The pond dig has begun!

[CountryEscape]

Well, I think I need a new outdoor/indoor thermometer. The outdoor one is reading about 10 degrees higher than it actually is. I've noticed this for a while now, so I guess it's shot. I've put new batteries in it, too. The snow plow for the township came by at about 5, and that will clear the roads for tomorrow. The wind is calming down quite a lot this afternoon, thank goodness. Where I shoveled it is all melted and dry, even over to parts I didn't shovel on my sidewalk, so the sun heated the other part and melted it all off. I stayed home and cross stitched. Got a lot done, but it takes a longgggg time to get a small section done.
By the weekend it's supposed to be in the 50's and sunny. The bad thing is that under all this snow is mud. It never got cold first, just snowed on top of the thawed out wet ground, so it's pure mud. If you get off the roads you are stuck, as the mud will pull you right into the ditch. And, this morning when I headed out, it was drifted all the way to the highway, and you had to stay in the ruts the previous vehicle made or you hit the ditch. I met a car on the way back, so I pulled into a driveway rather than take the chance of getting off the road on the side. Country roads are crowned, and they slope to the sides. I didn't want to get sliding to the ditch. Tomorrow it should be just fine on all the roads.

 

[j.w]

Well just be extra careful anyways,I know you will and watch out for the other guy!

 

[MarcusNZ]

Koi pond remained totally open, no ice cover.

Koi pond totally open.JPG

Koi pond open, goldfish pond slushy.JPG
The stream is on the left side of the koi pond in the second pic. It's running, snow covering most of it. Snow even drifted OVER the goldfish pond, as it got totally slush covered.
I still have the waterfall line just tied off to a laundry basket in the bottom pool of the waterfall, so it's running well, no worries about freezing, although temps did not get that cold last night, just a bunch of snow. We got around 7" or little more they said. Lots of wind and drifting, not much work to do at the office, so took the day off. Hoping roads will be better by tomorrow. Needed 4WD to get anywhere today, even the highways.

Brrrrrrrrrrrr! I'm lucky to only see a handful of frosts per year where I live. Those photos are beautiful CE. That said, I'm glad I don't have to battle the extremes.

 

[MarcusNZ]

Oops I hit post too soon. Speaking of thermometers. What type should I buy for my pond?
Is glass frowned upon because of breakage & risk to liner?
Can indoor tank LCD models be sealed and adapted for outdoor use?

What you you all use?

 

[CountryEscape]

Thanks for the kind comments, Marcus. You can pretty much use any type of thermometer in your pond. As long as your pond doesn't freeze, I would think the glass type are fine. I guess high winds knocking a floating thermometer around may cause a problem with breakage, but you would have to think about that issue and your area weather.
I have a floating thermometer in each of my ponds with a read out on the floater, plus an indoor receiver. However, it's a cheap one, and doesn't usually pick up the info from the goldfish pond, which is farther out in the yard. The description of the thermometer says it reads something like 100' away, and the ponds are not more than 50', but I guess the edges of rocks cause interference and no signal is received usually. They do have a large LED screen with the temps on them, though, so very easy to read while I'm walking around the ponds.
I keep saying I'm going to get a thermometer that sits on the bottom, so I can compare bottom and top temps, but never have done that yet. Maybe this year I'll see if there is a dual unit, with one for the bottom and another floating on the top, and read out inside the house. Others have this kind I think, maybe they will chime in with what brands they have that work well for them.

 

[j.w]

I just use a big plastic thermometer w/ nice big #'s on it and wipe off any algae film and it has been working fine for yrs. Nothing fancy tho just a cheapo from Lowes. I'd prolly break a glass one and then what a mess to clean up!

