The pond dig has begun!

[sissy]

I try to look at things with a different eye .They had them end of season at walmart for 50 cents had to think of a few ways to use them .I know some cut them up for there bio filters but that is something I didn't need .These have large holes and fit perfectly around my hoses and if you want protection for your electric wires they are great for that too .Just slice them with a razor knife or a kitchen knife .

 

[addy1]

Well you do good sissy, I tend to do the same. Always tweaking things to fix something, using as needed to get to the end.

 

[koiguy1969]

Koiguy I think so as the floaty is much too big to stick in the hose unless there is something I am missing. So you must have to carve a hole in the floaty on both ends and hope the hose stays in there tight?

j.w..like i said "the hose goes in the floaty ends" not the other way around. every 'swim noodle' ive ever seen has a hole thru it......

 

[CountryEscape]

OK, I need guidance. On my inside aquariums, I feed twice a day. What do I do with the koi? With just the goldies in there, I was feeding every morning, while I watched and counted them. I know some are saying not to feed so much, causes unclear water. I already have green water, so sure don't want to overfeed. However, I just added some really pretty koi, and I know they were being fed at their prior home. So, what is the rule of thumb for feeding this time of year? I have koi pellets that are pretty small, however, the feeder goldies cannot fit them in their mouth, and seems the 4 small koi can't either, but I'm sure they bite bits off at a time.

 

[fishin4cars]

First off, you want a pellet that can comfortably be eaten. Nibbling on pellets will leave food not eaten. Until the pond has cycled and is balanced once or twice a day is plenty to feed. You want all food eaten within one or two minutes with none being left over.
I've read that koi need to eat a % of their body weight daily. This is true if you want large growth, however feeding lightly at this point is far more important for pond balance than the growth of the koi. Make sure you get a good quality Koi food. the better the quality of food the more that is retained and used by the fish and the less is wasted/pooped in to the water column.
I often feed 5-6 times a day but always feed a handful that can be eaten in a matter of seconds not minutes. But my pond is well established and balanced, I also do not feed on Monday's, one day a week I do not feed so that the fish can empty their contents and feed off of what is in the pond naturally. This is also suppose to help in preventing dropsy as cleaning the inside of the fish also clears out any food in the intestines and the bacteria are therefor cleaned out and internal infections are far less likely. A big key to feeding is watch your ammonia, if ammonia jumps up later in the day after feeding then there isn't enough bacteria to cope with the amount of waste being produced. One more thing I think is important to mention, Koi once comfortable with their owner appear to always be hungry, however it's not hunger it's attention. Many koi have survived in ponds for weeks and months without being fed at all. You won't hardly starve a fish in a pond, there is always things in there for them to eat so allow this somewhat for your ponds benefit. More people/newbies kill fish each season by over feeding then all ponders kill by starving.

 

[CountryEscape]

Thanks for the pointers, Fishin. I will continue with feeding just once a day, and skip a day of the week as well. I didn't know about the skipping a day, and that seems to make lots of sense. I bought the koi food at PetSmart, and it was specificallly for koi, and more expensive that some they had. I agree, better quality makes less poop. I've proven that fact with both dog and cat food as well. Cheap is NOT better! You often use more cheap and get far more waste than you need in the better quality. Do you or anyone have a brand that is known to be good quality, and available? What do you recommend that I get for the smaller koi? I can get fresh good quality food from the pet store I go to, but it is not floating type. I use it for my aquarium. He has many types for veges and protein, etc. I assume I should stay with koi food, but I don't need food for fry, just smaller koi, and these pellets seem really small, but they are not able to swallow them. Now, the bigger fish, like Shamu, yeah, they vacuum them up! I'm glad it's ok to feed at least once a day (I do feed a little when I want to show the fish to friends, too) since I really enjoy watching them come up. So far, all of the new koi come up to feed, and I see all my goldies, too, except one little one.

