Messages

1

Pond Chat / Re: Strange behavior--possible predator?

« on: August 09, 2010, 03:55:51 PM »

Thanks for the ideas.  I turned off the air stones and checked the bottom, and stuck my brush around the bottom drain cover, and nothing turned up.  In the meantime, most of the fish still would not come into the deep end, even when I put some food there.  I'm continuing to check for anything that might be in the pond.  Something really spooked these guys; they're just sitting under the plants and won't come out.  Wow, my first big puzzler; maybe I'll have to find a fish therapist.

Bob Blomberg

2

Pond Chat / Strange behavior--possible predator?

« on: August 09, 2010, 08:28:58 AM »

My bigger Koi will not go into the deep end of the pond.  It's like they hit a brick wall; they turn right around, even when I put some food into the feeding ring!  The only thing that's different is I placed two small airstones in the deep end, but the small fish and goldfish don't mind that at all, and the big fish were interested in the bubbles a couple of days ago.  Today, I found a dead baby fish in the skimmer; it was missing its head!  I've never had any instance, that I could document, of cannabalism in the pond.  Could some other animal or bird have visited the pond and scared the fish; if so, why, or how, would it only bite the head off a baby fish?  Yipes!!  I've not had any problem with predators, (knock on wood).

Bob Blomberg

3

Pond Chat / Re: bottom of the pond...

« on: August 03, 2010, 09:16:47 PM »

I think that's a great picture!  The fish look like they're having a great time, too.  Nice, clear water!

Bob Blomberg

4

Pond Chat / Re: Had to get in my pond Friday

« on: August 03, 2010, 09:14:51 PM »

Wow, what an adventure.  I go into the pond once in awhile.  When I go into the deep end, I have to wear a mask and snorkel!!  When rocks have fallen into that area, I've been lucky enough to have been able to net them out!  At least in the shallow end I can get away with wearing waders!

Bob Blomberg

5

Pond Chat / Re: If you build it they will come..

« on: August 03, 2010, 09:10:48 PM »

What beautiful birds!  They're the same colors as my pond lights that turn on at night!  Once in awhile, I see some birds in my stream, but nothing as colorful as those!

Bob Blomberg

6

Pond Chat / Re: Lawn Service Killed My Fish

« on: August 03, 2010, 09:08:13 PM »

I'm sorry to hear of this; so sorry for your fish.  We, too, have a lawn service come in and do their thing every month.  I've warned them not to spray anything near the pond, or they'll be paying for it.  One guy came trudging into the pond area and wanted to spray for some kind of bug, and I scared him so badly he left without even spraying the front yard.  I told Joanne that if they get close to the pond, I'll tell them to stay out of the back yard completely, and I'll take over putting stuff down to kill this and that.  It's one of my biggest fears.  Once again, my condolences; some people just don't remember that the stuff they're spraying around can kill more than just bugs and weeds.

Bob Blomberg

7

Pond Chat / Re: Just what you wanted to see

« on: May 08, 2010, 05:58:39 PM »

That's a great looking pond!  I really like the tiered waterfall, and the plantings around the pond are just as beautiful as the plants in the water.

Bob Blomberg

8

Pond Chat / Re: Plant stand refurbished

« on: May 08, 2010, 06:20:06 AM »

Hey, a ponder AND a carpenter!  Great job; looks fantastic!

Bob Blomberg

9

Pond Chat / Re: the pond today

« on: May 08, 2010, 06:18:08 AM »

Wow; just, wow!  What beautiful lilies!  I can't wait until my little guys bloom, but they're nothing like that!

Bob Blomberg

10

Pond Chat / Re: Pond coming alive...

« on: May 08, 2010, 06:16:33 AM »

That is really beautiful; I love the lily pads.  All the plants make it look like a beautiful tropical lagoon. 

Bob Blomberg

11

Pond Chat / Some night shots of the pond.

« on: May 08, 2010, 06:11:10 AM »

They're not the greatest, but I took a few night shots of the pond, and here they are:








It's still a little chilly here at night; the fish love the lights, because they produce a bit of heat!  They slow down as they glide past the lights, speed up in a big circle, and then slow down again.  It's fun to watch the fish race back and forth, too.  It's that time of year again; I wonder if I'll have some babies later.

Bob Blomberg 

12

Pond Chat / Re: First Pictures of 2010!

« on: April 20, 2010, 09:35:04 AM »

Thanks for all the kind words!  It's really a labor of love, isn't it?!  The fish are so much happier in their new surroundings, and the yard is so much more enjoyable.  Joanne and I never dreamed of this a couple of years ago when Blade asked us, "Would you like a water feature between your deck and the other yard?"  I think the key has been to have great builders:  Blade and Michelle Mullinex, of Hooked on Fish, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, for the pond and yard landscaping; and Jaime Pacheco, of Kenosha, Wisconsin, for the patio and landscaping from the pond to the alley!  They, and Joanne, let me do most of the designing of the stuff, and then did a great job putting it all together.  Here are a few more pictures from the other day, mainly of some of the fish.










