My goldfish pond

[addy1]

okay, I started today. It may end in divorce...

lol, I doubt it. That will be nice

 

[CometKeith]

Addy, You were right! This was the end result.

 

[j.w]

You chickened out Keith!

 

[CometKeith]

Nope, my wife was really upset when she got home and my daughter asked if she could have a swimming party. They both felt it was going to take up too much of our yard and they were probably right. Now I need a plan B...

 

[j.w]

Ok so just on hold...............where there is a will there is a way!

 

[addy1]

Get out the garden hose and have her and your daughters input in to the new pond size, with tweaking allowed

 

[CountryEscape]

Good idea, Addy. You may find something that everyone will like, and the fish will enjoy anything you come up with. Have them come and talk and give input, then you won't be in trouble, you will be following directions they gave you. Good luck!!!

 

[CometKeith]

Thanks for all the input! I think for now I'll just fix it up the area around it. Maybe put in some landscaping rocks, a few berms, and some more flowers around it. My wife mentioned to me she was planning on buying a bench for me to sit in front of the pond for father's day. Maybe there will be an addition at some time, but I think I'm going to table it for now. The one advantage of goldfish versus Koi is I'm not forced to do anything because they are getting too big. She did mention maybe I should put in a bridge or some sort of water feature like making the waterfall bigger so I may think of something else. Maybe adding a small preform to make a bog or build a small stream. I did add a few tadpoles, some pond plants, and a few trap door snails earlier today so not all was lost!

 

[addy1]

Compromise, keeps a marriage going. You can't snuggle with your pond at night.............well unless you like being really wet.

 

[CometKeith]

ugh, I have some sick fish. I checked my ammonia readings and it was too high and did a big water change. I think the hot weather from last month got the fish active and eating algae and the temps have been too cold lately for the pond to cycle and metabolize their waste. We have had some nights in the 30's and several days in a row that stayed below 50 degrees. I haven't fed them at all yet so I thought they should have been okay. Now I have to decide if I do salt baths for the sick fish or something else. I did put some salt in the pond today too.

 

[j.w]

Real sorry to hear this Keith and hope the salt and water changes help. Don't want to see you lose any of them.

 

[addy1]

Darn keep us posted, sorry to hear that. Good luck

 

[CountryEscape]

Hmm ... I lost one of my baby koi last week, it had been somewhat lethargic for about a week. Others seem to be ok, although I stare at them all the time, worrying about them, since the water is still so murky looking. Did about a 15-20% water change yesterday, and this morning don't see any change in the water quality. I have stopped feeding, and was only feeding when the water temps were above 55, and that was not for very long, but worry like you that I started something I should not have. Last that I was feeding, it was only 2X a week. Water temp yesterday a.m. was 53. Not going to feed them until really warm temps come back, and look like they are going to stay.
I have company coming in from out of state Memorial Day weekend and the 2 weeks after that (sister and niece, then daughter, then Mom and her boyfriend), so sure am hoping things get cleared up by then! That will be a full 2 months after it went murky.
Keith, do you have plants in your pond? I thought you did, and wondering about how much salt can be used and still safe for the plants?

 

[j.w]

Sorry for your koi loss also CE. Maybe it was just a weak little one w/ health problems it was born with. I mean that can happen just as in people. We always try to think it was something that went wrong w/ our ponds but sometimes it's just survival of the fittest.

 

[CountryEscape]

Yep, JW, and he was the one that jumped out twice within the first 3 hours or so of his arrival here in December and placement in the pool in the basement. Poor guy, but sure seemed to be very healthy, until about a week ago. I'm watching everyone closely. Shamu, my largest kio, has a few scales missing at the base of his tail. He had this already last year, just a few, and then a few more. Now, it's not bad, but seems like maybe a couple more scales missing. Shamu is on the top right of the pic with his tail about center of picture. The light gray looks to be missing scales.

Besides his jumping out of the water twice 2 weekends ago, I've not noticed him to do any rubbing on anything. I don't have anything in the pond that he could be swimming into to rub his tail on, but there may be a landscape stone on the bottom that he has rubbed on, but he would have to be doing that on purpose. None of the stones are such that he could get caught under them and rub off scales trying to get free.