Your pond should have a minimum 12-15 square feet of surface area in order to add fish. The pond will need one area that is greater than two feet deep for hibernating amphibians if you intend to have any frogs. The pond will also need a number of areas that are under one foot in depth to support different species of aquatic plant life.

Pond linings are usually made from clay, concrete or pre-formed plastic. Plastic linings may create too steep a slope to the pond to maintain amphibians in your garden pond. Make sure the lining is intact and holds water, or that the pond is filled from a continuous source to be certain the pond won’t drain once you stock it with fish.

Mechanical filters require more frequent cleaning, as they rely on sponges or other filters to capture particles as they flow through the water. Biological filters can simply be placed in the pond, but may require that you ensure the water quality remains within acceptable parameters for the bacteria in the filter. Goldfish and Koi fish can both be kept without a filtration system.

Anacharis is considered the best plant for oxygenating purposes. It is commonly recommended that you add one bunch of anacharis for each square foot of your garden pond to keep the water oxygen levels optimal for fish. Water sprites also serve as capable oxygenators but are not quite as effective.

Be sure plant roots are covered with soil and gravel to prevent fish from accidentally uprooting and killing them as they swim. Use a water tester to check the PH levels of the water. Ideally, your pond should be between a 7. 2 and 7. 8 PH level. Wait for your plants to begin growing in your pond to ensure they will survive being transplanted.

Goldfish can live for years in well maintained garden ponds. There are a number of colors and patterns goldfish can be found in. Goldfish are also available in a series of different body types thanks to selective breeding. Goldfish options are really quite varied.

Koi fish can grow to be up to 2-3 feet and even weigh as much as 35 pounds in large enough garden ponds. Koi fish regularly live to be fifty years old in well maintained garden ponds. Ponds with less than a thousand-gallon capacity may not be well suited for koi fish because of their ability to grow so large in size.

Golden orfe fish require water quality that is significantly higher than that of goldfish or koi fish, which makes them less popular for garden ponds. Never introduce fewer than three golden orfes to a pond, as they may not survive when not in numbers.

Plecostomus fish start very small but can grow up to two feet in length and cannot survive colder months in a garden pond. Some owners with large fish tanks take their Plecostomus fish indoors for the winter. Mosquito fish do not grow to be very large and tend to look like guppies. They are commonly introduced to ponds to eat mosquito larvae before they have a chance to hatch, but goldfish and koi fish will both serve the same purpose.

Remove things that are shading your garden pond, as algae will grow in the shade. Make sure to remove overgrown oxygenator plants or water lilies. Adding store bought algaecide will keep algae from becoming an issue in your pond.

Top off the water level on hot days as you lose water to evaporation. Check the PH balance when water levels change to ensure it remains within acceptable standards for your fish. Treat the water as necessary to retain PH balance as you add water.

Use a pool skimmer to remove fallen leaves and other things floating in the water. Use a net to remove larger objects or dead wildlife from your pond to ensure you keep the other wildlife healthy.

Go to a pet store to find the right kind of food for the fish you choose to add to your garden pond. You can purchase feeding stations that will distribute food for you if you are unable to get to your garden regularly.