Bonnie Espenshade wrote:
BenignVanilla wrote:

"Bonnie Espenshade" wrote in message
...
snip

Why not try some window screening. Scrunch it up and put it
in the veggie filter. It can be seperated from the plants
by a section of egg crate light grid. (Another trip to Home
Depot.) It's a great mechanical filter and very easy to
clean. I have some in my veggie filter - got the idea from
Jan and Kathy.



What do you mean? Just ball it up and toss it in? Remember, my VF is just
another pond. It's one of those fancy schmancy above ground gizmo's
all you
kids have these days. *laugh*

BV.



I love the fact that you called me a "kid". My daughter might agree
with you, but my grandchildren might not. What is your veggie filter
shaped like? If it has a open area by the outflow, make a pillowcase
using the screening and fill it with more screening and put it in the
front of the outflow. (The pillowcase idea came from K30a or Jan - not
sure.) Some folks use polyester quilt batt. The screening is easily
rinsed - quilt batt is more difficult.



-- quilt bat is imposible to clean and keep together





John Rutz
Z5 New Mexico

good judgement comes from bad experience, and that comes from bad
judgement

see my pond at:

http://www.fuerjefe.com

how much more coffee can my poor monitor take??????? at least I missed
the keyboard this time

John r

K30a wrote:
Bonnie wrote The screening
is easily rinsed - quilt batt is more difficult.

aaah, that reminds me of our quilt batt experiment.
Put a whole bunch of it in the stock tank, came to the conclusion this was a
bad idea. I decided to take it out and the stuff felt like it weighed 16 tons.
So I called together the troops - all small boys, ages seven to eleven, in the
neighborhood. Various sugary treats were promised as payment.
We hauled and hauled and heaved the stuff out
of the filter and into garbage bags. Then the boys hauled the garbage bags
across the lawn, through the garage and, the plan was, to heave them into the
big garbage containers.
One problem, one of the cars was parked in such a way as to block exit from the
garage. The boys, being creative problem solvers, put the car in gear and
pushed it out of the way.
Well it doesn't look like it but our driveway has a gentle slop towards the
street.
Here I am elbow deep in more soggy quilt batting and I hear this hollering,
'STOP, STOP, is there a CAR COMING?!?!'
The car managed to roll out of the driveway and across the street. Thank
goodness we don't live on a hill....


k30a


--





John Rutz
Z5 New Mexico

good judgement comes from bad experience, and that comes from bad
judgement

see my pond at:

http://www.fuerjefe.com

K30a wrote:
Bonnie wrote The screening
is easily rinsed - quilt batt is more difficult.

aaah, that reminds me of our quilt batt experiment.
Put a whole bunch of it in the stock tank, came to the conclusion this was a
bad idea. I decided to take it out and the stuff felt like it weighed 16 tons.
So I called together the troops - all small boys, ages seven to eleven, in the
neighborhood. Various sugary treats were promised as payment.
We hauled and hauled and heaved the stuff out
of the filter and into garbage bags. Then the boys hauled the garbage bags
across the lawn, through the garage and, the plan was, to heave them into the
big garbage containers.
One problem, one of the cars was parked in such a way as to block exit from the
garage. The boys, being creative problem solvers, put the car in gear and
pushed it out of the way.
Well it doesn't look like it but our driveway has a gentle slop towards the
street.
Here I am elbow deep in more soggy quilt batting and I hear this hollering,
'STOP, STOP, is there a CAR COMING?!?!'
The car managed to roll out of the driveway and across the street. Thank
goodness we don't live on a hill....


k30a

Sooooooooo, would you say to skip the quilt batt?

--
Bonnie
NJ
http://home.earthlink.net/~maebe43/

Hi Gary,

Your thoughts on algae management and plant selection are interesting.

How about shifting your pronouns ('you' to 'we') and offering some specific
ideas about plant selection and nutrient management?

the usefulness of UV. I concur that it addresses the consequence rather
than the basic issue, yet it does allow the pond to stay clear on an ongoing
basis. Repeat treatments of algecide has the price of repeated cost and
green water...tho' we have not made a cosy comparison of UV vs algecide. It
is nice to see the fish! If you have a good management technique that works
or can help develop one, I suspect the group will love you more and adopt it
shamelessly.

