Last Updated: 3/2/20

1. At 12:30 pm on 2/2/20, the air temperature was 40 degrees F, and it had just finished drizzling. The 1800 gallon pond was at 44 degrees F, and the 153 gallon pond was at 46 degrees F. I topped off the ponds, removed leaves, and put in additives. I did not get in the big pond.

2. On 2/9/20, it was a pretty nice day. The air temperature was 47 degrees F but there was no wind, and it was sunny and not raining. The 1800 gallon pond was at 44 degrees F while the 153 gallon pond was a toasty 50 degrees F. I put a new floating thermometer in the big pond. I got in and took out the main filter flosses to squirt them off. I picked up leaves and put in additives. It has rained so much that I didn't need to add water to any ponds.

3. Shockingly, after not putting any photos on my web site in four years due to lack of time, I finally linked in some photos that I had already mostly processed years ago and never finished:

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Big Pond on 3/27/16, facing southwest.
Big Pond on 3/26/16, facing northwest.
20,50, and 153 gallon ponds from a distance, facing north on 3/27/16.
Riley on 3/27/16.

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From 4/13/16:
Pond waterfall, taken from ground level.
Pond, taken of surface, near ground level, right after mulching.
Pond marginal area, facing southeast.

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On 4/20/16, I replaced my old Cyprio planter filter with a Biosteps filter and took these photos:

With Cyprio planter filter:
Pond, facing southwest.
Cyprio filter - side view.
Cyprio filter - top view.
Pond fish

With Biosteps filter:
Pond facing southwest.
Biosteps filter from the side and marginals.
Biosteps filter - where the water goes in.
Biosteps filter - drain.
Biosteps filter - front (where water leaks).
Biosteps filter - waterfall (where water exits).
Biosteps filter from behind and marginals.

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From 6/4/17:
Colorific and purple iris
Colorific and purple iris
Colorific and purple iris
Watercress in flower in the waterfall

4. I've had thousands of animals in my care in my lifetime but sometimes one comes along that is unique and extraordinary. One such animal was Plecy, my Pterygoplichthys pardalis, my sailfin plecostomus, my pleco, my oldest ever fish, my oldest ever animal of any kind. I got Plecy on 1/28/1995, and he died today, 2/14/2020. Since he was probably about a year old when I got him, that makes him 26 years old. For more on Plecy, go here.

5. I did minimal pond work on 2/16/20. The 1800 gallon pond was at 40 degrees F, and the 153 gallon pond was at 46 degrees F. Its thermometer is near the de-icer so it runs warmer. I didn't need to get in the pond this week. I added water to a few ponds and additives to the big pond. I picked up a few leaves.

6. It was nice on 2/23/20 with an air temperature of 56 degrees F and a little breeze at 1:20 pm. The 1800 gallon pond was at 42 degrees F, and the 153 gallon pond was at 52 degrees F. I got in the big pond to remove the filter flosses to squirt them off. I removed a dead 4" male green frog from the bottom of the pond. I squirted off the bioballs after moving 5 live pickerel frogs from the biofilter to the pond proper. I also found and removed one dead pickerel frog from the biofilter. This was the first time there ever was a dead one in there. I topped off all the ponds, collected some leaves, and put in additives.

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