Messages

211

Pond Chat / Re: Evil string algae

« on: September 25, 2006, 09:50:01 PM »

Yes barley takes time. I replaced a bale of mine and I've got string out the yazzoo... Hydrogen peroxide is the inexpensive instant weed killer for string.

Did you fertilizer any of your other plants? Do you have other plants in the skippy to eat the excess nutrients? My plants grow best and are the greenest just outside the biofilter outflow in the plant filter pond. This picture shows the greenest plants are in the back where the water first enters plant pond.

My string has been somewhat controlled this year, comes and goes, until I pulled out all the old barley and after a week or so replaced it with new. It's been really thick since then, but I think it was getting thicker before I pulled the old stuff.

I know what you mean about it choking other plants—it is so uncool that way.

212

Pond Chat / Re: Dave's Garden website......

« on: September 25, 2006, 09:32:41 PM »

I just picked a calif. native and did a Google search. Dave's showed up second in the list. There were many pages of other sites with much more information than Dave's. All free.

No reason to pay for that which is easily accessible for free...

213

Pond Chat / Re: Got the worst of the pond close down done this weekend

« on: September 25, 2006, 09:19:29 PM »

We've had squirrels pull mosquito fish out of our pond—as told us by a neighbors child taking care of our cat while we were away.

Only one of my quaking aspen has been beginning to yellow up some... Soon they will litter the pond. The lilies are losing pads and stopped flowering, but it's not the temperature, but the sun lowering to below tree tops so there's much less sunlight on the pond. I can't imagine having to dig up my garden and store it away every year....

Some bulbs are just beginning to sprout, so I put down an annual layer of horse manure compost—on time this year, for a change! It's been an odd year—digitalis are just flowering now, and the alstroemeria are still blooming? Yet the garden is thinning out in places, but yes we don't see snow here either :'(    .....I do look forward to fires in the woodstove.

214

Pond Chat / Re: Do you want some mosquito fishes (Houston, TX)?

« on: September 25, 2006, 08:58:27 PM »

Do they swim into the soda bottle for the warmer water? Or do they have to be lured in somehow?

My dislike of the mosquito fish is just that my rosy reds are unable to increase their numbers even though I know they are laying eggs. It wasn't till that point—egg laying, that the mosquitos fish started swimming deep. When the male rosy red would chase off another rosy red I watched the mosquito fish head for the cave... 

I got some Shebunkins and Sarasa's hoping to keep the mosquito fish numbers down, It may have helped but they are still increasing their numbers dramatically, given the other fish aren't having any success, that much I can tell. The frogs were successful only in the upper plant filter pond where few fish show up.

215

Pond Chat / Re: Do you want some mosquito fishes (Houston, TX)?

« on: September 24, 2006, 08:01:29 PM »

Yep I've a pond full here in central Calif. Please take them... In the spring I had the mosquito control folks fish a bucket full out of the pond, yet here we are full up again....

Any ideas how to rid a pond of them? Without effecting the other fish...

216

Pond Chat / Re: The pondlet did well this year . . . .

« on: September 13, 2006, 08:20:03 PM »

Yes that pond planter is beautiful! Your daughter has artistic talent.

I can't believe it looks like that after raccoons have meddled with it.     They have been totally trashing a little 4"x16" "pond" my daughter put some mosquito fish in. The algae chunks I put in seem to keep them safe but last visit they got the tiny tadpoles. They also made off with two big goldies from my pond, even with electric fence wires around it.

217

Pond Chat / Re: Need Help

« on: September 13, 2006, 07:09:22 PM »

I've been slowly removing all the rock I put in my pond. When I stir things up I usually do it to get crud water borne to be collected by the filter. My goldies love me when I get in the water and stir things up. They come up to my toes looking for the tasty bits—worms, insect larva, and the other tasty morsels that live in the bottom debri. I used to be concerned about their health and try not to do it when the water is really cold, but otherwise I stir things up on a regular basis to help move stuff to the filtration.

