The pond dig has begun!

[CountryEscape]

Oh, Fishy, I was that way when I found Tarzan dead next to the pond. In my mind, he must have fallen in trying to get water when it was mostly frozen over, probably slipped on the edge, and Yukon maybe fished him out. I cried and cried, he was only 3 years old, and had taken a piece of my heart and wrapped it up tight! He was so smart, fetched his "toy" from down the stairs, retrieved it to me over and over. Never saw a cat like that before. He thought he was a dog. So, no, you are not weird. When my Boston pup got run over, freak accident, too, I picked him up and did the exact same thing. He was only 9 months old, it was MY responsibility to teach him about the road, although we almost never got traffic on our road. It was a farm truck, pulling anhydrous wagons, and he didn't know about the wagons, got under one of them. The guy was so sorry he thought the pup was going to wait on the other side of the road. My son was here, thank goodness, and told they guy it was not his fault. Just a very sad time here at my home, lost so many animals since I've been here, more than in my whole life total!
Had to laugh about Tolby piggy knowing you were sad, and staying close. Yep, animals know when we are sad. My inside cat, although she didn't seem to like Tarzan, and seldom wanted to go outside (he always wanted to go outside), now goes out a lot, I think she's still searching for him.
Water is running into the pond again this morning, and all fish seem to be fine. Bulges are hopefully going down some, and will go down more and more as the water increases on top of them. Learned a harsh lesson there, and will change the lines so that cannot happen ever again in the future.

 

[j.w]

Sorry fishy on losing your cat. I dread the day when one of mine leaves me. It is so sad to think of I can't bear it. Fortunately we live pretty far from busy roads and also had to collar mine w/ the Invisible fence kind cuz neighbor was complaining cats were getting his birds. Just as well now I guess as they stay home on our property but they sure miss going on safari into the woody brush across the way. Good boy Tolby for keeping near you in your distress.

CE good to hear all is getting back to normal w/ your pond and your fish are fine. Whew that was a close one for you and hope you can fix that line so that never happens again! How do you plan on preventing this? Might help others to know what not to do.

 

[sissy]

The problem with loosing a pet you raise is they become your children and we are responsible for there welfare ,health and safety . :sad:

 

[sissy]

How is your pond doing ce and has the bubble gone down .

 

[CountryEscape]

JW, my plan (even before this almost tragedy) was to make the waterfall water line go up the waterfall, hidden under the rocks, and that way if it ever broke, the water would flow right back into the pond. I can also take it up the inside edge of the waterfall (it is currently going up the outside edge) where there is liner underneath and again would drain back into the pond.
Sissy, here is what it looked like this morning,

and by tonight, the bulges are less than half what they were last night. I feel confident what you said that they will slowly go back down, either absorb the water into the ground, or the water and/or air will "burp" out up the sides of the pond, where it went in when the water level got so low.
This was the water line, just after it came out of the pond, and before it ran on the outside edge of the waterfall.

As you can see, the clamp is still in place, so not sure why the line pulled apart. Guess I need to tighten that clamp much tighter!
The water level is now over the lily pots in the one picture, so that gives you an idea of how much more water I added today. By tomorrow morning, I should have it full, but won't be turning on the waterfall until I relocate the line. Won't have to do much to just drop the pipe into the waterfall flow itself, so it will be easy for now. Will have to "hide" it later when it's warmer.

 

[sissy]

looks better than it did .I always over tighten my clamps because heat and cold expands and contracts the plastic .I also change out those plastic fittings every couple of years because they become brittle after awhile .I really try never to have a fitting connection that is out side the pond .I figure this way if they come loose they are inside the pond and no big deal .

 

[CountryEscape]

Well, the pond looked like the first pic when I got up this morning, after 2 different fill times yesterday. I have all but one lily pot totally back underwater. The water is running this morning, for another hour or so, then will shut it off again until this afternoon, fill another hour. I think I should have it topped off by this afternoon, but we shall see.

You can see on the pond edge where the green algae line is, where the water line should be. Wish it was warm enough to treat that algae with peroxide, but figure that won't do much to it this time of year.
No bulges left, Sissy, they are completely gone! I just hope the bullfrog got out of any fold he was in before it smooshed him. Saw him several times trying to find the best spot to hide. LOL

Fish are doing fine, hiding still, but I see the goldfish and a few of the koi swim around every now and then. It's a sunny day, so hoping the water warms up a little today for them. Sheet of thin ice was covering the ponds this morning, but nothing the sun won't take care of by afternoon. Not much wind, either, which is wonderful!!!

