Aquascaping

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sfishergirl

New Member
Does anyone do any aquascaping? My daughter brought home a goldfish from the fair last summer and it is slowing destroying the ecology of my fishtank. I HATE goldfish. I have to do a major overhaul on my tank now and I am thinking about planting it stead of gravel and plastic plants and decorations. ANy ideas on substrate, lighting and plants.
 

Crabbergirl

Super Moderator
Staff member
Ok here goes. I have been trying for years to do something with this space. So I thought a water feature would be nice. As you can see it is another of those never ending works in progress. Now this was to be a 2 stage pond with the first water fall from the kid statue. The water is ( notice I am staying positive here) going to fall from the open book in to the first stage pond. The second waterfall is ( again positive) going to cascade down a granite stone spillway from the center of the first pond and then be pumped back up to the book. I have all the pumps and stone but now my first stage has a leak and where else the bottom you can't really tell it is about 38 inches deep. It is a livestock water tank I had to bathe dogs in , Don't need it recycled it. It never leaked until we sunk it in the ground. I do have a 2' drain line that goes under the courtyard wall and in to the yard. Problem : can't find the leak, it must be a crack that opens when filled with water. I want to just add water when needed or put a float fill switch on it. Hubbs says fix the leak. So here we are it's been this way for 6 months! Driving me crazy! I can't finish it untill we decide what we are going to do about the leak. The second stage is a form liner. PS Don't mind the weeds I'll get to them eventually when I finsh the landscaping which will be done when the pond is fixed. Owls have eaten a lot of my Koi so we also have to build a pergula (sp). But that is down the raod a bit.
Anyway anyone with ideas please comment!
 

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sfishergirl

New Member
LOL and I thought I had troubles with my fish tank. couldnt you just put a plastic liner in it. I dont know what the stuff is called but that thick plastic sheeting. It would be like an above ground pool that has a liner. That would be my quick easy answer. My middleground answer would be to get a Waterproof non toxic expoxy and coat the entire pond. my high ground answer is replace the pond.
 

RonsGarden

Super Moderator
Staff member
sfishergirl
I have 3 aquariums and gave up up trying to grow waterplants. I have various species of cichlids that love digging up and eating live plants. I switched to plastic plants and all I need to do is push them back down into the gravel when they discide to rearrange things!

Nancy
Looks like you will need to re-line your pond if there's a leak. Racoons and possums frequent the pond in the early spring looking for a free meal and can cause liner leaking with their sharp claws! That is something I need to do this spring! I will probably make the pond deeper while I'm at it and create a few hiding places for the fish. Up here ponds should be a minimum of 24 inches deep for fish to survive during the winter months. Deeper is better! Most gardeners who put in a pond usually comment that they should have made it larger and deeper!
As to waterplants, I have 2 clumps of dwarf bulrushs and hardy white waterlily and a water marigold. as to fish I hare a dozen, or so, Rosy Minnows and one black/gold fantail goldfish! The pond is around 200 gallons.
 

sfishergirl

New Member
I used to have cichlids too. I used to buy a live plant now and then so they had something to do. Now I have tetras and an african butterfly fish and oh yeah the goldfish (that is looking for a home)
 

Crabbergirl

Super Moderator
Staff member
The thing is that is a tank not a liner but I like the liner idea would be easier than pulling it out and fiberglassing it. I do have a shower pan liner- you know really thick like swiming pool but very expensive I might be in trouble if hubby wants to use it for something else. :eek:
 

Gloria

Super Moderator
Staff member
Crabber, I don't know if this is any help or will apply to your situation but I have a small water feature, and here in SC where the temps are warm, the water evaporates quickly. I need to add water about every 3 days to keep it full once the weather warms to 70 and above. There are no leaks just evaporation. Could this be your problem as you are in warm and sunny Florida?
 

Crabbergirl

Super Moderator
Staff member
Gloria,
Thanks for the tip but since the smaller pond looses very little water I am to assume that I have leak because it goes very fast almost over night will have about 10 gal loss.:eek:
 


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