 

[sissy]

I think most here are plastic and guessing they do that to produce them cheaper .I just buy a dollar store one and hen it is unreadable throw it out and get a new and true jw bigger the better , :razz:

 

[callingcolleen1]

I rarely use my pond thermometer anymore except for when I posted my "official temp" on my thread. Years have gone by and I never used it, just like my Ph test kit, lost that 15 years ago or so. I used to do that testing all the time, but the readings were always the same and the fish all fine, so I just quit using it. The water is cold when there is ice, the fish have been outside for over 20 years and some years were very very cold with minis 40 plus temperatures and my fish were fine thanks to floating cattle heater. In the summer I can tell if the water is too warm with my hand and if the fish look sluggish, time to hook another summer pump and increase the water circulation.

Maybe this year I will get a Ph test kit and post my readings this summer. I think for the first five years or so everybody tests the water like crazy, or if they have problems, and it is good to test your water, just after awhile you can tell if you may have a problem by the color of the water or the way the fish behave and swim.

 

[CountryEscape]

I agree with you, Colleen. the only time I was checking water with test kits was when I was having problems with cloudiness, algae, or something of that nature. I never saw my fish acting sluggish, except in the winter when they SHOULD act that way. With the sun shining the next few days, and temps getting up to the upper 50's by the weekend, I suspect all the fish will be out and about and swimming around. The goldfish are always out sooner than the koi. They must enjoy the water more. LOL The koi are slower to come out and "play". But, with teh sunshine, they will be out in the pond. In the morning, when it's still cold, I go out and don't see a single fish. There is not much to hide them at all except the "garage" shelves my plant pots are on. They go under those and hide. Once it warms up, they come out and spread out in the pond. In the late evening, after it's dark, they also come out if I use a flashlight I can see them. Otherwise, they are hidden, but soon they will not hide any more, they will be out wanting to play! Once I pull my lily pots to separate them, I'm going to also try to net the goldfish that are still in the koi pond, as that will be a good time to try to catch them. Not going to be able to get into the water, too cold, but hopefully with nothing for them to hide under or behind, they will be easier to catch. I just hate the idea of them stirring the water up a lot, which is what will happen, I'm sure. We shall see if I succeed!

 

[Birdman2]

I work in temperature control. You would think by now someone would have come up with an indoor display with a simple thermistor for pond temp. I am sure water quality sensors could also be incorporated. Wish I had the resources to develope a simple automation system for ponds.

 

[MitchM]

Birdman2, there's an pond controller that is available here:

http://www.aquariumcomputer.com/Sys.../ProfiLux_II_Outdoor/profilux_ii_outdoor.html

It's an aquarium controller that's been adapted for outdoor use.
I have the indoor version, and I'm pretty happy with it.

 

[j.w]

Happy fishing CE and hope you can catch those little buggers! Someone suggest using some kind of a container,maybe one that can float w/ its bottom underwater w/ only one hole so they can get in and then when you see some of the ones in there just tilt the container so they can't get out that one hole and pick out the ones you want. You could put a tiny pit of wheat germ type food in there to attract them.

 

[rebelangel_3733]

calling colleen...yup I dont use a thermometer either with my pond or even the tank my fish are in for the winter...I can tell on the warmer days in their tank they are active and want out...but our weather has been up and down so much they are confused! In the summer I can tell in the pond with my fingers/hand if it's to warm for them and just add some cool water to em. That and they tend to hide under the lillies more when it's hotter outside. Which reminds me I'll need to seperate my water lillies for sure this year as they were sure rootbound galore! I want to make my pond larger...just debating still yet. A pond is never big enough I've found out...lol. Since I have a preformed 170 gallon pond that is roughly 5 x 8 I would have to go to a larger liner...oh decisions, decisions! But then again I'd have to move all my rocks and get more!! oh once again...decisions, decisions...argh. April around here doesn't look like it's going to warm up drastically so I have time to think on it yet.

 

[callingcolleen1]

I got to do some work around pond, top it up, twirl some string algae and remove from pond, and maybe clean a pump tomorrow if the ice is all gone from bottom pond. No ice left of top two ponds. Weather is finally really nice and going to get a whole lot nicer tomorrow!

 

[sissy]

I just came in before time to get dinner in and fish almost done .Fresh veggies cooked