Topics

1

Pond Water Quality / what water prep do you use?

« on: June 25, 2010, 02:53:59 PM »

I read "somewhere" that sometimes foam/bubbles aren't caused by DOC's but can sometimes be caused by the type of water prep you are using to decholorinate, etc.  I have noticed over the past few weeks, that AFTER I do a water change, the foam/bubbles are worse.  Some times I had none and then all of the sudden its a mess.  I'm wondering if it's just the brand I'm using (Laguna water prep).  Are there certain ones you recommend or prefer?

2

Pond Chat / We have blooms (and still have scum!)

« on: May 18, 2010, 10:14:26 AM »

I don't know really what they are....  (I -still- need to learn more about plants) but we have some pretty flowers!  We also still have black scum on our waterfall rocks... it's so sad.  The water seems to be pretty clear lately.  Also pictured is one of my Cavalier King Charles Spaniels who thinks I planted the maiden grass for him to eat

3

Pond Chat / Frog sadness :(

« on: May 17, 2010, 07:23:54 AM »

Our frog was happily hoping across our rain soaked patio about 3 weeks ago.  Hubby and I had to help him hop a little faster because we needed to let the dogs out.  We carefully guarded the grassy area he was frolicking in and went to bed for the night.  I checked in the morning and he was no longer there, so I had hoped he returned to the pond.  We haven't seen any signs of him now at all for the past 3 weeks.  He seems to have run away from home!!   :'(  Now I know "Fred" was a bullfrog which aren't the best with the fish... but is it worthwhile to investigate procuring a "Fred 2"?   I miss my frog!

4

Pond Chat / Our pond - question about black scum on spillway

« on: May 04, 2010, 06:17:13 PM »

Here are some pictures of our pond (hope I post this right...)  After having huge algae blooms last year, killing all our fish and finally being able to enjoy it...  in the last few days we have this massive amount of black growth on the spillway and some of the other waterfall rocks.  What is it??  Water is not as clear as I'd like it... but we are trying barley pellets this year (algae was a problem last year but we put this in hoping to prevent a problem) so I assumed the lack of clarity was from the pellets.

We did just have about 2" of rain, so I'm wondering if that could have caused the discoloration and the black scum on the spillway.  We have a rubber lining covered with 1" gravel and we have a rock based wall (with rock caverns for the fish).  Estimated to be 800-1000 gallons.  We have an EasyPro mini skimmer, EasyPro pump that is plenty big for that size, and EasyPro biofalls.  Just this year we have added some filter material - the installers only used this plastic mesh thing that stopped larger things passing through the pump.  I think we need to add considerable filtration materials, but am still researching.  We have 2 koi (of unknown kind), 2 comets and 1 shobunkin.  We also have a resident frog named Fred.  I haven't named this fish again since my fiasco last year :/

Not sure how to make the photos paste in... so here is a link    http://picasaweb.google.com/mmerry19/Pond2010#