Oh Bonnie I can imagine you exhausted!!!!
Belle
Ponds 2014
I have stuff from AquaMeds including ArcticBlend winter bacteria I add. Works down to 30F. I will check my every growing supply closet to see what I have for the spring and see what he recommends for startup.
My babies from last fall are growing great. Just gold fish but all so different. The two that were a rather strange metallic grey have changed. Well, one has. He is not gold. Not gold like an orange gold fish, but gold like 14K gold. Really pretty. I can hardly wait to turn them loose.
D is talking about retiring to Equador up in the hills where it is always spring. Well, they think of it as spring. We would count it a wonderful summer. Who knows.
At 1:30AM was able to turn everything back on. Also netted out 1 dead fish. Added Proform and went to bed. Not going to do water change again today. Just going to do some more vacuuming as I got out a lot of mud. Leaves are really falling by the ton.
I'm going to take a nap at noon hopefully. I'm like a walking zombie.
As I said another girl that bought some said all of hers died except 1. Don't think these fish were healthy to begin with but I'm trying.
Carolyn, I think I'll get some Microblift spring start up. Will have to find out if it can be used with or after Proform wares off.
Made it to bed by 2AM. Fish died so took him out and turned waterfalls on and put Proform in. It can just sit and enjoy the Proform today. I'll do some more vacuuming. Got 3 bags of mud out of bottom. Tomorrow I'll do last water change and add
I'm quitting at noon and getting some sleep if at all possible.
Can you tell I'm having a pity party. This too shall pass.
Son came by from work and we netted the pond as high winds are expected today.
Did a little more vacuuming. Water looks clearer.
Carolyn,
Water Garden site is where I bought my skimmers. Nice people.
Jeff is going to Amazon and order some Microblift for summer. I'm going to find out shelf life of Prazi and get some of that too. Ordering from far off is too long once a fish becomes sick.
Time for my nap.
Bonnie, How does that much mud get into your pond? Or is it just decaying leaves? If it's leaves, you may want to use more sludge-buster type products? When the weather gets colder, which we've had here this year, the fish go down to the bottom. That's where all of the sludge sits too, and they often times get the body sores.
I used the sludge buster from MIcroblift and it works but it stained my rocks in both pond and water falls. I quit using it as I removed most all the gravel and vacuum fairly often now that is it easier with no gravel bottom. Have almost gotten the rock scrubbed clean except for the bottom few inches which don't show that much. I have ML PL and Proform for spring. I know one outfit recommended Prazi as a one time treatment in spring also. A bit far off for me but as you say, with having to get it mailed it might be the time to look more seriously.
I get my Prazi from ebay.
Hm. I will look it up and compare prices. Sometimes when you buy from Ebay you are buying from a retailer who is online.
I just looked and for 50 grams on Ebay it is $30.00; on AquaMeds it is $69.99
Wow!!!
This message was edited Feb 21, 2014 6:02 PM
I know no other way for the mud to get into pond that wind born dirt. And yes there are some leaves on there too but at least now I can vacuum them out even though it takes a long time to vacuum. Only other way would be to climb in and dip net them out.
I've been researching a lot of products on different sites and will order some Summer Blend which also contains sludge busters.
You know what gets me-so often people get sick of koi and throw them into mud bottom wild ponds or canals and they thrive and multiply. We sweat out keeping perfect water quality for them and they croak. That tells me mother nature knows lots more than we do.
If I didn't have gators in my canal I'd like to put some koi in there and see how they faired. Only thing is it runs through large swamp all the way out to hiway 50 and I'd probably never see them again. Cause that's miles.
Tomorrow is last draw down and Proform -C application. I will be more faithful doing water changes and adding a water treatment ea. mo. The following is what Aqua Meds advocates.
How many of you follow this regimen?
every week 10% water change
every 2 weeks 20% water change
every 3 weeks 30% water change
JUST CURIOUS
Bonnie
I would like to follow that type of schedule for water exchanges, but we pay an arm and a leg for water and sewer here.
I was wondering about the mud at the bottom of your pond too. We get a lot of crud from the fish and the plants, but it isn't mud - just crud. Vacuuming a couple times a year takes care of it.
