Last Updated: 9/22/13

1. I did the pond chores on 8/4/13. The 1800 gallon pond was at 75 degrees F, and the 153 gallon pond was at 72 degrees F. I squirted all the filter flosses, put in additives, and added water. I tore a lot of the vegetation out of the main waterfall area. The plants were mostly Asian weed grass (don't know the name of it but it's an invasive species all over), lemon balm, and a little bit of water celery here and there. I've been losing an inch or two of water per day, and I think it's just all the plants wicking water out this time of the year. They are super overgrown since I never got to weed and mulch half of the pond area this year (the part near the waterfall).

2. On 8/8/13, I had been raining hard for days, and, in the morning, I found two amplexing gray tree frogs in the pool hanging on to a branch. I picked them up (still attached to each other) and moved them to my 50 gallon tub pond. They did lay eggs in the pool which I did not try to rescue because I think the chlorine probably killed or harmed the embryos.

2. I did a lot of pond work on 8/11/13. The 1800 gallon was at 76 degrees F, and the 153 gallon pond was at 74 degrees F. I put a new thermometer in the 1800 gallon pond. I changed the PondMaster filters and, for the first time, used filter material in there not made for that filter specifically. They recently changed the default filter material, and it falls apart in a week. I changed the main pump's filter floss. I squirted out the bioballs. The back pond which has baby goldfish in it has one that is very large now, and two of the small ones are already orange. I have not seen baby goldfish that small that are orange! I need to try to move some. In a few months, I'll have to get all of them. They won't survive the predators that long but might survive winter as we haven't had a harsh winter in years now.

3. I linked in a few old photos.

From 4/14/13:
1800 gallon pond facing southwest.
1800 gallon pond facing northwest. You can see the fish.
1800 gallon pond deep end. Colin (big white koi) is in the middle. On the right is Riley (platinum koi) next to the larger orfe. Koi Alex is at the top with the two smaller orfe. Koi Nikita is obscured in the bubbles.

4. On 8/18/13, I did the usual. The 1800 gallon pond was at 71 degrees F, and the 153 gallon pond was at 70 degrees F. I squirted all of the flosses. I tried to fertilize the lilies and lotus at least. So many pond plants have died. Most of the surviving ones are out of control and need repotting for which I have zero time.

5. I did pond chores on 8/25/13. The 1800 gallon pond was at 70 degrees F, and the 153 gallon pond was at 68 degrees F after I topped it off. The aphids are really bad on the water lily leaves and water lettuce.

6. On 8/28/13, I saw a ground hog run in to the weeds by my pond. I then saw him run to the weeds that go under the front porch. I've only see a ground hog on our land maybe three times in 36 years.

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