cas's pond

[GBBUDD]

Every backyard should have 2 . Doesn't need to be 20000 gallons to take your breath away

 

[cas]

I can't believe it. I have been rehoming fish, especially the females for years. Thought I finally had all male fish in the pond. Just the other day, one of my fish which is 15 years old, which always did the chasing of the other fish so I thought it was a male, is now being chased by every other fish in the pond. I hope the fish are just confused because I have a problem rehoming one of the oldest fish in my pond.

 

[GBBUDD]

I don't know but often in nature fish or other animals change sees to secure there race

 

[brokensword]

I can't believe it. I have been rehoming fish, especially the females for years. Thought I finally had all male fish in the pond. Just the other day, one of my fish which is 15 years old, which always did the chasing of the other fish so I thought it was a male, is now being chased by every other fish in the pond. I hope the fish are just confused because I have a problem rehoming one of the oldest fish in my pond.

stop feeding, Cas; the other fish will take care of the problem!

 

[cas]

stop feeding, Cas; the other fish will take care of the problem

That use to work, but the last couple of years I have a couple of dozen of babies that make it each year. Especially when I lost my resident frog I saw a lot more fish make it. I have seen a new frog this year so I am hoping he will help with the babies.
After I posted about the big guy being chased, some of the babies that made it from last year were chasing each other. I am kidding myself thinking I have all males. I would like to get to where I just have the three koi, but mother nature has other plans.

 

[GBBUDD]

Cas go fishing for sun fish. Pumpkin fish or even a croppie. When it's breeding time don't feed the fish and the sun fish will devour any eggs that are laid. Look for the brighter yellow bellies those are the males.

 

[cas]

Plants are starting to take off. My forget-me-nots are having a rough time, though. With all the spawning going on, the fish have broke apart any plants that were floating on the water. Thank goodness for the parts they can't reach. Oh, and I have a nice batch of string algae!

 

[Tula]

Oh, it's beautiful ! Is your waterfall a filter.....do you have plants in it ?

My Forget Me Nots are spreading well in the bog. Once I finish up my floating plant planters, I'll take some pictures. It's my way of having some plants in the pond, but not allowing the koi to reach them !

I feel your pain on the plans of Mother Nature - LOL ! I know exactly which of my 4 koi if female and male.....but I can't bring myself to become a single sexed pond as my two favorites are a female and male ! Absolutely nothing I do prevents some babies from surviving each year....hence the great koi round up each year!

 

[cas]

Is your waterfall a filter.....do you have plants in it ?

The waterfall is a bio-filter. I use to put plants on top, but the roots would grow into the filters/sponges and were impossible to get out. Right now the bio-filter has two 24" round, 6" deep Matala filters in it. They are suppose to provide 300 SSA for the good bacteria to grow. I need as much SSA (specific surface area) as I can get because of my fish load and smaller pond. Hence the reason I keep trying to get rid of the goldfish! Below is a picture of the bio-filter with the filters.

 

[j.w]

@cas so do you ever need to clean those or do you just leave them alone to keep collecting bacteria? Can you put a cover over the top or does it need to be open for sunlight?

 

[cas]

I clean the bio-filter at the end of the season when I shut the pond down. I remember asking Meyer if the bacteria needed sunlight and he said they didn't.

 

[j.w]

Thanks @cas and I don't shut mine down as it's mild weather all year here so wonder if I would still need to clean it? I would think the bacteria would just stay alive and keep working all year w/o cleaning. Great on it not needing sunlight.

 

[brokensword]

Thanks @cas and I don't shut mine down as it's mild weather all year here so wonder if I would still need to clean it? I would think the bacteria would just stay alive and keep working all year w/o cleaning. Great on it not needing sunlight.

@j.w ; I would imagine as long as the flow is not restricted, you'd not need to clean. But I suspect some sediment is getting into those pads, so were it mine, I'd rinse them clean periodically just for max efficiency.

 

[Tula]

@cas thank you for showing me the up close picture of your bio filter. Can you buy those filters like that or do you buy rolls of Matala filter and roll it to fit inside? Do you remember the manufacturer of the waterfall? I regret selling my Savio Living Pond filter when we converted to a sand and gravel filter.

I love my waterfall, but it is a lost filter opportunity. The man who built my pond mortared all the rocks into place and plumbed pvc pipes up the inside .....it then spills out onto the granite slab. I have no desire to deconstruct it and do love the look of it.

 

[GBBUDD]

Plants are starting to take off. My forget-me-nots are having a rough time, though. With all the spawning going on, the fish have broke apart any plants that were floating on the water. Thank goodness for the parts they can't reach. Oh, and I have a nice batch of string algae!

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I love your pond Cas it's the less is more. Very mature and well ballanced