Aeration versus water movement

[tbendl]

Well right now I have my pump that is feeding my bog and then it comes back via waterfall. I just have baby plants in there right now so I don't think they are eating as much nutrients as they will when they grow a bit.

 

[Lisak1]

What is a clay slurry? And thanks, I will do smaller changes although I'm hoping the batting will clear out most of the green over the week. Fingers crossed

I mix the clay with water in a bucket (about 8-10 tablespoons to a couple gallons of water) and splash it over the surface. The dry clay is super fine and powdery so it dissolves easily in water. I have also mixed it with a small amount of water and made small (like the size of a pearl) clay balls and thrown them in for the fish. They pick away at them until they are gone. I've also read you can moisten your fish food and sprinkle the clay over the food. It's a source of minerals and is supposed to help enhance the colors of the fish. I can't say I've seen that, but it does help settle and de-cloud the water.

 

[tbendl]

Huh that's pretty cool. I don't even know where I'd find something like that.

 

[koiguy1969]

you need not even buy koi clay...100% pure bentonite clay kitty litter non scented. ran thru a kitchen blender to a fine powder. koi clay is just bentonite clay from the montmorillean region of France. it does have a higher trace mineral content tho.

 

[tbendl]

Trying to figure out how to explain kitty litter in the blender to the family. And oh dear what will I use for making margaritas?

 

[koiguy1969]

hit a garage sale and buy a $3.00 blender

 

[tbendl]

So that bonds with the floating algae and clumps up? This is what my water looks like. No floaters.

 

[tbendl]

There's a comparison. And look I'm a magician holding water upside down.

 

[Lisaebetten]

So it works!!! Blendered up kitty littler? So now you've gone from boozing with the pond to becoming an all night mad blender women. I think the used store sounds good for the job! I'm glad ponds make other people do crazy sounding things as well. I plan to vacuum my pond this weekend and I know the neighbors are gonna thing I'm nuts! I'm mean they watched me put carpet in the pond this spring, then I swept it with a broom :0, and now the vacuum!

 

[Lisak1]

No, nothing clumps. It pulls the small particles to the bottom as it sinks - do they bond? I don't even know if they get introduced!

I would let that water sit in the glass and see if anything settles out.

 

[tbendl]

I did. Nothing settled. I put the poly fill in a milk crate and am running a hose over it to see if I can get anything out of it. But I did pull some pots last night and the water doesn't stink anymore so maybe it was just the frog bits making it smell. I'm still thinking I'm going to add another pump just to move some water around. Maybe I'll ask for it for Christmas.
And Lisaebetten, no I didn't blend the kitty litter. I don't have an extra blender. LOL

 

[Lisak1]

When I pull my pots there is a certain odor that emanates. It's not a rotten, dead frog odor - that's a smell all it's own... up there with "dead mouse under the stove". But it is a pond-y smell, very organic smelling. If you enjoy the smell of compost, you'll know the odor to which I refer. I'm trying to get it made into a fragrance - I'm sure it's the next big thing! I haven't pulled any lily pots yet since I switched over to KL... I'm curious to see if I get that same odor.

The quilt batting is gonna rock your world - I do it every now and again just for fun. Even clear water has a certain amount of floating matter that you can pull out. I'm considering a fines filter, just to help keep my "skimmer pit" from clogging. Another one for the Christmas list! So far:
1. Koi cam
2. Canister filter
That's me... livin' large!

 

[tbendl]

Gosh we are animals.. lol
Yeah this was a vomity dead creature from the black lagoon smell, not an earthy mossy smell. LOL That's why I was curious what was the determining factor for "healthy water" or if that term even exists. I'm going with smell for mine. (Mostly since I can't get it to clear on it's own... lol)

 

[addy1]

When I pull my lilies after a summer of growing in kitty litter, there is a earthy pondy smell nothing gross. I love the smell of mulch....fresh cut grass...........good dirt........clean breeze..........ocean breeze........on and on

 

[tbendl]

That smell I love. Dead rotting froggy..eh not so much. The pond is looking and smelling much better though.