whew! that was a lot of work!

[chilligirl]

My poor pond was horribly neglected last season, as first I was too pregnant, then I was too busy with a new baby (born last July). I knew it would be a big cleanup this spring, since I didn't prune, clean, etc. in the fall.

Well, it took two days (mostly just to drain the sucker), but I got it done.

There was seriously almost 2 feet of mulm, muck, and plant debris (including a few pots!) in the bottom. Sooooo gross. It smelled like low-tide at the ocean.

But I managed to get everything pruned, the pond drained, the fish relocated to a 110 g stock pond for the moment, and all the mud and much shoveled out.

I didn't lose any fish, and even happily found my two gold weather/dojo loaches!

It's now filling back up.

I relocated the pump to the bottom of the pond, which should stop this from happening again, plus all the dumpable plants are removed.

Tomorrow, provided the temp in the pond matches the temp in the stock tank, I'll put the fish back.

Oh, and did I mention that, even though it'd been sunny all day, the time when I was draining the last of the water and shoveling mud (ie I couldn't stop as there were fish in there that needed out promptly), it decided to thunder, lightening, poor rain, and even hail?

Yeah, fun.

I'm looking forward to getting the pond back in good order and a great ponding season

 

[marla]

Wow that is alot of work for one person or did you have help? I'm sure you are glad it is done and I bet it looks so so nice. Sorry you had the bad weather but that is Mother Nature for you. I hate the job, but love the outcome. Congrats on the new baby and that is a good reason to neglect a pond. Love to see pics once the fish are all back in.

 

[addy1]

Lots of work, but now you will have a great pond season! Congratulations on the new one.

 

[Shdwdrgn]

Hey I've got a question for you... your location/zone info don't mesh up, so are you really in Canada? My understanding was that the golden dojos were not as tolerant of the cold weather as the regular ones, so I'm curious if you heat your pond at all, or do anything special to keep the dojos?

 

[chilligirl]

yes, I'm really in Canada lol, it's not all arctic I live in BC's Lower Mainland, about 20 minutes as the crow flies north of the WA border (half an hour drive from the border crossing), and 3 hours north of Seattle.

My pond is not heated. It's six just shy of six feet deep, with about 3 1/2 of those feet being in ground and the rest above ground. The pond is butted up against a south facing wall of my house, so is quite sheltered. I keep it ice free for the week or so it's cold enough for ice by keeping a pump running at the surface. It got some ice this year, but about 1/4 of the surface remained open.

Not only are the golden dojos out there, I've got fancy goldfish in there too B) Most of my fancies wound up being heron food, but I've got a lovely little ranchu who's been out there two winters

 

[Shdwdrgn]

Your location info says you are in zone 8a, which is pretty far South - that's why I was trying to confirm where you're actually located. It's great that you are able to keep the goldens. I've finally managed to get 3 of the European dojos, but all of the stores around here seem to prefer stocking the goldens, and I didn't think they would survive in my pond. Once I finish with my rebuild and the water temperature comes up, I'll be moving my dojos outside.

 

[chilligirl]

Your location info says you are in zone 8a, which is pretty far South - that's why I was trying to confirm where you're actually located. It's great that you are able to keep the goldens. I've finally managed to get 3 of the European dojos, but all of the stores around here seem to prefer stocking the goldens, and I didn't think they would survive in my pond. Once I finish with my rebuild and the water temperature comes up, I'll be moving my dojos outside.

Yup, zone 8a. Crazy huh?

http://www.theweathernetwork.com/gardening/cabc0057

(that little arrow pointing 8a? that's Chilliwack, where I live. It's not all that hot here, but never that cold either - basically it rains for all but one month of the year B) )

People hear "zone 8a" and they think warm and sunny like down south. But really, the plant hardiness zones have nothing to do with how warm it gets, but are only about the average minimum temperature. A lot of BC (the Lower Mainland, the Island, and the Sunshine Coast) all falls in zone 7 or 8.

 

[Shdwdrgn]

Wow that IS nuts! Unfortunately, that doesn't help me with deciding about the golden dojos, then. I'm in zone 5a, but I do keep a heater on my pond. I guess I'll just wait and see how the regular dojos do this first Winter, before attempting the golds.

 

[j.w]

Well I'm not that far from you down here in Arlington, Wa. We camp up in Birch bay sometimes and ride our bicycles across the border now and then. We aren't as lucky w/ our zone as we are zone 7 and temps can fall down to -6F but not for but a day or two at a time usually. This winter killed some plants that have lived for several yrs w/ no problems B)

 

[marla]

My daughter use to live in Washington (Ft. Lewis) visited a few times beautiful area. Now they are on the East coast. She does not miss WI or the winters.

 

[addy1]

I visited oregon, washington and victoria island (and other places) on a driving trip. Rain forest on one side of the mountains, desert on the other. Sure was beautiful though. But I like the sun way too much to be in the clouds too much.