My goldfish pond

[Lisak1]

Nice bubble action!

 

[Tula]

Looks good ! I run my Pond Master 20 LPM in the winter and a 40 LPM in the summer. I can't decide about running my Sand & Gravel filter over the winter. The pump that runs it is 2000 GPH and sits inside my skimmer, so it's not at the bottom of the pond......just not sure if the return line is too much disturbance. I may write the man who designed it and ask his opinion. My water fall is off.

 

[CometKeith]

Thanks Lisak. It seems like the fish have been avoiding the area where all the bubbles and going to the deepest area of the pond to hang out. I wish I got the aerator when things were still a little warmer to see how the fish like it. Either way I think having more dissolved oxygen will be a good thing. The last air pump I had I would keep it running year round.
Tula I have always tried to run some pumps in the winter but last year the waterfall area iced dammed and my neighbor got a small skating rink courtesy of my pond. This year it will be different because we will be living here and I can watch it

 

[Tula]

In the heat of the summer, my koi will play in the strong stream of bubbles from the 40 LPM aerator, they love it! It's hard for me to see my fish right now, as it takes some maneuvering the edges of the cover and my legs are still stiff from the surgery. I did manage a peak through the back of the water fall area and saw one, not too active, but not on the bottom of the pond.

Only my opinion, but I think it's good for the koi to move around some, over the winter, as opposed to just sitting on the bottom of the pond.

 

[j.w]

I only use my huge bubbling air pump in Summer as it looks like a volcano in action and afraid it would stir up the cold water too much. In Summer the fish love all the bubbles and movement. I do keep my falls running all year long and the filter hooked up to it. I do have a tiny air pump from an old aquarium hooked to an airstone. Prolly doesn't do much of anything. We have pretty mild temps most of the time all Winter.

 

[CometKeith]

Winter is here! These were taken on Friday after we got hit with lake effect snow. Most of the snow has melted but there is still a little left.

 

[CometKeith]

It rained most the day yesterday, but at least I got to see my fish as some were swimming up to the surface. Here is a picture I took yesterday. Today it's 32 degrees!

 

[Gemma]

@CometKeith how is that new koi doing?

 

[sissy]

I gave my 4 port airmax one to my neighbor when I got my laguna one .It was OK but when Increased the size of the pond decided a newer bigger one was needed .I gave it to her in 2014 and she has never had a problem with it .I had I think 2 or 3 years and never had a problem either .I wanted more air stone and laguna gave me 12 ports .She has a fake insulated rock over hers .She bought the big fake rock and we sprayed foamed the inside of it and the cut several air slots in it and set it up on concrete blocks with an air space in the middle and hid the concrete with rocks and mulch on 3 sides .Other side we left open for air flow .Mulch was mostly for insulation around the ground to keep ground from freezing .My air stones are all set at different heights .But we really don't get that cold .Today it is 62 sunny degrees but the wind is cold when it hits you .But that could come from my age ,cold seems colder to me these days .I had to come in and warm up .

 

[CometKeith]

@CometKeith how is that new koi doing?

Hi Gemma. It seems like she got with the program and went closer to the bottom with the other fish. I wasn't happy when she was sitting by herself at the edge on the top shelf because I knew that area was the coldest. I did see her swimming about a week ago when it was a little warmer. So for now I think everything is okay. It's supposed to be a little warmer tomorrow so I'll look for her.

I gave my 4 port airmax one to my neighbor when I got my laguna one .It was OK but when Increased the size of the pond decided a newer bigger one was needed .I gave it to her in 2014 and she has never had a problem with it .I had I think 2 or 3 years and never had a problem either .I wanted more air stone and laguna gave me 12 ports .She has a fake insulated rock over hers .She bought the big fake rock and we sprayed foamed the inside of it and the cut several air slots in it and set it up on concrete blocks with an air space in the middle and hid the concrete with rocks and mulch on 3 sides .Other side we left open for air flow .Mulch was mostly for insulation around the ground to keep ground from freezing .My air stones are all set at different heights .But we really don't get that cold .Today it is 62 sunny degrees but the wind is cold when it hits you .But that could come from my age ,cold seems colder to me these days .I had to come in and warm up .

Sissy. I had the same concerns about my air pump. For now I put a bucket over it but I'll need to get a fake rock to cover it. I took out the two pumps and filter today that go to by waterfall. It was so cold the end nozzle broke off on the pump when I took the hose off so I'll have to get a bigger hose to fit over the end when I set it up next spring.

 

[Gemma]

@CometKeith that's good news,I'm glad she's doing fine!
thanks for the update...Lol I get attached to other people koi

 

[sissy]

does the end nozzle come off .Most unscrew so you can replace it for different sizes .

 

[CometKeith]

Another shubunkin bit the dust This is the second one from the group I bought a few months ago that has died and all my other fish have been fine. I'm guessing they have not been exposed to cold weather before and are not as hardy.

Sissy. It's all one piece but the nozzle end has rings for three sizes and this is the smallest size. I just need to go up one size for the hose. The hose I was using was probably a little small for the size pump and filter I have anyways.

 

[sissy]

I always use a little bigger a hose ,IU think it keeps the pump from working as hard and burning more electricity .I found that out after buying my watt tester .I was amazed I went from a 1 1/4 inch sump pump hose to a 1 1/2 inch sump pump hose and dropped the electric use down 5 watts on each of my laguna pumps .

 

[Tula]

RIP little shubunkin