Messages

1

Pond Chat / Re: Worn out......................

« on: October 30, 2010, 05:19:36 PM »

Next year I am definitely getting a large net to cover my pond & stream!  We had a "big" wind storm last week & my pond was just covered in leaves!     I spent 4 1/2 hours yesterday getting as many of them out as I could between netting & vacuuming!  Not fun!

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Pond Chat / Re: Help with OASE pondovac 3

« on: October 30, 2010, 05:16:27 PM »

I will check those flaps first thing tomorrow!  I know that I've vacuumed up rocks so hopefully that is the cause.  At least those are replaceable.   

I love the pondovac vs the shop vac because my pond is 4 1/2' deep the shop vac just didn't have the power to pull up the debris from that depth. 

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Pond Chat / Help with OASE pondovac 3

« on: October 29, 2010, 06:34:19 PM »

I have an OASE pondovac 3 and have had very good results with it until about 1 month ago - I've had it for 3 seasons.  Now mysteriously it seems to just loose a majority of it's suction.  To the point where it won't suck up anything.  Has anyone had a similar experience or know what I could do to fix this problem?  I hate to spend all that money on a good vacuum only to have it last 3 seasons....but I really can't do without a vac in season.  Fortunately I'll have all winter to get it working right again

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Pond Chat / Re: I saw a frog-first in many year-will he stay??

« on: October 29, 2010, 06:30:47 PM »

I love my frogs!  We even feed them - freeze dried crickets on a piece of fishing line kinked at the end so the crickets can stay on.  The frogs become very tame.  The picture is of M2 - male frog #2 - hugging my foot at our last feeding for this season.  The frogs even "learn" to put a front paw on the fishing line & pull their heads back to take the crickets of the string.  My koi don't seem to bother then.  I do have a shallow stream area & one small shallow area in the pond.  Plus I got these net bags for plants that I put along 1 side of my pond because a majority of my pond is 4 1/2' deep with straight sides.  The frogs love to sit in those plants that grow in the plant bags that I have hanging on the wall. 

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Pond Chat / Re: I Am Lotus Death

« on: May 02, 2010, 07:12:32 PM »

I had terrible luck with lotus until I dug a separate lotus pit right next to my pond.  The pond will over-flow into the lotus pit if it gets too high!  I dug it 4 feet deep & 3 feet in diameter.  Then I put 2/3 of the heavy clay back in the pit & filled it up with water.  I have 3 lotus in there that have been living happily now for 3 years!  I also get blooms like I NEVER thought I would!  Couldn't believe it!  I must have killed at least 6 lotus before I gave up & dug the pit.

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Pond Chat / Re: worst year yet for string algae

« on: May 02, 2010, 07:07:08 PM »

Try Pond Balance.  It doesn't kill it - just keeps it about 1" long.  I don't mind it when it's short.  I have to use Pond Balance in the winter here in Illinois...don't ask me how the string alge can grow all winter long, but my plants sure do go into dormancy.    With Pond Balance you don't have to worry about potentially killing your fish either!

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Pond Chat / Re: getting ready for pond to open when do the frogs come back? Photo of my pond

« on: March 27, 2010, 08:11:51 AM »

I'm lucky - my pond is 4 1/2' deep so I get to see all my frogs hibernating over the winter.  I'm in Chicago & I just started seeing them regularly about 2 weeks ago.  Those are just the ones that we fed last summer.  I've only seen 1 or 2 truly wild frogs so far this year - I can always tell - they're not as fat as the ones we feed.   

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Pond Chat / Re: Rain Water and Pond Water don't mix.

« on: March 14, 2010, 07:01:36 PM »

Concrete & lime should make your pH go up not down.  I always use baking soda in my pond & my pH rarely if ever changes no matter how much rain we get.  The pH is always on the high side (8., but it's been extremely stable.  The most it will drop is down to 8.6 & it does it very slowly.  I put 99% of the credit for a stable pH on the regular use of baking soda.  It really helps to increase the kh!

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Pond Chat / Re: Another winter pond question

« on: December 09, 2009, 06:00:56 PM »

I usually have some plants in the pond over the winter.  Some how the fish always seem to "make off" with a marginal or 2 that I never seem to be able to find until the following summer.  I just put my heaters in to keep some surface open & leave my waterfall running.  I do make sure my aerator & pump are a good 18" up off the bottom so I don't disturb the "warm" layer, but all my fish have survived just fine for the last 3 winters like that.  I think your fish will be fine!  Your feet however have got to be painful!

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Pond Chat / Re: Lily blooms in Mid November

« on: November 16, 2009, 04:34:23 PM »

Lovely blooms!  I have to go into my greenhouse where I have the tropicals stored for the winter to see anything blooming!

