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#1
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goldfish house with observation feature
I have a quite shallow pond (18" or so) in north London, u.k. . I built a
substantial little house out of bricks for the gold fish to hide under. It's complete with a ventilator type grill on the roof. (the kind you put in the wall of your house just above ground level to assist air flow around the foundations) The purpose of this was to enable the fish to see out from their house. The other day a heron flew in (we chased him off several times) and he ate them all, when we weren't looking. Somehow I've never liked nets over the pond, and would prefer to build a good house for the fish; preferably so they can see danger coming. I beginning to think maybe some fine mesh type chicken wire, so they can get a good look around, but be safe under it? Would anyone have any ideas on how to design something suitable please? Or are the fish just too dozy and inattentive and really the whole pond has to be covered ? Thanks for any advice. |
#2
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goldfish house with observation feature
On Thu, 27 Nov 2008 11:25:10 EST, "john zeiss"
wrote: I have a quite shallow pond (18" or so) in north London, u.k. . I built a substantial little house out of bricks for the gold fish to hide under. It's complete with a ventilator type grill on the roof. (the kind you put in the wall of your house just above ground level to assist air flow around the foundations) The purpose of this was to enable the fish to see out from their house. The other day a heron flew in (we chased him off several times) and he ate them all, when we weren't looking. Somehow I've never liked nets over the pond, and would prefer to build a good house for the fish; preferably so they can see danger coming. I beginning to think maybe some fine mesh type chicken wire, so they can get a good look around, but be safe under it? Would anyone have any ideas on how to design something suitable please? Or are the fish just too dozy and inattentive and really the whole pond has to be covered ? Thanks for any advice. Now that the heron has dined at your pond, it will have all the patience in the world to wait for a fish to poke its nose out of whatever hiding place. Better would have been a place where the heron couldn't see the fish hiding.... but for now, a net will be needed if you get more fish. Next spring you can install a motion activated sprinkler and remove the net. ~ jan ------------ Zone 7a, SE Washington State Ponds: www.jjspond.us |
#3
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goldfish house with observation feature
Hi John
Herons don't like any form of physical barrier. Try potted plants around the pond. I use grasses in 15" pots. They kinda blend with the pond........evergreen........low maintenance. I'm sorry for your loss of fish. -- Pete C London UK |
#4
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goldfish house with observation feature
"Pete C" wrote in message ... Hi John Herons don't like any form of physical barrier. Try potted plants around the pond. I use grasses in 15" pots. They kinda blend with the pond........evergreen........low maintenance. I'm sorry for your loss of fish. A determined heron will penetrate almost anything - I cannot see potted plants working at all round here ! Netting stands the best chance IMHO. However I am interested in this suggestion from Jan " Next spring you can install a motion activated sprinkler and remove the net." Could he please expand. - Many thanks Regards Pete www.thecanalshop.com |
#5
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goldfish house with observation feature
Pete Stockdale wrote:
"Pete C" wrote in message ... Hi John Herons don't like any form of physical barrier. Try potted plants around the pond. I use grasses in 15" pots. They kinda blend with the pond........evergreen........low maintenance. I'm sorry for your loss of fish. A determined heron will penetrate almost anything - I cannot see potted plants working at all round here ! Netting stands the best chance IMHO. However I am interested in this suggestion from Jan " Next spring you can install a motion activated sprinkler and remove the net." Could he please expand. - Many thanks Regards Pete www.thecanalshop.com Something like this................? http://www.bradshawsdirect.co.uk/Bra...uct/DVSCAR.htm -- Pete C London UK |
#6
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goldfish house with observation feature
On Sat, 29 Nov 2008 13:44:50 EST, "Pete C" wrote:
Something like this................? http://www.bradshawsdirect.co.uk/Bra...uct/DVSCAR.htm That's it, Scarecrow, not Heron Scarer. blush ~ jan ------------ Zone 7a, SE Washington State Ponds: www.jjspond.us |
#7
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goldfish house with observation feature
On Sat, 29 Nov 2008 10:17:25 EST, "Pete Stockdale"
wrote: However I am interested in this suggestion from Jan " Next spring you can install a motion activated sprinkler and remove the net." Could he please expand. - Many thanks Regards Pete www.thecanalshop.com A picture/video is worth a thousand words: http://www.break.com/index/motion-ac...s-pigeons.html I use a wider swath, and sensitivity can be adjusted (even that little bird could have set mine off if I had the sensitivity all the way up, unfortunately wind blowing plants also sets it off at the higher sensitivity). ;-) The brand I have is called a heron scarer, course one still needs cover in the winter when the water is off. ~ jan ------------ Zone 7a, SE Washington State Ponds: www.jjspond.us |
#8
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goldfish house with observation feature
"john zeiss" wrote in message ... I have a quite shallow pond (18" or so) in north London, u.k. . I built a substantial little house out of bricks for the gold fish to hide under. It's complete with a ventilator type grill on the roof. (the kind you pu t in the wall of your house just above ground level to assist air flow aro und the foundations) The purpose of this was to enable the fish to see out from their house. The other day a heron flew in (we chased him off several times) and he ate them all, when we weren't looking. Somehow I've never liked nets over the pond, and would prefer to build a good house for the fish; preferably so they can see danger coming. I beginning to think maybe some fine mesh type chicken wire, so they can get a good look around, but be safe under it? Would anyone have any ideas on how to design something suitable please? Or are the fish just too dozy and inattentive and really the whole pond has to be covered ? Thanks for any advice. ================================ After years of battling herons and trying everything in the book we final ly netted the ponds. Birds are a lot more intelligent than fish and will cl ean out your pond every time. My fish had things to hide under also. The her ons still got them. -- RM.... Frugal ponding since 1995. rec.ponder since late 1996. Zone 6. Middle TN USA ~~~~ }((((* ~~~ }{{{{(ö |
#9
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goldfish house with observation feature
"Pete Stockdale" wrote in message ... "Pete C" wrote in message ... Hi John Herons don't like any form of physical barrier. Try potted plants arou nd the pond. I use grasses in 15" pots. They kinda blend with the pond........evergreen........low maintenance. I'm sorry for your loss of fish. A determined heron will penetrate almost anything - I cannot see potted plants working at all round here ! Netting stands the best chance IMHO. However I am interested in this suggestion from Jan " Next spring you can install a motion activated sprinkler and remove the net. " Could he please expand. - Many thanks ======================== Make sure if you get one of these you don't use a hose that can split und er pressure. You may come home from work to find your yard flooded and a wat er bill to put you in the poorhouse.... or the doghouse for awhile. ;-) -- RM.... Frugal ponding since 1995. rec.ponder since late 1996. Zone 6. Middle TN USA ~~~~ }((((* ~~~ }{{{{(ö |
#10
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goldfish house with observation feature
"ReelMcKoi" wrote in message ... ======== Make sure if you get one of these you don't use a hose that can split und er pressure. You may come home from work to find your yard flooded and a wat er bill to put you in the poorhouse.... or the doghouse for awhile. ;-) No problem with pressure hose round here - I already run at three times mains pressure in the greenhouse. Any heron would be in for a wet time. Still waiting for the "gun" details from Jan though. Regards Pete www.thecanalshop.com |
#11
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goldfish house with observation feature
Pete Stockdale wrote:
"ReelMcKoi" wrote in message ... ======== Make sure if you get one of these you don't use a hose that can split und er pressure. You may come home from work to find your yard flooded and a wat er bill to put you in the poorhouse.... or the doghouse for awhile. ;-) No problem with pressure hose round here - I already run at three times mains pressure in the greenhouse. Any heron would be in for a wet time. Still waiting for the "gun" details from Jan though. Regards Pete www.thecanalshop.com You gonna replace the water with a 12 bore? -- Pete C London UK |
#12
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goldfish house with observation feature
