Yes, I've put plastic pipe in the pond before, but have quite a lot of oxygenating plants in now, so haven't needed to use them, If your pond has quite a deep area, it should be enough for the fish

pipe is a good idea-- mine learnt quickly that its a safe place to hide-- especially from the heron!-- And yes fish can learn and remember, the noise of the kitchen door in summer or walking next to the pond brings them swimming up for food !

thanks for that and sorry about the spelling mistake......"piece of piper" duhhh. Out shopping for some tomorrow.I know the pond is deep enough for them to survive but since I cut the water lilies and took out the debris from the bottom they look so exposed.

you may find clay pipe the best as the plastic may float unless you weight it down, have you a way to stop the whole pond freezing if we do get bad weather?

Thanks Pamq I was hoping to try to find some clay pipe somewhere.As for the pond freezing....we have a manmade stream running into it which does help to keep from completely freezing though last year was so bad even that was freezing and hubby was often"sent out" in the middle of the night to keep it flowing by breaking the ice on the stream.I wouldnt switch the pump off because the birds love the stream.However if the weather is going to be as cold and prolonged again may have to switch off.Have you any tips?

Floating a piece of polyurethane board about half a metre square will do the trick and it also helps to absorb the pressure from ice

I used clay chimney liner in my pond. The fish loved to hide there. This comes in different sizes in Canada. Clementine

thanks Purplesprout,thanks a good tip and will be using that this winter
that chimney liner sounds just the job Clementine but not sure if there is anything similar in the UK.Plastic has replaced so much now.Would rather have clay pipe.May find some in a reclamation yard somewhere.
Sheila

I put a pot drain junction in mine it works very well as there is 3 openings I got it from a builders yard.

thanks Drc726 that is what I was wanting really... a clay/pot one with several openings.builders yard here I come...

from now on i would clean the pond out in spring so the plants can cover the surface quickly . the best thing for cover is to get a piece of plywood and lay it over one end or if the ponds bigger lay a long piece of 2" x 4" and lay the board on that . this will help keep the frost out to . just dont cover the whole thing . the trouble with carp species is there not natural cave dwellers so they will hide in pipes due to fright . a piece of board is far better as they have almost natural cover like lillies would be.

Crikey NP don't want to frighten them so may go for your idea.
Felt I had to clean the pond as there was a lot of rotting leaves/gunge in the bottom and thought it best to clear it out.I did clean it in spring also and don't know where all the debris comes from.Although there is always that blanket weed down the stream and in the pond I go out and take it off regularly and clean the filter but still get a lot of sludge in bottom.
sheila

as long as you keep the filter running and clean it in spring and net the leaves out or maybe put a net over it while the leaves shed a little bit of mulm is healthy realy and what the fish would naturaly hide in . putting a piece of board over will solve all your problems . i wonder if you have one of those pumps that has a cage round it ? is worth putting your pump up on a couple of bricks so it doesnt directly suck in all the tuff of the bottom .another good thing is those pond vacumes and what comes out of the pond makes great fertiliser .take care and any questions just ask . take care shiela . the sludge or mulm is mostly fish poo which is heavy .

thanks NP.we have a filter sponge that fits around the pump so can be taken off regularly,cleaned and slipped back on.Also have a pond vac but I felt it took too much water out the pond and with having a filter/greengenie at the top of the little waterfall was advised we don't need to change part of the water sometimes suggested. I was torn between leaving the "mulm" as that is where the fish were hiding,or worrying that it would give off gases when decomposing.

barley straw ( cheaper from farm or farm shop) will help control algae and blanket weed, as it rots it produces an enzyme that helpts to prevent algal growth ( google can give amounts per pond size---) don't remove it as it goes black-- thats when its working

heard of that Pamq,thankfully the green genie controls the algae with the ultraviolet system as it's not that big a pond.
Sheila

its always good to give fish a water change if you can as its the invisable things that kill not perticulerly what you can see . fish have to breath and live in what they use as there toilet so dont worry what your vac takes out as long as its know more than a third of the whole pond . use the water you take out on the garden the plants love it .just give your pond a clean out in spring and you wont go wrong as long as you leave the filter running .algi/duckweed is far better controled bye higher plants than anything else . go to a natural lake with lots of lillies and it will be clear as a bell . go to one without and it will be green . this is with know filters, barley straw or ultraviolet . my pond thow i cant grow higher plants has a pagoda with bamboo matting over it is totaly clear without a uv . it runs through tesco bbq charcoal and watercress in a waterfall which the sun does hit . the rest is coverd . iinfact apart from some tannin its clearer than tap water . it has to be clear and healthy for my 5 large sterlet and 5 large rainbow trout as well as others to even survive .

thanks NP,I do have 2 water lillies and have to say the water is generally clear.We had a lot of fish some we had had 5+years. sadly the heron cleared us out and we had to start from scratch and this time we arent having a lot of luck.Being pensioners we seriously thought about not having anymore but I love my stream and it seems daft having a pond with no fish.If I lose these though thats it....no more.

Noseys idea of bamboo matting sound lovely and the fish will soon learn to hide

yes its brilliant and easy upkeep to . you could even put a pagola over half ya pond with bamboo .

Maybe if I had someone good a diy NP but I am trying to think of something I could manage to cobble together.Hubby goes for "as long as it does its job" where I do like it to look pleasing on the eye. will let you know when I have decided what I want.(or should I say what I end up with)lol

well its amasing what you can acomplish shiela .
im here for any questions you want to ask . theres more than one way to skin a cat lol . a picture would be great of your pond please x .

Have uploaded pic NP and I reckon one of the problems is that the pond and stream get a lot of sun so there is little shade.This was taken in June hence the colour in the garden.

theres know cover at all . i would maybe just tie some bamboo together or buy a little pagola that would go over one end .be nice you know with a permenent seat on the right hand side as you look at the picture . be a lovley place to sit . have the cover the other side with a nice honysuckle growing over it .looks nice and healthy .

maybe a few nice potted plants round it somewear mite be nice to .

looking at the rest of your garden do you think some realy big natural boulders would look good in there . dotted about . you d need a crane thow lol .

have wanted a pergola before but the trouble is we are very high up and the wind is pretty rough coming around the side of the house and all the plants in that area getting a real battering. hence most is low growing. After 11yrs of back breaking work making a garden from a rubbish tip my hubby's back is buggered and he can't lift anthing slightly heavy.We have a lot of garden and are trying to get all as low maintance as possible. I had thought what you said about covering part of the pond and down in the right hand corner may put a rounded piece of board with some nice pots with plants in on top.Something to plan anyway.

your garden looks nice theres always more than one way to skin a cat lol even the plant life will get so well established that will become natural shelter . nothing better .i still think a seat lol x .

your pagola doesnt have to have plants growing over it . it looks nice with the bamboo matting and you could have some tall pot plants near it to give it life .

You have given me plenty food for thought there NP thanks so much and will let you know how things progress.x

brilliant glad to be of help x .