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Pond Chat / Re: winterizing ''savio'' pond

« on: November 16, 2009, 04:33:07 PM »

I'm zone 5 & the first year I shut everything down & pulled all the pumps out through the winter.  Of course I had to let them sit in buckets of water so the seals wouldn't dry out.  From the second year on (this is my fourth winter now) I've put a little stock tank heater in front of the skimmer for my little pumps.  I pull my big pump up off the bottom to make sure I have a good 12" of undesturbed water on the bottom so the fish can remain in the "warm" layer & I let everything run - I just check for ice dams daily out my windows.  It's so neat to see the various ice formations you get as it freezes & then thaws & then freezes a different way.  I also know that after 2 very harsh winters here in Chicago when people have been loosing fish left & right I haven't had a single casualty.  My pond is 4 1/2 feet deep however.

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Pond Chat / Re: Asian Clams on Craig's List what do you think?

« on: November 16, 2009, 04:27:58 PM »

I actually purchased some from William Tricker.  I think I got them when my pond was too new.  I bought 6 & just pulled the last empty shell from the pond this fall.  I'm going to try a few more this coming spring.  The fish seem to like to find them & eat them so I'm not really worried about how fast they reproduce - the fish will have a feast!   

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Pond Chat / Re: Leeches

« on: July 25, 2009, 07:22:38 AM »

We do have leeches like these in the Fox River up by me in Illinois.  I figure the birds brought them in!!!!   I think the fish must eat them in the main pond because I only have them in the stream & the small upper pond (the 2 places with no fish).  They are all about the 3-6mm length & probably are a slight tan color - I can see right through them pretty much because they're so small.  Were they get on you is on the bottom of the pond or stream - mainly when I was splitting plants so I'm disturbing the bottom & probably bringing them up while I'm doing it.  I'm thinking I just need to do a good clean out of the top pond & stream anyway along with a Sodium Percarbonate treatment for the string algae in the stream & that should knock the population down quite a bit.  They don't really bother me when they're in small numbers - it just seems like I had a population explosion this year!

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Terrestrial Gardening / Re: I normally don't ask this, but I'm going too

« on: July 22, 2009, 07:16:17 PM »

Definite weed!   

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Pond Chat / Re: Another lily I hope Craig or someone can identify

« on: July 22, 2009, 05:08:53 PM »

It looks like the pads I've got on my Foxfire.  The blooms look paler than mine as far as the pink goes, but that might just be the camera. 

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Pond Chat / Re: Fertilizer question

« on: July 22, 2009, 05:04:51 PM »

I use the Osmocote for my lilies.  They are the only plants that I have potted in dirt.  I've found all my other plants do much better planted directly in the pond.  I don't fertilize those plants that I put directly in the pond (I don't care for "green" water).  I do have a UV sterilizer as well.  My first year my plants did OK - pretty much just existed like you describe.  Second year they took off!  I was amazed & very happy.  I'd pot up the lilies, put the water lettuce & hyacinths in a bucket of miracle grow for a day once a month & then as long as the other plants are existing & are perennial in your area I'd let them aclimate themselves to the pond & form they're root systems with as little disturbance as I could.  My Marsh Marigolds did not really take off until I bought one of those floating islands from Freedom (I got mine at Dr. Fosters & Smith) & now they bloom almost non-stop from spring until fall - I've never seen them do that before! 

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Pond Chat / Leeches

« on: July 22, 2009, 04:56:16 PM »

Does anyone know how to cut the leech population down in the parts of the pond that are not inhabited by fish?  I was wading in my stream last night & came out with about 40-50 small clear leeches on my feet.  I'd like to either get rid of them of at least cut down the population.  I don't have any in the main pond where the koi are.

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Pond Chat / Re: pond maintenance question

« on: March 25, 2009, 04:23:03 PM »

I have a Pondovac III & I love it!  Yes, it would suck up little fish, but it doesn't kill them.  I have rather unfortunately sucked up a little frog & boy was she NOT happy with me!   She hopped away from the discharge tub & I had to go & pick her up & put her in my lotus pit where I don't vacuum.  I didn't know that frogs could give dirty looks, but they sure can! 

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Terrestrial Gardening / Spider Mites

« on: March 22, 2009, 06:55:54 PM »

Anyone have a really good way to get rid of spider mites?  The are really affecting my Plumeria & my Banana trees!   I had them as house plants all winter & I noticed them a month or so after I brought the plants in from outside last fall.  I set up my temp greenhouse on the deck & have moved most of the outdoor summer/indoor winter plants out to that on the deck so the cold doesn't hurt them & they can "harden off" for summer, but I need to get rid of those spider mites!

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Terrestrial Gardening / Re: Kill'em all

« on: March 22, 2009, 06:51:09 PM »

I've used the lasagna layers many times, but always with newspapers.  I've heard that as the black & white pages break down the ink actually serves as a weed retardant.  It doesn't hurt the plants though & I've seen a lot less weeds (usually none) in areas where I've used it.  I make my newspaper layer 5-6 sheets thick.

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Pond Chat / Re: What is the temperature of your pond water?

