Messages

361

Pond Chat / Re: not sure if i shared but...

« on: March 14, 2010, 05:54:40 PM »

Both bouquets are so pretty - what a great idea!

362

Pond Chat / Re: String algae a problem and ice just thawed.

« on: March 11, 2010, 10:06:34 AM »

WOW - you have described my pond exactly, except I have 6 inch feeder fish instead of koi.  Same exact size, round heater, warmer temps here, except our string algae is still brown that I can see.  We've been in the 50's here the past week or so, and the fish have been hovering at the surface for days now.

I will be following this thread carefully to see if there is any way we can finally get rid of our string algae that was growing on every single thing in the pond that didn't swim.  By the way, I have read that string algae does not die during cold winters.

363

Pond Chat / Re: Need tips to overwinter Taro or Elephant Ears

« on: October 11, 2009, 07:24:43 AM »

Here in zone 6, I clean off my elephant ears completely - all soil and roots - and then let them totally dry out in the sun for a day or two.  Then I place them in a box full of sphagnum moss and peat, moisten it a little bit and seal it up.  It then goes into a closet in my finished basement which doesn't get below 65 degrees during winter.

About mid-March I pot them up again so they can get a head start in growing, and place them by a window upstairs in the house.  This has worked for many years now.

364

Pond Chat / Re: Valentino died

« on: October 07, 2009, 01:48:26 PM »

So sorry to read this, Holldoll.  I can imagine how upset you are - he was beautiful.

365

Pond Chat / Re: Help with algae

« on: October 07, 2009, 01:46:48 PM »

Thank you all for your information. I have stopped using it because of cooler weather now. It has not killed any of my fish . I do follow the directions carefully and have used it all summer. I tried the no chemical  approach straw and bacteria but it did not work.  URL: http://lakedonna.shutterfly.com/ here are some pictures of my pond and fish.
Please let me know if you were able to see them.
Thanks again Donna
 

What a beautiful setting, Donna!  You did a wonderful job on your pond and your fish are pretty too!

366

Pond Chat / Re: Help with algae

« on: October 07, 2009, 01:44:50 PM »

Hmmm. Not many posts. Company based in East Tn but no location listed for PaHunter. But then the PA may indicate Pennsylvania. Looks odd. Here is a link to all the posts: http://www.americanponders.com/forum/index.php?action=profile;u=283;sa=showPosts

So PaHunter, what do you say?

Yep - those were my thoughts, too, Esther - just about all PaHunters posts recommend using this product!

367

Pond Chat / Re: Help with algae

« on: October 07, 2009, 09:04:24 AM »

www.pondclearproducts.com  Check it out. This stuff works.

So I am wondering...

Are you a consumer who has used this product, or someone who is trying to sell their wares here?  On the gardening forums that I participate in, that is not allowed.

368

Pond Chat / Re: Help with algae

« on: October 06, 2009, 05:29:15 PM »

Alage fix is POISON ! And just a plain waste of money. If too much is used it kills fish. I would rather have the SA. It only grows till a certain temp in the pond. (70* something?) There have been many ponders this year that have killed off their fish with that stuff. It's not worth it.

With the cooler temps. it won't be growing anymore. Normally you quit feeding when the water temp has reached about 55*

I second this opinion. :'(  The summer before this past one, my husband kept using Algae Fix and it killed off 6 batches of baby koi!   Every time I bought a new batch of koi babies, he used algae fix and BAM - dead fish!!!   He also used it this spring when the pea soup algae was unbearable - BAM - dead koi!!!  I let him have it!  He bought a double UV light for the skimmer - no more pea soup, and live fish all summer - YEA!!!   But... we've had horrible string algae all summer.  Now it is starting to die off and is clogging the skimmer and bio filter badly.  He's had to go out at night at 2:30a.m. twice this past week because the skimmer quit working and was making a terrible noise.  Turns out the string algae clogged up the bio filter up at the top of the waterfall and the water was spilling out over the sides of the waterfall causing the pond water to get very very low!  Now he cleans the filters every other day - can't believe how much algae is building up on those filters these cooler days!!!

Next year there will be lots more water lilies and other plants now that we've established the water and can finally grow them well.  Hopefully that will keep the string algae in check.

369

Pond Chat / Re: Ponders in Mérida - more info and soon pics

« on: October 03, 2009, 04:20:50 PM »

Thanks Howell! 

