My wife and I bought a home in 1984 and lived there 20 years before
moving into our current home. I built my first pond in 1998 and, with
knowledge gleaned from the rec.ponds group I had a pretty successful
experience.

My pond was about 900 gallons. I made my first pond filter out of an
OASE 1200 gph pump wrapped in a mesh bag filled with bio-balls and
housed in a milk crate. Don't laugh! It worked just fine.

For me, my first pond experience made me want to build a second, larger
pond. (Ponds and aquariums have that effect on me.) So, when we bought
the new place I did: 3,000 gallons but that's another story documented here.

Our previous home is close enough that we drive by it almost every day.
Several months back we noticed it was for sale. Then, a couple of months
ago, we saw a moving van parked out front. The house has been vacant since.

Were were always partial to that place, being our first home and all
that. I'd planted 20 dogwoods, about as many azaleas and a lot of other
TLC gardening.

Stopped by one day to take a walk around. Heard a clicking sound coming
from the pond area before I got over to it. It was the pump in the
skimmer box. It barely had any water in it at. The falls weren't running
and the water was almost 2 feet low. I filled the pond and have been
returning once a week to do maintenance - cleaning out the skimmer, the
filter falls, dredging leaves from the bottom, etc.

My wife called the real estate agent for the house and mentioned that
all he plants were in need of water and they might have a hard time
selling a home where the front yard reeked of dead fish (5 large
goldfish. Sorry, forgot to mention them.)

Anyway. looks like all of the dogwoods are dead and most of the azaleas.
I'm determined to keep the pond going as long as the powers on and the
water runs.

The wife says take the fish. My pond could probably accommodate them as
this year's yellow bellied water snake took some out before he got his.
But, I've heard bad tales about introducing new fish.

Once again, I'm ending with a question, What to do? What to do?

JB