June 23rd 6:59pm

So been back down to Holmeswood today to get some more food.

Barry is always full of such good advice. A tip he gave me to see how the fry were doing, was to pop them in a glass and see if their tummy’s were full.

I did this when I got home. Fry in the bowl had brown belly’s but some of the ones in the qt didn’t. So I need to up my feeding in the qt, to keep them growing.

I also think I’ve lost some, quite a few dead ones about today.  but the others are doing well, still in the hundreds. Natures way of dealing with things I guess. So I put some more in the bowl to see if they do better in there. Fingers crossed.

Also bought some dried blood worm, which Barry said to grind add a bit of water to and then feed them. Putting in a few drops of sansai as well. Still got some brine shrimp eggs, but don’t think they will last much longer.

How is everyone elses, and how much are you feeding?

Dawn

June 26th 4:22pm

Fry and Blanketweed

Hey everyone, could do with some real advice here. Getting a bit worried about the baby fry and all this blanket weed. It has started to overtake everything. I doubt very much I could turn my filter on with it as it is because it would just clog the pump…. tried to remove some today but some of the fry are stuck in it.

Can I treat it at all? Would the fry die? Or is my only option to try and sieve all the babies out and scrub it clean to start again?

Just think that there isn’t as many in there as there was, and I don’t think the blanket weed over growth is helping them at all. They are growing though which is a bonus, and mum has made my fry net, so I can separate them. Just don’t want the blanket weed clogging that up either or I’ll just have one very stagnant pool of water and most likely dead fry!

Any ideas, please let me know.

Thanks

Dawn

June 28th 8:02pm

The net is made, piping in so we can secure it to the sides, smaller than I wanted, but need room to move pipes under etc. Don’t think we’re going to drain the qt just yet. Will see how it goes over the next few days. As for the filter not sure yet, its a massive pump and trickle tower….

Will keep you updated, don’t think there are many losses in the blanket weed looks like it might be fly thingys in there, not fry…

speak soon.

Dawn

Net and Baby Fail

June 29th 7:50pm

So we tried the net today and fail, I watched several fry swim through it! So defo no good, they are still too small.

They will have to get on with the blanket weed and water changes. till they are a lot older. Bummer. Won’t have as many left I can assure you.

Sucks!

Speak soon.

Dawn    

June 30th 5:49pm

so I think we have another plan. There is an outlet pipe over half way down. I am going to see if we can turn this and work it so that I can add a valve and a tap or something so I can then drain the water into a sieve and back into the qt, with no pump. Will be much easier on the babies no chomped by a whirling blade.

 bonus…

Dawn

Mon June 13th 5:21pm

Hey everyone, we have fry in the qt today, tiny little things aren’t they.

But our Nitrite has gone through the roof. I’ve spent half an hour emptying water through the pump, with a sieve trying my best to save some. But I don’t think I can. Putting in fresh water now, will have to run it all night. I’ve never seen a spike like that before.  I think they’re all going to die…. 

No sign of any fry in the bowl yet, so did a small water change on that as well to be safe.

Fingers crossed hey.

But we have fry….  I’m still happy really.

Dawn

June 16th 6:55pm

well the fry in the qt are still going strong.  took out one of the ropes from the blue bowl don’t think anything if much has survived in there, but shame there was thousands. i’m going to try and see if anything swimming around tomorrow and sieve them into the qt.

nitrite is coming down, thankfully.

On the other side of things big boy aint doing so good again, he’s head hanging, which is worrying. going to catch him on sat and salt bath him if no improvment.

Sansai’d the pond and water quality is coming back to normal. turned pond heater up as well. fingers crossed hey.

D

June 7th 5:56am

But I can’t do anything with them!

They’re still at it this morning. And I have to go to work.

I think they’ll all be gone by the time I get home.

Dawn

3:51pm

I never knew there would be SO many….