Thought you might like to see a funny picture of Barney. He lays like this a lot! He has gained quite a bit of weight, pretty much will eat twice a day now with the other dogs. I give him however much he will eat in that feeding, and when he is outside, I have another 20 oz cup of food available to him, although he's not been eating it lately. Guess getting two meals a day for sure is good enough for him now.

He heads to the vet in the morning for neuter, and shots and total check over. Then the Humane Society will pick him up Tuesday morning and take to their "no kill" facility. I will have to wait until Wed. to go visit him, as they are closed on Tues. Will be nice to see him there, and let him know I didn't discard him. :razz:

 

[sissy]

Funny pics won't get bigger they just freeze up something must be going on with the sight .Guessing you will need some quilt batting also to pick up the fine stuff so as the warm weather and sun come in you will not get a big algae bloom .Fresh water always seems to do that when that much is added .You could just take your loose hose and get a laundry basket and put it in your water fall and run hose into it .Seems well water cause the water to go pea soup green when sun hits it .Happened to my neighbors pond the other week as with all the rain and her adding water we had to use the quilt batting and now it is clear again .She turned on the hose and forgot to turn it off and pond overflow was working hard to get rid of all the excess water .

 

[CountryEscape]

Actually, my water is crystal clear to the bottom, you just can't tell that every well with the other pics. I looked and found 2 bullfrogs on the bottom. The big one was totally out in the open, so cute, but by the time I got the camera, he snuggled under the muck next to the milk crate that the bubbler is attached to on the shallower end of the pond.

Then I spotted another one, not as large, but next to one of the "garage" shelves I have lily pots on in the deeper end. You can see one of my large goldfish under the ice in the pic, too. Was not able to get a clear pic of the fish, need to know more about my camera to get clear underwater pics, I guess.

 

[sissy]

It may be clear but what happens as soon as the weather gets warm boom it happens .My neighbors was clear and we had those couple of days of over 60 degrees and her pond is in sun and she called saying it was turning real green .I had told her just to make sure after she did that to put the quilt batting and put it in just to suck up some of the excess nutrients and iron we get in our water and she forgot .It was almost pea soup green after just one day .The sun does a job on the water since the bio filters are not working yet .If they were working she may have been ok ,but you never know .She now has bought a filter for her hose ,it's really for a well and takes the charcoal filter things but works on a hose and she bought a shut off timer for her hose .

 

[sissy]

my focus on my camera is not so great anymore .

 

[sissy]

oh barney is in doggie heaven now .Looks like he is really comfy all sprawled out like that .My pit would do that too and so does murphy and guy ,I guess it is the pit bull sprawl :razz:

 

[CountryEscape]

Well, right now I don't have anything running again yet. Once I get the water level up to the skimmer, I'll turn it on and run the bog. Until I'm able to move the water line into the waterfall and stream, I won't be turning the Skippy back on for the waterfall. I haven't figured out a way to put the quilt batting in the waterfall, or where it falls over the edge. I would have to suspend or tie it to the rock that hangs over the edge, and would not want to put too much weight on the end of that rock, since if there is much to be caught, the batting will get heavy pretty fast. I've put the batting along the initial part of the waterfall, but if it gets clogged, it could cause the water to flow over the edge, too. One side is all liner underneath, so just have to angle it if any water needs to go around, it goes to that side. I guess I could put something in the little pool before the water goes over the waterfall, since the plants in there have not started to grow yet! That's an idea!

 

[CountryEscape]

Yep, Barney is sure in heaven, that's no doubt. When I'm sitting at my computer, in my recliner, he is never farther than I can reach. He stays very close to me, I guess that's the pit bull trait, too. Someone is going to be very happy with this dog when he becomes available for adoption, that's for sure. He is very loyal.

 

[sissy]

Any place in the water fall area is good just sitting there with the water moving through it will help .Now there are lots of nutrients that have been released and added .I the spring I put the big laundry basket of quilt batting in the spot in the first pic .It just sits in the water there and I lay the hose on top and wire the hose to the basket so it does not fall out .Doesn't hurt anything to just sit there and let water run through it .The fish are not active enough to eat all the stuff that is in the water right now .Not sure since i would guess with your temps bog plants are not growing yet so they would not really soak up the nutrients and not sure but would all that stuff clog it up .maybe make it smell .I don't know much about bogs .sorry and addy is still cruising the 7 seas :razz: