Came back home yesterday from a trip out of state and went out to my pond to
find that the water had dropped more than a few inches. "Evaporation." I
thought until I remembered that we were on track to have the wettest May on
record. (I'd been down in Texas where the folks there had been talking about
needing rain so that's probably where that thought came from.) I looked
around and found that the Iris, Forget-me-nots, pennywort and mint had
formed a dam in the waterfalls that was diverting water outside the pond.

So, today was clean out the filter/falls and get in the pond day. I'd been
putting it off because of the weather and it's been pretty cool this spring.
I'd had a small algae bloom a couple of weeks back but the water now is
pretty clear. (That's unusual for my pond to clear this early.) I
"harvested" clay pond soil that the koi had knocked out of pots in their
digging that had now drifted to the deepest part of the pond and lay on the
bottom. The water here is about 4 feet so I was all the way under water
scrapping the clay into the pot I planned to use for the water lily I'd
found floating on the surface. Does anyone get this wet doing pond chores?
(Note to self: next time bring fish net to do this.)

I trimmed up the lilies, horsetails, and pennywort and put the stuff on the
mulch pile. I wish I'd never planted pennywort in the pond. It's escaped
into the yard and rapidly getting out of hand. I've broken my "no chemicals"
rule and trying to get the upper hand. Three water lilies are blooming.

Life is good.

JB

On Sat, 30 May 2009 17:14:57 EDT, "JB" wrote:

found floating on the surface. Does anyone get this wet doing pond chores?
(Note to self: next time bring fish net to do this.)

Only when I slip and fall in. ;-)

Life is good.
JB

Woo hoo, what it is all about. ~ jan
------------
Zone 7a, SE Washington State
Ponds: www.jjspond.us

Once a year, Jim puts on his mask and snorkel and checks out the pond
and the 7' deep well (old septic tank). He looks crazy snorkeling in
22" of water. the fish quickly get used to him and ignore him.

Phyllis

veggie filter in full swing "taking care of business" so going to our local botanical
gardens to walk around in the sun and look at tree peonies in full bloom. ahhhhh.
Ingrid

On Sun, 31 May 2009 00:11:29 EDT, Jim and Phyllis wrote:

Once a year, Jim puts on his mask and snorkel and checks out the pond
and the 7' deep well (old septic tank). He looks crazy snorkeling in
22" of water. the fish quickly get used to him and ignore him.

Phyllis
Somewhere between zone 5 and 6 tucked along the shore of Lake Michigan
on the council grounds of the Fox, Mascouten, Potawatomi, and Winnebago

On May 31, 12:11 am, Jim and Phyllis
wrote:
Once a year, Jim puts on his mask and snorkel and checks out the pond
and the 7' deep well (old septic tank). He looks crazy snorkeling in
22" of water. the fish quickly get used to him and ignore him.

Phyllis

I think I read that there is something dangerous eye & eye ailment-
wise possible from going under water. They said to be sure and wash
well immediately. My DH had to do some underwater work a few years
ago,but he did hose down right away. His biggest problem was the
slippery bottom and getting a foothold to get out. We finally had to
give him a rope to pull with til he could hoist himself over the edge
of the 18" raised pond - 3 ft middle depth. Darn stone got lodged in
the bottom drain return hose. We still do not have it our, couldn't
get it even with a snake.
nan in de

On Sun, 31 May 2009 14:24:01 EDT, nanzi wrote:

I think I read that there is something dangerous eye & eye ailment-
wise possible from going under water. They said to be sure and wash
well immediately. My DH had to do some underwater work a few years
ago,but he did hose down right away. His biggest problem was the
slippery bottom and getting a foothold to get out. We finally had to
give him a rope to pull with til he could hoist himself over the edge
of the 18" raised pond - 3 ft middle depth. Darn stone got lodged in
the bottom drain return hose. We still do not have it our, couldn't
get it even with a snake.
nan in de

I don't know about eyes, but any body of water/pond with snails can carry
the parasite that causes swimmer's itch. Rinsing well is the way to take
care of it. Always good to use those water proof band aides if one has cuts
or owies, especially on their hands while doing anything in the pond.
~ jan
------------
Zone 7a, SE Washington State
Ponds: www.jjspond.us