New system working just fine :)

[moby]

Hello everyone, just a line to say that my new system that was installed by my family is working a treat. I can now see my fish! I bought a pressurised Bioforce Revolution 9000 filter which has an inbuilt 25watt UVC and combined that with the suggested Aquaforce 6000 pump, the pond is approx 1200g/5200lt. It's easy to clean the filter media and during the warmer months and until if began to significantly clear, I cleaned the filters once a week. It was a straightforward job for me to perform, just switch off, shove the hose onto the hosetail, switch the dial to drain, turn the handle 10 times clockwise and same anticlockwise restart the pump and let the dirty water flow onto the garden till it runs clear. Afterwards put all back to normal running mode, job done!
The water is crystal clear and my fish are nice and healthy (they were before, but they weren't that visible!) It just goes to prove how inefficient and undersized my old system was. My fish had grown so much over the years my old style box filter and pump just weren't able to deal with the load that was being placed upon them. Plus I have found over the years a strange phenomenon happens.... fish have a habit of jumping into plastic bags and coming home with me, lol! Anyone else familiar with it?
I got a fantastic deal from a supplier at a garden centre getting £30 knocked off his original asking price plus 20 metres of hose thrown in, then upon asking if that was his final 'final' price he dropped it by a further £20, total cost was £380, so I was really pleased. One of my s in laws finished off the pump house that my late hubby didn't get to finish and all is well so I can highly recommend this set up.
No doubt further fish will hitch a ride home in my vehicle, but at least I now know that the system can cope.....for a while anyway!

 

[peter hillman]

Beautiful pond, low easy maintenance. I love it!

 

[CeeJayH]

I'm glad you've found a system that works for you. Enjoy!

 

[addy1]

Fantastic! So glad to hear. I have had bags of fish show up somehow, it is a syndrome.

 

[moby]

Yes, it's good when something works as well as you hoped it would! Seems like the 'fish in a bag syndrome' works across the pond too!
I just now need to find a way of supporting the anti heron net off the water surface. I don't care for the netted look and much prefer it without but as there is a large heron population at a wildlife zoo in the locality I daren't leave my fish unprotected having lost several to these pesky birds before. It's stretched tightly and held down by rocks around the edge, but as this makes it hang close to the water, it does often dip into it, especially with all the rain we get here as you can see in the picture below. Plus, I'm always wary that it could pull a rock off the perimiter ledge and drop it into the pond which as they are natural sandstone and therefore irregular in shape, could damage my liner. The net is oversized so there is plenty of spare to work with if I can think of another way of raising it that would also look good....or am I just being fussy?!
I have both the golden and blue orfe varieties but have read online of a pink variety...anyone familiar with these?

 

[cas]

Nice pond @moby ! I don't have a problem with my net getting into the water, but the one side is about a foot higher than the other (which you can see in the picture). Maybe there is a way you can raise the one side a little?

I also use landscape stakes instead of stones to make sure the net is really tight.

 

[moby]

Nice pond too Cas! Looks almost identical to mine
I have at times had the net stretched over the edge nearest the raised rockery and onto the top of that wall, but it creates a problem of accessing the path along that side and also the left of the waterfall/stream for any maintainence. Having to release the net off that side can be a pain, especially as I'm now on my own, realise it's not a daily chore, but anything to make life easier and safer for me is best I feel. I have yet to join the ranks of the rest of the family who have all landed in the filled pond at some point, (my only time was when it was virtually empty during a major clean out)...but there always a first time so I don't want to add any more risk factors! I can see how your edge works, so if I could lay my hands on some more boulders and build up one of the other sides, that should be ok. I need to ask my late hubby's cousin who is a farm owner down the road to see if he can spare some drystone walling stones. I feel yet another project looming! The pond has a concrete surround under the liner to make the edge able to support the rocks better, so the stakes you suggest would also work providing they were clear of the concrete lip.
Thanks for taking time to respond and for your ideas, I appreciate any suggestions.

 

[cas]

Looks almost identical to mine

tee hee.... maybe that is why I liked it! I understand about not making it more work to get to your pond.
Other forum members have used stakes to raise their net, @j.w or @addy1 why don't you show a picture of how you have your pond netted.

 

[addy1]

I use a wide weave commercial fishing net. Gill net, holes around 4 in size. it is around 3-4 feet over the water. Draping down around a foot or so on the sides. I use fence stakes to hold it up over the water. The herons fly over every day, since I put up this net no heron sightings. Before this net, the heron landed almost every day. Even with low nets it visited.

 

[addy1]

What I like is it does not trap small birds, frogs, turtles, etc. It does not touch the ground, weave large enough to allow critters in and out, but heron out!

 

[j.w]

tee hee.... maybe that is why I liked it! I understand about not making it more work to get to your pond.
Other forum members have used stakes to raise their net, @j.w or @addy1 why don't you show a picture of how you have your pond netted.

Here is how I did the whole netting set up: https://www.gardenpondforum.com/threads/heron-netting-101.13205/#post-195419

 

[cas]

I hadn't seen that thread @j.w . Good explanation on how you did it, I am going to save that link.

 

[j.w]

@cas if you have any questions just ask away

 

[addy1]

@j.w you should write it up as a article. You did a real neat install, mine was not as neat due to the shape of my pond and slope build.

 

[Dave 54]

Yes, it's good when something works as well as you hoped it would! Seems like the 'fish in a bag syndrome' works across the pond too!
I just now need to find a way of supporting the anti heron net off the water surface. I don't care for the netted look and much prefer it without but as there is a large heron population at a wildlife zoo in the locality I daren't leave my fish unprotected having lost several to these pesky birds before. It's stretched tightly and held down by rocks around the edge, but as this makes it hang close to the water, it does often dip into it, especially with all the rain we get here as you can see in the picture below. Plus, I'm always wary that it could pull a rock off the perimiter ledge and drop it into the pond which as they are natural sandstone and therefore irregular in shape, could damage my liner. The net is oversized so there is plenty of spare to work with if I can think of another way of raising it that would also look good....or am I just being fussy?!
I have both the golden and blue orfe varieties but have read online of a pink variety...anyone familiar with these?
View attachment 88379

@moby you can buy nets with bungee strap supports across the length of the pond lifting it in the the middle up out of the water and bungee straps around the outer edges tightening it up from the outer edge so no preditors can gain axcess under the net however you may have to work out how to secure the rocks first [cement]?
They will work to your design and for durability you are talking around 6 years before a new net is needed .
So in a way no your not at all being fussy at all .
If your going to have a net then its best to get things right first time around dont you think .
Heres the link to them :-

http://int.search.tb.ask.com/search...816&st=bar&n=780c9640&searchfor=Norfine+nets+

Give them a ring and they will help you design your own net , we use 6mm Hexmex which keeps out leaves twigs etc
If you feel it will drag your rocks into the pond damaging the liner then why not secure them with cement or something else
Or as cas suggests put some ground stakes in the ground then run it over the pond before securing it in place .
I hope this helps you mate ?

Dave