Carolyn,
Maybe I should call it loose dirt. You'll have to ask God how it gets here cause he controls wind born particles I think. Unless those big fish do too many poops. LOL
No plants in there but I plan to add some this summer.
If I had to pay for all the water I use it would be as much as having a mortgage. I do not waste water however cause when a well goes dry you have to have another dug and permits and that's up in the thousands.
I'm ordering from Webb's this time. I'm going to keep water testing records and see how I do with their products.
I'm still researching and reading info. on Aqua Meds site and some others. Some differ greatly so its hard to know which to follow but I think mixing brand name products is not good so I am going to stick to 1 for this season.
Good luck all with your ponds and fish.
Bonnie
I sort of do water changes besides the big one in the spring by vacuuming. Depending on how long I vacuum (which pumps out water along with crud) I could drop it by maybe 20% a couple times a year, with a big one at year end. But no set exchanges here. I suspect the water is pretty high in nitrates in the spring but then the fish are dormant and there is no plant life in there to generate bad stuff. I have the spring meds to dump in and have been trying to get the bacteria for cold water in there every two weeks. It gets tough when the holes get small and far away from the bank. I still fear walking on the ice.
I ordered more water celery as it spreads fast on the surface and has lots of roots. Is good for the water cleansing and requires about no maintenance. I throw it all away in the fall but am hoping it will get in the rocks like it did a few years ago and come back on it's own.
I very seldom vacuum and I know that there are visible sludge. My pond is very shallow, mostly 3 feet and 4 foot at one end where they congregate during winter.
I do not put meds, salt, peroxide and baking soda during spring and summer. No proportions.
My pond is old maybe 15 years and most of my problem is algae but I now can control it with peroxide and baking soda. Perhaps I had been lucky!!
Also my pond is covered so no leaves. I don't think I have the time to worry about the leaves most especially during golf season.
It's been nice here and the fish are swimming around. I gave them few slices of wheat bread and they gobbled them.
Belle
We do use the Pondzyme with Barley to help take care of the sludge. It does wok as well as the bogs to help keep the crud and sludge from getting out of hand.
I am anxious to get things going, but we still have quite a bit of snow, even though we have lost about 1 1/2 feet of snow in the last couple of days., but there is still quite a bit of ice on the pond. We have done start up generally around the first week of March, but I don't see that happening this year because we are supposed to go back into the deep freeze. I am really looking forward to spring.
Bonnie - It sounds like more than just fish poop. Is your pond by a road where there would be traffic stirring up a lot of dust? We have wind here too and don't have mud in the pond, although we do have the cherry tree which can be a problem too.
Medikoi is a food to feed your fish that will work from the inside out. I am thinking of ordering some to keep just in case.
I believe Bonnie mentioned a road nearby that she once speculated might be causing some of the dirt problem. Real dirt.
I think she mentioned it as well. I think that is what the problem is, don't you?
Must be. It must be a really dusty road but that would certainly add quite a bit of dirt to the pond. Only a thick hedge might help with some trees to catch the dust. But with Bonnie's luck (no offense Bonnie) they are on the south side and would block out sun. Course that would also cut down on algae. Just don't know. Get the county to put something on the road to cut down dust? Ha. Not likely.
I know one time I bought cheap fish food, and it seemed to have ground corn in it? Anyway, I thought I had sand get into my pond somehow, but I really think it was what the fish couldn't digest. I have a lot of large fish, so it was a lot of bottom waste. Looked like finely ground grits. I can't guarantee it was corn, but I do know that when I changed back to a medium priced food, I didn't have as much of a problem.
That is interesting MM. Bonnie - what are you feeding your fish? Do you think this could be part of the problem?
These large fish haven't been eating well ever since we bought them. I mentioned that 1 girl that helped Jeff net up these fish from the man in Winter Spgs. had all of hers die except 1 that she bought from same place.
I feed them floating pellets that I bought at the fish farm same formula M. Mary uses. Also, have fed it to other pond full of fish for over a year and they are lively and doing well. I didn't pay enough attention to water quality and that may have caused a problem. Their systems could have been weakened during the winter and parasites could attack them from what I've read when water temps jumped up fast.
I've talked with a lot of ponders and they all say the same thing. So many variables its difficult to know which problem to attack first. Water is clear now and they seem livelier if that's a good word. I used to get rattled about it but no more.
