# Pond ecosytem?



## khoa456 (Sep 15, 2011)

I live in Southern California where it isn't too cold year round so i weas wondering if i can make a self sustaining pond that is around 60-100 gallons. First off i will put some java moss and ghost shrimp and after the ghost shrimp have multiplied by too many, i will add some danios, white cloud minnows, and rosy barbs which will keep the shrimp population down. Then when those fish have mass numbers i will add one goldfish and turtle to keep them from overrunning the pond. i will add one of those so they won't reproduce. The pond won't be fully self sustaining of course as i will feed them time to time. Will this work? Feel free for suggestions.


----------



## DarwinAhoy (Mar 13, 2013)

It won't be self-sustaining. The size is too small. You will need to do some serious water changes in there.

If you want self-sustaining, just wait until you get some hair algaes/brush algaes, stock it with some Florida flagfish, and let them do their thing. If you don't feed them, the population will be determined by the resources available to them. Still do some water changes, though.


----------



## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

The way natural systems work is with a really low animal to plant ratio. I bet a goldfish will put it over the self-sustaining limit as it can grow to a foot long. 

Small fish will 'balance" by starving and/or eating each other. A top predator isn't necessary. Also birds and raccoons may go fishing.

Any small body of water gets off after long enough even with rain coming in. 

A pond that is drained and "mucked out" annually with a filter backflush works in most places with cold winter, it should work in a year-round pond, too.


----------

