Having an outdoor pond area has the potential to be a lot of fun. Many people like to add artificial ponds to certain sections of their yard.
This can add some aesthetic appeal to your property. It’s also nice when you enjoy looking at fish.
It’s common for people to place different types of fish in ponds. Some people go with exotic types of fish, but others will use common fish such as goldfish.
Would it be fine to put goldfish in a pond if you don’t have some type of pump set up? Or would this be detrimental to the fish?
Keep reading to get more information about goldfish and whether they can survive in a pond without a pump. This should help you to decide what you want to do.
Goldfish Can Survive
Goldfish can indeed survive if you put them in a pond without a pump. However, there’s going to be a bit more to the situation that you should consider.
It’s generally not considered to be a good idea to add fish to a pond that doesn’t have a standard pump. This is because it might be tougher for the fish to get the oxygen that they need to thrive.
There are other concerns when you don’t have a pump or a filter in an artificial pond. For example, adding fish to the pond could cause it to get rather dirty over time due to excrement dirtying the water.
Eventually, algae might start growing in your artificial pond. If you wish to have the best experience with an artificial pond and fish, then it’s truly best to use a pump and filter.
That being said, goldfish can survive in a pond that doesn’t have a pump or filter. It’s going to be more likely for the goldfish to thrive under the right conditions, though.
You’ll want to ensure that you don’t add too many goldfish to the pond. Putting too many goldfish in there will just exacerbate some of the issues mentioned above.
It’s also going to be crucial to ensure that you’ve planted the pond properly. So long as you’re approaching things the right way, it shouldn’t be too hard to keep goldfish alive in your pond.
You will want to take certain pieces of advice into account to get the best results. Continue reading to get more information about how to keep goldfish in pumpless ponds.
Place Oxygenating Pond Plants in the Pond
One of the most important things that you can do to ensure success involves placing plants in the pond. You’re going to want to place several oxygenating pond plants in your new pond to help the goldfish thrive.
This is going to be the best way to get oxygen into the pond so that the fish can stay alive. If you aren’t going to use a standard pump, then this is a stellar natural way to provide the pond with oxygen.
It’s also going to help you to prevent algae growth in the pond. The plants will wind up using up resources such as fish poop so that algae won’t be created.
If you want to get the best results, then it’s recommended to use a mixture of submerged plants and floating plants. Many pond enthusiasts say that covering two-thirds of the surface of the pond with plants is sufficient.
When this much of the surface is covered by plants, it’s going to do a good job of preventing UV light from reaching algae. It’ll keep your pond nice and presentable.
Consider Using Rocks to Line the Side of the Pond
Another thing that is worth considering is whether you should line the pond with rocks or not. Many people have had great luck when lining the sides of the pond with rocks.
The reason people do this is because it helps to create a surface area that will allow beneficial bacteria to grow. It just helps to create a more natural environment for the goldfish so that they can live in the pond.
Lining the sides of the pond with rocks won’t be difficult to do at all. Just try to place rocks around the sides of the pond so that the beneficial bacteria will have a spot to grow.
You’ll be able to feel more confident that you’re creating an ideal environment for the goldfish. It’s a good thing to do when you’re trying to have a more natural pond that doesn’t use pumps or filters.
You Don’t Need to Feed the Goldfish
This might sound odd to you, but you don’t actually need to go out of your way to feed the goldfish. Goldfish will be able to eat things such as mosquito larvae.
Mosquitoes in the area are naturally attracted to standing water. They lay their eggs in water, and this gives the fish something to eat.
Goldfish will be able to live off of that and other natural things. You don’t need to feed the goldfish food the same way that you would when caring for them in a fish tank.
If you do give the fish food in the pond, then it’ll simply exacerbate algae issues. This increases the nutrients in the water too much and it makes it so that algae have an easier time growing.
Since you want to prevent this, it’s recommended to avoid feeding the fish. Don’t worry because the goldfish will be just fine.
You Don’t Need to Clean the Pond Liner
It’s also worth noting that you don’t need to clean the pond liner. You might think that this will be necessary from time to time, but there isn’t a reason to do this.
Sludge and anaerobic bacteria will build up on the liner over time. This is actually beneficial because it’ll help to break down dead plant material to keep feeding the pond plants.
If you were using a pump and a filter, then you would indeed need to clean the pond liner. It just isn’t necessary for a natural pond setup like this.
In this way, not using a filter or a pump for the pond will make things easier. Some pond enthusiasts will argue about whether a natural pond or one with a pump is best, though.
Final Thoughts
It is possible to keep goldfish in a pond that doesn’t have a pump. You just need to make sure that you’re doing things the right way.
Ensuring that you have plants in the pond will be a crucial step. The plants will help to provide the oxygen that the fish need to be able to survive in the pond.
It can also be helpful to line the sides of the pond with rocks. This helps beneficial bacteria to grow that will keep the pond safe for the goldfish.
You don’t need to feed the goldfish since they’ll be able to live off of natural resources in the pond such as mosquito larvae. It isn’t even necessary to clean the pond liner since the sludge and anaerobic bacteria will help to break down plant debris.
It isn’t necessary to use a pump in your pond unless you want to. So long as you utilize the advice above, you’re going to have a good experience keeping goldfish in your artificial pond.
Ben has a bachelor’s degree in construction engineering. When not constructing or remodeling X-Ray Rooms, Cardiovascular Labs, and Pharmacies, you can find him at home with wife and two daughters. Outside of family, He loves grilling and barbequing on his Big Green Egg and Blackstone Griddle, as well as working on projects around the house.
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