What does your pond look like ... Today?

[sissy]

today they came up and thought rain was food .Stock tank is almost full with all the rain

 

[milhousebarks]

Here are my 3 lotus in containers. From left to right I have Momo Botan, Meizhonghong (aka Sino-American Red) and Sparks. The Sparks is the one in bloom. All of these are considered dwarf or bowl lotus and do great in these resin half barrels. Each barrel has some Hornwort in it and a few Rosy Red Minnows to make sure no mosquito larva take up residence. The lotus are planted in 7-quart oil pans from Pep Boys with just garden soil (mostly red clay) as the growing media and then just placed in the bottom of the half barrels with some water from my main pond.

So far the Meizhonghong and Sparks have bloomed and this shows the Sparks in bloom today. All have more buds coming up so they should all be blooming in a few weeks.

 

[rodsboys]

Here are my 3 lotus in containers. From left to right I have Momo Botan, Meizhonghong (aka Sino-American Red) and Sparks. The Sparks is the one in bloom. All of these are considered dwarf or bowl lotus and do great in these resin half barrels. Each barrel has some Hornwort in it and a few Rosy Red Minnows to make sure no mosquito larva take up residence. The lotus are planted in 7-quart oil pans from Pep Boys with just garden soil (mostly red clay) as the growing media and then just placed in the bottom of the half barrels with some water from my main pond.

So far the Meizhonghong and Sparks have bloomed and this shows the Sparks in bloom today. All have more buds coming up so they should all be blooming in a few weeks. View attachment 83246 View attachment 83247

Great idea, i wouldn't mind seeing the oil pans you use. I use kitty litter pans from the dollar store for my lilies. Wonder if they are the same size as your oil pans.

 

[milhousebarks]

I think the oil change pans are probably shallower, but I've never used the kitty liter pans. I couldn't find the one I used on the Pep Boys site, but here is something similar from Walmart.

The size listed is probably for the box, but I think they're actually about 14 inches in diameter and about 5 inches deep. They might be a bit shallow for water lilies (except for dwarfs like Helvola, etc.) They work great for the lotus since they really need the width, not the depth, and since these are short I can put them in these containers and have plenty of water over the top. Then in the winter it is easy to just take them out after the lotus die back and put the pans with the lotus in the bottom of my main pond to winter over.

Great idea, i wouldn't mind seeing the oil pans you use. I use kitty litter pans from the dollar store for my lilies. Wonder if they are the same size as your oil pans.

 

[rodsboys]

I think the oil change pans are probably shallower, but I've never used the kitty liter pans. I couldn't find the one I used on the Pep Boys site, but here is something similar from Walmart.

The size listed is probably for the box, but I think they're actually about 14 inches in diameter and about 5 inches deep. They might be a bit shallow for water lilies (except for dwarfs like Helvola, etc.) They work great for the lotus since they really need the width, not the depth, and since these are short I can put them in these containers and have plenty of water over the top. Then in the winter it is easy to just take them out after the lotus die back and put the pans with the lotus in the bottom of my main pond to winter over.

The ones on the left are the ones I used. Maybe the same depth as your, but would definitely not fit in one of those tubs you're using. I ended up setting my spare tub like yours up for a lily that my fish have grown a fondness for tormenting lately. Had to use a pond basket though as my kitty litter pans were too big.

 

[sissy]

concrete mixing tubs are used also

 

[JBtheExplorer]

Young fish getting color. The other fish were in breeding mode today.

Mystery plant growing in the bog. Wondering if anyone knows what it is. Could be anything. Not something I planted, though.

Royal Pickerel Rush

Blanket Flower and Orange Milkweed.

 

[tbendl]

JB what does breeding mode look like? I'd like to keep an eye out for any "fishy" behavior so if they do spawn I can stop feeding them for a bit.
And your photos are gorgeous as usual.

 

[JBtheExplorer]

JB what does breeding mode look like?

The males will start chasing the females and rubbing along their side. Female will continuously try to escape and hide. You'll definitely notice the behavior stand out compared to any given day.

 

[tbendl]

Crap. That's what I've got going on. My orange is chasing my red. NOOOOOOOOOOO. Can't I hold a safe sex class or something?? I don't want baby fish, they're too young, not responsible enough... Etc...
So if I quit feeding them after the chasing stops will they eat the eggs?

 

[cas]

will they eat the eggs?

yes..... IF they find the eggs.....

 

[tbendl]

Anything I can do to help with that process Cas?

 

[cas]

More fish.

 

[cas]

Sorry for that. When my fish have spawned, I usually skip a couple of days feeding them and I haven't had baby fish in years. But I have a smaller pond than you and more fish.

 

[tbendl]

More fish.

LOL Thanks Cas... Hehe
Do they stop chasing after the female is pregnant? I mean how I know to reduce the feeding to encourage them to "have eggs for breakfast"?