Author Topic: Spring has Sprung! What's happening in your pond? (Read 2535 times)

miguynmkoi · « **on:** March 22, 2011, 09:55:02 AM »

It was a cold and wet winter for my ponds. The water plants not including the waterlilies are growing in fresh rain water overflowing every few days. They've never seen that before. Ponds are filled regularly by Mother Nature. Thank you for keeping my water bill at its lowest this year!

Now for the cold part. The temps have never been so cold for my feeshies. The koi in shallower water are doing just fine in extremely clear water, possibly 'cause they didn't eat most of the winter. Now the lily pond with the fancies didn't fare as well. $:-\$ I noticed last week that a few roundies (ryukins and orandas to name a few) were behaving less rambunctious. Yesterday I found Bubbles floating in the anachais. From the decomposed wen she probably died a few days ago. :'( Now I need to steel myself to break the news to my DD.

Miss you Bubs!

miguynmkoi · « **Reply #1 on:** March 22, 2011, 09:56:21 AM »

Good news....it's Spring and boys do I have a lot of work to do to spruce up the ponds!

Kittyzee · « **Reply #2 on:** March 22, 2011, 10:28:02 AM »

I'm so sorry about your beautiful Bubbles--she sure is gorgeous. Luckily, all my fish are accounted for and seem to be healthy. Water is pretty clear and still cold, but we have had warm days, and cool days very typical here in Ohio in spring. I'm sure the water temperature doesn't fluctuate as much as the air temp--although I can tell when the water warms, they get more active. Lots of plants that survived the winter in the pond--anachris, pond weed, my spiral rush.

Ponds are full, we got lots of rain overnight with lightning and thunder (which I hadn't heard for several months

). The yard and the winter wheat are greening up nicely and the robins, red-winged blackbirds, killdeer are all back, but I've yet to see my first barn swallow! I hope I see one before hubby!

Loritx · « **Reply #3 on:** March 22, 2011, 03:17:51 PM »

We did a complete Cleanout!! Fish did not like that!! Had to net them all and a few gave a pretty good fight!! All are doing fine now in a clean pond!

I didnt realize how DEEP the MUCK was untill we started scooping the rocks out of the bottom!! We only do this deep cleaning every other year.
My dog found a snake skin on the pond rocks, this afternoon - we were outside and she started the "sniff-jump" dance!! My thought was a snake -but was just the skin!! That means she has been nailed by one in the past!!!

miguynmkoi · « **Reply #4 on:** March 22, 2011, 04:56:56 PM »

Thx LuAnn. I can imagine from your description the fields greening up!

MUCK! Thanks for the reminder Lori. That's what I don't want to find when I put my big pool scooper down into the lily pond. I know the fishies have been rooting around the pebbles that should be in the lily pots. And the snake skin!?! Creepy crawlers all over!

Holldoll · « **Reply #5 on:** March 22, 2011, 08:37:38 PM »

We cleaned out the skippy a few weekends ago - the penny wort roots were blocking the waterfall so my DH got mad and took it all out - only hyacinths in there now. The extra flow from the waterfall is causing a leak somewhere so that's on the to do list if it will ever quit raining. Like you, the rains have helped us to not have to fill the pond, now when the dogs drink out of the bog they are up to their knees.

The frogs have moved in much to my daughters elation. She loves listening to them and wants to go look for frogs every night.

I'm SO ready for warmer weather. Haven't climbed in - water is too cold and I'm too pregnant. Either I will have to talk DH into climbing in (there's a very slim chance of that) or it will have to wait til June. The underwater plants went NUTS over the winter and need to be thinned out.

tweetybaby2005 · « **Reply #6 on:** March 23, 2011, 06:55:07 AM »

Uhhhh, nice pics there Annette. Sorry to hear about bubbles, sigh... $:-\$ it sure was a cold winter. We hit 80s the last 2 days but back to colder weather this week. I went to check out the pond and fishies seem to swim around fine. Our net broke mid winter so lots of debris and leaves fell into the pond so I have brown tea water for now. Still waiting for the weather to get better and warmer water temp to do some cleaning. I found the activated charcoal in the garage so will be using that once I get the pond cleaned up a bit & waterfall turned back on so I can have the clear water back. No casualties as far as I could tell but I haven't checked the skimmer yet. That was where the casualties were found the last couple of years. $:-\$

Spring has sprung!!! Lets get our pond back!

