On 14 Jun 2009 at 8:08pm Smiler wrote:
I'v just created a pond in my back garden and apparently I need de-chlorinator for the water.
Does anyone know where I can get that from round here.
And does anyone have any pond fish they don't want?
On 14 Jun 2009 at 8:52pm FA wrote:
All the chlorine will disperse in a day or two smiler. Dechlorinators are more for large water changes (chlorine is put in tap water to kill bugs and bacteria....and that includes the benificial bacteria used to break down the fish waste)
However, in 35 years of keeping tropical and marine fish plus ponds and koi, ive never used dechlorinators and there's much debate whether you should bother.
What size (including depth) is the pond ?...do you have a filter ? UV ?
On 14 Jun 2009 at 9:33pm expat wrote:
I have plenty of goldfish if you would like them, they're free to collector, and we'll throw in a weeks free accomodation. We've put in several ponds over the years and there has never been a need to chlorinate at all. Just leave it for a few days to de- chlorinate on it's own before you introduce the fish. A pump and water filter will keep it in good nick for maintenance.
On 14 Jun 2009 at 10:47pm THEINTREPIDFOX wrote:
Quite right. If you have filled up the pond from the tap, leave it to stand for a week before putting the fishys in. They'll be fine. Nice thing to add (in addition to pump) is bacteria once a fortnight or so to keep the water nice for the fish and clear.
On 14 Jun 2009 at 11:23pm MC wrote:
Take a net down to the Ouse and collect some of the carp fry. There's enough of them. :-(
On 15 Jun 2009 at 5:21am FA wrote:
Shouldn't need to add additional bacteria to the pond. The bacteria will spread according to the amount of fish you have and the waste produced....if you add a fish or two, the bacteria will multiply accordingly. If you have too much bacteria, they can die off and cause problems.
Just aim for a balanced pond.....a nice lilly, some marginals around the outside and some oxygenators. Once you get the balance right....and that can take up to 5 years, your pond will be superb. My pond in the front garden and my pond at work (which is over 100 feet long) don't have filters or UVs and they're both crystal clear and looking superb.
As for the carp fry.....any fish taken from the wild are usually covered in parasites.
On 15 Jun 2009 at 8:27am Smiler wrote:
What about those balls of barley to keep the water clear.
Where do I get the plants and which ones are oxygenators?
Expat, any chance of throwing in the plane fare as well 
On 15 Jun 2009 at 10:19am FA wrote:
Barley straw will remove some of the green water....which you will get when you set the pond up, but it will not remove blanket weed....the long green stringy algea that covers everything.
You can get most plants from any aquatic outlet...some of the garden centres sell marginal plants. make sure they are well contained in pots though as some are very invasive. Marsh marigolds, flag iris, lobelia cardinalis, some of the sedges, arrowhead, pickerel weed and even hostas all make good marginals. You can get oxygenators from aquatic garden centres too....give me a bell and i'll get you some from work or from my pond at home if you want some.....i throw oxygenators away by the ton at work !!!!! can get you some lillys too if you want any.
On 15 Jun 2009 at 6:30pm 40 something wrote:
My child came home from the fair with a goldfish in a bag (the muppet) and we don't even have a tank so we let him go in a wild pond down the road with lillies and reeds. We go for a walk there every week and see if we can spot him but he's probably hiding, or he's been eaten by the ducks. Still...it was better than being stuck in a bag.
As for the chlorine thing; I think it must be a scam to get people to buy the stuff, thus the manufacturers making a tidy profit.
On 15 Jun 2009 at 6:41pm FA wrote:
it's not a scam 40 something...it does work and many many aquarists use it. I've just never found the need for it.
As for letting your goldfish free in a "wild" pond,.....very illegal under the countryside and wildlife act and totally irresponsible. next time, tell your child not to win goldfish !!!!!
On 15 Jun 2009 at 6:55pm Smiler wrote:
...or tell him/her to win it and give it to me.
I'd really appreciate plants and advice FA, the pond is about 2.5m x 2m
On 15 Jun 2009 at 9:08pm expat wrote:
If I win a decent amount on lotto this week Smiler. Honestly, don't worry about adding anything, you may upset the balance of the water. We started with 4 goldfish and now we have 18, so they must like their environment. All we introduce into the pond is a bit of goldfish food in the summer when they're active.