218

Pond Chat / Re: Remember your flag tomorrow

« on: September 13, 2006, 12:02:05 PM »

The problem with the flag thing is one political party has opted to use it for it's own political gain,
without regard for what it really means to be patriotic. 
   


I won't fly a flag because I refuse to align myself with the one political party and its' ideology.
We flew a flag for many days five years ago, before the new meaning was opted for the benefit of the one.



Our child was informed about the significance of the day at her public school... But I wouldn't know about all the other schools in town.

219

Pond Chat / Re: Remember your flag tomorrow

« on: September 12, 2006, 09:58:41 PM »

The documentary footage of a fire house on CBS was quite enlightening... Yes this one was actually the truth.

This is an excellent editorial:
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/11/opinion/11mon1.html?ex=1158292800&en=3fb6a1885dda9390&ei=5087%0A

This is an excerpt:
"The time when we felt drawn together, changed by the shock of what had occurred, lasted long beyond the funerals, ceremonies and promises never to forget. It was a time when the nation was waiting to find out what it was supposed to do, to be called to the task that would give special lasting meaning to the tragedy that it had endured."
—NYT 9-11-06

220

Pond Chat / Re: Skippy leak

« on: September 05, 2006, 08:41:48 PM »

In the future you could try a plumbing supply store and get a metal threaded plug, if not plastic.

221

Terrestrial Gardening / Re: compost pile

« on: August 31, 2006, 08:08:28 PM »

Compost is compost...composting organic matter.
Quite fertile.

Dirt has sand and rocks in it. Not very fertile. Usually very heavy and compacted.

There is PLENTY of bacteria and such in your kitchen scraps without the need of dirt.
Besides, dirt can have fungus and other undesireables like bugs and grubs.

Um how does the organic matter compost if it were not for the bacteria, fungus, bugs and grubs?
I'll include earthworms in the bugs and grubs category... 

Sorry, I took a soils class (not a dirt class) years ago, as part of a horticulture program. Building a compost pile was one of the lab exercises. Maybe things have changed in 20+ years, but back then the fungus helped to break stuff down. When the compost was crawling with critters that was the sign that it was finished and ready for the garden. (Ants mean it needs more water.) Yes I know we've been down this road before over cow turds, and I know we have differing opinions about compost... A pile of wood chips will become great compost given a year or two to break down. The white fungus growing in the pile is beautiful and says it's well on its way to it's being compost, and yes a dose of nitrogen would help speed things up tremendously. Compost provides humates which help hold nutrients, break up soils, etc...   

If you have the room and the material a 4'x4'x4' pile is supposed to be able to generate the heat (in the center) needed to kill the weed seeds. This is where rotation helps get more stuff to the center of the pile. Also an impermeable barrier on the ground will help prevent flies, as the larva go into the soil as part of their life cycle.

Soil may or may not have rocks and sand. Soil is composed of sand, silt, and clay. The differing quantities determine what kind of soil it is.

Anyway, it sounds like you need to inform hubby of the NO TRACTOR ZONE. The compost at this point may be a lost cause, or gold next year... This being fall you should have plenty of new stuff to make a new pile in the NO TRACTOR ZONE

222

Pond Chat / Re: Are humans descendents of Koi?

« on: August 30, 2006, 11:03:53 PM »

That fish looks like the poor suckers at the zoo in Des Moines, IA. They crawl over each other trying to get at the food fed to them by the visitors. Not very healthy looking fish there. Some are completely out of water struggling through the herd to get back into the water...

So how did you get him to do that for the camera?

223

Pond Chat / Re: Need pond design input....please!

« on: August 30, 2006, 10:58:27 PM »

I would think you would build two mirror image ponds, filtration wise. If the one you have now is working great, do the same for the other one. That doesn't make the water flow much from one to the other but you don't need that to happen. You want to have two complete systems.

If you posted at Koiphen, you could just ask what do you think of this idea, or ask how would you all do this?you may get some great feedback, you may not, you never know... That's where to get the nuts and bolts of how to do it...

