cleanout finaly complete

[marla]

Yesterday we did our spring cleanout  I can see the fish again.  Every thing went ok, one koi decided to jump in the tub and hit his head on the plywood and got a scrape and lost a scale, I iodined both and hope he does good.  Brought in a couple dozen goldfish that DH does not want in the pond, we'll have to find good homes for them.  Now that  we are clean here I'll post a couple pics and two video links if you care to look, but they are not the best, first ones I've done I'm sure I'll get better, ignore the fact that the gardens are just coming up.
first one is the injured koi.
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v729/grandmavis/?action=view&current=cleanout.flv
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v729/grandmavis/?action=view&current=fish.flv

[Cindi]

What beautiful fish!!  Your hard work paid off...your water is crystal clear!   

[EagleEye]

WOW

It looks great. 
Do you have to take all of the rocks out and clean them also?

Steve

[perplexed ponder]

Very funny Marla! There's no water in those pictures!

[happyoutsidegirl]

   Kathy, I was thinking along those same lines. Marla it looks wonderful! I'm so jellious as I'm still fightting toxic wait. Great shots and so clear. I have talked to lots around here with ponda and all are saying the same thing as I so I don't feel so special and singled out. Just that time of the year.

[marla]

Cindi thanks for the compliments

Do you have to take all of the rocks out and clean them also?
Steve

  No Steve, I don't take the rocks out and clean them.  Look close there is still algae on them, by the time we finnish the whole thing, it has been in the sun so long most of the algae on the rocks dies, so in the very near future I'll probably end up with an algae bloom.

Very funny Marla! There's no water in those pictures!

  good one

  Marla it looks wonderful! I'm so jellious as I'm still fightting toxic wait.

Debbie, don't be jealous it will be green again sooner then I'd like.  On going battle.

[tinkster]

I wouldnd feel like I had to have on waders to go in that... very pretty!


tinskter

[Argos5]

Beautiful pix.

[perplexed ponder]

Marla-
Do you use a pond vac? How do you get it so clean? Is that all new water? I really like the rock bottom, but I'm afraid of the maintenance.

[marla]

I wouldnd feel like I had to have on waders to go in that... very pretty!
tinskter

Tinkster, at the deepest it is only 30",  so I don't get my but wet  and I'm only 5'3"

Marla-
Do you use a pond vac? How do you get it so clean? Is that all new water? I really like the rock bottom, but I'm afraid of the maintenance.

Kathy, I don't have a pond vac, I heard they work good, but a bit pricey.  I use a very old shop vac.  a few times a season, some people do it weekly, but I'm pretty lazy.  Once a year- Spring we completely drain and rinse down the rocks with a hose to get off some of the algae and gunk from behind, between and on the bottom a lot of the algae on the rocks die from being dry and in the sun.  This year it took longer because I wanted to divide plants.  It's an all day job though by the time you drain clean and refill, takes about 5hrs to refill.

[perplexed ponder]

Well Marla, It looks amazing! Is it a very big pond? Can you post more pictures? It looks really natural. I like the koi hideout too! Gotta do that!

[barb]

How gorgeous!!  That water looks clean enough to drink.