Tomorrow I will order summer blend, medizyme and sludge remover plus vacuum more often.
My old smaller pond has fish that are now 6 years old and have had sickness but made it through so far. The leaves are more trouble this year than ever before. I put bird netting over both of them but doesn't catch it all so next time I'll build some frames and staple it to them and then lay it over ponds. I don't like the netting but it seems necessary.
Right now I have to move on to working on the pool. I'll try to attach a pic of it.
It's 20X40 and ranges from 10 feet to 3 1/2. How I dread it but it will be nice when the heat strikes.
Bonnie
Bonnie, your pool it huge. I guess I never realized that when I was at your house.
I spent the morning cleaning filters...bleh. Can't wait to get going on the pond again and maybe get everyone in there by mid summer! With reeeeeal filteration~
:)
We may not get hot weather but I love to swim and dive. Will never have my own pool so have to settle for Hawaii every so often. But no one in my family likes to swim so I have to go alone. I went snorkeling off Mauii with a group but no family. Pretty much swam by myself but it was still wonderful. Diving down to swim with the fish, the exercise. Great.
Boy I sure would love an inground pool.
M. Mary, I can't wait for you to get your pond up and running. Your fish will be so happy to have a permanent home. Big ones are eating better now, maybe they finally realize they aren't going to get anymore cat food. That guy that had them must have cut a lot of corners.
Oberon, Oh boy would I love to see Hawaii for the plant life and also beautiful clear water to swim in. My DH doesn't even go into our pool when its up and running. My grands and great grand kids love it when they are here.
Holly,
Give it some serious thought before putting in a pool. Who is going to do the maintenance work. I know pool builders tell everyone now no maintenance just throw chemicals in. That is very false. Pool water gets out of wack just like ponds do and takes a lot of $$$ to get it back right. They don't make pools anymore that have to be painted like mine. I did get a company out here once to see about putting a modern finish on it. $25,000. so that wasn't possible. When I can no longer do the work myself I will do what M. Mary did and throw some koi in there and let it go.
Question for M. Mary. Do you run your pool filter with the koi in there? I'm sure water would become a cesspool without some water turnover. I have a DE Hayward filter and I can't feature it handling any fish detritus. As deep as the pool is we would probably never see the fish again. I'm sitting here laughing. Can't picture fish in the pool.
I'm running 3 pressure canister filters on the pool. Dropped the water down to half. It's a lot of maintainence to do it this way, which is why I'm eager to get the other one done. The pool is 20x10. It's definitely not attractive, just functional. 3 pumps going, too~
I "have" seen people convert their pools into koi ponds, but they switched to a bead filter with a leaf trap and UV light. Being able to backwash is important.
What kind of filters do the rest of you use on your ponds?
Just one 2500 pressure filter with a 25W UV and a separate 55W UV
We have had an above ground pool for many years, but I have always wanted an inground. I get serious pool envy.
My DH wants an inground pool. Truthfully it is not something that speaks to me. Not sure why as I love to swim.
Your pool looks huge Bonnie.
M. Mary, I can backwash the pool filter but then I loose all the DE and I have to put in new. Will have to replace it all now we are starting over after painting.
Wow, running 3 filters. The offer of my pump still goes. You should see all the debris it took out of my pool. It's only a little thing but pumped out all of mine. The pond vac can't pump out more than 3 head feet so I didn't bother trying it.
We would never have a pool if it hadn't been on the house when we bought it. Ours is very old so its HIGH maintenance and not full functioning. As I said before it needs a new bottom drain but that's not possible for us to afford so I just keep struggling to keep it decent. I use a 100 lb. tub of chlorine a season plus other chemicals.
Carolyn nobody in their right mind would build a pool this big. I know the depth is not allowed in Fl. now. Usually home pools are 6 feet max. We had a big diving board but it snapped one day when a big kid was bouncing right on the end. Our insurance man said we couldn't have one now. That's foolish cause anyone could fall in deep end just walking around it. When my little great grandchildren are here their mom makes them wear a life preserver which is fine with me. I keep 2 on hand also at all times. Here they have to be screened or fenced. They are considered a public danger.
In my county a pond can't be deeper than 2 feet without permitting and a fence. I didn't know that when we built both ponds I just happened to think that was a good depth.
