Back up plan

[Busy B]

So if the unexpected happens, do you have a back up plan? A place to put your fish and plants? Bio seeded to use for a temporary filter? A kiddie pool to put your plants in to keep them wet?

Looks like I need all of the above :cry:

Can't say it's unexpected but I guess just nature doing her thing.

Mama moose decided to take a break in the pond and munch on some water lilies. If it would of been a lake, it would of been a great picture opprotunity. As of now...the pond is down 6 inches from last night :(

Looks like the fish are going back into their winter home, even if it is going to be somewhat cramped. Will pump the pond water, while it's still there, in the tank and set up a filter and airstones. Then find how many holes she put in the liner this time...

Bummer.

[Terri]

That sucks Busy :( You need a big moose deterant! I can't imagine having to deal with that on a weekly basis... and the cost of repair.

[Busy B]

My deterant was a rock to her hiney...

Took her a minute to get out of the pond but then her and her baby decided it was time to leave.

[Terri]

I guess that works LOL Brave you!!

http://www.plantskydd.com/Plantskydd-Deer-Repellent.html

http://www.electrobraid.com/wildlife/wildlife.html

Being a "nature" girl at heart I love to see animals of all kinds visit(yeah even those big blue herons and cocky kingfishers) but there is a limit when it comes to the pond. I guess you can't have your cake and eat it too ;)

[Busy B]

The braid fence looks like a great idea except for the cost...:eek:

I even started digging the new pond section with the idea of needing a plan on how big it was going to be so I could get a fence up...If I didn't have to work, it would be easier...

Now that shes been here, she'll be back...Have to rig up a temporary, strong solution to keep her out until I can put up the real thing..

[Jackie Ramo]

Wow Busy they sure are keeping you on your toes... I wonder what kind of pond you could put in that they could not damage... All that comes to mind is cement. Do you think the depth of the pond make it attractive? Maybe a raised edge and then deep on the far side.

I guess a motion dector set up to an alarm would scare you as much as them :frisbee:

[Jackie Ramo]

BTW I do have a backup plan but no extra main pump if it goes down. Couple of fish containers and an emergency filter cycled and ready and a couple of smaller pumps to move water. Need a new air pump... always something

[GregBickal]

Man, my freezer would be full of moose t-bone and tenderloin if that happend to me :grin:

Electric fence might be cheaper and better looking.

[Busy B]

Plants are in the grandaughters kiddie pool...the tote is filled with pond water. Airstones are going and I need to steal some lava rock and put it in the filter. Still need to take the lava rock bags out and think I'll put them in the wheelbarrow and cover them with pond water...

Hopefully, it won't be out of operation so long that I lose all the bio in the pond but as green as my water is and all the junk that's in there already...well it's time to come up with a new plan quick.

Sometimes adversity makes you move faster.

Jackie...I think the main reason they come by is because they hear the sound of water splashing...it's like a calling card.

[Jackie Ramo]

Is there room in the tote for the biomedia lava rocks from the pond. They hold better there and help with the fish load.

Well the sound of the waterfalls attracts us, why should moose be any different. Maybe one of those deer scare fountain things where it fills up and comes down with a bang... supposed to scare deer away.

[Busy B]

If I put the rock in the tote, there would be no room for the fish..:-P

The fish are still in the pond. Between work and errands haven't had time to get them out. First day water dropped about a foot. Second day...kept searching for leaks/tears. Yesterday started to pump some of it out and the great patch search was on. One small tear...I could deal easy with that one...water still pumping. One huge tear where she slid in to start her buffet.!bonk Now I knew why the water was dropping so fast.

Patching the liner with a heat gun is hit and miss so looked for bicyle tire patches and glue that won't hurt the fish. After seeing the huge tear found a tractor tire patch! It's huge! The glue is the tricky part.

With it raining now, looks like they'll get to wait..hate to have them in not much water but it's better than the tote. The stress of moving them back and forth..especially this late in the year.

Was going to reline it with Herculite when I had the new part finished...I just need a couple months of free time..:-?

[Jackie Ramo]

I thought your busy season was over now, stop playing with the grandchild and get digging :grin:

Truly, I am glad I don't have those problems, just toy poodles falling in, hardly disturbs the fish... :-P

[Dewi]

Seems you have quite a problem BB, Must be very frustating for you too,
I suppose the fence would be the obvious choice. Or a pet alligator should do it, wolf even, I have a concrete pond, if you go that way don't forget to angle the sides slightly, 10deg should be fine, this allowes for the ice expanding.
Pressures will go up and not out, therefor no cracking, circular or elliptical would be the shape to go for.
Sq concrete structures will give less resistance against thicker ice, but thick enogh, sq would do you too :)

Regards Dewi

[Busy B]

Thanks for the advice Dewi :wink: At this point, I had forgot about the ice expanding.

With the heat wave we had, either I've been trying to keep plants alive or sweating in the house. It's still raining so I'm kinda stuck. Not so much frustrated but depressed...Still have projects to do for a client...she comes up with new ones all summer. And the gbaby's swimming pool looks like it's going to blow out a side..Maybe the rain will slow down enough to get the patches on so they can cure a bit and I can get it refilled..

[Jackie Ramo]

I'm with you on trying to keep the plants alive, finally got rain so the hose can get a break as can my back, well not really cuz now is the time to weed... never ends....

Nice to have a client to keep you busy, Busy :) Helps pay the bills.

How's the fish doing in the less water, if the filter is stillrunning they should be ok, not happy but ok.

[Busy B]

Quit raining..sun came out..sucked out the rest of the water and got the fish moved and the patches in...looks like one didn't take but I've got extra so will put another over it.

My fish must be used to the routine...they almost swam into the net :eek: Most didn't even thrash about as I put them back into the tote. Fed them some oranges and they slurped them up! And I thought they'd be stressed :grin:

Visited with a friend last night who has a backhoe/dozer...said he'd be more than happy to come and dig a hole!!! Still won't probably get everything done by the end of the season but I should be able to get a fence up if I have the basic outline of the expansion done...

Stress level is dropping!

[Jackie Ramo]

Friends are good to have, friends with backhoes, priceless :lol:

[Busy B]

You've got that right! :grin:

She came back last night only to find not much to drink. So she stepped thru the flowers to get to the waterfall...which isn't falling...on into the pond..knocked the pump over but didn't put any new holes in the liner. Pushed the gate in by the biofalls..no drink there..so munched on the apple trees instead.

Moose steak is sounding awful good these days.

[Jackie Ramo]

If you find any in the freezer remember who your firends are :frisbee: