getting ready for pond to open when do the frogs come back? Photo of my pond

[dsep]

I live in NY and this is my first year with my pond. Any suggestions to what I should add? It is still cold here 40"s. Thanks
Donna

[Johns]

What were you thinking about adding?  Tell us about your pond.  Length, width, depth, fish (how many, size, type) and what plant materials you have in it.  Post pictures if you can. Also describe your filter system, if any.  You are going to get a lot of ideas here, along with the likelihood of some free plants (except for postage, of course).

It is likely that you will have more snow and cold weather before "Spring".  Are you in upstate NY, Manhattan, or LI?

[Julles]

I'll tell you what you should add - MORE POND!!   

Just a joke - it's a fact that, very quickly, new ponders (and old ones, too) always want a bigger one.

Yes, please tell us what you are thinking of adding - plants? fish? filter? landscaping? and we'll give you our ideas. 

[dsep]

pond is 18x33 2.5 to 3 foot have koi and goldfish Live on long island did not turn on filter have bio fllter ,savio skimmer, big pump dont know size husbands job. I thought maybe some start up stuff not sure thanks for info/Users/animalsds/Pictures/iPhoto Library/Originals/2008/pond finished/pondfourtay 031.jpg/Users/animalsds/Pictures/iPhoto Library/Originals/2008/pond finished/pondfourtay 031.jpg
Not sure i did pictures right link to my pond photos http://lakedonna.shutterfly.com

[Pondering]

Your pond is beautiful Donna!

[dsep]

Thank you any spring start up advise
Would you vacuum it now muck on bottom I have good size rocks

[Jerry]

Love your falls as well as all the rest.

[dsep]

say my 1st frog today ! THere Back!

[perplexed ponder]

What's going on?  :'( I can't see any pictures

[Julles]

Your pond and landscaping is quite elaborate.  I like the name, too.  Lake Donna.  I might also call it DonnaVista.

I'd say, try to get the muck out.  Do you have a pond vacuum?  That would make the job easier, without stirring up too much of the muck into the water.  Repot any lilies you have, and divide any plants that have overgrown their containers. 

I am wondering about the frogs, too.  We had such a freeze this year, I am wondering if any of our Gulf Coast Toads have survived.  It's been in the 70*s here, but I've heard not a single toad or frog calling.

[Kris]

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.   

[marla]

OMG your pond is absolutely beautiful, what great landscaping!!!!   I wanted to vacuum some of the muck up in mine today but not sure if I will get to it, cold(38*..32* with the wind) and overcast today.  A vacuum yes if you want but a small one so you don't have drastic temp changes and remember if you are on a city water supply to use Declohr.  try not to disturb the bottom to much, lots of times bottom yuck will contain lots of nasties you don't want spreading, so be gentle, the fish are very susceptable to disease now coming out of winter.  Also when adding water try to keep it within a 5* difference to much of a degree difference is not good either for the fish now.  As the water warms up (like 48* or higher) I like to add a product called Koizyme, some may think it is witchcraft, but IMO it does well for me.  Koizyme reduces the bacterial count of Aeromonas, Pseudomonas and other pathnogenetic bacteria low levels so they are not as much of an issue for your fish, these bacterias can cause such problems as ulcers.  Here is a link about the product..
http://www.koicarekennel.com/About-Koizyme-c-2.html
It can be hard to find, I get mine from       
http://watergarden.com/

[2vetts]

frogs?? yesterday, unfortunately