On 15 Jun 2009 at 10:53pm 40 something wrote:
why is it irresponsible FA? its just a bloody goldfish. who are you, Bill Oddy?
On 15 Jun 2009 at 11:13pm Stargazer wrote:
Don't get him started. He'll call you "narrow minded" if you dare argue with him.
On 16 Jun 2009 at 12:06am Fish Friend wrote:
you know "him" then Stargazey?
On 16 Jun 2009 at 1:12am Fish-in-a-bag-to-go wrote:
40 something, where did you get the fish in a bag from? I won't tell.. I always wanted one but my parents wouldn't let me have one - obviously since we were touring Scotland in a motor home and had to go back to Bavaria. Shortly after I moved here my heart broke when I found out that they have been banned due to animal welfare. But heard of the occassional fair up in Merseyside where you can still get them. Fairs are just not like the same anymore without goldfish. Sigh..
On 16 Jun 2009 at 6:08am expat wrote:
Isn't it irresponsible to let them go in the wild because fish grow to the size of the space they live in, therefore, there is the potential to have out-of-control monsterous goldfish with huge bulbous eyes?
On 16 Jun 2009 at 7:36am 40 something wrote:
Stargazer, I'm waiting for the onslaught from FA! AKA the old man from Out of Town.
On 16 Jun 2009 at 11:11am maggiesal wrote:
F.A. I too used to throw or give away oxiginating plants by the sackful( for about 15 years) but the last three years I have none in spite of keep buying more. It seems the fish are eating it or it's just dissapearing. This year I have spent about £20 on it so far and there is very little left, so the fish wont breed as the koi eat the young with no hiding place. Next time your throwing some away would you think of me please as I love my pond and only want the best for it . Ahhh.
On 16 Jun 2009 at 1:28pm FA wrote:
It's irresponsible and illegal to let them go in the wild because of them breeding with native stock. Some people have let north american wells catfish into the wild....that cute little 3" fish will grow to 6 feet long in this country and will eat a duck with reletive ease. We also had the ninja turtle craze where everyone was letting their terrapins go and they descimated some ponds.
"But it's only one little goldfish" i hear the thicktons reply. That is until little Johnny up the road sees it swimming about and thinks his 20 should go in there to keep it company, followed by the old man up the road chucking his pondful of huge ghost koi in there......then the pond floods, the fish get into the rivers blah blah....it's what happened to the signal crayfish and they are absolutely slaughtering some waterways.
Maybe you need to get your fat arse off the sofa 40 something and actually watch what happens in the countryside
On 16 Jun 2009 at 1:32pm FA wrote:
Maggiesal....you're welcome to as much as i can physically remove from my pond. Is there any way i can get your number and we can sort something out. Im going to be removing 30-40 sackfulls this week and next !!!
On 16 Jun 2009 at 4:33pm 40 something wrote:
Actually FA, my partner lives in the countryside, has 6 acres, countless oaks, 50 willows, roaming deer, barn owls, woodpeckers, cuckoos and a stream. Now we could have bunged the goldfish in the stream but knew it would be too invasive on the wildlife in there. So we put him in a wild pond which, by the way, is owned by my partner and was dug out in the spring and still empty so yes, we might just add 20 more.
So you don't think I spend much time in the country???
On 16 Jun 2009 at 4:55pm FA wrote:
I suppose there's the hanging gardens of Babylon too, unlimited views of Sydney opera house and herds of Wilderbeast sweeping majestically across the plain !!!!
Maybe you should move in with him one day so you can actually see all this stuff rather than googling the names of all those animals.
On 16 Jun 2009 at 5:13pm Slim Jim wrote:
Far arse - nice one FA !!!
On 16 Jun 2009 at 6:08pm 40 something wrote:
Oh FA please.....For once, just accept that you're not the only Johnny Morris on the forum! B-)
On 16 Jun 2009 at 6:26pm FA wrote:
Johnny Morris, Bill Oddy, the old man from out of town. Bloody hell, there's no end to my talents. Mwah
On 16 Jun 2009 at 6:36pm 40 something wrote:
Notice how they're all old gits
On 16 Jun 2009 at 8:28pm maggiesal wrote:
FA. Many thanks If you could e-mail me at [email protected] to arrange something I would be very grateful for a bagful.
On 16 Jun 2009 at 10:54pm Lord Elpus wrote:
FA, is blanket weed the same as silk weed?