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Ponds
Maxine Winter
Posts: 55
we are building a new pond and are considering putting fish in there, do u have to have a filter or can you put fish in a pond without a filter xxx
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Posts
Fish lived in ponds before filters were invented so you don't have to.
In the sticks near Peterborough
My father has had fish in his pond for twenty years and if there ever was a filter in there its not been touched! The water is always crystal clear due (I assume) to the plants in there (a mix of oxygenating and shade providing) and a seasonal maintenance (i.e not letting falling leaves fill the pond come autumn).
The amount you feed the fish and the quantity of plants.
We are talking about the partial nitrogen cycle that occurs in ponds.
Ammonia
Nitrite
Nitrate.
Small fish ( stickleback size) might be OK in a large pond with lots of plants,
Goldfish absolutely need very large ponds with a mature filter.
Koi , even more so.
Maturing a filter is easy.
Obviously, with fish, you will lose any aspirations for wildlife, you will also likely need to perform water changes during initial stocking.
Do not put fish in a pond that has a new filter
They will likely suffer greatly and die.
Thank you guys xxx
It depends on the size of the pond & the type of fish, it's possible to keep goldfish without a filter but only if you keep a few in a reasonably sized pond, Do not consider Koi unless you are looking at a pond at least 4' deep & 1000 gallons plus.
2 square foot is very small for fish with or without a filter
In the sticks near Peterborough
My 21 year old goldfish are a good 18 inches long.
You'd have to fold them in half Darren
In the sticks near Peterborough
That's exactly it.
I'd say 99% of goldfish buyers have no idea what they're getting themselves involved in.
Perhaps the most poorly treated pet of the last 40 years.