Kuan

miguynmkoi · « **Reply #7 on:** March 23, 2011, 04:44:32 PM »

Oh you mentioned frogs Holldoll! Last year was very dismal for frogs with the heat and dry conditions here. With the wet weather this year we have dueling frog reebeets in at least two of my waterplant pots. Honestly, they are too noisy during my sleep time but thankfully I wear earbuds to sleep.

Thanks Kuan. Where do you use the activated charcoal?

Vickie · « **Reply #8 on:** March 23, 2011, 05:28:09 PM »

We had a couple of nice days in 70s and 80s. Now they are saying snow Sunday and Monday with the high Monday in the 30s. It sucks.

miguynmkoi · « **Reply #9 on:** March 24, 2011, 11:27:14 AM »

I honestly do not remember so much rain in SoCal before!

It's almost like Vancouver/Seattle weather! Raining every other day and beautifully sunny in between. I have to run outside everyday to catch as much rain as I can in all kinds of containers. Hopefully all this rain in the ponds is a good thing. Feeshies look hungry but I must resist....water looks too clear to mess it up with undigested food.

tweetybaby2005 · « **Reply #10 on:** March 24, 2011, 12:59:38 PM »

Quote from: miguynmkoi on March 23, 2011, 04:44:32 PM

Oh you mentioned frogs Holldoll! Last year was very dismal for frogs with the heat and dry conditions here. With the wet weather this year we have dueling frog reebeets in at least two of my waterplant pots. Honestly, they are too noisy during my sleep time but thankfully I wear earbuds to sleep.

Thanks Kuan. Where do you use the activated charcoal?

I just put them in the skimmer where water flows through them. I put another mesh bag full behind the opening of the waterfall as well. Water will clear up in a week or so.

bunny56lbc · « **Reply #11 on:** March 24, 2011, 06:06:58 PM »

I'm sorry to hear about you're goldfish Bubbles.. :'(

I took the plastic off all the ponds , we've been having such nice weather the last 2 weeks...now it's cold again ..dang.
So far all my babies are doing good , the Wakins come up when I go over & talk to them . They're pond is nice & clear
The koi pond is nice & green tho . If I look real hard I can see them swimming around , they stay close to the bottom of the pond.

My hardy waterlilies are starting to come up along with the marginals .

bonnie

2vetts · « **Reply #12 on:** March 25, 2011, 09:38:10 AM »

ice is forming again !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Kat · « **Reply #13 on:** March 25, 2011, 04:53:58 PM »

I feel for y'all with more snow/ice/freezing temps but then you don't have to run A/C for 8 months out of the year. Sorry about bubbles. I lost one of my watonai, so I know the feeling.

Here is a pic from today.

Esther · « **Reply #14 on:** March 26, 2011, 07:51:21 AM »

Ice here too but all the wet pets seem to have made the winter. A few frogs didn't though.

perplexed ponder · « **Reply #15 on:** March 26, 2011, 12:46:01 PM »

Spring is coming SLOWLY here in Michigan, but it IS coming. Mom says there are a pair of ducks in the pond every day now and she is having so much fun watching them (and feeding them, I'm sure) that I can't tell her to chase them off.
All of the fishies survived the move and the winter....what a relief! I have not seen any frogs yet, we are hoping to move them too. I can't wait to get the falls in place and running and work on the planting!

miguynmkoi · « **Reply #16 on:** March 27, 2011, 05:47:43 PM »

I can't believe Ohio is warmer than SoCal that Bonnie's lilies are come up already! What the (bleep)! We're still in the rain and clod. Hoping the weatherman is earning his pay when he says next weekend is suppose to close to 80*s.