224

Terrestrial Gardening / Re: compost pile

« on: August 30, 2006, 07:25:15 PM »

I think you could be overreacting. It depends upon the composition of your compost and the quality of the soil that was added to the compost pile.

Humus is an end product of compost.

Mulch can be any material you want to use to contain the moisture in soil. Plastic sheeting can be mulch. Bottle caps, rocks, ground up tires, you name it... it can be mulch.

Organic material decomposed would be compost. Leaves, small twigs, logs, grass, orange peels, horse manure, broccoli, zucchini. Your aiming at a 25:1 carbon to nitrogen ratio. Grass clipping alone won't do it, well. You need dry straw to dilute out wet fruit, etc... when piled up heat is created with the decomposition. Temperatures get pretty high in the center of the pile, helping to break stuff down, and sterilize weed seeds.

Is adding soil to compost bad? What do you do with your compost? Add it to your soil? If he added a large volume of soil then certainly it will dilute out the nutrients but it doesn't "ruin" the compost, the nutrients are still there, just not as concentrated. Would I want soil dumped in my compost? Certainly not. But ideally it is best dug into the top soil...Making all the soil a bit more fluffy.

Don't dig the crap out of your compost, that's the best part of it.

Have hubby go get a truck load or two of horse manure and mix it all together.

225

Pond Chat / Re: Need pond design input....please!

« on: August 30, 2006, 06:57:42 PM »

Koiphen.com is a good place to throw around pond design ideas. They may give you a hard time as they can be pretty hung up about koi, but the feedback is good. I like the idea of being able to separate the two ponds. I would think I'd put that pipe between below freezing level, but I don't really know about ice and ponds...

They need to do a pond construction / filtration section on this forum. The build ideas seem few and far between.

226

Chit Chat / Re: I need a wheel. actually 4 Sears? Fergetaboutit

« on: August 27, 2006, 10:36:03 PM »

One problem with woodworking tools is called SAWDUST I hate that stuff

A bigger problem is having a son who is a serious woodworker and who has taken over your garage with all his stuff.....   Two table saws, large/heavy work table, band saw, two wood turning lathes, scroll saw, joiner, dust collection system, planer, router table, drill press etc.....
But I love him anyway

If only I had such problems...

227

Chit Chat / Re: I need a wheel. actually 4 Sears? Fergetaboutit

« on: August 25, 2006, 08:53:03 PM »

OSH also has a limited variety of casters, if there's one near you...

I bought a set of wheels for a craftsman radial arm saw stand awhile back?30+ year old saw. The wheel set up was a universal sizing type of thing. Just need a few holes in the side of the base at the bottom?may want to check that out if you have a decent sears near you...

Great price on that saw. Wish I had room for a table saw...

228

Pond Chat / Re: Bees, butterflies and Dragonflies (Video)

« on: August 24, 2006, 08:45:56 PM »

Wow! That was a great video. I want to know how much you paid that dragonfly to keep returning to center stage?that was cool. The music goes well with the waterfall sounds in the background.

Very nice footage. Thanks for doing that one.

229

Pond Chat / Re: Dragon Fly & Lilies what else does one need!

« on: August 24, 2006, 08:16:57 PM »

I've only seen the black and white ones when we visit Iowa, they are so cool. Here in California we have the smaller orange / rust ones, on rare occasion we have a large multi colored one (blue aqua, green, striped) stop by. Ours love the equisedum for perching. My daughter has touched one's body while it was perched watching over the pond.

This second pic is a damsel fly emerging.

230

Pond Chat / Re: first bloom of innerlight

« on: August 24, 2006, 07:35:14 PM »

I've just had raccoon visits in the last few nights. The plant destruction is disappointing.

I got an Arc En Ciel early this spring without roots but with some leaves. It put out a few more leaves and looked great for a little while then it turned to mush...   A very nice one though, maybe I'll try again next year.

Where did you get all those lilies?

231

Pond Chat / Re: check valve problem

« on: August 24, 2006, 07:27:39 PM »

Is it right side up? The flapper hinge thing is supposed to be at the top. Should be an arrow showing which side is up. Is there much pressure pushing back against it when it's off?

