A Gardeners Forum Forums General Discussion Landscape trials and triumphs Water Gardens cleaning the pond...

so, since i've been sick, i haven't done anything with my pond. 7 weeks of ignoring it.

so, i thought, i'd take some of the plants out, and clean it up a bit... that was a good thing since the plants had all grown together and when i went to pick them up, the root ball was as big as the pond is round... see



there are 4 4" pots, a half a brick, and a square off a concrete block wrapped up in those roots

i'm guessing that it is the water iris (i think that is what those are ) that made that mess... but i retrieved this


and cut up the iris into 7 pieces... i put one back in the pond and the rest are in another "water feature" read washtub with a pump in it!


and while i had all that out of the pond, i took advantage to catch all my fish, to see who had survived, and do some cleaning...

here are the babies to start

can you say "one fish, two fish"?




and then 3, 4, 5, 6, & 7!

Oh my word, Jiffy--I hope you did not tire yourself out cleaning up your pond! But you sure have some nice looking plants.

( can you say "one fish, two fish"? )

green fish--blue fish---

i can't believe the roots on all that?!?!?!

the fishies are sooo cute!

WOWWWWWWWWWWW Jiffster You have been busy!!!!!!!!! I would have scared to cut the roots apart,,, !!!!! Looks like you getting it under control!!!! I'll check back here tomarrow I've GOT to get to bed!!

oh, that's not 7, that the red fish and the blue fish



and the finished product...

boy they really grew did'nt they!

i'm blessed with well water that the fish can live in without any treatment, so i just plop the hose right in and fill it back up!

i figure that by the time we get some good cold weather, it'll need cleaning again. but i'll wait until spring.

anyone want any of that that i cut apart? i have 6 pieces to go to whoever asks first. cindy sent them to me 2 years ago, was just one piece. so if you want it, let me know, i'll even overwinter it if you need me too.

That looks like waaaaay too much work! There are 4 big Goldies in my pond but I haven't seen any fry....

i will take a cut! pm me if you don't want to fool with taking care of them through the winter.....

What is the blue fish?

i'm glad you all enjoyed my little tale. it was fun feeling up to doing that today, but it will be awhile before i try something that ambitious again!

and diane, clean, sharp knife, works wonders every time!

i'm sure it was good for your soul to get out there and do some stuff! even though you could not tend to them like you would have wanted this summer, they certainatly, held their own! fish and plants look very happy!

it is a pleco (algea eater) that i just threw in there because i didn't have anywhere for it and a student gave it to me with her 2 gold fish that i plopped in too. one of the goldies she gave me made it, one didn't. but the one that didn't i don't think was smart enough to dodge whatever came its way.

i think i have your addy, so i'll let you know when i send it. i'd rather get them out before winter. they die back if left in the pond outside, otherwise they seem to be pretty "ever green" as it were.

thanks! i like that they were cindy's, and then yours! i will take good care of them!

gonna go clean....you need to rest tomorrow!

Very cool Jiffy, you WERE busy yesterday! Your fish are probably really happy in their new clean home now!