Jump in! How do you propose approaching green water? What plants are you
recommending?

P


--
______________________________________________
See our pond at: home.bellsouth.net\p\pwp-jameshurley
Check out Jog-A-Thon fundraiser (clears $140+ per child) at: jogathon.net
______________________________________________
"GD" wrote in message
...
FYI, although many of you are likely aware of this:

Green water occurs during unicellular algal blooms (explosive growth
and multiplication of single-celled "plants"). Algae blooms are
caused by one thing: abundant (excess) nutrients in the water column.
In most U.S. waters, including backyard ponds, the nutrient most
likely to limit algal growth (and thus blooms) is phosphorus.

Where is the excess phosphorus in green ponds coming from? From
reading this group, it appears there are three main sources.

1) Tap water carries a fair amount of phosphorus, in many cases enough
to cause some level of algal blooms. I believe most people top off
their ponds with the most convenient water source: the hose and
faucet. Put tap water into a plain bucket, and set in the sun. You
might be surprised to see what grows after a few weeks.

2) Certain metabolic wastes are rich in nutrients, including
phosphorus, and fish waste is high on the list of phosphorus sources
in small ponds. Uneaten fish food also contains phosphorus (more than
fish waste, actually). Put tap water into a second plain bucket, set
in the sun, and throw in some fish food. Compare with the first
bucket after several weeks.

3) Fertilizer inserted into aquatic plant substrates are another
source of phosphorus in backyard ponds: Tabs/stakes/etc. dissolve
quickly, far too quickly to be absorbed by plants at one time, and
the leftovers are then available to support algal blooms. Put tap
water into a third bucket, set in the sun, throw in some fish food,
and throw in half a dose of fertilizer for a single plant. Compare.

Additionally, the efforts put forth in this group often seem directed
at managing algae, rather than excess nutrients. In many cases, the
techniques come across as overly complicated and somewhat backwards.
For instance, UV sterilization. Although UV has it merits, and does
kill algae, it does nothing to address the root of the problem:
nutrient loading. Turn off the light and the bloom recurs within a
fortnight. One gets the same effect from periodic treatment with
algicides, but can have harsh consequences if applied without
precision.

Several of you post valuable information regarding nutrient
management, most notably cutting back on fish feeding and the use of
plants as nutrient filters. I see some problems with plant filter
species selection, but all in all, the idea is sound. Tweaking
current practices and including some fresh ideas may serve as the
solution many seek. I suggest further discussion on techniques for
reducing nutrient loads in your ponds, thus minimizing problems with
algae. The disinterested can always kill the thread.

Gary


"Nobody you know" wrote:

The Pea Green is driving me crazy G

My pond is 3 years old, and goes through this every year. I am using
"pond
blocks" but they are not working. I have a Tetra 2.5 gallon filter (pond
is
about 650 gallons). I am working on convering a 50 gallon preform into a
bio-filter. Hope that will help. The pond get a medium amount of light,
some parts of the pond are in the sun all day.

Plants are starting to come up, and I have a little hornswort and
anacranis
(sp) in the upper 100 gallon area.

Will try to get some pics up on my website soon.

Ideas, suggestions???

Thanks
Marc

On Thu, 15 May 2003 19:43:33 GMT, Bonnie Espenshade
wrote:

(The pillowcase idea came from K30a or Jan - not
sure.) Some folks use polyester quilt batt. The screening
is easily rinsed - quilt batt is more difficult.

That would be me, the great window screen pillow case maker and about the
total of my sewing talent. ;o)

K30a wrote:

aaah, that reminds me of our quilt batt experiment.

Sooooooooo, would you say to skip the quilt batt? Bonnie

The quilt batting is a good thing, but it should be in a screened pillow
case no bigger than one can handle wet. Also, right next to the filter one
should have room for a temporary drying rack. Dry the dirty batting and
then throw it away. Once dry it's as light as cotton candy.... and kind of
feels stiff like that too. Hmmmm, I wonder if we could mold it into various
critters and sell as natural algae fertilizer for bedding plants. ;o)
~ jan

See my ponds and filter design:
http://users.owt.com/jjspond/

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