Spring Ponding

[~ jan]

The PNW has been beautiful the last couple of days. My spring break started
this week so I've been busy cleaning up the yard. Pond were opened up
Friday and Sunday took the flow off of by-pass. Going over the waterfall
again.

Frogs showed up last night. We've had temps 10 degrees higher than the
norms, so it has been really nice and is suppose to stay warm for the next
several days, though it will be a few degrees lower. I won't complain.

Hope you're Easter and spring are starting out as wonderful. ~ jan
------------
Zone 7a, SE Washington State
Ponds: www.jjspond.us

[JB]

My fish are becoming active and getting hungry. Did a couple of feedings
of Cheerios and now they're on to the good stuff. Going to place another
order for some high dollar Koi food. Anyone care to have that discussion
again? You know the one where we debate the merits, or lack of, in
feeding one type of fish food over another? ;-)

JB

[~ jan]

I'm sticking with what has worked and that is Sho Koi. That I too will get
ordered this week. I got to feed one day the 1st few days of April and then
dang if it hasn't gone below normal temps since. Not happy! ~ jan

[Norminn]

I'm not going to debate...would love to hear more about how much, when
and what to feed.

This is my first spring with a pond, inherited with our new home. Six
koi, est. about 6-8" each.

I've only had a few warmish days (north central Indiana) to clean and
make repairs to water lines. I seem to have water loss in a buried line
between the pump and the waterfall....is there a general guide (or
tables?) that estimate normal evaporation? My pond is about 6x10', egg
shaped and about 18" deep at the center.

Water is too murky to visualize fish clearly, but there seemed to be a
little dark colored (koi, I hope) chasing a golden one the other day.
Mating behavior? Hungry bass?

When I went to Lowes few days ago, the clerk shared that he had been a
ponder in Ohio, and used barley straw in mesh bags to control algae and
that it worked very well. I have some products, food and water
treatment, left by the previous owner, so I am in relatively good shape.

Cheerios?

[JB]

Ouch on the price change for Sho Koi. Up around $1.00 per pound over
last year for the 10 lb bag. Tried to compensate for this by buying the
two lb bags because it was cheaper this way.

[JB]

On 4/16/2013 2:58 PM, Norminn wrote:
>
> I'm not going to debate...would love to hear more about how much, when
> and what to feed.
>
> This is my first spring with a pond, inherited with our new home. Six
> koi, est. about 6-8" each.
>
> I've only had a few warmish days (north central Indiana) to clean and
> make repairs to water lines. I seem to have water loss in a buried line
> between the pump and the waterfall....is there a general guide (or
> tables?) that estimate normal evaporation? My pond is about 6x10', egg
> shaped and about 18" deep at the center.
>
> Water is too murky to visualize fish clearly, but there seemed to be a
> little dark colored (koi, I hope) chasing a golden one the other day.
> Mating behavior? Hungry bass?
>
> When I went to Lowes few days ago, the clerk shared that he had been a
> ponder in Ohio, and used barley straw in mesh bags to control algae and
> that it worked very well. I have some products, food and water
> treatment, left by the previous owner, so I am in relatively good shape.
>
> Cheerios?
>

Norminn,

Congratulations on becoming a ponder! You ask several questions:

I'm guessing that from the measurements you've provided that your pond
is around 600 gallons, maybe a little less.

There shouldn't be much evaporation this time of year so what period of
time has elapsed between when the pond was full and now?

Most ponds get murky from algae bloom in the spring. They'll clear
eventually; and sometimes in a matter of a few hours dramatically. Some
people use the in-line U/V lights. I've read about the barley but I do
neither in my 3,000 gallon pond. I do add a second pump with filter to
help remove the algae bloom. I have to clean it almost every day when
it's really thick.

Cheerios - sometimes fed in cooler weather as it doesn't produce as much
waste which in turn can produce ammonia which in turn can be harmful.
Others can tell you the chemistry behind all this.

JB

[~ jan]

>On 4/16/2013 2:58 PM, Norminn wrote:
>>
>> I'm not going to debate...would love to hear more about how much, when
>> and what to feed.
>>
>> This is my first spring with a pond, inherited with our new home. Six
>> koi, est. about 6-8" each.
>>
>> I've only had a few warmish days (north central Indiana) to clean and
>> make repairs to water lines. I seem to have water loss in a buried line
>> between the pump and the waterfall....is there a general guide (or
>> tables?) that estimate normal evaporation? My pond is about 6x10', egg
>> shaped and about 18" deep at the center.
>>
>> Water is too murky to visualize fish clearly, but there seemed to be a
>> little dark colored (koi, I hope) chasing a golden one the other day.
>> Mating behavior? Hungry bass?
>>
>> When I went to Lowes few days ago, the clerk shared that he had been a
>> ponder in Ohio, and used barley straw in mesh bags to control algae and
>> that it worked very well. I have some products, food and water
>> treatment, left by the previous owner, so I am in relatively good shape.
>>
>> Cheerios?

My usual water loss is in the waterfall, either a rock has fallen or the
rubber has been pushed down. If you can by-pass the water fall and keep
things running, thereby using process of elimination will help. Next turn
off the filter if you can separate it from the pond, see if the leak is in
the pond or somewhere in the filter/pipes.

Not a fan of many koi foods or human foods that are often filled with
fillers that pass right through. And old saying is, you're not keeping koi
you're keeping quality water. Fillers feed the filter, which is okay if the
filter can handle it, most can't.

How is your fresh water? If it is in good shape the best chemical you can
use to reduce murkiness & algae is water changes. Other wise plants, but
often plants wake up slower than algae. Don't get too excited by algae
though, it is really your friend and shows one to cut down on feeding, do
more water changes or upgrade the filter system.

I never have used UV. I get some string algae in the spring, but never
murky. I do water changes weekly, unless one of the water falls is helping
out by letting it leak elsewhere. Then I'm adding more.

One product I swear by is BZT sold by UnitedTech.com. ~ jan

[~ jan]

>
>Ouch on the price change for Sho Koi. Up around $1.00 per pound over
>last year for the 10 lb bag. Tried to compensate for this by buying the
>two lb bags because it was cheaper this way.

Ordered mine today, it has the old cart and according to it said the price
was only a $2-3 rise. Hmmmm, I do remember though when I first ordered it
from Western Pond that is was only $59, but that might have been a few
years ago. Since I have aquariums of goldfish I also order shogold at the
same time to hit that magic $100 free shipping price. That's gone up too,
but hasn't everything except our paychecks? ~ jan