D-Solv

[MitchM]

Ok, thanks.
I was wondering what that stuff would do in a heavily stocked pond, but I would consider yours heavily stocked, so that answers that.
The first issue that comes to my mind is that lifting up all that debris could suddenly release some H2S.

 

[morewater]

I haven't smelled any "rotten eggs", and haven't lost any fish. From what I've seen of your pond, I'd launch my 19 footer in there and spread the D-Solv from the gunwales.....LOL....after that, I'd break out the water skis.

BTW, I used to reside in Cold Lake, AB. Air Force brat.

 

[MitchM]

Heh, yep, and I've yet to do any filtering other than a sometimes running surface skimmer.
I might have to get serious about it this year.
No water problems have popped up yet, but then I only have 8 gold fish.
Last time I checked.
6 months ago.

 

[morewater]

Any ice huts out there this past winter, you might have been cleaned out. Watch for ATV and SkiDoo tracks.......

 

[morewater]

Heh, yep, and I've yet to do any filtering other than a sometimes running surface skimmer.
I might have to get serious about it this year.
No water problems have popped up yet, but then I only have 8 gold fish.
Last time I checked.
6 months ago.

You'd be surprised how much filtering can be done naturally, just with bullrushes (free on the side of the road). Their roots are one of the greatest filters out there, no electricity, no care (when they spread, grab the roots and hack like a made Mo-Fo), good looking.........just chop them down in the Fall so they don't end up decomposing on the bottom of the pond. Great habitat for frogs, move nicely in the wind..............native..................free..................did I mention free?.............except for the gas for the ATV, of course. You've got no neighbors, take the ATV, a shovel and a six-pack.

 

[MitchM]

You forgot the gun.

I tried bullrush, but nothing became of the seeds. I have to learn a bit more about those.

 

[morewater]

Don't use seeds, Mitch. Get on that ATV and tour around the neighborhood (yeah, right). Dig some up. Hump them back to your place, put a rock barrier up on one of your shelves and stick it in there with some gravel. Those suckers are prolific.

I don't take a gun, I just take a guy that's a lot slower than me. It might seem cruel, but it's entertaining as hell.

 

[MitchM]

Great, thanks.

Oh and for the slow guy, hey, survival is survival. I don't write the rules.

 

[morewater]

When it's a black bear, tell your buddy to climb a tree.......then just keep going. (wink)

Seriously, the bullrushes you can pull out of drainage ditches are one of the best filtration plants out there. Just dig up enough roots so they can stand on their own. They're tough and can take the transplant. If you're concerned with spread, plant them in big plastic containers......they'll still spread, but they'll be easier to manage. If they croak......it's not like there's a shortage of them around there, right?

Free is good.

If only it worked at The Beer Store.

BTW. Watch the pine needles, they can sink to the bottom and turn your pond acidic in no time. I put skimmers on clients ponds that have large Red Pines on property to get rid of them before they become saturated and sink.

 

[MitchM]

Agreed about the beer store, I make my own.

I'll probably try again the to get some bullrushes into our natural pond as well as the goldfish one, plus look into that D-Solv.

Thanks

 

[MitchM]

...

BTW, I used to reside in Cold Lake, AB. Air Force brat.

I missed this before.
That's got to be a heck of a climate change from Cold Lake to Newmarket.

 

[Lisak1]

Sodium percarbonate can be purchased (without the fancy "use me in your pond" packaging) for 1/10th the price. Just google it. I buy it from a soap making supplier. Same stuff that's sold as waterfall and rock cleaner - and also will clean algae off your patio, roof, etc. And yes, it's perfectly safe - breaks down into hydrogen peroxide and soda ash when it comes in contact with water.

 

[mrsclem]

Just realized I have 2 bottles of Green Clean. Got it several years ago and the directions say drain the pond, apply and refill pond so I never used it. I'm going to try a small amount in both ponds and see how it works. I have heavy string algae in one pond and small leaves in the other.

 

[j.w]

Sodium percarbonate can be purchased (without the fancy "use me in your pond" packaging) for 1/10th the price. Just google it. I buy it from a soap making supplier. Same stuff that's sold as waterfall and rock cleaner - and also will clean algae off your patio, roof, etc. And yes, it's perfectly safe - breaks down into hydrogen peroxide and soda ash when it comes in contact with water.

Thanks Lisa, I just googled it and came up w/a lot of info from this site: http://www.koiphen.com/forums/showthread.php?53618-Sodium-percarbonate-uses-in-fish-ponds

 

[Lisak1]

Yup! That was one of the first sources I read when I was researching this product. We've used it for two summers now with great success and no harm to any fish or plants, including the good algae on the pond walls.