stuck in green stage?

[callingcolleen1]

Are you OK?

 

[HARO]

In Indonesia they build their outhouses over the ponds. They raise Giant Gouramies in those ponds for human consumption. No other food is given to the fish. It seems Indonesian peasants are way ahead of this caterpillar dung thing. Have a nice day!
John

 

[Shdwdrgn]

Tilapia is also raised on animal waste, then sold to us. Ugh. Although I suppose if there were a smaller fish that was hardy, it would be a great addition to help balance out our ponds.

 

[callingcolleen1]

Wow, thanks John. That is very interesting. Your very right, those people are ahead of our western way of thinking. Reminds me of this guy from Dunmore, Alberta, that invented this stuff called Shac. The stuff came in a bottle and inside was this black liquid. This was originally invented for septic systems. (Out houses). You put this stuff in and the smell would go away. They started selling this stuff for ponds too. It was most likely a very power full enzime of some type. It would break down the waste very quickly. I thru in a bottle 10 years ago into my pond on top of all the other pond bacteria that I used years ago. Its really amazing how my pond eats all the waste. The leaves and other natural things that fall in the pond just disapears and after 20 years my pond really takes care of itself. The water is crystal clear, and the sludge at the bottom of the pond compacts and disapears too. My fish don't live in a dirty pond like some people think. People always ask me how do I keep my pond so clean, I tell them now it cleans itself. It took years to get water striders, leeches, red strange thin worms and other aquatic bugs to colonize in my pond. But really, its not rocket science, its just nature.
HAVE A VERY NICE DAY JOHN

 

[callingcolleen1]

I happen to love Tilapia, they taste great and I enjoy eating them too. They never taste fishy, they can be raised in a back yard pond. I watched a show where this guy converted his swimming pool into a pond and a greenhouse. He raises them for food and his whole family eats them too. Tilapia is a sustainable fish that we should all eat! I wonder if they are cold water fish or tropical?

 

[Waterbug]

people once thought that putting barley into the pond was weird too, and now look, they sell it everywhere!

I still think putting barley into a pond is weird. University of Florida, University of Nebraska, Maryland Cooperative Extension, Purdue University, and Ohio State University Extension all think it's "weird" too, if I may paraphrase.

Kind of a lot of stuff sold everywhere, bought by millions of people and most of them think its the greatest thing on earth...at least for some time period. Remember the Atkins diet?

 

[callingcolleen1]

I like the atkins diet but that's another topic to debate.
Farmers have used barley for their ponds for many years. I think its good, pond peat is better, but I know caterpiller dung is best. I have used the peat and barley in the past, before I discovered what the caterpillers have to offer. I always tell my friends that someday I'm going to spread a sheet under the trees and catch the dung and sell it. It falls from the tree into my pond each year. When the caterpillers are at their peak cycle in the larvae stage, mass amounts are dropped. At this time the pond water will turn a deep golden clear color. The color fades fast when the caterpillers stop eating. All these products are natural fungicides. Fungus is deadly for fish eggs and fish, as infections are to humans. These products also dye the water naturally, filtering out the suns hot spectrum. All natural ponds in nature have trees and all trees around here have caterpillers, and the local ponds at the park here have lots of fish, frogs and other aquatic life. These products also lower the Ph and condition the water. High Ph combined with natural waste can lead to ammonia problems. These products are all natural and in accordance with nature. I really don't care what some university says about barley and peat. They have made many mistakes and I doubt anyone their has had a pond running not stop for a 20 years experment like I have. I must be doing it right, otherwise the dragonfiles would'nt hatch each year out of my pond iris, the water striders would not colonize within the pond and eat the bad aphids off my lillys and the fish would'nt live happily for over 20 years. Look at the experts and all their dumb drugs mistakes, one after another! I could go on and on about the dumb mistakes the so called experts have made, but that's another topic!

 

[callingcolleen1]

I back, sorry if I sounded cranky last nite, I think I was. I try to be objective, so I looked at one site that you recommended. They said to use copper (they admit is toxic to aquatic life) and I thought to myself, yea I'll get right on that! Needless to say I quit reading the crap they were recommending cause its not my style of water gardening. So much for the experts,"use toxic chemicals, its all good", right! That's why I don't like alot of these so called experts. I'm pretty sure I could teach them a "thing or two".
I do every thing at home and in the garden as natural as possible. No toxic anything here. I'll spend the extra money and by organic and all natural everything (shampoo, soap, lotion, everything) Remember the "experts" from 1950 said asbestos was so good we put it in all the schools and hospitals! And don't even get me started on DDT!
Have a nice day, and try the "organic way"!

 

[Waterbug]

Farmers have used barley for their ponds for many years.

A few farmers allegedly put barley straw in their ponds. 99.9999% of farmers don't.

Then again, they may have just told some city slicker they put barley in their pond to see if they'd believe it. 100% of farmers do that.

 

[micaaronfl76]

update- i took a few more pics one of the stream and one of the pond itself, does this look good? i was told the balling up was a good sign.

 

[j.w]

Looks clear as a bell mica!

 

[micaaronfl76]

actually only got that picture when the sun was beating down, u can barely see the fish unless there close to the surface. when the pond lights are all it glow green, i posted to see if the algae is good thats on the rocks and hopefully the green stage will end.

 

[j.w]

That algae looks like the short fuzzy stuff and is very good for your pond and fish. If you want to hurry the green in the water away you can put a basket of that white batting for pillows under your falls or a hose from a pump flowing over it and clean it when dirty and keep putting it in and so on and so on or did we already mention that to ya?

 

[micaaronfl76]

no i never heard of doing that i might give it a few more days and try it if it doesnt clear on its own, the second pump i have is being used for the UV

 

[j.w]

Did you mean the second pond you have is being used w/ the uv? You could just use the uv when done on the other one. Or if you meant the uv is in there then I don't know why it isn't working. Never used one myself, never had to but hear it works for some.