or hey here's a crazy idea....I could do a ** water change ** **angelcraze said:
Yeah if it gets more than an inch or so down I throw the hose in there, and I dip out a few gallons (like 5 or so) and use it to water all my porch plants and a couple thirsty things in the yard. Maybe I'll just do that more...angelcraze said:
I know this is an older post. I have found putting some crushed coral into the bottom of the tub to really help with GH. I kept Assasin snails in mine to breed so GH was important.Magicpenny75 said:Somehow, the frog eggs never turned into tadpoles! And my goldfish were all smiling lol.
I admit, I am not much of a water tester. I feel like that leads to either chasing numbers or slacking on maintenance. However, I felt guilty and slightly curious because of the other pondkeepers talking about weekly fifty percent changes on their porch ponds. I have never,So not once, done a water change except dipping out a few gallons to water plants with. I ordered some test strips. Checked all my tanks, with the expected results from each. Heavily stocked tanks had higher nitrates but all under 40, light ranks were practically perfect. I expected the nitrates in the pond to be sky high, honestly. One of the goldfish died yesterday, but the remaining four all seemed to be healthy and active. So I dipped my little strip...and I am shocked. Here is my result...
So I know my alk and gh are low. Do I need to do something about this? I've never paid attention to it before in fresh water. Maybe some epsom salts??
I’d also like to clarify the amount of crushed coral. I would spread it sporadically across the bottom. Never wanted a gravel layer in my tub that could trap debris and gasses.CleaHelena said:
I had read through this whole thread up to your most recent posts, and I'm glad I found it again! Sorry to hear about the wipeout last summer - I guess we all need a reminder that QT is important for a reason, especially these days!Magicpenny75 said:Hopefully I will have good news on Monday. The liner is being delivered today, and we are going to finish construction on "the trough pond" this weekend.
Side construction is 2x6 all the way around. We are building a center brace across the top and Z-bracing the sides, so it'll be like a W on the sides. There will be the center batten plus an additional one for a total of 5 across. We also took one course of boards down since this pic. Once we get the liner installed we can finish the construction and then we are adding a frame around the top to act as a sort of perching seat on the deck side, and a place to set some flowers on. We will be bracing the corners as well. My husband has built dock bulkheads and worked on around and beside the water most of his life, and he assures me it will hold. We shall see! Stay tuned you might see a disaster lol.
He is amazing and I don't deserve him! I sort of asked lol...he says he's owed it to me for years anyway. I don't know what that means really. He loves building stuff and he's excited to have a water feature in our yard and thinks it really finishes the look on the front of the deck. I can't wait to set trailing plants on top of the frame and have some rushes and my little pitcher plant sticking up...Fishproblem said:
Welcome! Not a lot of people are following my post, so you might get more responses if you started a new thread in the Ponds section. But for what it's worth, check out The Tub Pond Handbook by Dr. Ted Coletti. He's from New Jersey and is very successful. I think in anything less than an in-ground large pond you have to take your fish in over the winter there.Dezbian said:
thank you so much I will do both! unfortunately I will most likely be doing a blowout winter sale or something, as i only have a 10 gallon allowed inside at the moment becuase of complex rules. thanks again!Magicpenny75 said:
You are right about that! If it had been today it would have been a catastrophe! I don't even want to think about that. It only sagged for an hour at most before I caught it...today it would have been all afternoon. Yikes! Thanks for the "bright side"86 ssinit said:
aw that stinks! I am sorry for your furniture!Fishproblem said:
No worries! Like you, it was a near miss but not a permanent loss. My girlfriend came home earlier than expected and caught a large puddle, not a flood. Phew.Magicpenny75 said:
Yeah this is @Magicpenny's thread, you gotta post that somewhere else bruh.MomeWrath said:Well it seems to be holding together now. Got the center brace reattached and secured. Bought a bunch of plants and now it's clear and pretty. My water hyacinth bloomed today...
The magic is gone. Only wrath is left...Canaculus.Cheesecake said:
Hey hey hey I didn't choose this path. It was thrust upon me.MomeWrath said:
As was mine, my young friend, as was mine...Cheesecake said:
Whatever. I meant that I made a poll and like 70% of people voted for Cheesecake and not Canaculus.MomeWrath said:
Dude weren't you the one who started this? Just joking.Cheesecake said:
i lost track of who was who of all the people that I used to talk to all the time so i just decided if i cant beat em, join em. Also life kind of sucks rn other than the pond, so I haven't been feeling magical lately. Old Karen the Convict fits my current vibe better, and MomeWrath is sort of an Alice in Wonderland thing, and also my oldest kid used to call me Mome instead of Mom. So there you goflyinGourami said:
I don't know what you're talking about.flyinGourami said:
