Over the weekend, I finally got around to purchasing some fish and plants for a pond I built next to a japonese maple in my garden.  

• 2 hybrid white lilys and one hybrid "majestic" lily (already established at the nursery and already blooming)
• 3 x potted water clover
• 2 x dwarf bamboo
• 15 x 4-5" comets
• 3 x 3-4" koi.
  
  Sorry for the poor quality pix.  My camera hasn't been the same since my German Shepherd puppy used it for a chew toy...besides, it was never a great camera to begin with.
  
  Here's some pictures from feeding time this morning:
  
  
  
  
  
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great looking pond   I love fish and keeping fish, and have several tanks inside, but I haven't tried an outdoor habitat, as I'm afraid it would become a misquito heaven in our climate...

Thanks!  Took a lot of work, but I am really happy with the final results.  Unfortunately, I'll be moving within the year, so I won't be able to enjoy it for too long.

The fish will take care of a lot of the mosquitoes.  You can also get some floating cakes that kill mosquito larvae but are non-toxic to fish.  Also, keeping the water flowing helps keep them from becoming too much of a problem.

Plus, some mosquito larvae are a good thing:  free fish food.

If you balance the plants/fish/scavangers and keep an eye on your water chemistry, you can set up a fairly efficient self-sustaining ecosystem.  Plus, the flowers and plants look great, and need VERY little attention, unlike regular gardens.

Looks very nice...  I hope you don't have raccoons in your area.

I've never seen a raccoon in this neighborhood, but that doesn't mean that there aren't any.  I know they live in the parks around here, so it wouldn't be a shock to find one out there.  One good sign if that our garbage and/or recyclables have never been ransacked--that is usually a pretty sure sign of raccoons (or hobos).

I may end up getting a motion-activated sprinkler to protect the pond at night...although I can picture forgetting to turn it off and ending up with a very angry wife or mailman the next day.

You can also get netting that goes over the water...  It kinda wrecks the look of it...  But, it keeps the fish alive.

If the pond is deep enough, they should be alright...  Fish need hiding places to stay happy anyway.

yup, 3" deep, except for 2 small ledges, and plenty of big rocky places for them to hide.

Quote from: raylarrabee
Sorry for the poor quality pix.  My camera hasn't been the same since my German Shepherd puppy used it for a chew toy...besides, it was never a great camera to begin with.

Did your pup chew on your mouse and keyboard and make your pics show up as red X's :lol:

:lol:

They were working earlier today...

you never know, she's quite mischievous....

I wish I could have a pond like that....I have to many trees with pine needles. I have to rake the yard a lot....No to mention the stray cats population around my house. I've got that almost under control with the help of animal control.
Nice pond........

yeah, looks good man... one of my friends had to put fishing line a few inches above the pond in a lattice pattern to keep birds from diving at them? Don't know, but where are you moving? VA?  

I still have no clue where we're moving.  I just got into the Navy (JAG Corps), and I will not have my orders untill sometime in August.  Only thing I  know right now is that we will be in Newport, RI from mid-OCT through DEC for Naval Justice School and then off to wherever they assign me--As far as where where that will be, you're guess is as good s mine.

We're hoping to go overseas, but those assignments are hard for new officers to get.

I will be leaving my poor little fish in the hands of a renter, but I have family in the area who will be checking up on the place to make sure the renters don't destroy my new little ecosystem.