My pond progression( DIY Skippy, inherited pond renovation)

[sissy]

[sharedmedia=core:attachments:51120]I use api I got at pet mountain and I buy my activated charcoal there and I use crushed oyster shells

 

[ponder630]

I use api I got at pet mountain and I buy my activated charcoal there and I use crushed oyster shells

I've seen API test kits so I may go with that.

What is the idea behind using crushed oyster shells? Is that to make your water harder to buffer against PH swings? I think my water is really hard where I am at and wondering if that is something I may need in the future or not since I do have hard water.

 

[ponder630]

After 3 days of the Skippy running the fine silt is now gone and my water is really clear. The last two days we've had temperetures in the 70-80's and normally when it gets that sunny and hot I can count on coming home with algae floating on top. I just saw 3-4 small clumps now. I hope that's the sign that the filter is doing what it's supposed to do!

I also decided today to take the old fountain filter box I used to have and replaced the foam with some aquarium fiber to really get out all the debris. What do you all think later on of using the same fountain filter box and putting activated carbon to clear up the tannins in there or are water changes my best option?

I decided to drain out half the filter through my backflush and saw the dirty black water so the settlement of fine debris is working and filled the pond with some fresh water and I have less bubbles now. The fish tonight were very active and even chasing each other around. The fish seem more active/happier it seems. (Or it could just be the warmer temps!)

Here's some pictures after 3 days with the filter running and a video, seems like you can see the clarity better in the video.

 

[ponder630]

If you go to walmart the vegetable isle they sell potted herbs .I use them and the grasses work great and so do elephant ears and cannas .Lemon grass is great too ,smells fantastic also and sucks up the bad stuff

Sissy, how do you use the lemongrass? I see them selling it in stalks here, do you just put them in an aquatic planter in some pea gravel? I plan on using a canna in my floating planter this year. I read somewhere on this forum that canna's are a big nutrient hog.

 

[addy1]

Nice, your water is clearing up great! Grasses, rush, sedges, most plants will help suck up the nutrients supplied by the fish poo.

 

[ponder630]

One week into the DIY biofilter resulted in crystal clear water and a very nasty biofilter. I don't know how Skippy can advise not to clean the filter! I am glad I built in a bottom drain to backflush, there was so much debris and deitrus. If anyone is building a biofilter based off the Skippy design, I highly recommend you putting some sort of drain to help with the water changes, it is so easy now.

I also started to rock everything in and make it into more of a smaller waterfall with a bunch of rocks to trickle down to help with aeration. One thing that stinks is I ran out of rocks/cobble. I also laid down some weed barrier and spread out some meramec pebbles so I dont have all that growth from the existing creeping jenny(I think). I was so busy I forgot to take some pictures of the progress, but finally after relaing after a hard days work, I took some night time pictures of the waterfall.


And for those who ever wonder why you are so tired after working on your pond, I wore my heart rate monitor to see how much energy I expend moving all the rocks and boulders - 3803 calories burned in 5 hours of ponding. Gives us an excuse to monkey with our ponds, we can say its exercise!

 

[sissy]

Yep lemon grass in Asian markets as long as it has the end on it it will grow roots .Your plants will hide your hoses after they grow in .Crushed oyster shells i use to stabilize the ph and i use activated charcoal in my filters too

 

[Carolyn22]

And for those who ever wonder why you are so tired after working on your pond, I wore my heart rate monitor to see how much energy I expend moving all the rocks and boulders - 3803 calories burned in 5 hours of ponding. Gives us an excuse to monkey with our ponds, we can say its exercise!

Very, very nice -

I wish my husband would go back to moving things around the pond. I had hoped with the start of the ponding season that he would be more active again. Since he started wearing his heart monitor, he doesn't do anything that will elevate the heart rate - can't tell him anything either.

 

[addy1]

Looking good! Now I know why I eat double what my husband eats....pond work

 

[sissy]

know what you mean carolyn since hubby has been sick the last couple of years and had a heart attack in November he has gotten worse and now i am stuck with every thing .House work and all the yard work

 

[Carolyn22]

Me too Sissy. It's harder to watch them than it is to have to do everything. :frown: I hope things work out ok with your husband....

 

[sissy]

I am used to it because my husband traveled a lot and it was all left to me in our other houses except I didn't have 3 acres to tend too and I was younger .He had a stent put in but has breathing problems .He was lucky heart surgeon was at the hospital when I got him there because they lost him 5 times .I keep telling him he still needs some exercise but they never listen .He has a heart monitor he has to wear .I never understood why it seems some women are stronger than men .Look at addy and JW and CE and Colleen .

 

[Carolyn22]

Wow, Sissy. I see myself there. I have been on him to follow the instructions from his doctor = seems he has a reason for everything as to why he does not have to do what the doctor wants him to do. I finally came to conclusion that it just doesn't matter what I say. He is going to do what he wants to do anyway.

 

[sissy]

true all so true ,they know it all .I was born in PA and raised in NJ .My family is from the Berwick area .I retired here and love the milder temps .I just don't like cold but don't want hot all the time or the storms .Have you lived all your life in PA

 

[gardengimp]

Wow, Sissy. I see myself there. I have been on him to follow the instructions from his doctor = seems he has a reason for everything as to why he does not have to do what the doctor wants him to do. I finally came to conclusion that it just doesn't matter what I say. He is going to do what he wants to do anyway.

I listen to my FIL and realize what I'm going to be in store for in 20 years. Heck, even sooner, cuz hubby dearest already has the 'I don't want to so I'm not going to' syndrome really badly. You would think after watching the miracles the doctors managed keeping me alive, and even getting me walking again that it would make him more interested in listening to his doctor. Instead, it seems to have made it worse for him to tend to his own health.