Can't see fish

[addy1]

We get snow, it melts, we get more it melts. Snowing today saying 8 maybe inches. The monday we will be up in temp sun out snow will go away.
All 3 pond breathers doing a great job, first time in a few years I have even plugged them in.

 

[Lisak1]

We're in the "so much snow I'm not even sure the pond is still there" category. It's just one solid blanket of white everywhere you look. We apparently have more snow pack right now than we've had since 1979 - something like 26 inches of snow on the ground. My gardens are loving it, I'm sure. But I kind of LOL when I imagine trying to get a hole in the ice at this point ... first I'd have to FIND the pond. The waterfall is running though, so I'm not concerned. Spring is coming. I'm a believer!

 

[pebbleoz]

Don't worry. It's perfectly natural, as you probably already know. We humans just get a little anxious sometimes.

The only things I worry about this time of year is the loss of electricity and a leak that can cause water loss.
I try to go out there daily or spy from my second floor to check those things.

A submersible camera would be really nice, but every one of them I looked at were too expensive for my budget and I don't want to waste money on a cheap one that will be inferior.
Maybe someone here can suggest a decent model that won't break the bank.

You could get something like this:

2m Waterproof (Micro USB) Endoscope Inspection Camera / Snake Tube Cable

The 2m Waterproof USB Endoscope Camera Cable for Android phone, computer or laptop helps investigate blocked drains, toilets, car engines.

tinyurl.com

I’ve seen them for $10.

 

[poconojoe]

You could get something like this:

2m Waterproof (Micro USB) Endoscope Inspection Camera / Snake Tube Cable

The 2m Waterproof USB Endoscope Camera Cable for Android phone, computer or laptop helps investigate blocked drains, toilets, car engines.

tinyurl.com

I’ve seen them for $10.

I have a similar endoscope. I think I paid about $35 for it.
It has a build in light and comes with a few attachments that hook onto the camera end, a hook, a magnet and it's waterproof.
It works pretty good for looking into walls and such, but didn't work well in the pond water. Basically all blurry, useless in that environment.
Mine connects to my phone via bluetooth.

 

[GBBUDD]

Yes, I think we all worry about our babies when we can’t see them. For me, it’s my box turtles. Mine are kept outside, and I mimic their natural habitat as closely as possible. They start to brumate (the reptile version of hibernate) here in late October/November. They dig down in the substrate and stay there until the weather warms up in spring (anywhere from March to April). I have no idea WHERE inside the habitat each one will choose to burrow down, so there’s no way to check on them (short of digging everything up, which is totally unnecessary). I hold my breath for 4-5 months, not knowing if I will see them again in spring. The key is making sure they are in optimum health prior to the time they start to brumate.

One thing you can do is to spread some Loose straw over the areas where they nest for the winter it is an incredible isolator that and leaves and overall litter in the forest floor. But make sure you don't just drop a hay bale down you want to break it up and spread it like you were shaking pompoms . As we call it in the trades get the pom pom squad out to the wetlands

 

[Mmathis]

One thing you can do is to spread some Loose straw over the areas where they nest for the winter it is an incredible isolator that and leaves and overall litter in the forest floor. But make sure you don't just drop a hay bale down you want to break it up and spread it like you were shaking pompoms . As we call it in the trades get the pom pom squad out to the wetlands

Thank you! As soon as the leaves started falling (October-ish), they went into the habitat! When the snow and sleet started falling this week, I up-turned some concrete mixing tubs and layered those out like little roofs over the areas I thought they might be. Unfortunately, we can’t get out to buy straw right now, but that’s certainly an incentive to buy some next Fall. It’s amazing to me how well animals like turtles can adapt to changing weather conditions! Somehow, they know just how deep to burry themselves.

 

[GBBUDD]

Insulation in large part is stopping the wind. Heat loss of course being foremost but if the heat loss is lessened and kept in place longer the freezing issue is lessened as well. When i was a kid we had a pond in the back yard we use to skate on and in doing so we made obstacle courses. JUMP OVER THIS FALLEN TREE jump over the mound of grass zig jag between trees and boulders . Well when things had just started to freeze, we learned quickly to avoid the grass mounds as the water under those mounds would always freeze last. But anyone new to the course we would always change the course and make them skate and cut by them............... Those were the days

 

[brokensword]

and this is why I'm glad I left my camera in the pond for the winter; about 10" of snow on top of my greenhouse tent. 18 deg F currently, been below 0 this week. A bit of ice around the wfall but otherwise, no ice. View from below, above, and outside, recorded just now...

 

[Sunshine]

and this is why I'm glad I left my camera in the pond for the winter; about 10" of snow on top of my greenhouse tent. 18 deg F currently, been below 0 this week. A bit of ice around the wfall but otherwise, no ice. View from below, above, and outside, recorded just now...

View attachment 136580

What kind of camera do you have?

 

[poconojoe]

That is very cool!
Doesn't the lens get dirty? Maybe algae covered?

 

[brokensword]

What kind of camera do you have?

The underwater one is a Barlus 2.8-12mm. The one on the patio next to the pond is a KingKong Smart outdoor security IP cam and the static pic is from my K5 Pentax.

 

[brokensword]

That is very cool!
Doesn't the lens get dirty? Maybe algae covered?

Not hardly at all in the winter but in the summer, yes. I try to keep some floaters over top so the algae doesn't need cleaning more than maybe once a month. I can usually tell when the video seems less sharp/clear. I have a log nearby and I use that to extend myself over the cam and just wipe it clean. Didn't know if I was going to pull it in for the winter but glad I haven't as I check almost daily now. Last year was the first year for my expanded pond tent (as my pond got a lot larger, so I needed a larger tent) and I didn't design well; the unusual 11" wet snow a year ago that fell in early November wiped it out and I had to rebuild while the plastic was practically laying on the pond. This year, I made improvements and am monitoring closely to see what will happen when this snow load starts melting, increasing the weight. Hopefully, I planned better.

Thanks for the interest!

 

[Lisak1]

I'm still stuck on @GBBUDD shaking his pom poms... haha!

I grew up in a teeny tiny town and remember every winter all the farmers would line the foundations of their houses with bales of hay for warmth. Most houses were built on raised block foundations and the basements would get cold. Cold basement means cold floors in the house and potentially frozen pipes. My aunt refused to let my uncle do it, because it brought so many mice inside the house. She said she would rather freeze than deal with mice all winter. He instead put a coal burning stove in the basement to keep the chill off and would keep that thing burning all winter long... now that's true love!

 

[addy1]

How neat it is a POE cam, wonder if it will work with my system. I have another system running, cables, just so I can keep seeing my underwater cams. Right now mucked over, ponds to frozen to reach in and clean. but you can see them moving.

 

[GBBUDD]

get the pom pom squad out to the wetlands

@Lisak1 Now don't go reading things in where they are not, I have a rep to uphold and not to mention that kind of metal pic can injure people for life......... i said get the pom pom squad out to the wetlands!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I did not say Grab my mini skirt and my pom poms