The pond is super clear. Super DUPER clear. I am so happy about the way this Skippy filter has lived up to its reputation. Not that I was worried, because I wasn't, but it did cost a chunk o' change to put together, not to mention all of Steve's hard work, so I'm really glad it's working so well.
The sky, on the other hand, is very, very not clear. The smoke is thick. Thankfully, none of us are having breathing problems, but the eyes are itchy & scratchy. At about 7pm, when the sun was still well high in the sky, the smoke was so thick that it darkened everything. Made me wonder what those poor Herculaneuns and Pompeians must have been thinking when it was their turn. It looks almost like there's a solar eclipse. The sun is bright red-orange set against a solid mat of gray.
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Smoke From a Distant Fire
Our skies are incredibly overcast and heavy with smoke from the fires all over California. We live in the belly button of the state, so everything collects here and won't clear out until early next week when we're expecting winds to pick up. I tried to take some progress video of the pond this morning, but it was so hazy outside that it just didn't come out very good. I'll try again tonight. The water is clearing - the spillage from the waterfall is no longer green but is now crystal clear. The fish are happy...dare I say perky. More on all that later.
Monday, June 23, 2008
Day Whatever
I'm very excited...the pond is visibly clearer now. The fish are frolicking merrily. Tomorrow I'll try to get some shots.
Day 8
Today is, technically, Day 8 since the filter was launched.
Over the weekend we bought a bunch of plants and put them in the filter: water hyacinth, pickerel, taro ("elephant ear") and umbrella plant. The water hyacinth is suffering. I think it's because the salt content in the water was rather high when we added them. I have since flushed the pond somewhat...could probably do it again in a few days.
We also bought some fertilizer pellets. Sunday morning we pulled up the lilies and added the fertilizer. So far this year the lilies have not done well. I think that, too, is because of all the salt I had added in the Fall.
In the Fall I dosed the pond with about 25 pounds of salt because some of the fish were showing signs of ulcers. By Spring, when they came out of hibernation, only one still had a spot on his side but by now he's all healthy again. Unfortunately, though, my large orange butterfly koi ("Red Guy") now acts as though he's having eye problems. Could be the infection spread to him and to his eyes. He still has a healthy appetite and tries to feed along with the others, but his aim is off. And sometimes he shakes his head like a teenager trying to toss the hair out of his face. If he has gone blind, I believe it's only in one eye, as he still reacts to seeing me by the side of the pond.
In spite of our stirring everything up with our work this weekend, the pond is beginning to look clearer to me. YAY!
Over the weekend we bought a bunch of plants and put them in the filter: water hyacinth, pickerel, taro ("elephant ear") and umbrella plant. The water hyacinth is suffering. I think it's because the salt content in the water was rather high when we added them. I have since flushed the pond somewhat...could probably do it again in a few days.
We also bought some fertilizer pellets. Sunday morning we pulled up the lilies and added the fertilizer. So far this year the lilies have not done well. I think that, too, is because of all the salt I had added in the Fall.
In the Fall I dosed the pond with about 25 pounds of salt because some of the fish were showing signs of ulcers. By Spring, when they came out of hibernation, only one still had a spot on his side but by now he's all healthy again. Unfortunately, though, my large orange butterfly koi ("Red Guy") now acts as though he's having eye problems. Could be the infection spread to him and to his eyes. He still has a healthy appetite and tries to feed along with the others, but his aim is off. And sometimes he shakes his head like a teenager trying to toss the hair out of his face. If he has gone blind, I believe it's only in one eye, as he still reacts to seeing me by the side of the pond.
In spite of our stirring everything up with our work this weekend, the pond is beginning to look clearer to me. YAY!
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Snapshots
Here are some shots of the building of the Skippy filter:
The waterfall area before (although not functional)
Digging the area level-ish
Steve dug a trench that runs under/around some of the plants. He put some perforated pipe in the trench and ran the tubing from the pumps through the perf pipe to the filter.
Then he placed boards across the area to create a level place to put the filter tub.
The two 2" drainage holes we used instead of the recommended one 4" hole.
A look inside the filter tub after plumbing but before adding media.
For media we used a plethora of heavy duty, industrial strength, nylon scrubby sponges purchased from Smart & Final.
Steve futilely checking the levelness of the tub before filling it. (It would later settle and become slightly not so level.)
The whole thing put together.
There you go. Because I am scattered / ADD / sparklebrain, you'll have to see yesterday's post to watch the video of the big launch.
The waterfall area before (although not functional)
Digging the area level-ish
Steve dug a trench that runs under/around some of the plants. He put some perforated pipe in the trench and ran the tubing from the pumps through the perf pipe to the filter.
Then he placed boards across the area to create a level place to put the filter tub.
The two 2" drainage holes we used instead of the recommended one 4" hole.
A look inside the filter tub after plumbing but before adding media.
For media we used a plethora of heavy duty, industrial strength, nylon scrubby sponges purchased from Smart & Final.
Steve futilely checking the levelness of the tub before filling it. (It would later settle and become slightly not so level.)
The whole thing put together.
There you go. Because I am scattered / ADD / sparklebrain, you'll have to see yesterday's post to watch the video of the big launch.
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Day One
Well, not really Day One. Day One actually happened last weekend. Steve finished building the new filter for the pond and we fired it up.
It's based on the Skippy Filter. We're customizing it in a couple of small ways, i.e. two smaller (2") outlets instead of one larger (4") outlet. And we're considering changing that by blocking off those two outlets and cutting the top/side of the filter to create a waterfall over the edge of the filter to spill into the watercourse that dumps out into the pond. If we do that, I'll take more pictures.
In any case, here's some video of Day One.
It's based on the Skippy Filter. We're customizing it in a couple of small ways, i.e. two smaller (2") outlets instead of one larger (4") outlet. And we're considering changing that by blocking off those two outlets and cutting the top/side of the filter to create a waterfall over the edge of the filter to spill into the watercourse that dumps out into the pond. If we do that, I'll take more pictures.
In any case, here's some video of Day One.
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