Country Escape's 2nd pond - Goldfish only

[CountryEscape]

Yep, then I'll just bet that is what it is, and it's migrating, and since the fields were worked the last couple of weeks here, they decided to stay for the easy pickings of bugs in the ground. They have been around for at least a couple of weeks already. I'll pay attention and notice if they all of a sudden are gone for the year, then I will know for sure. I can't remember if they were around all year last year, but seems like they were, or maybe they were here spring and then again in the fall, and I just never noticed that they were NOT here in between.
Does anyone have any idea why the calla lily pots of kitty clay would have kind of bubbled with white slimy stuff on them after putting them in the bog? Can I sprout the bulbs in the bog, or should I have put them in dryer dirt until they sprout? I'm thinking I need to remove them from the bogs, maybe the litter is no good for them, or maybe too wet .... Any ideas?

 

[CountryEscape]

Checked the ponds this morning. Goldfish pond is clearing nicely, I can see the bottom .... and all the stones I knocked into the pond earlier, Oops! It's not clear like lots of your ponds, but much better. Can easily see the lily pots and growth on each of them, so I'm getting happier. Now, the only difference between that and the koi pond is that I did a small water change on the goldfish as I had to drain down the bog to work on the wall last weekend, so thinking of doing a water change on the koi pond as well today. Koi pond has UV light, but with the cooler weather, it's really not needed, so going to turn it off for now. No need wasting that energy and bulb! Maybe the quilt batting is helping as well. Need to get more peroxide and keep that in a bucket to rinse the quilt batting after I wash it off with the hose and then let it dry like Sissy says. I've got plenty of the batting to have two sets going. Thanks for the reminders, Sissy!!!

 

[addy1]

No clue about calla's have never tried them.

Neat your pond is getting clear ce

 

[CountryEscape]

I checked couple of the pots of callas, and it seems like the kitty litter I used is just kind of getting slimy on the top, where it is wettest. The bulbs were still there, still growing, so I'll leave them and see what happens.
Got my new skimmer installed, that was a chore, pulling back the liner to dig it down another 4", but that was ok, since I planned on a water change. Then finished the bog outside wall, will hopefully get the rest of the pond outside wall done tomorrow. The pump is just not strong enough for the pond the way I have it set up. I guess I should have made the bog outlet on the same end as the stream, but I wanted opposite ends with some water flow. However, now the skimmer is getting water pushing from both sides, and it's hard for the 1000 gph pump to pull stuff in. So, I'll be getting a 1800 or so pump sometime. In the meantime, it's working, just slower than it should, but that's ok. Frustrating to watch floating grass (yep, I mowed, too) go within inches and not get sucked in. :-(
Put flagstone in the stream, and going to get some river rock to put in the bottom, maybe some pea gravel, and then it will be done. Even have enough of the stones left, I kept all the larger ones aside, for walking path around the pond. Another project ... LOL
It was chilly (47) and windy and cloudy all morning. The sun didn't decide to bless us with it's appearance until about 2, and then it warmed up nicely.
I'm quitting for the day! That was enough work for me.

 

[brandonsdad02]

Wow....CE Do you ever take a break from working so much. I love what you have done with your pond. Gives me encouragement to keep going on my pond and save enough money to hire you to do my next one.

 

[CountryEscape]

Haha, BrandonsDad, I love working on my ponds! It's my therapy ... not that I need therapy, just that I enjoy doing it so much, it's my enjoyment.
I told several friends who hinted at wanting to build a pond after seeing mine last year, that I would help them build their pond, but none took me up on it, so I did my own, and added to it.
I'm anxious to see how the goldfish water looks in the morning. This morning it was pretty clear, at least could see the bottom, but by afternoon it was cloudy again, not as bad as before, but not as clear as this a.m. Was cloudy all a.m.,too, so have no idea why that happened. Then I moved pea gravel around, drained the bog, and so when that filled there was sediment that went into the pond. Oh well ... we shall see what tomorrow brings.
I'm anxious to see all the babies I put in there from aquarium. Saw one of them today, Saddle (the little Shubunkin that looks like it has a black saddle on it's back), and have consistently seen the 3 fantails - Spot, Speck and ... haven't named the red spotted tails one. All of the fish from PondKid are doing swell, along with the ones I have caught so far from koi pond and moved to goldfish. Need to get with the catching the others in the koi pond. Friend is coming over tomorrow, maybe I'll get into the koi pond and catch some more of them.

 

[pondlover]

CE, you are such a hard worker. Makes me tired hearing all of your progress, but I love reading about it. I'm seriously considering doing a partial water change. I feel like my pond should be much clearer than it is. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

[CountryEscape]

I wish I had the answers, PL, but so far no deal. The water is clearer in the a.m., then gets murkier in the afternoon. Didn't have as much sunshine as I would have ordered today, but it did come out. I'm not sure if the sun or warm temps (it was pretty chilly again today) are causing the murkiness. I think it's just a matter of sit back and be patient. If we don't expect clear water, it will happen on it's own. I know that sounds impossible, but it happened for me last year, with everyone encouraging me to just wait it out!
However, since the water change seemed to have helped (I can see the lily pots pretty clearly now in the goldfish pond), I went ahead and did a partial water change in the koi pond. I flushed the Skippy filter for a short time (just to get any gunk collected in the bottom) and also the bog lines (again, only long enough to get clear water), then ran water out of the line on the ground. Dropped the level about 8" or so, then turned both wells on at the same time, 2 separate hoses, and started filling it back in. Friend was here, and thank goodness we went back outside, as just in time! I had overfilled the koi pond but it was overflowing into the stream (which is the way I designed it), so no loss of water, just too high for the skimmer to work properly. Drained a little bit out and it was good to go. Whew!!! At least I wasn't adding city water, which could have been worse!
Got lots done today, but not as much as I'd have liked, since my girlfriend stopped by to help me catch goldfish, but it was too cold and windy, so we will do that another time. Pictures in the next post.