The brushes are littered with them, they are all up the sides of the QT vat, and all over the pumps, litterlly thousands, amazing.

Put the brushes in our big blue bowl for now with an air stone. Not sure what to do with them all in the Vat, because if we leave the fish in there, they’ll just get eaten and OH I DON’T KNOW what to do for the best…..

The water does smellll though, so doing a water change now. Prob lose a million eggs then…. Maybe we’ll get a few to survive… Just won’t know what to feed them when they do hatch 

Don’t know how to feel at the mo, wiped out ! First day back in work wasn’t a happy one.

Speak to you laters.

Paul gone for the machalite green and for some Eco pure for the main pond its a mucky brown today, awful colour. Need to get that wired back up asap I think

Dawn

Wed 8th June 5:58am

Heya

Decided to dose the Qt vat today with Machalite as well as the eggs in the bowl. Just a half dose for now, will help the parents as well as if the eggs hatch. But I think they’ll defo get eaten then.

Not too happy about the mucky brown of the main pond. Dosed with Eco Pure today to see if that helps. I don’t think its blanket weed, just seems to be brown sludge on the sides.  Hope it clears soon, can’t see any of the fish in it.

Temp in the qt is still 21, and its 17.6 in the house bowl 

Off out scuba diving tonight, will have to catch you all later.

Dawn

June 9th 4:18pm

So eggs white or clear!

I have no idea what this means, are some fertile and the others aren’t? I just don’t know, but they are the same in the qt and in the bowl. What the heck am I going to do in a 30 gallon bowl if hundreds of fry hatch….. I have to get the parents out the qt NOW!!!! moving one today. Even though the main pond is yuky brown. I don’t care

To be honest, I’m really shocked at the tiny fish that my mum shiro is. WOW was she so full of eggs…. she was huge, not she is skinny! weird.

Will chat to you all later, just wanted to keep you posted.

Oh done a small water change today, 1 bucket full…. for fresh. Got to help.

Dawn

Fri 10th June 5:27

So eggs white or clear!

I have no idea what this means, are some fertile and the others aren’t? I just don’t know, but they are the same in the qt and in the bowl. What the heck am I going to do in a 30 gallon bowl if hundreds of fry hatch….. I have to get the parents out the qt NOW!!!! moving one today. Even though the main pond is yuky brown. I don’t care

To be honest, I’m really shocked at the tiny fish that my mum shiro is. WOW was she so full of eggs…. she was huge, not she is skinny! weird.

Will chat to you all later, just wanted to keep you posted.

Oh done a small water change today, 1 bucket full…. for fresh. Got to help.

Dawn

Sat June 11th 7:54pm

No, couldn’t move the parents today. Did water testing this morning and ph of pond was 9 qt tank is 7.5. Did a major water change on main pond but it didn’t alter the ph at all. We had these issues the first month we set up our pond and couldn’t work out what was going on with it, the water is murky brown everything in it is dead.  nothing alive is in there. Put in extra bacteria last week, put some more in today, and have some for next week.

What I decided to do instead of pumping dead water with loads of floating bits into the qt was to buy some ph increaser and up the level today and tomorrow morning, maybe even a little more tomorrow night if I have to.

Tested ph after adding the stuff and it was 8, so will increase a little more tomorrow, then do a water change and add eggs in tomorrow night. Paul doesn’t want to he wants to keep them in the house where it is warm, but I don’t think once they hatch I’ll be able to keep them, not enough water. So I’ve got to move them. Might even add in a little vat water to the bowl in the morning.

Managed to track down some ‘live food’ after visiting every pet shop around locally. Put them outside in a murky tub of water, who knows if I’ll have enough. But there was also some other alternatives.

