Wisconsin Pond Build

[sissy]

well at least your grass looks good and green .Here with the clay soil it is hard to grow and pond does look good .Well lets home your snow melts fast even thogh the children love it ,it really is no fun to drive in .King Arthur is such a big sissy that it amazes people .Every time we go somewhere the King lays down and peewee always gets up on top of him .I guess you are already planning things for next spring for your pond next year I know I am

 

[herzausstahl]

Thanks Sissy,
It is green, but lots of weeds and patchy since I haven't continuously fertilized it every summer, but gonna work on that next year. Our soil is mostly clay, but some soil on top. Actually I think King Arthur is the same kind of dogs that my neighbor has, both nice, but really, really hyper. It is funny how Peewee shows whose boss. Ahhh...my wife would disagree with you on the snow, lol. It was coming down pretty good at times today and she loved it, but christmas is her favorite holiday, and luckily I took advantage of the warmer weather on sunday to get our lights up on the house so I don't have to mess with it when it gets really cold. Haven't planned too much yet, except to add more outlets, but I took pictures of the whole yard so when old man winter gets me down in january/february I can plan to get rid of the cabin fever I usually get around that time.

Here's the pond right now:



Here's the same picture with the brightness tweeked so you can see it better. Sorry its far away but the pics today were quick ones taken from the patio door.

 

[CountryEscape]

Wow, I just did a quick read through your thread, and it's gorgeous! I might remind you that when you began, back in July, you said you were going to finish it next year. Maybe add fish then, and do the landscaping. It's amazing how much you have accomplished this year! I'm very impressed!
I read something much earlier in the thread about floating heaters. I just looked at Menards by us (like Home Depot, etc.) and they had the "pond" heaters. It was I think 300 or 500 watt, and was $40. I got mine at the farm store (Rural King), and it was less than $25 for a 1500 watt. Not sure if the higher wattage will be any trouble, other than soaking up more of my electricity, but I highly suggest that anyone putting a floating heater on their pond get it at a farm store rather than a pond store. This is the practical "think outside the box". They charge more by just putting that "pond" word on the box.
I'm planning to leave my waterfall running as long as possible. I still have not bought an air pump, but plan when I drain pipes for the waterfall to leave the bottom pump running to keep water flowing all winter. MAY be able to keep the fountain running ... not sure how I'll get it unscrewed and removed now, since I didn't do it earlier, and I'm too chicken to get in that frigid water to retrieve it now ,,. and keep the heater somehow attached to it to keep it thawed but not so close that it melts the fountain spout.
Good luck to you on your new pond! It's amazing!!! Wish I had your sloping yard.
Patti

 

[herzausstahl]

Patti,
Thanks a lot! Yeah I kinda got focused this summer, I also did the fence back in may/june before the pond so my wife referred to herself as a yard widow this summer since I spent so much time out there. Its funny you mention the sloping yard, but really the only part that slopes is that corner, but it was perfect for what I wanted to do. I'm impressed the Menards by you guys still had their summer stuff out (we have Menards, Home Depot and Fleet Farm or Farm and Fleet as I believe they are called in Illinois all with in a mile of each other). I haven't looked for the tank heaters yet, but I did find one online that only uses 100 watts, says it was tested in Northern Wisconsin (http://www.amazon.com/8001-Thermo-P...?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1320900106&sr=1-33). Ok that link didn't list that, but I have seen it on a listing for this heater. It won't keep the ice clear, but it will keep a hole open which is all I would want for the gas exchange. I figure any ice on the pond would insulate it. I might get that one, if I was looking for a tank heater, Fleet Farm would be the answer since they carry a ton of farm equipment. Right now I have a 450 gph pump that I got on clearance at Menards for about $34 running on a shelf so it keep a hole open. Not sure if it will keep the whole pond surface virtually free of ice, but I'll see. I left both my main pumps in the bottom about 42" below the surface so they should be ok and then blew air into the hose lines leaving one end open on both so the water would have room to expand. I will find out if I am right in spring. I stopped my stream about a month ago at the beginning of October and somewhere in the middle of the month I removed my filter since I didn't want to wait too long before it got too cold out. But then I added the winter 450 gph pump and added a little aquarium pump to add some more oxygen. I probably will do the same next year but with more oxygenating plants and a better air pump to make up the difference. All of my fish are still pretty small so that it didn't matter much this fall. I'll keep posting winter pics. How far south of the Wisconsin border are you guys? I have an aunt and uncle who live in Decatur.
Nathan

 

[CometKeith]

Herz, I think that some ice is okay since it helps insulates the pond when the temps go below freezing. I tried a deicer one year and all my fish hung around it and it seemed unnatural not to mention my electric bill went way up. Now I just keep an airstone going and it seems to work fine. Country the more you keep water moving the more you will prevent anaerobic decay so I think that is a good idea. My problems have always been in the spring not the winter when there is a lot of bad bacteria and the fish haven't built up their resistance yet. Keeping the water moving definitely helps. I turn off my pump Dec 1st and start back up March 1st but if your ponds get more sun than I do you can probably extend the pumps into the winter more.

