Messages

61

Pond Chat / Re: The Mother Colorado

« on: May 18, 2007, 03:38:36 PM »

Wow that growth is amazing!  I knew that Colorado always performs well, but it must really like the care you are giving it

62

Pond Chat / Re: ideas for the SuperCheap Deck-Pond? pics

« on: May 15, 2007, 05:04:08 PM »

I don't know if you can still get them but quite a few years ago I had some window box type containers made of plastic that were meant for hanging off a deck railing. They came with their own metal bracket to suspend them over the rail. They were only about 6 inches deep though and dried out too quickly hanging in the sun but they might be ideal for what you want. Mine were white but they may come in different colors.

63

Pond Chat / Re: Happy Mother's Day Ladies!!

« on: May 13, 2007, 03:43:58 PM »

Thanks Kathy! Nice sunny day here too. Great for being out by the pond

64

Photo Album / Re: Dragonfly

« on: May 01, 2007, 05:34:01 PM »

What a huge dragonfly! Beautiful though.

65

Chit Chat / Re: I became a grandmother last night

« on: May 01, 2007, 04:52:36 PM »

Cute puppy! Looks like he's going to be big

66

Terrestrial Gardening / Re: Spring Fling!

« on: May 01, 2007, 04:47:18 PM »

Love your Japanese Maples Thanks for posting the beautiful Iris pics too!

67

Chit Chat / Re: Lining your nest, daft thrush style

« on: April 30, 2007, 05:49:09 PM »

It's amazing what determination some birds have. We have a robin that keeps flying at our dining room window almost everyday now for a week, usually just in the morning. I assume he considers his reflection either a rival or a potential mate. Meanwhile he's making a mess of the window
Great pictures. Hope you went out and cut that string for him

68

Chit Chat / Re: Gardening Pix: Purples, Plums and a frog?

« on: April 30, 2007, 05:41:15 PM »

Another set of lovely spring pics. It is so nice to be rid of winter . I think you must be about 3 weeks ahead of us here, though, my Fritillaria are only up a few inches and tulips are just about to bloom.

69

Chit Chat / Re: Gardening Pix: 'Cool' Colors

« on: April 30, 2007, 05:32:56 PM »

Beautiful spring pics, Joyce. I love pulmonaria in bloom with the two colors. Do you find the white variety of bleeding hearts as easy to grow as the pink? I tried it once and it just didn't thrive although my pink ones are doing very well.

70

Pond Chat / Re: Can't find Osmocote in Canada

« on: April 30, 2007, 05:03:57 PM »

I use Smartcote as well - 14-14-14 for hanging baskets. Seems to work okay although I would like more blooms (doesn't everyone) maybe I'll try adding the tomato spikes along with the Smartcote this year

71

Pond Chat / Re: Hi Everyone

« on: April 30, 2007, 04:40:21 PM »

Always nice to "meet" another Canadian. Welcome. Looking forward to the pics!

72

Pond Chat / Re: New Lotus pond almost done landscaping it! Few more rocks to custom make :)

« on: April 29, 2007, 10:44:05 AM »

You've created a beautiful getaway for you and your daughter, Tink. Your rocks are very realistic and your plantings are gorgeous.
Way to go

73

Wakin, Shubunkins and Goldfish... / Re: New filter seems to be working

« on: April 22, 2007, 11:05:59 AM »

Wow that is clear! Good work I still have the net on mine - need to rake up some oak leaves around the yard and this is the first weekend its been nice enough to do it. I'll probably end up with some green water too.

74

Terrestrial Gardening / Re: Acer Palmatum 'Orange Dream'

« on: April 15, 2007, 05:24:09 PM »

Just beautiful! I wish I could grow more varieties here. What a great thing to look forward to each spring

75

Terrestrial Gardening / Re: Our plants want out!!!

« on: April 14, 2007, 08:39:28 AM »

It looks like that heron is just waiting for the covers to come off!! Here's hoping everyone starts getting some springtime temperatures soon

76

Pond Chat / Re: Some of my crew

« on: April 11, 2007, 05:27:54 PM »

  Beautiful Koi!!

77

Pond Chat / Re: Sealing Pot Holes

« on: April 02, 2007, 11:13:49 AM »

You might be able to find rubber bungs the right size at a hardware store or plumbing supply place.

78

Pond Chat / Re: My first magor Division????/

« on: April 02, 2007, 11:05:07 AM »

Good job Debbie! I'm sure they'll all make it - hardies are tough. Maybe when you get some blooms you can get some help from others on identifying it 

79

Pond Chat / Re: does anyone have any pics of their repotting of lilies?