You're such a tease Kat! Beautiful shot of what I wish my pond can would hurry up and cooperate....

For you guys with ice, honestly I don't know how you can handle it. PP I only wish my pond would clean itself. It's too cold to play in the water yet so I've been procrastinating about cleaning it and putting my efforts into weeding. It's the only thing I don't like about the rain here.

Kittyzee · « **Reply #17 on:** March 27, 2011, 06:36:23 PM »

Wait Annette--we had a short warm spell and then all week it's been highs in the 30's and 40's with lows in the 20's--with wind chill yesterday of 14 degrees! Uh huh. Stuff's still turning green though, the weather can't seem to stop it and I can still see my feesh under a thin coating of ice...

I didn't cut my spiral rush back in the fall, but sunk it in the pond and it's huge right now! What to do, what to do!! I'm not messing with it until the water temps rise, but seriously, you just can't kill that stuff can you?

miguynmkoi · « **Reply #18 on:** March 27, 2011, 09:11:16 PM »

Are you kidding LuAnn? Don't want to make you feel bad but I don't think my refrigerator is set that low...30's? 40's?

and if you send that spirally rush to me I will for sure kill it!

I think the plants in my ponds need an awakening. I'm just going to have to show them the plants from very cold weather spots are earning their keep. the green waste bin is not to far from my ponds

Kittyzee · « **Reply #19 on:** March 28, 2011, 05:49:09 AM »

I've been known to also try and shock my plants by threatening them into living by walking outside in the winter with them and telling them how good they have it....usually doesn't work, but it makes me feel better.

It's okay Annette, my fridge is set that cold too, and actually 30's and 40's feel pretty good compared to what we were dealing with a couple of months ago! I would rather have spring come in gradually that the temps leap up too warm right away. It takes a body (mine anyway) a few weeks to adjust to warm outside especially when working in the yard. I would rather put on a hoodie and be comfortable than sweat to death working in the flower beds....

Indiana Karen · « **Reply #20 on:** March 28, 2011, 06:57:01 AM »

Everything started greening up really quick last week when we had three days of wonderfully warm weather, 75 one day!!! Different story now and our furnace has quit this morning. It is 59 degrees in the house!. Furnace guy was here and left to go get a part. I raked and burned around the yard yesterday. I'm still trying to get caught up with all the limbs that fell this winter from the ice. I guess I'll head back out this morning......gotta do something to keep warm.

I'm still waiting for my first lily pad to surface.

Kat.....bee-u-t-full.

tweetybaby2005 · « **Reply #21 on:** March 28, 2011, 07:57:42 AM »

OK. So mother nature has to tease us with 2 days of 80s before plunging us back into reality.

We had flurries yesterday and this morning's temp was 34F with wind chill of 25F. Even though I'm one who loves snow and the cold, I'm ready to get some warmer weather. I want to be able to feed my fish and hear the waterfall!

My son was climbing on the waterfall steps last week asking when we can turn it back on. Sigh... may be another week or 2. I also have veggie seedlings started from seeds waiting for the warmer weather. They are ready to be hardened in a few weeks so hopefully mother nature will cooperate by then.

Kuan

miguynmkoi · « **Reply #22 on:** March 28, 2011, 01:17:28 PM »

Quote

I would rather put on a hoodie and be comfortable than sweat to death working in the flower beds.... Cool

So TRUE! I do appreciate the cool weather to work in the garden. God knows how much weeding I made my mother do for me yesterday

Sorry to hear about the heating probs Karen. Luckily it doesn't get so cold in our house that we need to turn the heat on. But if it sis get too cold we need to pack on the thermos, Family can't handle the dryness of the air. As it is I'm the only one wearing fleece in the house.

I'm hoping I get a few new pads too and hopefully before you!