Tomorrow my SIL is coming down from N. Fl. with his big pressure washer to do pool and I do so appreciate it cause I usually have to it by myself. Unfortunately we are supposed to get heavy rain so don't know if he will work in rain or not. I did today but I'm goofy and didn't quit until I was very cold. I was working on screen and metal struts to get mildew all off. 62 feet of pool cage. If I ever build a new place it certainly won't have a pool this size if it has any. Nice when your young but not as I age.
I'm just praying I can persist until its redone.
Good morning,
Dh wanted a pool when we we younger and the children were still here but one of our friends discouraged us because she has to feed all the kids that went to the pool. It is an Asia people culture!! LOL!!! Besides providing all the towels!!
I said no way and that was the end of the pool!!!
My kois are swimming around and will take p[ictures soon. Having issues with my digital camera and I does not know how to download pictures from from cell phone.
Stay warm!!!
Belle
This message was edited Feb 27, 2014 7:52 PM
Bonnie - sounds like the ordinances changed in your area after the pool went in. I know in my area - pool or pond - if it is larger than 2ft and deeper than a couple of inches, they want a fence around it. I don't think that is a bad thing. Far better than something tragic happening.
Belle - seems to me the problem would be not so much feeding all the neighborhood children, but the fact that they would always be at your house!
Both houses next to mine have pools and are fenced.. I think it's 8 foot. It is a City ordinance that pools has to be fenced.
Bonnie,
How's your Son's fish?
Belle
My whole yard is fenced. Front with chainlink and then pasture fence which is 5 strands of barbed wire, 2 strands electric and then 1 strand of high tensil steel which is also electric. Have to have good fences as we have cows. Of course people can get it if they open a gate but we try. If a cow got out into our busy (now) road it would be a disaster. Pool has separate screen cage all around it. Good fences make good neighbors.
Belle,
Besides loosing Big Momma a few months ago. This week we lost 2 more of the large ones.
1 jumped out and 1 just died with no bodily signs of ulcers etc. I have treated whole pond with Proform-C and now have Aqua Meds summer blend and sludge remover plus I vacuum it every week and clean filters same time. Leaves falling in have been a lot of work also. Hopefully it will straighten out now. The smaller fish in old pond are thriving. My large butterflys in larger pond have not been ill YET.
Beautiful here today so better get some work clothes on and get busy.
Frigid here.
Funny thing - you mention fences and pools. I remember when I was an obnoxious teenager. One of the things we would do as a group was to go 'pool hopping'. There were no ordinances regarding the fencing around the pools back then. We would go late - midnight maybe 1 am. It was fun and so many years ago. ^_^
Sounds like fun. Great to have happy memories.
I had a curfew and it sure wasn't midnight or after. I roller skated about every night but we were home long before midnight. That's how I met my husband. Still going around in circles he says.
Still waiting for stuff I ordered from Webb's last Monday. Maybe it will come tomorrow. Carolyn have you ever used their Summer Blend?
Did water testing today and ammonia was too high so put in Amquel I had on hand. I'll test again tomorrow.
Happy ponding all.
We are having wonderful working temps in the 70's. For me that's great.
Hope to get a lot of work done before the 90's come. Heat slows me down. That's the time to hit the pool and then come inside to the AC. Up north heat is expensive - down here cooling is.
Oh well we are fortunate we can keep comfortable.
Soon you will be getting your pond back up and running Carolyn. I know you will enjoy that.
Happy day, Bonnie
Bonnie -
I haven't tried the summer blend. Do you know what it is supposed to do? I know the spring start up is supposed to help clean things up in the pond and jump start it to spring. I have to tell you what turned me on to it, was one spring we were having problems with high ammonia levels and the lady that was selling water garden products recommended it to us to take care of the ammonia levels. The result was instantaneous! I have no idea how that can happen, but you could see the difference in the fish.
DH likes the airconditioning and I have noticed that he seems to need it more since he has been having heart problems. I have done quite a bit of reading on heart problems and there is a correlation. Myself - I am not a fan of the a/c. I prefer the heat until we get into the upper 90's.
Bonnie - do you have any pond pictures to share?
Out working in the 70's sounds lovely, There will be no working in my gardens it is 14* out there.