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#16
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Oxygenators seem to be dying
In article , Tumbleweed
writes "Franz Heymann" wrote in message ... snip Also, it's on gravel, so it could make quite a mess if gunge etc splashes out all over during cleaning. I'm not feeling like going through all this as I'm sure lots of you can guess! Also, in response to someone's comment, I hadn't realised that water lilies were regarded as annuals, even in this climate - I thought that once established they would come back every year? I certainly wouldn't want to have to fork out every spring for one season's growth and a few flowers!! I really don't want to go down the electric pump route - there's no easy way of hooking it up to a power supply or laying cable. I was hoping there might be a solar option, ie a solar panel with a submergible pump attached which could sit at the bottom and hopefully not disturb the water too much, but in such a small barrel I suppose it would be likely to be too turbulent and extremely costly as I can't find this kind of thing on the web. Maybe the only answer is to get rid of the water lily, even though this was what I really wanted in the barrel in the first place, so that I can put my floating solar fountain on it next summer and re-oxygenate the water that way. It's just a shame and I really would have liked a water lily feature in the garden, but I'd much prefer to be rid of the stench! Lynda Franz has made the good suggestions re siphoning so I wont add to that. As to the lily, yes its perennial, but its leaves will die off* completely and it will be dormant until late next spring. Re a floating solar fountain, I'd guess, not having seen one (except pics on the web just now), that the area required for solar power took up a good deal of your barrel. The fountain is about a foot in diameter and it's currently sitting in a barrel 18" in diameter but it looks fine especially in full flow and does a good job of keeping the water fresh. The large stagnant barrel is 3ft in diameter so the fountain wouldn't look too big at all, but the water would keep hitting the lily leaves. certainly the picture here http://www.gardenitems.co.uk/solar_f...s_original.htm makes it look huge even though it mentions a half barrel. As you have gravel I'd have thought it would be easy to lay cable. If you got a pump with a low voltage supply you could also use thin two core cable. Unfortunately it would involve digging up patio/flags which are all around the house, so I don't want to go to those lengths! Or if you really dont want to do that how about a solar powered pump http://www.nclsolar.com/p_gard.htm (£85 though) Unfortunately a lot of things called pumps, including this one, are actually fountains, rather than submerged pumps which is what I was thinking of. Or, more decorative (and expensive) one of these http://www.water-garden.co.uk/water_...olar/solar.php I couldn't see the one you are referring to here? Thanks anyway for the suggestions, and the links. Lynda |
#17
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Oxygenators seem to be dying
In article , Lynda Thornton
writes Re completely emptying the barrel, there is pondlife at the bottom including at least one lesser water boatman - what should I do with that, and possibly others, if I empty everything out? Collect up as much as you can of living stuff and store it in a bowl of clean water ready to add back when you've finished. It's also not that easy to empty the thing to be quite honest, it's an enormous wooden barrel 3ft diameter/high, weighs a ton and there's no way I could tip it with even a small amount of water in it. Dip a bucket in, or siphon the water out. Dig the sludge out using an old icecream tub and put it on the compost heap. You don't have to get every last bit out. Also, it's on gravel, so it could make quite a mess if gunge etc splashes out all over during cleaning. Cover the gravel with old platic bags, then a layer of newspaper to soak up the damp. The newspaper can go on the compost heap too. I'm not feeling like going through all this as I'm sure lots of you can guess! Don't leave it too long. It may be nasty now, but that's as nothing compared with what it'll be like when the weather (and water) gets colder! Also, in response to someone's comment, I hadn't realised that water lilies were regarded as annuals, even in this climate - I thought that once established they would come back every year? Yes, you're right - they do, getting bigger and bigger every year. They're perfectly happy sitting under a layer of ice. I don't know whether there's a problem if the whole barrel gets frozen solid though? But I can't imagine why anyone would regard them as an annual. I really don't want to go down the electric pump route - there's no easy way of hooking it up to a power supply or laying cable. I was hoping there might be a solar option, ie a solar panel with a submergible pump attached which could sit at the bottom and hopefully not disturb the water too much, but in such a small barrel I suppose it would be likely to be too turbulent and extremely costly as I can't find this kind of thing on the web. There are two solar options, firstly an all-in-one solar fountain - a 8in diameter solar panel with a fountain spout in the middle, which just floats on your pond - secondly, a fountain with separate solar panel. I imagine there would be some way of adjusting the height of the fountain so it was just a gentle burble - enlarging the hole, for example. The main criticism of these solar fountains is that their performance is disappointing - just not enough fountain - but that is precisely what you'd be looking for here. -- Kay Easton Edward's earthworm page: http://www.scarboro.demon.co.uk/edward/index.htm |
#18
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Oxygenators seem to be dying
In article , Lynda Thornton
writes Or if you really dont want to do that how about a solar powered pump http://www.nclsolar.com/p_gard.htm (£85 though) Unfortunately a lot of things called pumps, including this one, are actually fountains, rather than submerged pumps which is what I was thinking of. A fountain, adjusted to a mere trickle, would do a good job of oxygenating. And wouldn't upset your water lily. -- Kay Easton Edward's earthworm page: http://www.scarboro.demon.co.uk/edward/index.htm |
#19
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Oxygenators seem to be dying
"Kay Easton" wrote in message ... In article , Lynda Thornton writes Re completely emptying the barrel, there is pondlife at the bottom including at least one lesser water boatman - what should I do with that, and possibly others, if I empty everything out? Collect up as much as you can of living stuff and store it in a bowl of clean water ready to add back when you've finished. It's also not that easy to empty the thing to be quite honest, it's an enormous wooden barrel 3ft diameter/high, weighs a ton and there's no way I could tip it with even a small amount of water in it. Dip a bucket in, or siphon the water out. Dig the sludge out using an old icecream tub and put it on the compost heap. You don't have to get every last bit out. Also, it's on gravel, so it could make quite a mess if gunge etc splashes out all over during cleaning. Cover the gravel with old platic bags, then a layer of newspaper to soak up the damp. The newspaper can go on the compost heap too. I'm not feeling like going through all this as I'm sure lots of you can guess! Don't leave it too long. It may be nasty now, but that's as nothing compared with what it'll be like when the weather (and water) gets colder! Also, in response to someone's comment, I hadn't realised that water lilies were regarded as annuals, even in this climate - I thought that once established they would come back every year? Yes, you're right - they do, getting bigger and bigger every year. They're perfectly happy sitting under a layer of ice. I don't know whether there's a problem if the whole barrel gets frozen solid though? But I can't imagine why anyone would regard them as an annual. I really don't want to go down the electric pump route - there's no easy way of hooking it up to a power supply or laying cable. I was hoping there might be a solar option, ie a solar panel with a submergible pump attached which could sit at the bottom and hopefully not disturb the water too much, but in such a small barrel I suppose it would be likely to be too turbulent and extremely costly as I can't find this kind of thing on the web. There are two solar options, firstly an all-in-one solar fountain - a 8in diameter solar panel with a fountain spout in the middle, which just floats on your pond - secondly, a fountain with separate solar panel. I imagine there would be some way of adjusting the height of the fountain so it was just a gentle burble - enlarging the hole, for example. The main criticism of these solar fountains is that their performance is disappointing - just not enough fountain - but that is precisely what you'd be looking for here. True. In a stagnant body of water, the surface layer gets saturated with oxygen within minutes (actually, I think it happens within seconds) of being exposed. The trick is to get that oxygen moved away from the surface. Even the slightest circulation in the water is sufficient to do that. Franz |
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