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[Bev12]

it is going to take a bit of time for the plants to settle in etc.
the winter here was very long and we did have a cold spell the past few days, but my plants are still doing well.
work in progress - its a never ending job - thats the good side, there is always something to do

 

[Shard MacD]

yep always. The water look slightly better today, day by day I guess. Abby1 talks of a bog, I am so intrigued just keep thinking about it and looking at my pond. Thinking how could I do a bog? Need to research it a bit I guess, but I love the idea, and the look. Talk about plants and wild life.... wow. Do you have any problems with pond predators? Like for instance Heron's?

 

[addy1]

Herons are the only thing that bothers my pond. So I have a fishing net over the pond, hung high wide weave so it is not to bothersome. The heron has come every summer since the pond was built. Very patient bird, it will wait forever for a fish to swim by and snatch it.

 

[Bev12]

I have a snake in the garden that takes a swim when the weather is hot and there is a frog in the pond.
nothing to worry about for now - hope the snake wont take a liking to the fish!
Havent seen any herons here where i live.

 

[Shard MacD]

Lucky about the heron. I have also seen a snake in the pond last summer. It was a small garter snake, did not cause me distress. I had a frog that came back for a couple years, but one day it disappeared and 1 of my floating water plants was upside down. Just assumed a bird of some kind (even a crow) swooped down and picked off the poor frog. :bye2:

 

[capewind]

Hi, have had a back yard pond for 7 years now. Just recently we had to replace the liner and ended up with a larger pond. As expected the water was beautiful for the first week. Now it looks like pea soup. I have two filters one with a uv light, that still indicates the light is lit. But I was wondering if maybe the uv part may have stopped working. Does any one know about these things. Also I have tested the water and all is well except I do not have a tester for salt, which I will pick up today. Have added salt but thinking not enough yet! Glad to have found this forum. Thanks in advance for you input.

Welcome to the group Shard. Where are you on this little sandbar? We're in Dennis. If you are nearby, we could swing by some afternoon to help

 

[capewind]

Had a young male Mallard duck land in the pond this morning. He waddled around the yard for a while and took off. Was interesting to say the least.

As cute as he was, chase him off if he comes back. Ducks can make fast work of plants, not to mention add to your bio load.

 

[capewind]

I ran quilt batting in my formal pond for several years during the 90s and do not recall that it was all that good at removing suspended algae. If I recall correctly you are soaking the batting with hydrogen peroxide. I would expect that is what is killing off the algae. Maybe once dead it clumps and is caught by the batting.

It will get whatever the pump sends to it We dont use peroxide in ours. It may work great, but I'm cheap. Every few days, we (hubby) just pulls the basket and rinses it well and puts it back.

 

[capewind]

I didn't get a chance to check out that pond clear but would it help with pea soup? I changed the UV light just waiting for it to help.

If you have a working UV, dont waste your $ on chemical. If the UV isnt clearing the pond (should only take a few days). check your water flow TO the UV. That is a huge mistake a lot of folks make with a UV. They simply dont know that each brand has a "flow rating" ... The faster the water flows through the UV, the less it kills.

 

[capewind]

I agree about the plants, people here have mentioned grasses so I will see what I can find here.

Hart Farm just got in some pretty orange sedges and variegated sweet flag. I want to say they were $5 each. Country Gardens just got in a bunch of plants a couple weeks ago, but cant remember if they had any grasses (I was there for other reasons). What they had for marginal plants were pricey ... $10 for 3-4" pots, and not much in them, but may be worth a look ... Just AVOID their "pond specialist" ... The experienced help left, and the "kid" working there has limited knowledge at best, and will do nothing but push to sell products you do not need. He can "talk the talk" til you ask a REAL question. He has a little "instruction" list that he refers to to tell customers what to do when. Great list if one is trying to KILL the fish.

 

[Bev12]

my frog has been here for 2 years now - last year the pond was built and he/she setteled in there. i see it sometime sitting on the floating islands enjoying the sun
maybe you'll be lucky and some other frog will come along

 

[Shard MacD]

capewind: Thank You. We are in Hyannis in the shadow of country gardens windmill... on Woodland Ave. I can walk to it (neighbor). I know what you mean about the help.... we just purchased a replacement liner, was disappointed that the other young fella was no longer there. I am not familiar with sedges but have read other topics on this forum that mentioned this. Will walk over to the garden and see what they have. Where is Hart Farm? Your pond is amazing!! Would like to get more info on a 'bog'. Think I might be able to add one (husband wouldn't be thrilled) thinking I could do a small one myself.?