"Pete C" wrote in message ... No problem with pressure hose round here - I already run at three times mains pressure in the greenhouse. Any heron would be in for a wet time. Still waiting for the "gun" details from Jan though. You gonna replace the water with a 12 bore? -- No bore size would probably be nearer .410 (four-ten) ! I have now found it in the catalogue. http://www.bradshawsdirect.co.uk/pub...ard/dvscar.jpg Just need a bit of advice before considering a purchase from a previous user. Regards Pete www.thecanalshop.com |
#13
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goldfish house with observation feature
No problem with pressure hose round here - I already run at three times
mains pressure in the greenhouse. Any heron would be in for a wet time. Still waiting for the "gun" details from Jan though. I sent this prior to RM's answer, but perhaps you missed it... or it went off into cyberspace: A picture/video is worth a thousand words: http://www.break.com/index/motion-ac...s-pigeons.html I use a wider swath, and sensitivity can be adjusted (even that little bird could have set mine off if I had the sensitivity all the way up, unfortunately wind blowing plants also sets it off at the higher sensitivity). ;-) The brand I have is called a Scare Crow just like the picture of the website you have, course one still needs cover (screen/net) in the winter when the water is off. ~ jan PS. Never had a problem with a hose popping, though we eventually hard piped them with pvc so as not to tie up the hose or have it going across the grass. PSS: Raccoons get use to them or continue to test them till the batteries run out or someone forgets to set it. So if you have them and they've fed at your pond.... HOT WIRE. Raccoons will also TEAR nets to get fish, as recently reported by a local ponder. Thus, if that is the problem, use strong netting or screen if one doesn't want to hot wire. ------------ Zone 7a, SE Washington State Ponds: www.jjspond.us |
#14
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goldfish house with observation feature
I sent this prior to RM's answer, but perhaps you missed it... or it went off into cyberspace: A picture/video is worth a thousand words: http://www.break.com/index/motion-ac...s-pigeons.html I use a wider swath, and sensitivity can be adjusted (even that little bird could have set mine off if I had the sensitivity all the way up, unfortunately wind blowing plants also sets it off at the higher sensitivity). ;-) The brand I have is called a Scare Crow just like the picture of the website you have, course one still needs cover (screen/net) in the winter when the water is off. ~ jan PS. Never had a problem with a hose popping, though we eventually hard piped them with pvc so as not to tie up the hose or have it going across the grass. PSS: Raccoons get use to them or continue to test them till the batteries run out or someone forgets to set it. So if you have them and they've fed at your pond.... HOT WIRE. Raccoons will also TEAR nets to get fish, as recently reported by a local ponder. Thus, if that is the problem, use strong netting or screen if one doesn't want to hot wire. ------------ Zone 7a, SE Washington State Ponds: www.jjspond.us Hi Thanks for that. At least I should not be troubled with raccoons here in UK. I am still not convinced that I could position one to cover all appearances of the heron. A photo of my pond is at --- http://www.geocities.com/thecanalsho...ys04032006.jpg If I put one at one end - the thing could attack from behind or round the side I reckon. In your video the bird conveniently appears in the same place. Bit silly really ! Convince me, or it is back to the (yet to be built) wire mesh frames idea AYR. Regards Pete www.thecanalshop.com |
#15
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goldfish house with observation feature
On Mon, 8 Dec 2008 11:33:30 EST, "Pete Stockdale"
wrote: Hi Thanks for that. At least I should not be troubled with raccoons here in UK. I am still not convinced that I could position one to cover all appearances of the heron. A photo of my pond is at --- http://www.geocities.com/thecanalsho...ys04032006.jpg If I put one at one end - the thing could attack from behind or round the side I reckon. In your video the bird conveniently appears in the same place. Bit silly really ! Convince me, or it is back to the (yet to be built) wire mesh frames idea AYR. Regards Pete www.thecanalshop.com See my pond at my website below, it completely covers both the koi pond and lily pond (separate areas, separate sprinklers), the area sprayed is adjustable, just like regular Rainbird sprinklers, so the swath it patrols is up to your discretion. As far as the vision of the sensor, I have mine about 10 feet back from the middle of the koi ponds, nothing is safe approaching from the sides or approaching from the far side. The stream and distance it shoots is also adjustable. How wide is your pond? ~ jan ------------ Zone 7a, SE Washington State Ponds: www.jjspond.us |
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