 

[CountryEscape]

My pond is in full sun, at least until late afternoon, since it's about 25' behind my house, on the east side. No large trees to shade it at all ....yet. I've planted small sized trees to the east of it, but they are Burgandy Red Buds and those do not get very tall, so I still should be in pretty much full sun.
I know the cost of the heater will be high, so planning to not run it until the temps are below freezing, and still keep the fountain going, just to move water. The stream and waterfall can be unhooked extremely easily, just a matter of loosening 2 screws and removing the line. The line runs the outside edge of my stream, so it will drain properly. Then I'll drain the DIY skippy filter and cover it so it doesn't get any water in it to freeze and crack. I thought I needed to move the filter box into the garage to keep it from freezing, but someone said it wasn't necessary, that the good bacteria would be "dead" anyhow with the colder temps, even if it didn't freeze.
Does anyone have a good size of air pump to get? I've seen others mention anywhere from very small to very large. Again, I will probably put it attached to the fountain area, to keep that pipe "open" from the ice and keep it from freezing, if possible, along with the heater in that area.

 

[HARO]

Patti; regarding the higher price of "pond" de-icers versus "stock tank", I'd just like to point out that the pond type usually come with an electrical cord somewhere in the 20' range, compared to 8' for stock tanks. This could be inportant if you have a larger pond. John

 

[CountryEscape]

Ah ... you are so correct, John. And, I'm sure my 1500 watts is going to suck electricity big time, but I don't plan to even have it on unless there is ice to deal with. If I get a good enough air pump and air stone(s), I suspect ice won't be a problem more than a month or so. My tank (for the horses) has it running much longer, and I know my electric bill does increase. :-(

 

[sissy]

I don't understand why you think pond heaters are expensive if you go on Pet mountain they range aroun 30 dollars and they have a new energy efficient one at 100 watts and include free shipping over 49 dollars .I bought my 750 watt one there for less than 30 dollars and it was the kh one .I just oordered wheatgerm and some other treat food for next summer .

 

[CountryEscape]

Good deals, Sissy! I only had one place to compare them with, besides the local pet shop which would have been more expensive, and was trying to point out that tank heaters are higher watts and far less expensive. However, I now understand the difference not only will I be using more electricity, but the cord is much shorter for tank heaters, so it may be a problem with my pond, wanting to put the heater in the middle. The 1500 watt one I bought was $22. But, again, not sure the savings will be "real" when I see the extra expense on my electric bill. I have too many "heat sources" running in the summer, with heated dog bed for my Bostons, 2 tank heaters (now with the pond one), and heat lamp keeping the pump from freezing in my pump house for the horse tank water hydrant. UGH!!!

 

[sissy]

Country I have one from petco and it has 4 outlets and comes with everything you need .It says it is for fish tanks but I have had mine for 4 years now and it still works great and at that time it was more expensive but is onsale now .I bought a better aerator on ebay but to till you the trueth the petco one is still good and still working so I still use it .You just have to protect it from getting wet but that is normal .I put mine up on an old plant holder a put a plant pot on top of it upside down .I have to build more fake hollow rocks and guess I will start that project this winter .Herz I fertilize my lawn in the winter this way it goes into the soil and by spring the grass comes up really green .I do not worry about the weeds if they are there they can stay there .I use natural fertizer from manure and make a tea and then I use my Pressure washer to spread it .Oh well thats the easiet way to do it .Also buy the ligued stuff that tractor supply sells .Helps keep it somewhat alive threw the brutal summers we get here .

 

[HARO]

Patti; I realize 1500 watts running 24/7 is expensive, but I only run mine for maybe 5 hours twice a week, just enough to open a hole in the ice. It doesn't have to STAY open, as long as you do it at regular intervals. And the weather up here (zone 5) gets far too cold for a 100 watt heater; I personally know about six people who tried them and none made it through the first winter. (The heaters, not the people!) John

 

[sissy]

I also saw that petmountain has the liquid pond test kit on sale for 18.88 and that is a good price too .Most subemersilbe pumps will keep an opening as long as it is not making the water colder .But you can by an aerator and that could keep an opening too >I just did what addy did and made a plant ring out of a hose and drilled tiny holes in it and put a hose from my air pump into it and it bubbles up all around it .It floats and what I did was chose the bottom and only drilled a few holes all the way around the tubing on that bottom side and then drilled a hole in the top just big enough to force the air line into it and now I have a large bubble circle .I left enough air line so it could move some on the water .Not sure how it will work but I also made one I can submerge .I have an aerator I bought from petco I used for this since my other aerator I was Using for other things in the pond .This one I got at petco and has 4 outlets and is on sale there also and mine is older but still works great

 

[CountryEscape]

Nathan, I live just west of Effingham, and Decatur is pretty much straight north of me, about 50 miles or so. I'm considered "southern IL", although there is a LOT of IL south of me. I talked to my pet store guy tonight, and he's the type that wants to talk fish and aquariums all day long, but he is a wealth of info. I'm still not positive how I will end up doing the air vs. water flow this winter. I am getting ideas from everywhere, and they all seem to be different. I think I'll just keep reading and see what I end up doing in the end. Seems that the water pump shooting water from the bottom might be enough to keep a hole, and the idea of only having the heater on a couple of times a week is interesting! I like that, cost wise for sure! So, seems there are so many options out there.
Thanks, Sissy, for all the great ideas of what you have done! I had not read the hose aerator that Addy made and you did, too! That sounds really neat ... and cheap!

 

[sissy]

addy had pics of hers and not sure where it was