Bob Blomberg

13

Pond Chat / Re: UV ?

« on: April 19, 2010, 02:13:54 PM »

Hi, Marla:

I don't know if you remember my set-up, but I had a UV with a small aquarium pump; it worked great.  When Blade installed the interim filter system last summer, he just branched off the filter inlet pipe; I could regulate the flow with the valves.  When you buy a light, the instructions should tell you what the optimum flow is for that particular light; the easiest thing to do, I think, is to get a suitable aquarium pump and just make the UV light its own little installation somewhere between the falls and the skimmer.  Hey, let's visit each other's pond in a month or two!

Bob Blomberg

14

Pond Chat / First Pictures of 2010!

« on: April 19, 2010, 02:05:16 PM »

You may remember that I did a pond expansion last fall.  Here are some pictures of how the pond is doing so far this year.  The stores say that they'll have pond plants in a week or so; right now, only "Big Spikey" and some lilies are in the pond.











Bob Blomberg

15

Pond Chat / Re: So...what do you do?

« on: January 08, 2010, 07:17:07 PM »

Besides being the timpanist in an orchestra here in town, I am working on finishing my train layout.








Bob Blomberg

16

Pond Chat / Re: Later summer shots of the pond

« on: November 10, 2009, 07:59:19 AM »

Looks great!  I like that rock water feature.  I had a corkscrew rush for awhile last year, but it went really goofy in winter and I just tossed it for a different plant.  Maybe when the water got a little warmer someone, we won't mention any names, got a bit hungry and had some corkscrew rush salad.  At any rate, beautiful pond!  The fish look happy.

Bob Blomberg

17

Pond Chat / Re: Finally, some more pictures of the pond expansion!

« on: November 04, 2009, 06:40:03 AM »

I usually do something around the pond for 1-2 hours a day.  Of course, the building process was a full 4-5 days, with very late nights/early mornings.  I make sure to clean things and trim stuff each day so the fish remain happy! 

Bob Blomberg

18

Pond Chat / Re: Pond expansion with some pictures.

« on: November 02, 2009, 06:58:18 AM »

Marla, Blade says the little guys in the aquarium are goldfish.  I think most of the new babies in the pond are goldfish as well, but I'm not good yet at being able to tell.  I don't remember seeing any little barbells on them.  I'm still trying to learn all the Japanese names for the Koi I have; Blade just rattles them off, and so does his wife.  The interesting thing is that I have two black Koi, and several of the babies in the pond are full black. 

Bob Blomberg

19

Pond Chat / Re: Finally, some more pictures of the pond expansion!

« on: November 02, 2009, 06:51:04 AM »

Yes, believe it or not, there is a bit of yard left!  I carefully ran this by Joanne this summer and she was all for it.  We had to take down the big river birch; I hate to take down healthy trees, but this one had become a menace to the yard, the garage, and the pond.  It dropped stuff all year around, from oatmeal-type things to leaves and branches that fell even in June!  Believe me, we ran into some BIG roots when digging.  One friend suggested we just build a canal to Lake Michigan!  Once again, you're welcome anytime, Marla; it'll be great to see you and Jerry again.  Joanne and I really enjoyed our visit to your place; maybe that's what finally convinced me to consider making the pond a bit larger.  What beautiful ponds you have!

Bob Blomberg 

20

Pond Chat / Re: Finally, some more pictures of the pond expansion!

« on: November 01, 2009, 08:12:05 PM »

Thanks again for the comments!  As for a well-planned project, I did plan things out on a piece of paper.  I originally wanted a much larger patio area, but when we filled in the dirt and all, the tops of our heads were almost even with the bottom of the garage roof and Joanne freaked!!  The next day, out came all the dirt, and I re-planned the whole area!  Howell, the aqua-like color is the sky reflecting, and/or our blue siding reflecting in the pond.  There's also a house next door that makes a pretty good reflection at times!

Bob Blomberg

21

Pond Chat / Finally, some more pictures of the pond expansion!

« on: November 01, 2009, 05:12:04 PM »

At long last, here are a few more shots of the pond expansion.  My friends and I have been working around the rain to get in the new walk around the one end of the pond; the little fence is there to deter the pugs from playing in the mud!  There is also a picture of the filtration area.  I've been busy putting some plants in pots back in the pond.  Everything is tentative in regards to final placement and all, but it gives you a little idea of the progress made so far.  The fish are so fun to watch as they glide around the pond, and I know I will enjoy the easier maintenance.












Bob Blomberg

22

Pond Chat / Re: Pond expansion with some pictures.

« on: November 01, 2009, 04:36:39 PM »

Marla, sorry I haven't emailed you yet!  So much has been going on, what with the pond, and concerts, and all.  There are five "babies" in the pond right now as well as the original fish.  These are the babies that made it through last winter; they will go to new homes in the spring.  I also have five babies in an aquarium in our sun room; they appeared this year, and I thought they would fare better in there for the winter.  They will also find new homes in the spring.  The original guys and gals are getting bigger, which is the main reason I wanted the bigger and better pond.  By the end of next summer they will probably be close to 28" long!  You guys are welcome anytime to come check things out!