Bev12: I am hoping for another frog. We purchased some tadpoles (haven't seen them since the release) as the water gets a little clearer each day I am hopeful. The other was a return visiter for 2 years also.

Also capewind: the UV is on the smaller pump with the correct flow, however we did increase the pond size and I think it will take a little longer to clarify. I might be wrong. Tried to figure a way to add an additional one to the bigger pump, haven't had any luck with that. Y spoke about a pillow or even batten in your LAGUMA filter. My last section is bio-balls should that maybe be the first and then the 2 sections with the filter materials? At it for a while and still learning....

:beerchug:

 

[capewind]

capewind: Thank You. We are in Hyannis in the shadow of country gardens windmill... on Woodland Ave.

SMALL world. The very first house I rented all by myself was ON Woodland. My mother was renting #85 and the landlord had the modular next door on the top of the hill ... I had the cottage in between ... I still drive down Woodland about once a week or so (taking the short cut through Hyannis Woods) ...

I know what you mean about the help.... we just purchased a replacement liner, was disappointed that the other young fella was no longer there.

As you know from trying to shop locally, there just isnt a lot of experienced pond folks to be able to hire a qualified person. I love this NURSERY, but the pond department unfortunately needs help.

I am not familiar with sedges but have read other topics on this forum that mentioned this. Will walk over to the garden and see what they have.

For CLOSE, they will have the largest selection of pond plants.

Where is Hart Farm?

Upper County Rd in Dennis ... if you were coming from the highway, take 9a/134 to the 3rd set of traffic lights, go left ... that's Upper Country .. they are maybe 2 miles down on the right. They dont have a lot for pond plants AT ALL .They are just a small nursery. The ONLY pond plants I found there was "Golden Variegated Sweet Flag" and "Orange Sedge" ... Just ask for help finding them. Other than boredom, dont waste a lot of time there. Lots of nice flowers .. For nursery stock, you'll get a better deal at Country Gardens. If you feel like taking a road trip to the OTHER side of the Cape, Pondscapes had the best selection of pond plants LAST YEAR. Here's a link to their site for directions ...
http://www.pondscapesgardencenter.com/

Your pond is amazing!! Would like to get more info on a 'bog'. Think I might be able to add one (husband wouldn't be thrilled) thinking I could do a small one myself.?

Thank you, and you CAN do one yourself. Ours is a work in progress, but you are welcome to swing by. Also, between posts or coming here, you will quickly figure out hubby is in the trade. My offer to help has NOTHING to do with BUSINESS, and the help is offered FREE. I have a distaste for people looking for work through a hobby site, so just want to be sure if you "made the connection" with hubby's work, we are NOT looking for clients here. Just offering to help

Also capewind: the UV is on the smaller pump with the correct flow, however we did increase the pond size and I think it will take a little longer to clarify. I might be wrong.

There are different views about UV ... if you are running it as a clarifier, or a sterilizer. It all comes down to your goals, watts and flow.

Tried to figure a way to add an additional one to the bigger pump, haven't had any luck with that.

A bigger UV? You dont want ME explaining plumbing .. even with him next to me, giving dictation, I'd screw it up LOL. Hubby can show you your options when things slow down a bit, or some late afternoon ...

Y spoke about a pillow or even batten in your LAGUMA filter. My last section is bio-balls should that maybe be the first and then the 2 sections with the filter materials?

Which Laguna filter do you have?

At it for a while and still learning....

We are ALL still learning .. if someone ALWAYS has ALL the answers, be wary ... we are all just at different places on the learning curve

 

[Waterbug]

Welcome to the forum!

 

[Shard MacD]

Thank you Waterbug...

Capewind... it is a small world we are across the street from your first cottage. If you've been on woodland you probably noticed that dome shaped home, that's us. I haven't walked over to country Gardens yet (working) will look into those plants cause I do have a shallow shelf will probable do OK for some grasses and such. Still rinsing out rocks from the old pond, (phew). I have 2 Laguna filters, one is 1400 w/uv, and then the 2900 with the 3 "baskets" and those (kind of) brushes that hang down.
Clarifying is fine with me. I would love to pop over some afternoon, we work till 3:00 anyway. My mother-in-law (91 years young) lives in Dennis at Cranberry Knolls off 6A. Is that close to you? Also would love to have you and your hubby by to see what we have (or don't have) LOL, maybe some time when you're going to C.G.'s.
What I great business to be in, I think that's super... no I had not a clue but it is very gracious of you to offer help. Hope we can all get together at one point. Excited to see your pond in person. Thank you so much.
p.s. We did go to pondscapes once. I think my first water lilies came from there. Lovely place.