"Derek Broughton" wrote in message
...
Benign Vanilla wrote:

I've always feared the "toxic gases" from the pond bottom muck, but
everytime I stir that muck up in my pond (and admittedly in my aquarium
when I neglect it) my fish love it. They swim in it, they eat it, they
go
crazy for it. I have never seen a fish die or even swim away in a funny
way.

I've got to agree with Ingrid on this one. Yeah, they love what gets
stirred up from the bottom, because it's full of little invertebrates, but
if it's bubbling, it's not healthy. Koi ponds don't tend to get to that
stage easily, because the koi themselves root about in the muck enough to
keep it from developing gas pockets, but if you neglect a pond long
enough,
it'll happen.

Whoa nelly...I am not saying let your ponds go stagnant an grow a creature
from the black lagoon. I am just saying that you do not need to be paranoid
about it. It seems like many people recommend managing pond bottom muck as
if it's uranium. I disagree. It's not good to let it go, but you don't need
to worry about it, is all I am saying. In my experience a bit of muck
stirred up will not kill your fish dead like a can of raid on a bee's nest,
and mine are not in a sewer pipe, so I am not worried about that extreme.


--
BV
Webporgmaster of iheartmypond.com
Check out the IHMP forums, ihmp.net/phpbb
I'll be leaning on the bus stop post.