 

[fishin4cars]

For now use good quality Goldfish floating pellets for the samll ones, They will work just fine, Hikari is a good brand that is available at petsmart, I use a mix of Blueridge, and Hikari Gold for koi, But I mix all kinds of things in, Mine love Honey nut cheerios, left over white steamed rice, baby peas, and citrus pulp with the seeds removed, Also really like small pieces of wheat bread and freeze dried krill (Brings out the red and oranges in the fish). Do not feed these as a only food, but more as treats but unlike aquariums it won't effect water clarity like in a fish tank.
I would wait feeding some of the items that sink until you can see the bottom of the pond so you can watch and make sure they are eating the sinking items.

 

[sissy]

I sometimes do not feed my fish for a week and just give them attention without the food .I makes them understand the difference .I can go out there now and they can tell there is going to be no food .I keep there food in a bright blue container and show it to them and shake it and they know it.s feeding time .If I don't show them the container and shake it they seem to know it is just social time .Remember this is after 7 years of doing this and never changing my habit .Container means food no container means attention .I have never changed the bright blue container I show them and I never change what I do when I have the container .I always shake it in front of them and show it to them .It takes time

 

[CountryEscape]

OK, here is what I have started, just getting an idea of where the waterfall will be and how it will run. The idea is to swing the waterfall in a curving stream instead of a straight shot, as originally planned. I don't usually do anything straight, love curves much better, more natural. So, the pic with the boxed in area is where the filter container will go. That will be the top of the waterfall and highest point. The water will then (hopefully) flow forward, then curve to the left, away from the pond, then back toward and into the pond.
The good thing that I've mentioned in another thread, is that I have extra liner to the right of the box area, which is right next to the bog, which is somewhat out of that picture on the right side. I think before I get everything concrete and fixed, I'm going to see how much of that liner can be used to expand the bog and how much is needed for the waterfall stream. I'm excited to get to expand the bog area, now that I realize it should have been larger to begin with! And, since the waterfall area can be moved and shifted, as it's not set, we'll see how much I can add to the bog. The other picture shows the waterfall area from the opposite side, closest to the deck, with the landscape stones being used for the retaining wall. It will be higher, just can't continue until I figure everything out, and then rent a block splitter to get it done correctly when I lay the stones for the final appearance.

 

[addy1]

That will look very nice!

 

[j.w]

Your getting closer to the finish line if there is such a thing w/ all of our ponds. Yep it will look nice when you are done

 

[CountryEscape]

Thanks Addy and JW. Yes, it's getting closer, and things keep popping up that make it all the more interesting, like the frog. And, the things we do to make everything happy. LOL I hope the flood lights are bright enough to get some bugs attracted for the bullfrog. If not, then I will use them somewhere else. Want to put in underwater lights, too .... in time. First priority is to get the bog redug and expanded, then get the waterfall done and cover up the dirt! I have bought plants that I want to plant along the waterfall hill, so I need to get moving!

 

[taherrmann4]

Countryescape the lights I have around my pond are 20w and they attract quite a few bugs, the frogs even sig by the lights and wait for the bugs to come. I guess it is like a bufffet for frogs.

 

[CountryEscape]

Great! The two that I put up are solar, so I always think they will not be as bright. We will see. They are LED, so that should help. Now, if I only had a good camera (or knew well enough how to use the camera I have!) to take pictures at dusk, maybe I could get some good videos of frogs eating bugs. That would be a fun video! But, seems no matter what setting I have the camera on, the pics are somewhat blurry. Daughter says I move, and maybe I do!

 

[fishin4cars]

Little trick, camera works better during the day, unless close up, video works better at night if there is light shining down on the fish. Even little point and shoot cameras work fine. Solar lights do attract some bugs. I have a halogen 150 watt light pointing down into the pond from the front of the deck so it's pointed away from me. I do have three 20wt LED lights in the pond and look great when installed but after a while They need cleaning and get water in some. I prefer a nice overhead light to light up the feeding area. By biggest bullfrog sits right above the light if I'm not out there. When i go on the deck he jumps in the pond and about 5 minutes later appears in a potted plant about 3 feet away from me. he even gets a cheerio or two every now and then when I throw some in for the fish. never grabs them off the water always when they are in the air. lol