Started it up today.

[Smaug]

Cleaned out the skimmer and waterfall box, netted out the majority of the debris in pond, cleaned my media out and installed it. Fed for the first time then peed in the pond for good measure! The fish were the liveliest I've ever seen them for this time of year and they ate like crazy for 15 minutes. I have my trepidations about this year without the near 100% surface coverage and nutrient uptake of the huge lily I used to have though. Im a bit worried I will have some pretty bad green water as my uv light died at the beginning of last year. Oh well,if it's gets bad I will get another uv light. Cmon spring!

 

[Faebinder]

I think you're in Pennsylvania like me. I fed them for the second time but my pumps were never off during the winter.

I lost three fish to predators... Ordered an electric fence at this point. I added my hi fin banded shark to the pond yesterday... I had him in quarantine throughout the winter.

 

[Smaug]

Tell me more about that High band!

 

[barryian]

Cleaned out the skimmer and waterfall box, netted out the majority of the debris in pond, cleaned my media out and installed it. Fed for the first time then peed in the pond for good measure! The fish were the liveliest I've ever seen them for this time of year and they ate like crazy for 15 minutes. I have my trepidations about this year without the near 100% surface coverage and nutrient uptake of the huge lily I used to have though. Im a bit worried I will have some pretty bad green water as my uv light died at the beginning of last year. Oh well,if it's gets bad I will get another uv light. Cmon spring!

Wow - You actually fed them already. Going to fire up the bead filter as my skimmer went all winter. Water temp is 50F but I have my trepidations about feeding them quite yet. Do you know your water temp? By next week when all is working, I'll give them
some Manda Fu which is the easily digestible along with some floating wheat germ pellets. How often are you feeding in these
temps?

 

[Faebinder]

Once a day, but I stop feeding tomorrow till Monday. Temp is dropping again.

 

[Smaug]

The water temps are 50f today,have been over 45 for about a week now. I feed a wheat germ food til the water temps hit about 60 then I start upping the protein per handful. I shut my pump down during winter because at least twice my pipes froze and cooked my 350 dollar matala!

 

[Smaug]

Once a day, but I stop feeding tomorrow till Monday. Temp is dropping again.

The shark man! Tell me about the shark!!!!

 

[Smaug]

Oh damn it. Now I'm looking up high band sharks! I've often wondered if I coukd keep them.

 

[Faebinder]

Your pond is deeper and bigger than mine. You should be able to keep a couple with the koi. They winter well with the koi but hide well.

 

[Faebinder]

And it's a "hi fin" banded shark. You can get some on eBay.

 

[Faebinder]

Here are the two I had in quarantine. They are mostly algae eaters.

 

[Smaug]

I've been researching them since you mentioned it.!

 

[Dave 54]

Smaug our filters have been going 24/7 all winter and we are still feeding them all be it at a reduced rate [emphasis on the reduced rate my friend ], we are not out of winter just yet, even though its March.
Take today in the UK freezing winds gusting70 mph rain, hai, l even snow in some places still , we are feeding once every other week at the moment until late April when things start to warm up .
Only a week ago where we at -0.c air temperature wise here , if you take a look at the jet stream you'll find that its all over the place first bringing up warm air from the Carribean, then dragging freezing air down from the Arctic then vica vera again

Dave

 

[Smaug]

My water temps have been below 40 f for months with fish sleeping on the bottom. The only water movement I kept this year was an old worn out 750 gph tetra fountain pump. I've had that thing running 24/7 for 10 years now! On second thought I guess it's NOT worn out.