Peter Smith wrote:
I just cleaned out my 60 gal. kidney shaped pond.
I have about 6, 3 inch comets and 1, 5 inch speckled koi and 1, 4 inch
frog.

I put the the fish and frog in a 20 gal tub, with water from the pond
from over the winter.
Coved it up with mesh. Put a air bubblier hose in.
I scrubbed and drained the muck out. I got the black pond liner nice and
clean.
I put 40 gals. of fresh, new water in, then added almost the rest of the
water from the tub back in.
I added pond-zime to the dose, in. I added 16oz. of aquarium salt and
stress coat to the dose.
I cleaned the 1000 gal.ph fishmate box filter out and hooked up to the
90 gal.ph beckett pump.
I pulled the plant pot, that's starting to sprout from the bottom and
put it on the first level.
I netted the fish and frog back in.
The water is a little cloudy, but it looks fine.

I live in mid PA, so the water is around 52 degrees. No feeding till it
gets up around 55-60 at night.

So, How do you think I did?

This is the 2nd year for the pond.
Thank's
Waiting to hear from you all. : )
Pete


As a semi newbie myself this is what I do (and did this last Sunday)

1) drained 75% of pond and cleaned as much "guck" from the bottom as
possible. ***(see question below)
2) started up the bio filter (which runs through the waterfall with
watercress).
3) started the other pumps ( spitter and mushroom fountain )
4) will add lilies and hyacinth when the local pond shop gets them at
the end of the month.

I have never added chemicals or tested the water. I have never lost a
fish from water quality (only from critters). As long as I have success
I will refuse to add all this "stuff" that is out there.

The water is crystal clear throughout the summer and only during hot
spells do I get a little algae growing.

*** How much "guck/particles" should I clean ?
I have this great pool vac that sucks dirt from the bottom but I am
afraid of sucking up the "good stuff" that is needed for a healthy pond
balance.

I am a firm believer that ponds eventually balance themselves and don't
need all these added chemicals. Especially when it comes to goldfish
which are a lot hardier than the tropical fish I keep in my aquarium.

On Tue, 11 Apr 2006 12:51:40 GMT, CanadianPonder©
wrote:

I have never added chemicals or tested the water.

Am putting your name on the "may have to eat words" list. )

*** How much "guck/particles" should I clean ?

You can suck the bottom clean, any bacteria there is usually covered with
mulm and goes anaerobic. Exception would be if there is green fuzz algae
(like grass) growing, then I wouldn't bother it. ~ jan

-----------------
(Do you know where your water quality is?)

"CanadianPonder©" wrote in message
...
*** How much "guck/particles" should I clean ?
I have this great pool vac that sucks dirt from the bottom but I am afraid
of sucking up the "good stuff" that is needed for a healthy pond balance.

We remove it ALL, hose the sides and suck it out with a shop-vac.

I am a firm believer that ponds eventually balance themselves and don't
need all these added chemicals.

I'm with you on this. Businesses are going to sell you as much as they can.
They want you money. Ever read a health website? They'll have you
convinced you're going to drop dead in days if you don't purchase all their
cell-salts, vitamin-mineral mixes, colloidal silver cures, parasite zappers,
colonic cleaning potions, herbs... :-)))

Especially when it comes to goldfish
which are a lot hardier than the tropical fish I keep in my aquarium.


--
Koi-Lo.... the ReelMcKoi
Frugal ponding since 1995.
Aquariums since 1952.
My Pond & Aquarium Pages:
~~~ }((((o ~~~ }{{{{o ~~~ }(((((o

A couple of questions:
The water is up around 57 degrees and I fed them a little bit.
I used the Tetra Pond verity blend.
How many sticks should I feed a 5 inch koi?
How many times a day?
What time is best?

They took it rite away. They must be hungry after not eating all winter.
Thank's
Pete

"Peter Smith" wrote in message
...
A couple of questions:
The water is up around 57 degrees and I fed them a little bit.
I used the Tetra Pond verity blend.
How many sticks should I feed a 5 inch koi?
How many times a day?
What time is best?

I don't use those sticks so can't say. I stand there and toss food in until
I can see they have all they want. I go by how they act. Mine are eating
once a day now except when the water is over 60F, in which case I'll give
them another light feeding around dinnertime. I'll start feeding them twice
a day, every day when the water stays above 60F. There shouldn't be any
leftovers floating around when you walk away from the pond.

They took it rite away. They must be hungry after not eating all winter.
Thank's
Pete

They sure are. Mine are ravenous.
--
Koi-Lo.... the ReelMcKoi
Frugal ponding since 1995.
Aquariums since 1952.
My Pond & Aquarium Pages:
http://tinyurl.com/9do58
~~~ }((((o ~~~ }{{{{o ~~~ }(((((o

