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Do you have a question about ponding, planting, fish, filtration? Send us an e-mail. We will do our very best to answer it.

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  1. Last week I was house-sitting and, among other things, tending a 50-gallon aquarium with several cichlids and a plecostemus. On Thursday and Friday of the week, a crew came and sealed the concrete driveway outside the house with a potent-smelling compound and the fumes were very heavy in the house... (Added 1-5-06, second answer 1-7-06) —See reply.

  2. Last summer, I saw some very interesting tadpoles for sale at a nursery. I did not buy any as I was worried that they could carry some disease to my koi/goldfish/shubunkins in my pond. Is there a possibility of amphibians carrying disease that can infect fish or would parasites/diseases be species specific? (Added 1-3-06) —See reply.

  3. We are building a pond with a waterfall outside. It should be finished soon. My kids want to put fish in it. I understand the best fish are certain kinds of goldfish. My question is, does the pump have to run all the time or can it be placed on a timer to run certain hours of the day?(Added 1-3-06) —See reply.

  4. I made a tank in my house it is just about 500 gallons of water. I have 9 fish in it. The tank has been running for 2 months. I have no ammonia, but i have .25 nitrite and it will not go down. What do you think - just not running long enough, or too many fish? (Added 1-3-06) —See reply.

  5. I have a question about expanding my existing pond. I currently have a 4X6 pond that is about 18" deep with two bio filtration falls (one 16 inch bio fall and one home made up-filter made out of a 6 gallon office wastepaper basket and filter media) and about 1500 gallons of flow between my two pumps. Like most first time builders I built much too small. The problem is that my fish are now well established (4 5-6" comets, two 5" fantails and one 7" butterfly koi) and I would like to expand the pond on its existing site while keeping the fish alive... (Added 11-23-05) —See reply.

  6. Our beautiful clear, clean pond just got contaminated by a fair amount of dirt. The waterfall portion is on a slope, and a gopher dug around the side of it and pushed dirt up and over the side of the waterfall and into the pond... (Added 11-10-05) —See reply.

  7. was also wondering if it is necessary to have pump going now that it is cool? (Added 11-10-05) —See reply.


  8. We bought this house with a small pond, approx. 6' x 3' x 28" deep, don't know gallons? Would like to keep our 3 goldfish alive thru Missouri winter in it, could keep in house if abs. ness., wonder if a water tank heater would work? Nights down into 30's now, seem to be doing alright, still have pump and waterfall going,-should we? Please help as our fish seem to love us and will swim against hand and let us pet when cleaning filter, etc. Any info appreciated (Added 11-10-05) —See reply.


  9. Hello. I am the president of a condo association. We have a large outdoor garden with two ponds, one of them fairly large with four koi in them. The fish are relatively small (about 4 inches long each). We need to bring them inside for the winter and I have been the only one to volunteer to bring them in. Since I am on the third floor and weight is a consideration, I cannot have a huge tank. I read a question that you responded to in which someone was asking about putting a koi in a 20 gallon tank and you advised against it. This person's situation is slightly different, as he or she indicated that a pond was out of the question. I am not interested in harming or torturing any animal and wonder if you have some suggestions about keeping these koi inside for the winter. I'm afraid that I don't have any option but to bring them in, as I live in Minnesota. Any tips you can offer me would be welcome. (Added 11-10-05) —See reply.


  10. I have three new koi fish and it has been almost three weeks. They do not tend to swim around during the day but will come out "sorta" at night w/the light above them on. They still don't react to the food I put in once a day at night while I watch them so the question is is it normal for them to place the "hide" game and be shy for such a long time or should they be well adjusted by now. Water is good and they are in a sun room in Colorado for the winter. a 3X5 stock tank w/3 3inch fish so defnitely no overcrowding. They hide in the plants that I have also brught in and under a plastic crate that the bog plants sit on. Thank you for your time just wondering if I need to be patient. (Added 11-10-05) —See reply.


  11. Subject: dirty water: hope my story can help somebody! (Added 11-10-05) —See full text .


  12. Hi I connected 2 ponds together. My original pond sits higher then my new pond .so it has a small waterfall effect where it is connected. Here's my problem. There seems to be water going under the liner so i am losing water. I asked some one in a pond shop if liner tape would work to seal the 2 together. He said it won't work. Do you have any ideas? (Added 11-10-05) —See reply.


  13. We have a 20' X 10' koi pond with 7 Koi in Washington State. We just put crayfish into the pond based on a recommendation. Will they harm the Koi here during winter hibernation? Do you have a different suggestion to keep the pond clean? (Added 11-10-05) —See reply.


  14. I'm here in Illinois up north in Green Oaks, IL and I have a question. My Koi had babies late in the season and the three that I have are only about 2 inches at the most... So I would like to know - should I leave them in the pond outside for the winter, or should I bring them into the basement? I have moved my 100 gal quarantine tank from outside into the basement. And have everything setup and ready to go. Pump etc. What type of light would I need to put over the tank so that the babies can grow over the winter, I will also have some plants in the tank that I wanted to grow over the winter,, as well, Any help in the matter would be great not sure what to do. Grow lights or Fish lights? What does everyone do?

    Also I have two frogs that I have brought early in the year, will they make it through the winter, I have a lined pond not mud?

    Next question is that I have water hyacinth in my pond this year. They didn't do well at all this year. All my levels were fine, I do have well water, but that should be better for them? What should I do different for next season I even tried a difference place to buy them and they still turned brown leaved and didn't flower much at all?

    (Added 11-10-05) —See reply.




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