Safety reiteration for newbies and oldies.....PLEASE READ!

[Mmathis]

Since there are so many new faces around the GPF, I thought I would take a moment to stress a few "common sense" pond [can't think of what to call them.....] rules of thumb(?) And I put "common sense" in quotes because sometimes it's the obvious things we tend to over look (or take for granted).

Please feel free to add to this list, since it's a never-ending list......

1. NEVER put your pump directly on the bottom level of the pond. Elevate it by using a brick, milk crate, shelf, whatever works for you.
WHY? If your tubing becomes disconnected and you lose water, your water level can only go as low as the pump. You will probably lose your pump if it runs dry, but your fish will have water until you can discover and correct the problem.

2. ALWAYS keep an EMERGENCY kit for your pond. One of the items you need is a bottle of de-chlorinator. You never know when you will need it!

3. We all jury-rig things from time-to-time. If/when you do, PLEASE be sure to go back and do a proper and permanent repair ASAP!!

_____________________________________________________

This is what I woke up to this morning......

A few months ago I had "fixed" a tubing connection but never went back for the complete repair. YES, my pump is raised. YES, I had adequate de-chlor [I also have a de-chlorine/de-chloramine cartridge that is inline with my water hose]. I caught it in time to save the pump -- it was still sucking in water. As far as I can tell, all the fish are fine. Whew! What a morning!

 

[tbendl]

Oh gosh TM I'm so sorry and so glad you caught it in time to save the pumps! Boy that must have stopped your heart though.

 

[Priscilla]

OMG! WOW! Thanks for sharing! SO happy its all okay on your part. My pump is still on the bottom, I need to find a solution asap!

 

[Mmathis]

Thanks, guys! I just wanted to warn & remind everyone that it CAN happen! Just glad I was prepared! In another month I will be away [out of state] at Boy Scout camp. I can't imagine what the outcome would have been if it waited to happen then.
____________________________________________
On a lighter note, this little toad was apparently in the pond and rode down with the water level. He's patiently waiting..... I thought about trying to net him to get him out, but he seems to have adapted quite well, LOL!

Water level at its lowest......

Water's starting to rise.....

Hitchin' a ride......

 

[mrsclem]

Let me add something to the list.
When I am refilling my ponds I have a small kitchen timer I set and keep clipped to my waist. If I walk away from the ponds I have a reminder that I have water running! You could also set an alarm on phone or watch! We all get busy and have that I'm going to do this but first............!

 

[Big Lou]

Thank goodness!

 

[RobAmy]

That was a fun morning. Glad it worked out

 

[Lisak1]

Oh my! That had to be a shocker!

 

[Meyer Jordan]

Thanks, guys! I just wanted to warn & remind everyone that it CAN happen! Just glad I was prepared! In another month I will be away [out of state] at Boy Scout camp. I can't imagine what the outcome would have been if it waited to happen then.
____________________________________________
On a lighter note, this little toad was apparently in the pond and rode down with the water level. He's patiently waiting..... I thought about trying to net him to get him out, but he seems to have adapted quite well, LOL!

Water level at its lowest......
View attachment 81217

Water's starting to rise.....
View attachment 81218

Hitchin' a ride......
View attachment 81219

Is that a loose BioBall I see in the first 2 photos?

 

[Mmathis]

Is that a loose BioBall I see in the first 2 photos?

Probably.

 

[addy1]

When I am refilling my ponds I have a small kitchen timer I set and keep clipped to my waist.

I use a hose timer, set it for xx minutes it shuts itself off. Knowing me I would forget to set the timer.

 

[mrsclem]

I don't do that cause my faucets leak and I have had huge water bills from water being left on. The thing is to do something to remind you that you need to check water levels!

 

[addy1]

Thankfully ours don't leak. Before I started using a hose timer, I sort of left it running for hours and hours, finally the well pump coming on got my attention. Now the pond gets watered during the night via a auto water system. Same you would use for sprinklers. Electronic. I had a battery operated one, which failed while on, so no more battery operated. Spent around 50 bucks for the system. I can glance at the pond and know if the hose is running too long, the water level gets up right under the bog waterfall rock.

 

[bfull1478]

Let me add something to the list.
When I am refilling my ponds I have a small kitchen timer I set and keep clipped to my waist. If I walk away from the ponds I have a reminder that I have water running! You could also set an alarm on phone or watch! We all get busy and have that I'm going to do this but first............!

Done that one before. Two hours later,.... Thankfully I was using a dechlorinator filter on my hose.

 

[bettasngoldfish]

Thanks for the reminders TM

Glad everything is okay

Love the picture of the toad riding on the back of the gator!