Bob Blomberg

23

Pond Chat / Re: Pond expansion with some pictures.

« on: October 28, 2009, 07:38:23 PM »

Thanks, I really love the new waterfall, too, as do the fish.  What you can't see is the first waterfall and stream.  The new, big waterfall is serviced by the 3-stage vortex filter and bottom drain, and the stream and smaller falls are serviced by the skimmer.  They make for plenty of aeration and filtration!  And yes, with the beasties growing by leaps and bounds, bigger IS better!!

Bob Blomberg

24

Pond Chat / Re: Pond expansion with some pictures.

« on: October 28, 2009, 03:12:02 PM »

Yes, the first shot was a "before" picture.  The new version of the pond will have some plants in pots in the shallower end, and nothing much in the deep end.  It's going to be a sort of hybrid pond.  The fish love the plants, especially "Big Spidey," but they also need to have a cleaner environment, with deep water and a true "Koi pond" design.  So, my pond guy, who has built both kinds of ponds, watergardens and Koi ponds, was more than excited when I wanted to combine the two theories into one.  Be patient:  I do have more pictures coming.  I've been working hard to finish some of the landscaping around the pond before really bad weather sets in. 

Bob Blomberg

25

Pond Chat / Re: Pond expansion with some pictures.

« on: October 26, 2009, 10:57:28 AM »

Hi again, and thanks for the positive feedback!  Yeah, the pick-axe got used on some of the stubborn clay stuff that we found down there.  We worked hard yesterday, too, and I'll post a few more pictures later.  I got my "Big Spidey" soft rush plant back in.  The fish love that plant, because the long arms are great for hiding; every time I go out to the pond, there are probably six or seven fish sitting under there.  I also sank a big, plastic milk crate so there would be a cave for the fish.  Man, was it cold in that water; I had waders on, and I just about lost all feeling from the waist down!  I can't wait until I have to use a mask in a couple of weeks to tape a liner fold down in the deep end!!  Brrrr.

Bob Blomberg

26

Pond Chat / Pond expansion with some pictures.

« on: October 24, 2009, 09:00:19 AM »

Well, last weekend we finally did the big pond expansion!  There's a lot of tweaking to do, but it's up and running and the fish love it.  We went from about 800 gallons to just over 3200 gallons.  I wanted no rock or gravel on the bottom, a bottom drain, and a vortex filter with another biofalls.  The deep end is five feet deep, with the bottom gradually sloping down to the drain from a 30" depth.  The whole thing's a little overwhelming right now, but I'll get used to it.  The important thing is that the fish will be happier and healthier.  I just have to get used to the new filter set-up; there will be a new routine for me to follow now.  I tried to pick some pictures to show the progression from start to finish.  I can post more later.












I just had to include that one with me wearing the hard hat.  We worked until 3:00 AM the one morning and it got a little goofy!  Anyway, hope you like the pictures and I'll send more as the pond progresses.

Bob Blomberg

27

Pond Chat / Re: My first winter with the pond questions

« on: October 23, 2009, 03:25:56 PM »

Yes, I have pictures of the pond expansion ready to go.  They may come in at different times; I can't remember, but one of these forums only lets you put 5 attachments at a time online.  Anyway, the fish are lovin' their new home, but they're trying to figure out why they're not bumping into each other and the walls!  I'll try to put something up tonight; right now, it's off to orchestra rehearsal!

Bob Blomberg

28

Pond Chat / Re: My first winter with the pond questions

« on: October 23, 2009, 10:02:40 AM »

I'm in zone 5 here in Wisconsin.  I took the pump out, bought a very good aerator, and used up to two 1500 watt red heaters that I found at Farm and Fleet.  I had fourteen fish, (7 Koi and 7 goldfish), that wintered in the pond, and all survived just fine.  There were also seven little babies that did fine as well!  Even at 20 below, only about 1/3 of the pond froze over with a depth of about 1/8 inch.  In cold water, the bacteria that compete with the algae for food goes pretty much dormant, so a thick carpet of algae formed; the fish use that as insulation, so I just left that alone and got it all with the spring clean-out.  I just completed a big expansion project, so this winter the fish will be able to go down almost five feet; the pond went from about 800 gallons to about 3200 gallons!  They're still trying to figure out what happened!

Bob Blomberg

29

Pond Chat / Re: Pets by the pond .

« on: July 13, 2009, 09:22:52 AM »

Here's one of Otto and Augie by the pond.  Emma loves the pond, too; they all love to chase around the pond and look at the fish!




Bob Blomberg

30

Photo Album / Re: New to the board- my slice of paradise..

« on: July 01, 2009, 08:28:58 AM »

And you even have a calm, tropical breeze whenever you want; now I'm really jealous!

Bob Blomberg