370

Pond Chat / Re: Ponders in Mérida - more info and soon pics

« on: October 03, 2009, 01:17:55 PM »

we are into ponds which means we all love life and people...

I love this statement - would you mind if I use it as a quote on my gardening forum?

371

Pond Chat / Re: Woman ate ex-husband's pet goldfish

« on: October 02, 2009, 03:25:14 PM »

Julles - we've been here 16 years this month, and I've sorta gotten used to the fact that when they built these homes in the 1970's, they clear cut all the backyards - so one property goes to the next and the next, etc, etc!!!  Can you believe that in all this time only that one particular neighbor of ours planted 2 very tall pine trees to separate our backyards?  I don't mind that they can see the pond - at least I know someone else is enjoying it.

372

Pond Chat / Re: Protect your fish from heron

« on: October 01, 2009, 05:41:42 PM »

OMG!!!   EWWWWWW! 

373

Pond Chat / Re: Protect your fish from heron

« on: October 01, 2009, 03:45:49 PM »

I need to find one of those!  Wonder if anyone has an old large Barbie doll head lying around somewhere here??? 

374

Pond Chat / Re: Woman ate ex-husband's pet goldfish

« on: October 01, 2009, 03:44:05 PM »

Thanks for the suggestions, Janice!

And NOOOOOOOOO your fish's name is NOT Joe!

Now that my big one is gone, I will tell you that I had named him Shamu  in my head, because he was the biggest of the original 16 that I had gotten. And had grown at least twice his original size, probably more than that.

375

Pond Chat / Re: Woman ate ex-husband's pet goldfish

« on: October 01, 2009, 11:29:26 AM »

OMG!!!
I just went out to get the mail.  My next door neighbor got his too, and called me over to compliment me on the landscaping of the pond - he said he and his wife enjoy looking at it from their deck - nice!

BUT... while we were talking, I was telling him about how a heron got 2 of my fish.  He said he's never seen one.  WELL LET ME TELL YOU... as if it was on cue!!!  I turned around to look at the pond and right there, right then was the heron perched on the side of the pond where I had seen him last time! :'(  I was so very shocked to see him then - pointed him out to my neighbor and the heron flew off!  My neighbor got to see the bird in all it's glory - I ran over to count fish!!!   I couldn't see them all til I fed them - counted 8 of the 9 consistently so I figured he got one!   But then, thankfully, as I was walking back to the house I saw the last one hiding terrified in one of the black PVC pipes that we put in the pond just for that exact reason!  YEA!

I am going to put some plant stakes on the side where I've now seen the heron twice because that is what I have handy.  We really need to decide our next move soon though.

376

Pond Chat / Re: Woman ate ex-husband's pet goldfish

« on: October 01, 2009, 10:53:35 AM »

Too funny - I know just what you mean!  It's so hard for me NOT to name them!  Especially since they all have their own coloring and personalities!

I wonder if the poor guy had named his goldfish?

377

Pond Chat / Re: Protect your fish from heron

« on: October 01, 2009, 10:41:15 AM »

Sushi you've cracked me up................maybe you could add a long flowing garment or tentacle's so that it flutters in the wind under the head  .

I think that's a terrific idea - makes it more like a scarecrow!

378

Pond Chat / Re: Woman ate ex-husband's pet goldfish

« on: October 01, 2009, 10:40:23 AM »

I hear ya, Janice!

We recently lost 2 fish to a heron.  At first I didn't know what animal might have taken them (we have racoons, cats, black bears, birds, woodchucks, etc), but I knew it was an animal, as the remaining 9 comets were huddled and shaking under the water lily leaves.  They still huddle there a few weeks later!  I saw the heron by the pond about a week after the fish went missing.

I was so very saddened - I know that my largest one was taken, but can't remember what the other one looked like.  That really bothers me, as I had handpicked each of my fish.  The funny thing is (not funny in the haha sense) - I had read to never name your fish or it's certain death for them.  The previous summer I had named every baby koi I purchased, and lost every single one of them because the pond could not get regulated that year.  This time, I only named that one large one INSIDE MY HEAD.  I figured if I never spoke his name outloud, it was as if he didn't have a name - guess NOT!  I doomed him even by naming him silently!  Not going to make that mistake again!

379

Pond Chat / Re: Protect your fish from heron

« on: October 01, 2009, 08:41:46 AM »

The added bonus is the laugh I get everytime my neighbor waves at it LOL

That is priceless!