Been to Holmeswood Koi today to see their babies, wow in 10 days they are massive. Kohaku and Showa, and you can really see the colours coming through, also the deformities. Amazing. I really have everything crossed for some to hatch.  Mr M would be welcome to some    

Also took a good look at big boy today. You would not believe the difference in him in 5 weeks. Where as his markings were black now he is almost white. Lovely colour, still a little pink… but that has really gone down even with adding in Machalite green and today the ph up moved .5

Babies in the bowl have BIG eyes now… so cute. I really want some to hatch… I do….

Fingers crossed…. and thanks for all the support, couldn’t do it without you guys. x x x

Dawn

Sun 6:32 pm

Big Boy, mummy and my ghosty went back in the main pond today. Not very happy about the ph level, don’t know why it is so high. 9…. and with a slight nitrite spike. Even bought a bottle of ph decreaser, for £17 put the whole bottle in and it didn’t do much… Got the ph of the qt up to almost the same colour, so there shouldn’t have been too much of a shock. But you could feel the difference of the water, kinda slimy.

I did a massive water change today as well, but it was still high, think it will take a while to settle back down again. We had all this with the pond the first time. 

Anyway, going to water change the qt tomorrow, get the ph level down again, and then hopefully when the fry hatch I can put them in there, they’ll have to get on with the water temp changes between night and day.

Will report on the progress anyway.

Weather is really crap, rain and cold. 

D

Project Find the leak started on May 27th.

Well,Awake at 4, up by 430. Just couldn’t sleep, worried about the little guys…. Anyway, no one has jumped out of either pool of pond. Sturgeon don’t seem too happy, but they don’t like not having any food anyway. So they’re stil trying to swim on the shelf.Which I have to say still has the same amount of water on it as yesterday…. So I really don’t think its the bottom drain now. I have no idea.  There are several large rocks which sit just under the water level on the back side, by the waterfall. I really hope we don’t have to start moving rocks around there as well today…

All fish seem okay in the pool. Just tested for amonia etc. Think I might have to change some water in there today, because it looks dirty on the bottom already. Wow, don’t they produce some poop…. never see it in a dark pond. No wonder I’ve had to do the filter every day.

So I think the plan is to still let the water sit. Prob have to top up the pond today and get the filter running again. Not so sure how long the bacteria in the filter will be okay not circulating anyway, don’t want that to starve as well and have to start all over again with that as well… yikes.

Still worried over Big boy, he’s the only one who stressed, and looks worse than he did before he went in the pool. Even Pinky, my male shiro hasn’t gone pink and he hates being caught. Normally his veins pop in his head before you even get him in the net… So at least thats a good thing. Actually think the female shiro looks better this morning, she doesn’t seem as stressed at all. Maybe its because there are less fish… yada yada, I could talk all morning, I’m sure.

I will need a kip this afternoon. I’m supposed to be scuba diving tonight, will have to see how I feel. I’m exhausted.

Keep you posted, as usual, thanks for reading…

Dawn

Hey everyone,Pond is almost empty now. Got Pauls friend coming at 5 for the two big sturgeon, then I am going to finish cleaning it and draining it. Fill it up again tonight and before we put the fish in hopefully with some dye or milk I’ll be able to see where it floats too, without the fish swishing it about.I really think it will take all night to fill. Can’t put the fish back in till I’ve let it run a bit and settle. Ph of the tap water is 7 and the pond is at 7.5 – 8 somewhere in the middle. Ideally I’d like to put the pool water back in the pond, but I don’t think we’ll be able to. I’m also not very happy that the liner is drying out, not good for pvc and some of the rocks fell in, so if we couldn’t find the leak, we have more now 

I’ve been fishing in the pond today to catch the rest of the fish. There was no amonia in the main pond but now have a slight trace of it in the pool so I’m doing a small water change.

I think the only thing we are going to be able to do is fill it up, and hope that we can save for a new liner and quickly. Would like it all done before we go on holiday, but I don’t think we will. Needs more time off work and I don’t know if I’ll get any without pay, I guess I’ll have to ask.

Oh well, roll on 5pm so we can finish off today and then get it filled up again.

