlife pond as i enjoyed that far more, i had 6 comets but they were all taken last spring by a heron i think, that was before the plants and cover were established. Do you think i will lose a lot of my small insects and creatures to the minnows as i would like to keep them,the minnows that is, or should/could i return them to the wild.
Phil_V
Original Author
21 years ago
Everyone has such big ponds! I am so jelous!

Phil V

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