« on: March 27, 2007, 05:58:44 PM »

Slackjeep, I plant my hardies at a bit of an angle so the crown is up out of the soil and the cut end is against the edge of the pot.

80

Pond Chat / Re: My Lillies are waking up

« on: March 27, 2007, 05:52:44 PM »

It won't be long and you'll have a good portion of that big pond covered in lilies! 

81

Chit Chat / Re: Our New Patio Set...

« on: March 25, 2007, 04:09:00 PM »

Beautiful set! It really fits into your landscaping perfectly - a good size too.

82

Pond Chat / Re: Welcome Cheeno

« on: March 24, 2007, 08:43:47 AM »

Now here's someone that could tell us about how to filter a pond 

Just beautiful!!!!

83

Pond Chat / Re: A few pics of my pond mutts

« on: March 24, 2007, 08:26:04 AM »

last pic

84

Pond Chat / Re: A few pics of my pond mutts

« on: March 24, 2007, 08:24:46 AM »

Shae, I don't have any pictures of exactly how everything was connected. Here's what I could find:
1. Bottom drain and some piping laid out before actual build
2. Hole dug for "pumphouse"
3. Mechanical filter barrel placed in hole
4. Pipe from bottom drain (highest point) after coming up from the bottom drain. You can see where it begins to go down toward the filter barrel.
    Avoid doing it this way. It's much better to come out of the side of the pond at the same level that you would go into the bottom of your filter
    barrel. We had hard shale to jackhammer through or I would have had my pipe deeper. The more elbows in your piping the slower the flow. Also,
    all piping must be below lowest water level.
5. Pumphouse setup with the pond being on the left of the pic. This shows the quilt batting at the top of the barrel. I have lots of netting below
    that. This is an upflow type of filter with the pond water comming in from the bottom, flowing through the netting and out at the top. I also
    made the outflow hole too high and had to turn the pipe so the opening remained below water level after the pump is turned on. Make sure the
    barrel sits so that when pump is off the top of the barrel is 1 or 2 inches higher than the water in the pond. The outflow 2" pipe is attached to
    barrel with a bulkhead fitting. The bottom 4" inflow pipe was attached with a home-made fitting (can't remember right now how we made it).We
    have also attached a seive-like fitting over the outflow pipe so fish and frogs which manage to squeeze by the netting don't make it to the pump.
    Many people say the outflow should be 4" as well until right before the pump (I found this out after)

This is definitely not the ideal set up and needs some improvements but it gives you the general idea

85

Pond Chat / Re: Thanks for the welcome

« on: March 22, 2007, 05:44:32 PM »

Just think of it as a chance to make all those changes you've always wanted to 

Welcome to American Ponders!

86

Pond Chat / Re: Retrofit bottom drain

« on: March 21, 2007, 05:58:28 PM »

Esther, I have a retrofit bottom drain, although not the same as the one you have. I think mine came from Aqua art. The hole for the pipe comes out the side and will fit pipes from 2 to 4 inches. It doesn't have a space for sand which is too bad because we have to put a rock on it to weigh it down. I have found that the pond floor should slope gradually towards the bottom drain and if you have a waterfall you should have the drain at the opposite end of the pond so stuff tends to be pushed toward the drain. Also, since the feet aren't adjustable the bottom should be fairly level under the drain or you could have larger gaps than you want underneath. We made the mistake of having the piping come up and out through the side wall of the pond but then go back down again to get to the bottom of the mechanical filter. This not only slows the water down but can create an air "bubble" at the highest point which makes the passage smaller. I don't have anything covering the opening of the drain. You want the leaves and such to pass through to your mechanical filter and I find only the occasional fish will get through - the small ones. If they do they just swim around in the bottom of the filter where I net them out and put them back in the pond.

87

Pond Chat / Re: A few pics of my pond mutts

« on: March 21, 2007, 05:29:54 PM »

Thanks, Shae.  I have a retro bottom drain and use a 55 gal drum for mechanical then thru an external pump to a skippy-like set up 55 gal drum then over the falls. I think I may need to beef up the area I have for biofiltration and maybe add a uv light.

By the way, hope you don't end up with too many babies   

88

Pond Chat / Re: My SLOW falls are cured.

« on: March 20, 2007, 10:50:19 AM »

Good work Jerry

89

Pond Chat / Re: A few pics of my pond mutts

« on: March 20, 2007, 10:46:17 AM »

Shae, nice pictures of your fish. What kind of filtration system do you have? I can't seem to get my pond water that clear. I have about 25 goldfish in 1800 gal but the biggest are only about 5-6 inches.

90

Pond Chat / Re: Hi People.

« on: March 18, 2007, 05:17:18 PM »

Good to "see" you here again. Hopefully your pond will be up and running soon!