380

Pond Chat / Re: Woman ate ex-husband's pet goldfish

« on: October 01, 2009, 08:38:34 AM »

I think that is just awful! 

I even posted about it on a gardening forums site I've been on for many years.  One person responded that she has fish in her pond and she's not going to get that attached to them that she has to grieve over them.  I understand that she just lost her husband a few months ago, but her post was such a put-down!  I told her that fish are just as valuable pets as furry ones, especially if a person has a few fish because they do have their own personalities!

Only a pond lover would know!

381

Pond Chat / Re: Guess what?

« on: September 28, 2009, 09:18:58 AM »

I was watching a special on HGTV on the 15 most bodacious backyards.  There was this lady with 10 or more ponds.  One of the ponds was filled with Victorias.  I thought it was so amazing.  Just as yours.  There were 5 of the 15 yards with ponds.  We're hip with it.    

I saw that show this morning also - at 3:30a.m. my time - couldn't sleep.
Ohhhhhhhhh to have a fraction of the money those people have!!!

Very nice lilies, pondman!

382

Photo Album / Re: My first try at a Pond- Thanks to this site

« on: September 27, 2009, 06:13:58 PM »

I, too, really like the fire hydrant - perfect!  You've done a very nice job, and I'm also looking forward to update pictures as you fill in the area with plants and fish.

383

Pond Chat / Re: leafcutters attacked my pond

« on: September 25, 2009, 05:04:36 PM »

I am so sorry you are having to deal with all that.  I must say, though, that the pictures of them carrying the leaf pieces were terrific!

384

Pond Chat / Re: Reply to emm new thread

« on: September 23, 2009, 10:14:18 AM »

I like wedding dress for the white, and flower girl for the pink because it's very soft looking and small and reminds me of a sweet young girl walking down the aisle spreading pretty flower petals.

385

Pond Chat / Re: Winter made it in about bedtime last night

« on: September 22, 2009, 07:35:44 AM »

I feel your pain-  we had 41 degrees one night last week.  But today we will be up near 80 - is this crazy weather or what?!?

I, too, have many tropicals to store each winter - this year my cannas in the ground from a friend in Texas are well over 8 feet tall - I am afraid to see the size of the tubers!  Not sure I will be able to dig them up, what with severe tendonitis in both forearms.   I also have 2 large pots of dwarf papyrus, and some rush that will need to be overwintered indoors that I'm SURE my cats will just love to eat or trash!   Anyone know if they are poisonous?

386

Pond Chat / Re: I think I am in trouble

« on: September 22, 2009, 07:30:30 AM »

That is a fantastic picture of your frog - may I ask what kind of camera you use?

We are considering buying a heater for our pond - also about 2 1/2 feet deep in zone 6, but if a bubbler would work I imagine that would be cheaper?  What kind of bubblers do you all use?

387

Terrestrial Gardening / Re: Cool plant

« on: September 21, 2009, 06:20:37 PM »

This is my cleome this summer - DEFINITELY has thorns all over the stems!






I did google Rocky Mountain Bee Plant and found that it is also called Cleome serrulata.  I haven't been able to find out if it has thorns or not online, but the more common variety most definitely does.

388

Pond Chat / Re: A little off topic. Mary Travers of Peter, Paul and Mary passes on.

« on: September 20, 2009, 08:01:13 PM »

Louis, your pictures of Mary remind me strongly of a high school classmate of mine, who passed shortly after attending our 50th reunion.  In high school she was a beautiful and demure sweetie, but after years of cigarettes became addicted to the oxygen bottle and wheelchair bound and grossly swollen like Mary, her bubbly personality still came through.  Time is certainly a wrecker!   Thanks for the images.

Interesting... when I saw the pictures of Mary here, my first thought was of my aunt who died at 40 from lung cancer that had spread to her brain.  She, too was a very heavy smoker, and looked very similar to Mary her last several months, poor thing.

389

Pond Chat / Re: A little off topic. Mary Travers of Peter, Paul and Mary passes on.

« on: September 18, 2009, 06:55:49 AM »

So very sad - thanks so much for sharing these terrific pictures.

390

Terrestrial Gardening / Re: Men!

« on: September 15, 2009, 01:52:34 PM »

SORRY!!!  I plant it, I take care of it, keep my husband OUT of it!!!
Especially with his weekwacker!!!

Although he does help me a great deal with digging out the rocks and boulders here!