Country Escape's 2nd pond - Goldfish only

[sissy]

koi do that ,they will just pick at a plant until they destroy it .Mine lotus are growing slow but bright green and realized I have them near the front porch and that does not get sun until after 3 pm and never realized it until yesterday .geeze dummy :razz:

 

[CountryEscape]

Haha, you're sure not a dummy, Sissy! The plants let you know if they need things, and you figured it out! My lotus looks really sad. Lots of brown leaves, about 10 green leaves, tiny leaves, it's a "bowl" variety. Wonder if I have it in too deep of water ... thanks to the 6 or 7" of rain I've gotten in the last couple of weeks. Need to bale out some of it again. Will wait and see if it survived the winter. May set the pot down into the pond, but then won't be able to lift it out, so probably will just bring it into the garage for winter when it gets cold.

 

[addy1]

She said they have bloomed for her through ice, almost makes me want to leave them in, but our extended cold is longer than hers. Not sure. If I kill them off guess could buy new ones next year and then make sure they come in for the winter.

 

[humbirdlover]

CE, you have done an amazing job on your ponds. Read all the way thru on this thread, but need to find your first one and read that. You are truly an inspiration and give new meaning to "never give up" Your ponds are absolutely beautiful!..

 

[CometKeith]

CE, When I went on the pond tour earlier this year one guy had two of the smallest water hyacinths you have ever seen. He complained that they don't grow like the old ones and was really disappointed. They were in a bog area of his waterfall. We started talking some more and he mentioned to me that he really likes clean water. So much in fact that he clean his filter every day and gives it a good hosing off so even the tiniest bit of impurity gets filtered out. See the connection?

 

[CountryEscape]

CE, you have done an amazing job on your ponds. Read all the way thru on this thread, but need to find your first one and read that. You are truly an inspiration and give new meaning to "never give up" Your ponds are absolutely beautiful!..

OMG, HBL, if you "read" all the way through, I am impressed! My other thread is "The Pond Dig Has Begun". I'll post something to it so it's closer to the top and you can find it easier. I think it's also under Pond Construction. That was my first pond, this is my second. And, thanks for the kind words. Remember, I'm by myself, no schedule except work, and can work when I feel like it, and when I start a project, I like to see it through to completion. But, it helps that I have no others to tend to for meals, laundry, etc. LOL
Keith, then maybe that lady was right! My hyacinths are as healthy and large as yours, and blooming in the huge pots I have them in. There is kitty litter in the bottom, and I give them a dose of Miracle Grow every now and then, so maybe they like that better. Anyhow, next year, I'll buy fewer, put them in the pots, and let them have at it. I will also find out if the very hot days of summer will do them in as that may also have been a problem. However, when I moved them into the bucket of water, it got very hot, hotter than the ponds, and they still survived and grew better. So, thinking the need for nutrients is the key here. More poop, more fertilizer, etc. I never clean out my filters, only rinse out my skimmer filters every now and then.

 

[humbirdlover]

Yep, CE, I sure did. You went thru a lot. Did you ever figure out what happen to your fish? I know how you feel, i only had one shubunkin "Butt Ugly". when I cleaned my pond out to get rid of the darn rocks in the bottom, and the nasty muck, he disappeared. Never did find any trace of him. I pumped the water out slow, and tried to keep a head count, but I only have a 450 gal pond, so it's a mystery. I'll go see if I can find your first thread, and again, great job!

 

[CountryEscape]

Nope, never did figure out what happened to that beautiful red and white fantail! It's the only one for sure I know has gone missing, others I have several that look alike, and too many, too, so never miss them. Tonight, while at Wal-Mart, decided to check out their fish supply. Actually had a tri-colored koi, although I don't need any koi! It was prettiest they have ever had. Others are just blah! BUT, I found 3 red and white fantails, very long tails, and I just splurged and got them! Could have easily bought 4 or 5 more, too. They must have just gotten them, as they were all swimming along merrily and looking VERY healthy. In fact, not a dead fish in any of the tanks. They must have someone that knows how to keep fish at my Wal-Mart, as they are always doing really well and no dead fish. The feeder goldies tank sometimes has dead or floaters, but not today. And, it was full! I figure the shipment just came in. Anyhow, here are the new babies! They are about 2.5" long plus the tails. I figure the mostly white will show up better than the more orange/red ones they also had.

I was extra thrilled to see the red eyes on them, too.

 

[humbirdlover]

they are so pretty! I have never had those. Congrads on your new babies :goldfish:

 

[j.w]

Those are beauties CE,love the patterns and the tails!

 

[mtpond]

Pretty fish ce.

 

[CountryEscape]

Thanks! The one, center on the first pic, right on the second pic, has kind of a "stripe" of red down it's side, which was really neat to view from the side, although doesn't show up nearly as well from above. Still was a neat pattern. And, didn't really notice the red above the eyes which show up as red eyes from above, until they were in the bucket. Didn't see any of them this morning, checked skimmer, no fish. They always hide for the first week, and with my lilies, there are lots of places to hide. Will be patient to see them maybe this weekend. I'm out of food! OMG!!! I'm going to go to the pet shop in town and see if they will sell me the remnants of the fish food they put in little zip loc bags and charge about $6 for. Last year they sold me what would have probably filled 20 zip loc bags or more, for $12!!! Yep, I'll see if I can buy what they have left again. Hope they have some left, otherwise will find some on sale at Menards.

 

[Fishylove]

Lol don't yah love finding bargains?!
Beautiful fantails CE, that one in the center looks like he has flames on his tail

 

[CountryEscape]

I'm hoping to get a sighting of one of them today; however, the ponds have been going between 59 and 64 last few days, getting in the 50's at night air temp, so they may stay low and out of sight. Yeah, they have not only neat markings, but super long tails. The one with the stripe has a really tall "hump", taller than the other two, which you don't notice difference at all from above. Wish I would have taken pics in the aquarium at WM or in a glass bowl here, but oh well! The pic I took is what I will see from now on. Lots of really nice goldfish in my pond, lots that I will need to sell or give away NEXT YEAR! Didn't get any gone this year, since I moved them from koi pond to goldfish pond, but next year will be a MUST DO. Also have learned need to get that done before the pond lilies start growing, so when water is colder, hoping to be able to catch them while they are still somewhat lethargic and not moving so fast. Put wetsuit on and get in there! LOL

 

[sissy]

what cute butt wigglers