I intended this morning to go out and continue with the plan to move the fish and plants to the smaller ponds, get the bigger pond emptied and get to digging.
I was sidetracked by my desire to - clean, clean, clean. This cleaning business went on for almost 4 hours. I also put the styrofoam in the kitchen sliding glass door area - a noticeable improvement already as the western sun begins to hit that side of the house - but the direct heat is deflected back.
I also got the bio filter I bought through eBay - it was supposed to be a bio filter with a built in UV sterilizer - going on the small pond. No, I have no intentions on sending it back. I AM going to try to get partial money back. Actually, this seller apparently does not reply to anyone for anything. He has 7 days to reply to my demand, if he does not, the investigation will take a new twist from what I can understand out of all of it. Basically, it's a defendant that does not reply. In court, that would mean a summary judgement if requested. It will be requested.
I knew from the get-go that this ponding business would be a learn-as-you-go thing, the UV sterilizer? I was debating whether to get one or not. After seeing the pond turn green, even with the use of algae removers that have done nothing to stop the growth, and after reading countless people having the same problem and rectifying it with a UV sterilizer, well, it's the only way to go, apparently. There are drawbacks to using one, from reading differing opinions, but I have seen ponds now with my own eyes that are using those sterilizers - clear, beautiful ponds with perhaps a little bit of algae, but the water is clear, not green.
I really can't afford much more of this, I want to get my setup dialed in and done with. The large pond will wait until I can afford it. The landscape of that idea grows with thought, research and asking pond owners.
Number one, I doubt I am going to want to dig a hole that big by hand. A small trackhoe can be rented for around $200 per day. I mean, a SMALL trackhoe!! Good liners are expensive. I will require an under-liner thing as well, to protect the liner from rocks. A good pump - lots of money there, too. Talking a grand, at least, right there. Actually, more like a grand and a half, even with the way I like to do things. I have many other things I want and need to do around my property before spending that kind of money on a pond. The pond will likely be bought in segments instead of all at once. A liner here, a pump and filter there.
I have to remind myself that all these places I have been to, looking at their ponds, that these people are FAR wealthier than I. Nice people? Yes, definitely. Not holding it against them, only the stark reality that for me to get a nice pond like any of what I have seen going - will take significantly much more time to do than some of these folks who go out and hire a contractor to do it for them.
I am only in a break here. I have several more things I want to accomplish in here today in terms of cleaning. I simply could not find it within myself to go out there and start digging blindly - I probably COULD guess where to do, but why bother? I would probably be digging where I don't need to, and for as hard and rocky as the ground is around here, going out of the way a little bit is a lot of work, actually. I am going to run the bio filter for several days plus the conditioners I have already dumped in there on the smaller pond and then move the goldfish back into that pond.
I started this entry some 12 plus hours ago and got busy with Sunday. Yes, it's bedtime and now must get with getting to bed.
G'nite.
ben