 

[addy1]

Mine is getting a great water change, we are finally getting some rain! Wish I could give you some ideas pl, I don't fight murky water since the bog took off last year. Only time it was slightly murky was during the spring, after the pump had been turned off for the winter (about 3 months later) as soon as I turned it on., 24 hours, it cleared right up.

 

[CountryEscape]

I've been working on the back of the bog wall yesterday and today I worked on laying the blocks on the other side of the pond. Got it about 90% done and then friend stopped by, so I quit for the day.
Here's the back of the bog. Top stone has not been put in place yet, not sure what I will use to "cap" the top edge and hide the edge of the liner.

Today I worked on placing the flagstone on the edge of the stream, covering the liner, and then also added some river rock in the bottom and in between the rocks, to cover the liner. I think Herz recently had pics of this and I really liked the looks! Others have also lately posted pics of it. I had river rock I removed from front flower bed, and put on my driveway, so I just scooped that up and put it in there. LOL

My cat Grace decided it would be fun to check out the inside bog wall on the koi pond! By the time I got the camera out, she decided she better get off that wall edge (water on each side!) and was heading back to the deck. She just started deciding going outside was fun!

Here are a few pics of plants in my bogs. This is the Golden Club plant that I bought. You need to google it to see what it will look like hopefully by next year. Really unique plant!

I was thrilled to be able to see the lily pots in my goldfish pond. These are all lilies from you, Chris! Also Water Fringe floating in the foreground. It evidently is similar to lilies, has a tiny yellow flower, and grows very fast, and can be invasive if not kept in check.

These are plants in my koi bog. Lizards tail, creeping water primrose, parrots feather, and the plant from JW that I can never remember the name of! I'll put on this pic in my folder, once JW see this and tells me ... again.

 

[CountryEscape]

Addy, I'm hoping that my new bog is why the water is clearing faster in the goldfish pond than the koi. Since I did a pretty good water change in the koi pond, I will see if that is what has also helped. Need to get plants really growing well in the koi bog, which is not near as large as goldfish pond bog, but I have the Skippy on the koi pond, too. We shall see ...

 

[j.w]

CE and PL I think you both need to be patient and wait it out. What about the quilt batting....................are you using that? It really helps in my pond when it gets murky.

Your work you did to your pond looks beautiful as usual CE and that plant I sent is also a kind of Creeping Primrose just a different one. I think you are right that when the bog has been running awhile things will clear up for you.

Every time I started to type something a new post would pop up so that's why all these are together and worded for different posts.

 

[addy1]

creeping primrose from jw.............

Well since it is my only filter, I can truthfully say it is the only reason I have clear water.

 

[CountryEscape]

OK, thanks, JW. The stuff I sent to you and Addy was also called primrose, maybe water primrose. I'll have to remember which is which! I think the floating one I sent is weigelia, so maybe I should call it that. j
Yes, I still have quilt batting on both ponds, and rinse them out and put fresh in daily or at least every other day. It's not seeming to help, although they are full of goopy stuff each time I rinse them out. I've taken Sissy's advise and am now rinsing them good with the hose, then dunking them in a peroxide and water solution in a bucket, and then letting them dry while using second set. That is working out well. And, LOL, I don't have any crows around to steal what is laying out to dry, like Sissy had happen today. But, I like her idea of putting the pieces out for the birds when it starts falling apart, though. I'll remove from the garbage what the pup shredded off of one piece and give it to the birds.

 

[CountryEscape]

Well lo and behold, went out to check ponds this morning, and I can see the bottom very clearly in the goldfish pond!!!

Yep, can see wrinkle in the liner, and a couple of the landscape stones that tumbled in at one point or another. And, the reflection of the oak tree, too. Fish were about 1' from the bottom, looked like, and can see them, too. Spotted another of my Shubunkin babies I put in from the aquarium, so now just have not seen 3 of them for the last 2 weeks. Hoping to spot them soon, too!
And, my koi pond is clearer after the water change, I can see the lily pots, which could not clearly see at all until this morning, so I'm hoping that the water changes have helped, and maybe the bacteria will be up and going soon, too. Seems by afternoon the water is not as clear, so will check again this afternoon as well.
JW, I tried to like Addy's posts this morning on 2 different posts, and could not on either of them! Darn it! Maybe I have liked too many things on those posts ... going to try to find another post to like something in and see if I'm allowed. Otherwise, I'm doomed to "likes" until tomorrow I guess. :sad: :grumble: :sad: