String Algae

[JenH]

I have to say, I'd rather use chemicals or just learn to love my algae before I would ever, ever, ever put leeches in my pond.

Shoestring, I'm sure you could get a pool noodle to her in about 2 weeks if you used the post office, much faster and safer if you used UPS to ship to Canada..... But, I"m sure they have pool noodles up there. That's a great idea to make floating planters. Who is it that has the island made from foam in their pond? Pecan?? I think that one is my favorite so far, wish I had the space to do it.

 

[callingcolleen1]

Jen, never put leeches in my pond, they just showed up like the water striders and other aquatic life. If you build it, they may come, maybe from birds, maybe from pond plants that you buy. The pond plant dealers and distributors have very large ponds that they keep their stock. I aways say, don't be afraid of what you can see, be very afraid of what you cannot see, and you may not readily see the effects that harmful chemicals may be doing to your fish, or to yourself. Chemicals usually come with a high price, and I don't mean money! Stay healthy, stay away from chemicals, the world is already toxic enough.

 

[Shoestring Ponder]

JohnHuff,

Thank You, he is a sweetie and we absolutely love him, except when he decides to decimate tissues when I go out! LOL He's a little stinker that way! He was listed as a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel but we have to purebred Cavies in our family, and although he resembles them, he is bigger and has a longer nose and weighs more...so we think he is a mix...but have no idea what else he is. He adopted us when we went to look at him. He is a people dog...does not play w Rusty although Rusty seems to think he should!

:goldfish:

 

[Shoestring Ponder]

j.w....not gonna happen! I have terribly bad knees and unable to do that sort of stuff. The above ground pond works well for me, as I can walk around the pond holding onto the top rails. If my pond were in the ground, I would not be able to "putter" as much on it as I do. Rusty is 11 now, and when younger, he loved to swim in the pool. I taught him how to climb up the ladder and occasionally, when he was outdoors, he would just go swimming whenever the idea came to him. I was so grateful that he learned how to "go to the ladder". Made life easier for me and DH. He does miss swimming, I know, and I actually would not mind if he used the pond....I would assume the fish and frog would just get out of the way...but the pond this year is having green problems and R would certainly stink more than doggie if I let him. It would be good exercise for his old bones though!. :goldfish:

 

[jenn.]

With regards to the floating barley pots, this is the kind I found at our local pond place http://www.biconet.com/treatment/barleyStrawPlanter.html Some are available online with free shipping. I have found that if you have a skimmer, you need to theater it or you will find it in the skimmer and that you should secure your plants in it well if you have frisky fish (who doesn't) as they fishies like to turn it upside down if it isn't weighted enough (I put very light plants in it without soil though)

 

[j.w]

Man they aren't cheap are they? I got a whole bale for like $12. at a Hay and Grain place and just looked online and now there is a place even closer to us that sells it for $5.50 a bale guaranteed weed free! Wonder how one could make those floating pots themselves? Wonder how they get it to stick to the styro ring..........must be some kind of non-toxic glue. Would be pretty easy to make your own and so much cheaper!

 

[jenn.]

They literally look like they are just compressed in a mesh bag. Keep the bag from one (or use produce ones like from garlic and such, the stretchy type), get your barley damp and mold it in to a form and allow to dry in ventilated area. Never tried this..just speculating that is how it would work out :.)

 

[brandonsdad02]

To make one....take a star shaped swimming noodel. Cut one strip off. Form a circle, secure the ends with a zip tie. Get some netting of some sort, place circle noodle in middle of netting, next place barley straw in net. Make loop around straw and noodle with net and pull extra netting thru the middle for place to put plant.

 

[j.w]

Ok I enlarged the one photo on the site and yes that's what it looks like, just some mesh wrapped around but they also said it (the barley straw) is wrapped around a hidden Styrofoam ring like Ryan suggests making. Good idea Ryan!