232

Pond Chat / Re: Savio skimmer w/brushes modification...

« on: August 23, 2006, 10:51:39 PM »

Sorry, I've been away viewing mom's ponds in the Sierras, good water flow this year with all this winter's snow... Wish I could get some of those granite mountains in place around my pond...

krandy: They are Black Night brushes. I got mine from Kevin at http://www.aquaticpondsupplies.com/ they are 4"x14"

finnpond: The bar holding everything tight makes the mat holder slide right into place, and it stays there. Yes the UV holders are in the garage now...

Chuck: I've got a Wave 1 1/4hp externally mounted. Pumps are quite dependent upon your ponds needs and how much flow you want. Figure out your head height, pipe friction loss, and GPH you need, then go looking for a pump.

233

Pond Chat / Re: first bloom of innerlight

« on: August 23, 2006, 09:12:15 PM »

Wow, that's a long time to wait... though, I'm still waiting on my first lotus flower to open.

I like the subtle pink in deep at the base of the yellow?very nice.

234

Pond Chat / Re: Filtered water lily pics

« on: August 13, 2006, 09:45:27 PM »

Yes Louis is the camera man...

I don't know much about cameras, but if your looking through the view finder and what you see is the view that is coming through the camera lens that's where you want to look. If not then the LCD is going to be better?If you had a magnifying glass and a black hood covering it all so you could actually see what your taking a picture of.

I'm going to invent an eyepiece that goes over the LCD which magnifies it and encloses it, so you can see it in the sun and tell if it's really in focus.... in my spare time. It's so frustrating to download a bunch of pictures to the computer to find they're all fuzzy.

235

Chit Chat / Re: Tammi from California has set a new record!

« on: August 13, 2006, 09:15:37 PM »

Isn't this why we look forward to Sundays?

236

Pond Chat / Re: Montana Ponders! !

« on: August 13, 2006, 09:12:52 PM »

The half of the year you don't spend ponding is supposed to be spent on skis ... That why it's so blasted cold, and there's so much white stuff on the ground.     All we have here in California is Sierra cement. :'(

Every time I've been to Montana, I've wished I lived closer. It's so beautiful. Though I must admit a friend of mine was house sitting near Kalispell one winter and she wrote to tell me her steering wheel cracked and split it was so cold. Brrrrrr doggies!

237

Pond Chat / Re: A little cutie...

« on: August 13, 2006, 08:53:33 PM »

Ixnay on the Water Plantain... I looked at the nwplants pictures and it's only a three petaled flower...

Note: This is a .pdf file    http://nwplants.com/information/emag/vol4-6.pdf   

See page 22.  There is also a picture of a rare fringed one but it too has only three petals?page 51 and another type on page 57 all of them have three petals.

I like the plant of marilyn's better, as it's a more delicate flower.

238

Pond Chat / Re: Looking for pictures of viviparous lilies

« on: August 11, 2006, 07:32:08 PM »

This would be the place to find many of what you seek...

http://www.victoria-adventure.org/waterlilies/names/names_main.html

239

Chit Chat / Re: Hanging around with Bill Clinton

« on: August 11, 2006, 06:14:50 PM »

Wow! Rape and murder?     Someone surely wandered over from frontpagemagazine.com, where they eat that stuff up...

Life through the Rovian lenz: Where Valarie is still undercover, Iran-contra never happened (we don't deal with terrorists, unless they want Katyusha rockets for killing innocent civilians), Watergate is simply an apartment complex, accused criminals can still invoke habeas corpus, and America is a guiding light of the world who standup for the morals of the Geneva Conventions...

Ahhh those were the days of yesteryear...

240

Pond Chat / Re: Savio skimmer w/brushes modification...

« on: August 11, 2006, 05:53:17 PM »

The angle is at the back on the top. The lower edge locks down on the lower part of that central thing where there is a 90 degree ~3/4" drop in that housing. The little slot that I notched in lets it move forward enough to catch on all of it.

I'm having to clean the brushes more now?tells me how much was getting by the central housing...