Humbirdlover's Green Va. Pond

[humbirdlover]

Now this is why I need a filter

 

[addy1]

Pretty green color! I just filter with a bog, big bog and tons of plants, never have green water. A uv light would help with the green if you wish to put one in.
I don't use them, no need.

 

[humbirdlover]

Pretty green color! I just filter with a bog, big bog and tons of plants, never have green water. A uv light would help with the green if you wish to put one in.
I don't use them, no need.

Like the color, LOL Someone had suggested quilt batting, and I had been using it, but just finally gave up. I know absolutely nothing about bogs, or how to set one up. But where would I put it, and what about in the winter? I just got a few pond plants, and a clump of dwarf cattails from a friend. Haven't done anything with then yet, just sitting in the corner of the pond.

 

[addy1]

When I built my pond I built the bog to be the filter, so it was part of my plan. In the winter I just pull the pump (external) stick it in the basement, the bog freezes.
I keep air going in the pond to keep a hole open in the ice (well ice if we have a normal winter)

 

[humbirdlover]

I'm looking in your "pond in progress" thread now, absolutely beautiful! you have such a knack for arranging things that look so nice.. I really don't have a place to put a bog anyway, but guess I will drag the old tote back out and try the biofilter again. If I put it around the corner and build a box made out of weathered boards or whatever to hide it, it will be worth it, if it works.

 

[addy1]

Between the horrendous amount of pea gravel in the bog and the plants in and out of the pond, algae is a non issue for me. I like bio filters. There are a ton of filters, you just need to find what will work for you. Check the diy section, there are some good builds there for inexpensive filters.

My whole plan was based on
1) a slope therefore a stream plus stream ponds
2) a pond easy to care for therefore goldfish and shubunkins
3) plants! therefore a large bog to have a bunch of plants in and filter the pond (ease of care) The only care I give it is pulling extra plants.

The pond I do net the bottom, using a swimming pool net and pole. I do it twice a year, spring, for start up and fall after the trees drop their leaves. Ow I do nothing but enjoy it. The fall clean up takes about 2-3 hours, I sort all the leaves etc to toss back in snails, tads, dragonfly larvae and anything else living. So it takes some time lol

The land plants on the slope take more of my time than the pond ever does, esp when the weeds are going wacko in the spring.

 

[humbirdlover]

sounds like a dream, addy I have been messing with this pond for about 3 years, and this summer has been the worst. Not a lot to enjoy I think I have come to the conclusion that bigger is better, as far as naturalizing the area like yours, and the pond more or less having it's own eco system. But I have to deal with what I have. Love my little goldies, they have been thru some rough times, but still come to greet me, and beg. And it can't be because they are hungry, plenty of green for them, LOL I do feed them every couple days tho.. I think the lack of shade and no filtration except the pre filter to the pump has finally caught up to me. Thanks so much for responding, hope we can be friends. Hey, our states are next door, LOL

 

[sissy]

Why don't you get one of those plastic or fiberglass type looking wine barrels .The half planters and make that into you filter it would look really pretty .Even one of those galvinized tubs with that rubberized spray on liner stuff on the inside make your water spigot higher and the water going into the tub with pea gravel and plants or lava rock and plants .It would look cute .

 

[addy1]

I have nothing but sun, the lilies, once they grow, shade the water nicely. But even in early spring no algae shows up, either the fish eat it all, or the plants suck all nutrients out of the pond. I add tabs to the lilies off and on over the summer, they like the extra food. Early spring I put osmocote in the bottom of the pan for them. Even that has not created green water.

The large maple tree starts to shade the pond a little as the sun drops lower for winter, ow full sun morning until late evening. The first summer, with fish in the pond, the water did get to 88 degrees, this summer around 85, think the lily growth kept it cooler.

The stream ponds get some string algae, the water is warm and the stream only runs 3 times a day. (on a timer)

I used a whiskey barrel for a filter on one of my ponds, water fall from a spigot back into the pond. It does look nice (well I thought so lol)

 

[humbirdlover]

Why don't you get one of those plastic or fiberglass type looking wine barrels .The half planters and make that into you filter it would look really pretty .Even one of those galvinized tubs with that rubberized spray on liner stuff on the inside make your water spigot higher and the water going into the tub with pea gravel and plants or lava rock and plants .It would look cute .

Hmmm, brain is working again, LOL

 

[addy1]

Hmmm, brain is working again, LOL

working brain is a good thing

 

[humbirdlover]

Now, addy, minds think alike! sissy just suggested the whiskey barrel, LOL Will I come across a pic of that in your thread?

 

[addy1]

Now, addy, minds think alike! sissy just suggested the whiskey barrel, LOL Will I come across a pic of that in your thread?

nah a pond long ago, one of my first.

 

[j.w]

H-bird I think that you could use a lot more plants. Plants will compete for the nutrients.......ie. steal them away from the algae. You can have 70% plant coverage w/ lilies and potted plants too. Colleen swears by those reed/sedge plants. Says they suck up the nutrients like crazy. Get a good filter going of your choosing, also use the quilt batting and sooner or later the algae will leave. Course it always goes away usually in the winter when things cool down a lot. Not saying it will never come back again tho.

 

[humbirdlover]

I did get a Soft Rush yesterday, but didn't have enough grey clay to pot it, have to get some kitty litter. The bag I have has some lkind of fragrance stuff in it, and can't use it, altho it is clay. It was the only kind our our W'mart had. Need to get the dwarf cattails potted or something, they are just laying in the water. I was going to group them, with the sedge, water iris and bog bean over on the shelf. If I could come up with a way to contain some rocks on that shelf, I could almost have a bog of sorts? Oh and I found a water clover?