Pouring rain -- pond is almost at flood stage....again!

[Mmathis]

We've had sooooo much rain over the past couple of months! I [so far] don't have a drain or "depression" in the liner to take care of over-flow, but that's certainly going to be my next project. Every time it rains like this -- and it is COMING DOWN! -- I have to drain it down via the Skippy. Then it rains again..... Geesh!

Almost afraid to even check my water parameters.

Just hope no fishies get caught up in the rocks, float out, or are victims of lightening tonight. Oh, and the lightening is the kind with simultaneous thunder -- REALLY close by!

At least we still have power.....and the cats are staying calm.

 

[mrsclem]

Ya- we have yet another line of storms getting ready to hit. I have dumped filters to lower pond levels but my stock tanks are overflowing and I am losing my duck weed and azeola! big storms rolled thru last night so of course the koi spawned again! That's 10 spawns in 2 months!

 

[addy1]

My fish are spawning non stop I have never seen so many fry in the pond And I do not feed them just so they will eat the eggs!

 

[Mmathis]

Oh, no! Spawning?

 

[addy1]

babies everywhere, pretty ones too!

 

[Mmathis]

Does the rain do that? I thought it was water temperature......

 

[Big Lou]

Best wishes to all. We went through weeks of severe weather and record setting rains earlier on.

 

[Dave 54]

Yes heavy rains and thunderstorms seem to press our koi and goldfishes mating buttons Maggie if your pond overflows will it soak into the ground either side of the pond .
Be aware that mass spawning can really mess with your water perameters especially ammonia levels , from the people I know that have had spawnings it catches you unawares and you can acctually smell the amonia released into the pond,
However you keep goldfish and no koi so the levels may well be less but another warning the eggs have a habit of playing havoc with your filters with any free floating eggs ending up clogging te works up .
As long as your aware of this happening means you can be ready to act if this does happen .
We have another bout of thunder storms heading towards us but I'm more than paranoid about lightening striking in the same place twice

Dave

 

[mrsclem]

I had heavy ammonia smell and increased levels with the first 2 spawns. Since then the water has been testing fine but then we also have had so much rain the ponds overflow daily. It's raining again this morning! Can't do any yard work and the house is clean- what to do?? Going to set up sale tanks for koi and plants as well as a tank to start culling fry. Want to send this rain to California where it is needed.

 

[Timothy]

Being on a well we welcome the rain. I have a system rigged up to the roof were I essentially get a 2 1/2" ratio. (If we get an inch of rain, it amounts to 2 1/2" in the pond. 1" direct to the pond, then another 1 1/2 from the roof directed to the pond.) I guess I never realized the correlation between the rain and spawning, but it happens around here too. Sounds like a coming-of-age "B" movie script........."Aw, come on Goldie, we may get struck by lightening at any moment, lets do this before we die!"

Seriously, what is the reason? Chemistry, (of the water!), or something else? I know hormones, but what triggers them?

 

[Nepen]

I hear your pain. We have rain here every 2-3 days or sometimes everyday so I have not been able to test my evaporation rate yet. And we do not have grass yet so all the mud come into the pond and when the pond clear up, it rain agaiN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And good thing I only have 2 girls and 1 boy who's big enough to spawn in the pond so I dont have a lot of spawning yet. They did it twice since the new pond...

 

[Mmathis]

@Dave 54 Pond is partially [by maybe 10-12"] above ground level and yes, overflow water will soak into the ground. Have never withnessed spawning or post-spawning, so no idea what to expect. I will keep in mind to check my water.

@Big Lou Yes, and thank you! You guys usually get it a few hours before we do, depending on the direction of travel, or course.

@Nepen With us, rain is usually all or nothing. But this has been an unusually wet year so far. Great for the water bill, and all the flooding [nearby] is keeping Mr. GBH away from my pond.

@Timothy [my Hubby's name, BTW] LOL! Sounds like something a guy would come up with..... I've never heard it said as to what triggers spawning -- warming of the water was all I know about. I do know that [I have box turtles] box turtles are more likely to mate following a rain storm. My personal interpretation -- not based on anything scientific -- is that the ground will be softer and moist following a rain. Those conditions would 1) make it easier for a female to dig her nest, and 2) moist ground would be more conducive to egg incubation [humidity] -- at least with my type of boxies. And of course, this would be [I'm sure] related to barometric pressure, etc. and something that's written in their genetic code -- preservation of the species.

 

[Mmathis]

I did go out last night after the lightening stopped, but before total darkness, for a brief inspection. Couldn't find where any fish floated out. I went ahead and let some water out, but just a little bit, and slowly -- I didn't want any fish getting trapped in rocks from the high tide.