Winterizing
For all my earlier pond troubles in the year you'd think I'd have been a little more diligent about keeping leaves out of the pond than I have been this Fall. Part of the problem -- besides being busy -- was that I was being deceived by all the teeny Water Lettuce in the pond. When the first leaves began falling they would land on top of the Water Lettuce mat that had blanketed the surface of the pond. I'd see those and was able to pick them off, but what I wasn't seeing was the ones that had already fallen through and sunk to the bottom of the pond.
Several weeks ago I did a about a 50% water change and cleaned out what leaves had collected at the time. The water was fairly dark, looking like well-steeped tea. The reason for the extent of the water change, besides the color, was that my pond testing before the previous water change, a few weeks prior, had indicated that the level of nitrates were again climbing, while everything else, PH, Nitrites, Ammonia and Salt Level were excellent -- which means 0 (Zero) for the Ammonia and Nitrites. This last time around the Nitrates were still very low, but I wanted to get them lower.
Then the leaves started coming down in earnest. Last year I lost my netting, but instead was very dilligent about skimming the pond daily to keep leaves from steeping in the water. I haven't done that this year, and oddly, even though we had a false start Spring and then a very dry Summer, the leaves hung onto the trees a good three weeks longer than they have in a so-called "average year."
So the leaves are down now, though it keeps wanting to rain whenever I want to rake them up, and by yesterday the water was looking as dark as I have ever seen it. I could no longer see the fish. Definitely time for a change. I did a very extensive one. More, I'm sure, then the experts would say is advised, but the pond is crystal clear again, Dreamcicle and Blue appear healthy (and appreciative)and the water test readings were all good.
I've put in a fresh filter and it's got to make it through to the Winter as it will probably be the last change until Spring, barring a long stretch of mid-Winter 80 degree days where it's safe to use the hose.
Several weeks ago I did a about a 50% water change and cleaned out what leaves had collected at the time. The water was fairly dark, looking like well-steeped tea. The reason for the extent of the water change, besides the color, was that my pond testing before the previous water change, a few weeks prior, had indicated that the level of nitrates were again climbing, while everything else, PH, Nitrites, Ammonia and Salt Level were excellent -- which means 0 (Zero) for the Ammonia and Nitrites. This last time around the Nitrates were still very low, but I wanted to get them lower.
Then the leaves started coming down in earnest. Last year I lost my netting, but instead was very dilligent about skimming the pond daily to keep leaves from steeping in the water. I haven't done that this year, and oddly, even though we had a false start Spring and then a very dry Summer, the leaves hung onto the trees a good three weeks longer than they have in a so-called "average year."
So the leaves are down now, though it keeps wanting to rain whenever I want to rake them up, and by yesterday the water was looking as dark as I have ever seen it. I could no longer see the fish. Definitely time for a change. I did a very extensive one. More, I'm sure, then the experts would say is advised, but the pond is crystal clear again, Dreamcicle and Blue appear healthy (and appreciative)and the water test readings were all good.
I've put in a fresh filter and it's got to make it through to the Winter as it will probably be the last change until Spring, barring a long stretch of mid-Winter 80 degree days where it's safe to use the hose.
Labels: Pond Mojo
posted by Bryrock at
12:24 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
Links to this post:
Create a Link
<< Home