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[APD] Re: New pond algae and heat questions



James,

I would be much more concerned with the huge water evaporation from the
waterfall, plus the tragic losses if the thing is not set up quite correctly
and return water is diverted by accident or an accumulation of leaves
somewhere. Waterfalls are best run when there is someone around to
appreciate them, not all day and night.

I'd suggest installing a small fountain type pump that runs continuously
with either a small spray head or none at all, so that it gurgles just above
or just below the surface. It might be wise to have this pump and the sponge
prefilter set up on a shelf of some sort to allow the cooler deeper parts to
stay that way, and in winter you will be concerend about super cooling if
the waterfall runs on winter nights. In areas like yours, where the temp
swing from day to night is so wide in winter, pulling water from the warmer
bottom is not so nice for the fish, they would prefer to have stable temps.

If you add water lilies now, and fertilize them, they will be covering in a
matter of weeks, if the fish don't mow them down. I assume you will have koi
in a pond that size. I was never successful with netting or cages over
plants, nor with large or small rocks. The koi, even at rather small sizes,
can flip out egg sized rocks with ease and no netting can keep them from
munching on roots, IME. If you have plants shelves, you may have better luck
in protecting the roots.

I've read that the other reason the water lilies combat green water is that
the micro-critters that combat green water are eaten by the fish and only
when the lilies are thick do the little bugs have a chance to survive.

One other idea, is it possible to turn the waterfall down very, very slow?
Slow flow over algae covered rocks is a good immitation of a trickle filter
and that could clear the water.

A very good pond forum that I used to frequent is
http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/ponds/?4269

Ann Viverette
>
> Message: 4
> Date: Sun, 1 Aug 2004 18:52:56 -0400
> From: "James Capelle" <jcapwet at cox_net>
> Subject: [APD] New pond algae and heat questions
> To: "Aquatic-Plant Digest" <Aquatic-Plants at actwin_com>
>
> I have a new pond that my Better (Best) half had a landscape
designer/contractor come in and landscape the back yard with a 2700 gal
pond.   The person who dug the hole didn't follow the landscaper's
instruction and make it deeper then they normally would dig ponds.  I
requested a hole at lest 6 feet deep, if not deeper.  The hole only went to
four feet deep.  Ever since the pond has been filled it has had an algae
problem (to me) now the waterfall has hair type algae on the rocks (not any
where else in the pond has that).   Here the question;
>
>  1. The landscaper contractor told my wife the shut of the waterfall (and
the only source of water surface transfer) during the hottest part of the
day 2:30 PM until 6:30 PM to control the temperature.  I say leave it on to
give on to provide more oxygen to the fish in the high temperature that we
get in Gainesville Florida during the summer.
>
> 2. The algae problem.  I would like to use Barley Straw extract to clear
it up, but on the other hand it does filter the sun from getting the fish.
I do have a bridge crossing the center of the pond to over shade and some
plants also. This pond gets many hours of sun daily.  Next year the broader
plants will be high to offer more shading, but this year.
>
> And to my collecting friends in NFC from the North Central Florida area
the pond warming party is coming soon.  JiM C.
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 5
> Date: Sun, 1 Aug 2004 21:32:26 -0400
> From: "Mike Smith" <chainsawmike at msn_com>
> Subject: [APD] (no subject)
> To: "aquatic-plants" <aquatic-plants at actwin_com>
>
> Hello Everyone,
>                        I am currently in need of a few hundred (4+) MTS.
If there is anyone out there with an infestation they want to knock back, I
will gladly reimburse for shipping, time spent collecting, and a little
something to defray the cost of hunting them down. ( trap bait etc. ) I am
trying to seed a colony of these snails in the tank but the ones I have
purchased thus far have not lasted long enough to gain a foothold. The
danger comes from a 6" yoyo loach, a 4" clown loach, a 3" zebra loach and an
asian bumblebee cat. I'm sure you are aware of the preconcieved notions
these fish have toward snails of any species. I have put 150+ snails in the
tank but the only ones to last have been the largest (3/4"). These loaches
are gluttonous, they are fed frozen bloodworms among other things and are so
fat, you would think they wouldn't have the energy or drive to hunt down the
snails.( whole reason for fattening them was to give snails fighting
chance ) However, everyday !
>  they can be found happily digging in the gravel looking for snails. I
have watched the clown pick up individual pieces of gravel with his mouth
and toss them aside for five minutes at a time in his quest for a particular
snail. It seems once he has convinced himself that there is one below him,
( maybe he smells them? ) he will dig till he gets it. The zebra loach is
constantly trying to force his head down into the gravel to the point where
his snout is always red, presumably from scratching it on the edges of the
Flourite. I am watching the clown go to town right now in fact. ( 55 gallon
is within arms reach of computer ) I bought the clown loach because IMHO all
freshwater tanks require a clown loach. ( I have no legitimate reason for
this belief, I like the way they look and I have always had at least one in
every tank I have ever had. Aside from the tanks containing snakeheads of
course ) The other two were purchased for snail control. I grievously
underestimated their!
>   powers of snail consumption. I was afraid of an outbreak like the one
> s I have read about on the list, now I am hoping for one. The bumblebee,
hereafter referred to as bumbles ( yes, like the abominable snowman from
Rudolph, the wife's idea and in fact the only fish she has ever liked ) was
a transfer from a tank that turned into African clawed frog house. ( also
the wife's idea, dragged her kicking and screaming into LFS recently and
heard "Oh! there sooo cute" $50 later we had a mated pair each the size of
your fist and I lost my 20H in the kitchen. ) The jokes on her however as
now I plan to put another 20H on the lower shelf of the metal stand,
ostensibly as a feeder holding tank for the frogs but I will slowly turn it
to my own designs <hand wringing and evil laugh> At any rate, I have
convinced myself that I need MTS in the tank and I will continue trying to
establish them despite the best efforts of my fish!
>
Thanks,  Mike
>
> ------------------------------
>
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>
> End of Aquatic-Plants Digest, Vol 12, Issue 2
> *********************************************


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