I always thought the fish seemed to be larger in the spring than they were when we put the pond to bed in the fall.
Ponds 2014
When our house was in the middle of our grove blossom time smelled heavenly. The white blossoms would blow around in the wind. Blossoms were always welcomed because when they dropped off that would be an orange start. GEEEEZE I miss them.
Oberon, sorry about your little fish. I hope you and Carolyn have some living happily under the ice.
Checked mine today and water was above 55 degrees so I fed them just a little. Don't want them to get impacted with food they can't pass. Still am amazed at big fish cause they just don't seem too interested in eating. They eat but very slow and never a feeding frenzy like the other ones in the smaller pond. They are still living so I guess they are getting enough food.
Stay warm all.
I guess their bodies keep growing even without food to draw on. I guess that makes sense. They just grow more slowly than in summer when they seem to double in size.
Carolyn, I always think that, too. I was always so surprised at how big them seemed each spring.
OK - so apparently it isn't just me. I wondered if others thought their fish grew during the winter as well. Must be they actually do grow at that time. No wonder they are in a weakened state in the spring.
Bonnie - your description of the time when the orange blossoms were all around the house, reminds me of when the lilacs are in bloom here. The lilacs always smell so good too although we do not get any fruit :)
Oh yes Carolyn. My last home up north was called bittersweet farm and the 300 foot long driveway had lilacs on both sides and when in bloom it was heavenly. I remember it well. Along the front was a stone wall covered with bittersweet and it was beautiful also. Whoever owned the place before us must have been a plant fanatic also cause there were loads of lovely shrubs everywhere. I just loved it there.
Some things you just never forget. I was working and had 4 small kids at that time so didn't do much with flowers but we sure had a very large vegetable garden in the front and I canned a lot of food up.
Bonnie- I would love to be sitting on the back deck with the waterfalls running it the pond, watching the breeze in the dogwoods and the lilacs.
Are you still cold down there? I keep thinking about Mary (Oberon) who has had the 2nd winter in a row that is warmer than mine. Something in my head that I just cannot accept that. Somehow Alaska should be colder than NE Penna.
LOL. Sorry Carolyn. It does seem to defy logic. It was 38F this morning and stuff is still melting. I look out the front window to the cul de sac and it is shiny with ice and water as it melts. Lots of car accidents. Divats in the medians from cars losing control are common. One fellow loses control, panics the people behind as to where he is going to end up, they hit their brakes (going 50-60 idiots) and they go sailing into someone else. Damien passed a rolled over van (notoriously unreliable on ice or snow) and four other cars in various places in the snow nearby along with the usual entourage of fire trucks, police, and ambulances.
it is 15 degrees here.... it was 1.9 when I got up.
We have our idiot drivers too. There are alot of them.
Holy cow. You really are in the cold zone. It will swap soon though. Hate to see it; well, would like to see you guys warm up but that usually mean we teter-toter the other way.
Can't picture 50 or 60 driving on ice or snow. DUH
All I can say is think spring. Especially Carolyn. If my husb. complains one more time about our weather I'm going to clobber him over the head. The driving conditions would keep me housebound and I don't like that.
I'm still painting on sets of shelves for my church room. It is chilly but paint is spreading good. It's 7:30AM and sun is out so I'm out. Supposed to go up to about 67 today. Hope so.
Keep warm all.
Now that we have 14" of snow, it is starting to get cold again. We are in the negative digits this morning. Mary (Oberon), I was wondering if this may be typical weather for your area? I did see where Waverly NY made the national news with the snowfall this past week - that is a 5 minute drive in normal conditions for me.
My pond has deep holes in the snow going to down to my heaters - they are still both working which is a good thing. If they were not, I don't think I could get to the top of the pond.
Stay warm - I keep thinking about how nice it would be to hop on a plane and visit our southern friends. One of my closest friends moved last August from this area to Southern Florida. I am hearing about a consistent 88 degrees down there - I am envious!
Boy you are really hit. How much snow on top of your ice? It is hard to say up here. Seems like less snow which will probably be cured in the next month or so. Weather is about par although we thoroughly enjoyed our warm spell. Seems like you guys haven't gotten any breaks at all. Was so hoping our drop in temp meant a raise for you.
It can only get better unless we are headed toward a spring like last year. Yeah, what spring? Wet and cold. I will be in Ireland for part of it so that will probably save me from total frustration. I still have one gold fish inhabiting the skimmer. I check on him? each day trying to not disturb him. The ice is not that deep so he could escape if he wanted. When it gets about 1' down he would be trapped in diminishing water. I would have to save him somehow.
I'm not complaining--we had 3 days of no sun and drizzly rain which is better than snow. Temps around the high 50's but it did feel chilly. Today sun came out and I got to go out and feed my fish. Which was great. Water temp was almost 60.
My friend in Conn. said she stocked up on groceries as they are expecting another snow. She said her car was frozen into her driveway ice. Yuk
Take care all and keep warm.
No power here for 4 days. Glad to be back online. We do pretty well with out coal stove for heat. The gas heater in the GH doesn't need electric so that was fine as well. Only issue has been the pond heater that just can't keep up this winter. So the pond has been frozen over for a couple of weeks now. I am sure there will be some lost fish and frogs. My fish are just gold fish but some of them are pretty big now and I hate finding them and the frogs floating when the ice thaws out.
Holly
Hate to see the fish and frog go - but the important thing is that you and Ric are alright.