« on: March 22, 2009, 06:46:53 PM »

Pretty steady between 48º & 52º for the last week!  Fish are now starting to look at me as though I'm supposed to feed them.  I'm ignoring them....not warm enough & they're fat enough - if they're that hungry they can eat some of the algae!  No more ice & no more freezing hands pulling out the clumps of string algae!  I even did a partial vacuum last weekend & will do some more this week.  Less dirt plus a partial water change - can't beat that Pond-Vac III 

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Pond Chat / Re: when can I start feeding our fish

« on: March 22, 2009, 06:41:06 PM »

I'm outside of Chicago - far west suburbs (actually still corn fields out by me) & I won't feed mine until the water temp is consisantly 55º for 3 days in a row & the upcoming weather doesn't look like it will drop the temps.  I feed a wheat germ based food until the water is consistantly above 60º.  I have a feeder that I can set-up to feed them in the middle of the day while I'm at work so they get a small amount at first & then I can increase as the water gets warmer.  So far I haven't lost a fish yet by sticking to this. 

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Pond Chat / Re: Bull frogs...bad or OK

« on: March 21, 2009, 07:37:33 AM »

Here are some @ feeding time.

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Pond Chat / Re: Bull frogs...bad or OK

« on: March 20, 2009, 04:28:25 PM »

I love my Bullfrogs!  We actually feed them freeze dried crickets strung on fishing line with a kink at the end instead of a hook.  I can vouch for the fact that frogs that are fed do NOT eat your fish & the tadpoles are great!  They eat the algae.   I buy at least 12 every year.  Bullfrogs are actually migratory animals & are constantly on the move until they find a good spot to "hang out" for a while.  The main times they are on the move are spring & fall.  I've never seen my frogs even try to eat a fish.  I rarely ever even see them try to eat a bug - probably because they are fed.  Since the bird poo on my rocks is something I do not want I will be very happy if they keep the birds away.  That's why I have a separate bird bath - so when I have to catch myself on a rock I don't come up with a hand full of yucky bird poo!   Plus the frogs are so humorous - they actually have personalities kind of like koi.  THey get to know you & to my surprise they can actually tell when it's close to feeding time & they will start to line up to be fed.   

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Pond Chat / Salamanders

« on: February 25, 2009, 05:31:34 PM »

Does anyone have any experience keeping Salamanders or Newts in their pond?  Any leads on where to get some.  My husband has wanted a few since we put in the pond, but I want to get some large enough so the koi won't really bother them - maybe 10-14" long.  Any ideas on where I could get some.  I know that William Tricker carries 1 type American Salamander, but my husband would like the black one with yellow spots that he used to catch around here when he was a kid.  We're outside of Chicago. 

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Terrestrial Gardening / Re: peonis

« on: February 22, 2009, 01:56:46 PM »

You should definately devide Peonies in the fall!  Peonies do not like to be distrubed once they are in place so when you plant try to put them where you want them to stay.  You could try & hook up with a local gardening club & they probably do a spring & fall plant exchange where members bring in their "extras" & trade them for things they want.  If you want to plant them in the spring I would recommend going to your local garden center & getting a plant with 3-4 "eyes" that looks healthy.  The Peony may drop it's buds unless conditions are perfect when you put it in.  Try for an overcast day if you can - rainy is better. 

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Pond Chat / Re: Benefits of MediKoi Feed?

« on: February 20, 2009, 05:03:15 PM »

I've never done PimaFix or MelaFix, but I do use Medi-Koi after last winter.  I noticed that it really improved the health of my sick fish.  I fed it mixed in with the regular food last spring & fall to give the fish a boost before the cold weather.  I was happy with the results that I was able to achieve with the fish that had soem open ulcers.  The ulcers closed up & healed over cleanly.  It also seemed to perk up the poor guy's appetite & he was eating normally within a few days. 

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Terrestrial Gardening / Re: Symplocarpus feotidus - Eastern Skunk Cabbage

« on: February 20, 2009, 04:55:36 PM »

Thanks!     I had looked into Heronswood, but they plants they are offering are zone 6 & I'm zone 5.  I will definately get some from Lazy S!

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Pond Chat / Re: Dead Fish

« on: February 19, 2009, 06:50:25 PM »

Last winter I lost a total of 4 fish in the early spring.  They had large ulcers on the body.  We had such a long, cold winter last year I believe it took a serious toll on the koi's immune systems.  This year I did a MediKoi round of food in the fall before I lost the warm weather/water temp & I'll do another this spring once my warm temps get up there.  We don't usually get winters this cold here in Chicago, so 2 in a row aren't good news at all!  

I also do a PP regime in the summer & keep the pond well vacuumed in the summer (not winter - I don't want to distrube the "warm" layer).  The fish definately have seemed healther this winter & more active during our few warm spells.  I hope that means no more losses this spring.  I got my PP regime from the Advanced Koi Care book by Nicholas Saint Erne.  I highly recommend this book for anyone who keeps koi!  I love it! 

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Terrestrial Gardening / Symplocarpus feotidus - Eastern Skunk Cabbage

« on: February 19, 2009, 06:39:20 PM »

Does anyone have a source for Symplocarpus feotidus?  I did find some from Fraser's Thimble Farms, but they're in BC Canada so I would need to pay for a Phytosanitary Certificate.  I can do this, but I was wondering if anyone had a US source?