Last Updated: 8/7/17

1. I did pond chores on 7/2/17. The air temperature was 88 degrees F. The 1800 gallon pond's thermometer read 82 degrees F while that in the 153 gallon read only 76 degrees F (more shade). I changed the PondMaster filters in the 153 gallon pond. I took the Matala out of the Biosteps filter and squirted it off. I didn't pump the filter down this time. I squirted off all the filter materials. I put a small barley straw bale in the big pond. I cannot get the grate off the new OASE Neptun pump. I pulled the pump out of the pond and squirted off the grate from the outside. Eventually, too much gunk is going to get inside, and I have no idea how to get the cover off! I had to use a hammer and hit it hard to get it to snap in place. Now that the tabs have locked in, if I hammer it, it's just going to break. And no, I can't just push the tabs in as they are hard plastic and want to be seated for life! Does anyone have this same pump? If so, what do you do? It would be really stupid if I have to buy a new pump once it clogs up because the grate won't come off!

2. I am now 16 months behind on processing photos and have not processed any this year. It is a good bet that those days are past. My low paying official job must come first and then my father, then my animals, and finally me. Working on my web site falls in to the me category. I did get these neat photos of a blue green frog (Rana clamitans) on 7/5/17, and by chance, I did have time to process those which I put below.

Audra sent these photos of green frogs on 7/5/17. There is a male who is metallic blue in color.
Male blue green frog - on right with regular color female on left and youngster at bottom
Male blue green frog - head and yellow chin
Male blue green frog - in hand
Male blue green frog and regular young green frog.

3. I did pond work on 7/9/17. The 1800 gallon pond was at 76 degrees F, and the 153 gallon pond was at 72 degrees F. I squirted off all the filter materials, put in additives, and topped off all the ponds with water. There are tadpoles in all six ponds. I saw a gray tree frog in the opening of an adobe bird house near the pond. I meant to take a photo but forgot. He/she was so cute! I had found a gray tree frog on top of my 65 gallon aquarium in the house a few nights before, just sitting there! I did get photos of him/her.

4. On 7/16/17, the air temperature was 85 degrees F as I did pond chores. The 1800 gallon pond was at 79 degrees F, and the 153 gallon pond was at 74 degrees F. I squirted all the filter materials and the bioballs. I fertilized the waterlilies and lotus. The Chromatella yellow hardy waterlily provided the first waterlily flower of the year in the big pond. They are doing poorly. I think is due to more and more shade each year. The lotus has about three leaves barely an inch across! I doubt I will ever experience another lotus flower in my ponds.

5. I did pond chores on 7/23/17. The air temperature was 85 degrees F. The 1800 gallon pond was at 82 degrees F while the 153 gallon pond was at 78 degrees F. I squirted all the filter materials, put in additives, and topped off the ponds. I changed the Ammocarb in the big pond's biofilter. It rained for the second half of the chores but not too strong.

6. I was much cooler, only 65 degrees F at 10:30 am when I did pond chores on 7/30/17, earlier than usual since I was going out in the afternoon. The 1800 gallon pond was at 70 degrees F, and the 153 gallon pond was at 69 degrees F. I squirted all the pond filter materials and put in additives. It had rained about three inches the day before so I did not need to top any ponds off or water any outdoor plants. I changed the PondMaster filters.

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