Speak soon, will keep you informed…

Dawn

Thanks guys, your help has been very valuable. In both advice and support to both Paul and I.Plan is not to fill it, to re-seal bottom drain. At least it eliminates that from the equation. To fill it up tomorrow try the blue stuff and I guess see it it leaks. Think I might need filter starter again. Not so sure how long the bugs in there will last with no food. Bit like the hungry fish that went to Pauls friends.

Apparently BOTH sturgeon punctured the plastic inner bags. Water everywhere, and only about 2 inches in the bags still when he got them home.

Grass carp and shabumpkin have eaten, but sturgeon haven’t might take them a day to settle.

Least nothing croaked on the way home… 

Keep you posted.

Dawn

Sorry couldn’t get back on last night.This weeks sure been stressful. Got an appointment at the bank today and then going to pick up a small preformed pond a mate doesn’t want. He’s got filter, uv pump and hoover for it. £50 so we’ll see what it looks like, then seeing as the main pond is nearly full, the koi are going back in. Ph is now same as the swimming pool weird hey. Comes out at 7 but overnight changed to 7.5/8 same colour anyway. So defo putting the fish in,Will be back on later. 

Thanks guys,

Dawn

So, pretty stressful day. For the fish and me.  again.Got filter start for the main pond and the QT, put sansai in both and Dechlorinator in the main pond. Put all fish back in, except Big boy Mummy ghosty and the new shiro. They’re in good water in the QT, to get better eat and heal up…So now lets see what happens, going to fill the main pond to the brim and see if it drops over the next few days. We’ve eliminated two possibles, the bottom drain and the pipework, so we’ll see hey.

Post soon, and chat later. 

Dawn

Hi everyone,

So I know I haven’t been keeping up to date with things. Once more I was struck down by an awful bug. I was fine on the Monday, as I went swimming, but then I got up and couldn’t speak the next day. How weird.

I was supposed to be going Scuba diving last Wed. Not a chance, I spent the whole weekend in bed, most of it asleep. Couldn’t go out with Paul on Sat night, so spent it in. Work last week was really tough. I had the manager with me again trying to drum up more customers, but it was tough. I spent the week working and in bed. The doc said I just needed to rest, drink lots of fluid etc. Oh well,

This week, I’m feeing better. Had a nice weekend and I was able to actually enjoy some of it. Paul and I went to the local bar Sat night where they had a live band on, quite good. Didn’t roll in till gone 1am which is not me. I’m getting used to enjoying my weekends, so much better having time off together than my last job at the petrol station where I had to work.

News that I have, been writing the introduction article to the next instalment for Science Fiction Freedom E’zine. The first draft sucked, so been going over it again. Hopefully it will be done this week.

I have had some time to read, was recommended on Facebook to a ‘like’ page for a script. Of course totally my genre, sci fi. So enjoyed that a lot on Sunday.

I’ve had a quiet Monday, work was okayish, hoping it will build over the next month, January blues should be on the mend and the xmas over spends caught up with.  I’ve been swimming today. 40 mins. There was an elderly lady next to me, I laughed when she was getting out at myself, said to her ‘maybe next time I will be able to keep up with her’ but after all it in only my second time in the pool for a session.

I do love being in the water, something about it just doesn’t feel like exersise, even though it is. I just have to be careful, I guess. Although Paul’s booked our summer holiday and my mind is already reeling over being on a beach… why do we think like that?

My brain wants to lose so much more weight, but I know it is wrong. Today I made sure I had breakfast and lunch, but as it is getting towards dinner I want to avoid it.

Could be so easy to tell Paul I already ate, I’m not hungry. I always wondered if the thoughts would ever go away. I guess they wont and I guess I could be in for a rough few months. I will not let anything happen to me again, but I can’t say I’m not scared.

Paul is on his way home, so I’m going to make dinner. Think of me. 🙂

Dawn