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Well I have just completed another day working on the ponds… probably one more day needed. All the filters are cleaned out and clean or new material in most of them. I completed about a 40 % water change. Since I lowered the pond level the fish are very active searching for food along the edge of the pond. The temp is about 50 but another cold spell is due in on Tuesday. Hard to resist the urge to feed them. The pond has been very green all winter long and I just left it that way. It is clearing up a little with all the cleaning going on. From what I can see they are all very healthy with no visible signs of disease. With my class on Koi just completed I plan to scrape a few of them to check. I am adjusting the water parameters since the water change.
It’s great to be getting ready for spring…

Murph,

How lucky you are. We just had more snow this past Friday. everytime I think spring is coming, mother nature surprises us with another snow storm. Though I've been thinking alot about spring and getting started back on the pond, its still going to be several weeks away.
Steve

I have a good friend who lives in Grand Rapids Michigan. He had 14 inches on the ground over the weekend then almost 50 degrees today. They have more snow predicted in the next couple of days. This is what really makes it difficult for me. The winters here do not afford much opportunity for your normal winter activities. Like skiing, skating, and snowmobiling…here it’s pretty boring. Fairly nice weather then the rain comes in and then it gets cold…warms up a little and starts over again.

Sometimes I wish we lived in the South, but on the otherhand we're somewhat spoiled where we are. We love to ski and went almost every weekend this winter and in the summer we're at the beach quite a bit. But for ponding I wish spring came sooner and the summer lasted a little longer.

We enjoyed a spring like day yesterday when we hit 73. But ah, we have a cold front coming in and hopefully some rain.

Murph make sure you keep an eye on the water parameters for the next week. I am all for a good clean out and a big water change but one must keep an eye on the water quality this time of the year.

I like to remind folks, spring is the time of the year when most pond fish die....And soon my email will be running over with sick and dying fish stories and cries for help

I will be doing my annual spring PP treatment and then my typical 80% water change very soon.

Regards,
Bonnie

PS how did you like the class?

The class had a lot of very good information. I really enjoyed it. All the lecturers were very knowledgeable and spent time with the participants during the entire weekend.
I was able to make some good local (fairly) contacts.
I am keeping an eye on the water
Kh and Gh are low as expected with a large water change. Other parameters are good. I will post results after the rain stops and I can test again-
The fish are very active. They are more friendly now than last year. I guess the trauma of the move in july has been forgotten.
John-Paul

as soon as the crazy weather stops I can get to work on my pond. I feel bad my guys are in the basment pond for now. and the wood stove has been going for a while so they are eating me out of house and home and I had to take my female koi out as they wanted to spawn and we didn't want that yet. the water changes were tough for a while with my water problem but all this snow melt /rain stuff my ground water has cleaned up Yeaaaa! but I will keep my eye on it. but we still haul water from my brothers and my other nieghbors they have an artisian well and the water from that is awsome crystal clear. my guys loved it glad to see everyone is getting spring fever

Checked the pond today.
Temp is 60º f
Nitrite – 0
Nitrate – 0
Ammonia – 0
Kh – 75
Gh – 89
Ph - 8.6

Added
Koi clay – just because
sodium bicarb Ph has increased a little so added to buffer.
Magnesium sulfate to raise Kh.
Will check again tomorrow evening.

Currently I am only running a small pump to provide aeration. Skimmer and bottom drain are not in use.
John-Paul

John-Paul

I just want to make sure it is understood that while baking soda will raise the pH it will also raise the kh.


Bonnie

Laura
Glad to hear things are going well.
You pond was the first thing I thought of when I noticed my ph was going up. Checked the incoming water just to make sure. Must have been from the rain we had on Friday…

Laura that is interesting.

I frequently check the pH and kh in the rain gauge. Not as much as I used to because we don't get much rain any more LOL.

BUT every time I have checked it, the pH is around 6 and the kh is around 40 to 60. Can we say acid rain?

Bonnie

I subscibe to the pro side at accuweather and March is descibed as wild and wooley ... and COLD.

the water ph is about 6 the nitrite 0 nirate is 10 wich is still high but better than it was at 85+ so I still use my brothers water and my neighbors but if i had to use mine i could get away with it I have cleaned up my yard area so I can start working on my pond my hyacynths are starting to come up as are my easter lilies. we are in for another mother nature round this weekend hope its not to bad but with all the running water mine is clearing and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it will get better we have an appointment for an artiesean well next month I am glad that the spring weather is bring everyone back online. will keep ya posted

my well water is crystal clear!!! no problems so far knock on wood. all the rain has cleared it for the time being no more hauling water from 5 miles away. the neighbors septic is taken care of. they put a new one in and they cleaned up the stuff that was laying around it so hopfully I will have good water.