"Peter Smith" wrote in message
A couple of questions:
The water is up around 57 degrees and I fed them a little bit.
I used the Tetra Pond verity blend.
How many sticks should I feed a 5 inch koi?
How many times a day?
What time is best?

Water in the 50's feed 2-3 times/week once/day.
Water in the 60's feed every day 1-2x/day.
Water in the 70's feed 2-5x/day (this depends on how much you're feeding
each time. I can feed more often because I only feed what they'll eat in
about a minute. If following the 5 minute rule I wouldn't feed more than
2-3 times/day.)
Water above 85*F don't feed. At this temp your filter is not working at
optimum. ~ jan

--------------
See my ponds and filter design:
www.jjspond.us

~Keep 'em Wet!~
Tri-Cities WA Zone 7a
To e-mail see website

What brand food do you use?
I usually on feed fish once a day.
I do the same with my aquarium.
Over feeding is something I learned not to do over the years.

Why do you feed more around 70° ?
I can see not feeding around 85°

How would I go about feeding my frog?
Or should I let him fend for himself.
Sometimes I find (Herman), my frog on the rim on the outside of the
pond.
Do they have to get out to eat?
I made the rocks on the rim a little higher then last year.
Should I make it lower like last year?
I'd say it's about 4 or 5 inches high all around.
He looks exactly like the frog on the left at the top of koi-lo's home
page. What kind of frog is it?

koi-lo and ~janj , nice webpages!
Thank's
Pete

"Peter Smith" wrote in message
...
What brand food do you use?
I usually on feed fish once a day.
I do the same with my aquarium.
Over feeding is something I learned not to do over the years.

Overfeeding is when you feed so much the fish can't eat it all and it
decomposes in the water. Not a good thing to do.

Why do you feed more around 70° ?
I can see not feeding around 85°

Mine get fed even when the water is in the 90s without a problem. Some of
us live in areas of hot summers.

How would I go about feeding my frog?
Or should I let him fend for himself.
Sometimes I find (Herman), my frog on the rim on the outside of the
pond.
Do they have to get out to eat?
I made the rocks on the rim a little higher then last year.
Should I make it lower like last year?

Frogs can take care of their own food needs. :-) Some will even eat your
fish.

I'd say it's about 4 or 5 inches high all around.
He looks exactly like the frog on the left at the top of koi-lo's home
page. What kind of frog is it?

That's a BULLFROG and they eat fish, birds, anything they can cram down
their throats with the help of both front feet.

koi-lo and ~janj , nice webpages!

Thank you.

Thank's
Pete
--
Koi-Lo.... the ReelMcKoi
Frugal ponding since 1995.
Aquariums since 1952.
My Pond & Aquarium Pages:
http://tinyurl.com/9do58
~~~ }((((o ~~~ }{{{{o ~~~ }(((((o

What brand food do you use?

I feed Shokoi, Manda Fu and sometimes HyFeng (spelling?).

I usually on feed fish once a day.

That's fine too. I was thinking more along the lines of a koi pond, where
we're wanting growth.

Why do you feed more around 70° ?

That's the optimum temp when fish are active and filter is running at its
best.

How would I go about feeding my frog? Pete

Frogs fend for themselves, self feeding, ah, the best pet. ) As long as
he can get out of the pond, sides should be no problem. ~ jan


-----------------
(Do you know where your water quality is?)