You could pour boiling water over a spot until you get a hole. I did that when one of my deicers failed. Oh, shoot. You have no electricity. Well, make a hole then stick a basket ball in it to prevent it from freezing over (or so I have read) then as soon as possible stick in a deicer.
What a great idea, didn't even think of that. But this deicer has preformed so poorly for me that the pond has been freezing up quite often even without the additional no electric. We are back on line now. I may just take some boiling water out there, it has been frozen over so much this winter that I am sure that there will be some damage.
You can also put pond salt to melt some ice.
Belle
Oh, great idea. Won't hurt a thing and might even be helpful to the fish.
I have never used pond salt. I will check that out.
Holly,
I use the water softner salt in pond as its much cheaper. Blue bag at Walmart has no additive which you need for fish. If I remember it's about $4.50 per 40 pd. bag. Good thing Belle thought of that.
I use the same salt, blue bag and it is real cheap at Home depot or lowes.
Also I add a cup of the salt at least every other week during winter.
Belle
It gives your fish a nice slime coat to keep bacteria out. You end up with far less body ulcers and fin rot.
I salt every Fall before shutting down. With my water exchanges in the Spring the salt is out of the pond before the plants really get going. Since salting the pond in the Fall I have had very few health issues with my fish. Salting the pond tends to be controversial - but I swear by it.
Very interesting, I really don't bother with my fish much. I mostly just have feeder gold fish, I buy a few in the spring to put in the small shallow water features. Then in the fall I move them to the deeper birdbath pond to overwinter. You really don't see them much at all. One of these days when I get a larger pond I would like to get a few Koi or fancier gold fish.
I placed tarp over the deeper side and they are growing fast. I bet some are 18 inches.
Holly/Belle
would love to pictures - can you both post some?
Soon I hope!!!
belle
Here is a summer/winter pic of the Bird bath pond as you can see the deep well of the pond gets pretty full of plants so the fish aren't easily seen once it starts filling in.
Holly
the first one looks so nice and lush and green. The second photo looks like my yard. It is snowing now -
I really like your birdbath. I'll bet the birds like it with the plants - it is so natural looking.
I love the pond. The greenery is so lush. Hard to believe there are fish down there.
I love the frog. Reminds me of me when I'm tired and ready to sit down.
Pool is empty now and ready for my SIL to pressure wash. I used my little 1,700 SI one but it doesn't do much. I will keep on washing the screen and metal and deck as deck needs to be repainted also. Plus all patio furniture needs cleaning ready for spring which is fast approaching.
I'll never understand people who say there bored. When you have a home etc. the work is never done.
I see you all in New Eng. are getting more snow. I know you all will be glad when spring comes. I just hope Carolyn you still have power.
I do have power Bonnie. Thank you for thinking of me.
I am so ready for spring. I feel like it will never get here!
Ya'll have had a rough winter this year. Charlie told me there was a 100 car pileup on the Pa. turnpike. We used to drive that every year when we came to Fl. to visit his dad. Hope there were no serious injuries. Couldn't drive on ice and snow again. I'd be a nervous wreck. I remember what sliding around was like.
Spring is just around the corner and then you can see your fish. Fed mine this morning and was thinking of you at the time. They were zipping around as usual and always ready to eat. Big ones are such slow eaters. It has to practically fall into their mouths but I watch and make sure they are eating. What a laid back bunch.
Well it's starting again. 1 big fish jumped out of pond and died. I didn't even see it my dog alerted me to it. Today ordered chemicals to treat another one that looks like fin rot starting.
I'll treat the whole pond. Coming out of winter and bacteria and guess their immune systems aren't up to par. If it doesn't straighten out my son will take it to his house and quaranteen as I'm tired of treating sick fish.
Another person that bought these big fish reported to Jeff that in 2 months they lost all they bought from same man in Winter Springs. Big moma cost me over $200. well this one isn't going to. It's Jeffs so he said he will take my big tank or buy one and take it to his house. That's fine with me.
BTW, anyone in Fl. The central Fl. koi show in Orlando is March 7,8 and 9. Same place it has been in years past.
Bonnie
Sorry to hear you are having problems again. What did you order to treat your pond? Have you tried Medikoi? I have found that I really like it. Medikoi treats fungal and bacterial problems.
http://www.watergarden.org/Pond-Info/Guarding-Against-Sick-Fish
Let us know.
Bonnie,
Bummer. you went through a lot with the big Momma.
Belle
I hate to see you go through this again. One spring like last year should be enough for any person. Hope it is a one shot deal and all else goes well.
Fish farm owner advised Proform-C. Worked in and on pond all day today. Drained it down to my ankles. Cleaned all filtration again.
Wish I had a place to take all the big ones out and drain it completely and pressure wash it with bleach as I did before. Yeah it takes a lot of rinsing but does a good job. Makes liner look like new.
The leaves are driving me nutty. Netted them out 3 times today. Right now I'm waiting for it to refill and then can add Proform again. Needs 3 treatments. Then I will buy a good monthly treatment and keep up with it. Aqua Meds has some that sound good.
Carolyn I will check that one out. I'm just pooped from climbing in and out all day. Really ready for bed.
If the sickish one doesn't perk up I'm going to tell Jeff to take him home and tend to him himself. I don't need anymore $200. spent on fish meds. I have tank he can have. Good thing we have a truck I can put it up into and deliver it.
I'm tired. Going to rest and hopefully before midnight pond will be up enough to tern filtration back on and add meds and then go to seep.
I never suffer with boredom. LOL