What does your pond look like ... Today?

[peter hillman]

Did a spring clean out yesterday, pumped out half the water, cleaned the filter pads and netted out a few pounds of leaves. Was getting an algae bloom of ugly-aglae and the pump was running slow also. Hmm, I found a 1/2 piece of bread floating in the pond while I was working on it. Not my brand. Neighbor perhaps? Anyway it was probably fouling the water or would soon be if not removed. And this isn't the first time I've found a corner piece of bread in the pond, but the biggest so far. I'll have to ask him about it.

I let him use my lil sump pump last month when we were flooding, his yard was draining into mine so I thought the best thing to do would be pump the water AWAY from my yard. Well, he left the pump sitting out and it froze, cracked the housing pretty good and returned it to me with a few strips of tape on it. Puzzling, it shouldn't need tape to operate, when I took it off I was a bit upset I've been using that pump for pond maintenance for many years. But I've got a plastic welding kit (just melts plastic) and it satisfactorily sealed the housing for continued use, just not by my 'good neighbor'.

 

[Troutredds]

Did a spring clean out yesterday, pumped out half the water, cleaned the filter pads and netted out a few pounds of leaves. Was getting an algae bloom of ugly-aglae and the pump was running slow also. Hmm, I found a 1/2 piece of bread floating in the pond while I was working on it. Not my brand. Neighbor perhaps? Anyway it was probably fouling the water or would soon be if not removed. And this isn't the first time I've found a corner piece of bread in the pond, but the biggest so far. I'll have to ask him about it.View attachment 98001

I let him use my lil sump pump last month when we were flooding, his yard was draining into mine so I thought the best thing to do would be pump the water AWAY from my yard. Well, he left the pump sitting out and it froze, cracked the housing pretty good and returned it to me with a few strips of tape on it. Puzzling, it shouldn't need tape to operate, when I took it off I was a bit upset I've been using that pump for pond maintenance for many years. But I've got a plastic welding kit (just melts plastic) and it satisfactorily sealed the housing for continued use, just not by my 'good neighbor'.

I hope your damaged pump keeps working despite the 'good neighbor', and that your pond continues to bring you joy this spring, Peter.

 

[Troutredds]

It's officially running. I only got the main pump for the bog and waterfall going. I'll probably start the log trickle in a few weeks. I really just wanted to get the pond filtering again.

View attachment 98000

Love the log idea, JB!

 

[JBtheExplorer]

Love the log idea, JB!

Me too. I'm glad I grabbed it from the burning pit.

 

[Lisak1]

Our neighbor throws stale bread out for the birds - most of it gets eaten by the raccoons and squirrels in reality, but she's a nice old lady, so I don't complain - but occasionally a piece ends up in our yard. I think a bird may grab it and try to fly off and lose it on lift off.

But I could also see someone thinking your fish might want to eat bread - it's so common to see people throwing bread to ducks and fish in public ponds.

Sorry about your pump. We have a nice little sump pump that is one of my favorite pond tools - I would be pretty annoyed with that neighbor!

@JBtheExplorer I love the log! So cool!

 

[cas]

Sun is out today!!

 

[JBtheExplorer]

The ducks have returned!

 

[cas]

The ducks have returned!

They know that they have it good at your pond! Wonder if you will have another nest.

 

[JBtheExplorer]

They know that they have it good at your pond! Wonder if you will have another nest.

We'll see. I'm fairly sure that this pair is not the one who had last year's nest. These are the ones that return every year, and the pair who nested last year just kind of just snuck in and laid the eggs. There were some territory battles.

 

[Troutredds]

Today a heron plucked a 12 in.white koi (Whitey) out of our pond, pecked it to death and left it 50 ft. away under our old cedar. The herons have taken three small fish in the last week, more over the last four years, but never a latger fish - they usually know to go deep. This feels bad, I was attached to this one. He's buried where I found him, under the tree. RIP Whitey.

 

[JBtheExplorer]

Today a heron plucked a 12 in.white koi (Whitey) out of our pond, pecked it to death and left it 50 ft. away under our old cedar. The herons have taken three small fish in the last week, more over the last four years, but never a latger fish - they usually know to go deep. This feels bad, I was attached to this one. He's buried where I found him, under the tree. RIP Whitey. View attachment 98227

That's too bad.

but, wow, that is a spectacular cedar!

 

[Troutredds]

That's too bad.

but, wow, that is a spectacular cedar!

Thanks, JB. We had an arborist estimate it to be over 100 yrs. old. We call it Treebeard, after the Tolkien character.

 

[addy1]

Beautiful tree! Sorry about the heron's, one reason my pond is always netted.

Sitting here watching the fish swim around as we drink coffee (on our cams) Turned the pump on yesterday, water crystal clear today!

 

[tbendl]

Awe I'm so sorry Red.

 

[Troutredds]

Awe I'm so sorry Red.

Thanks T.