Last Updated: 9/4/16

1. My sweet angel cat Barney died on 8/3/16. He was only seven years old and was diagnosed 7/1/16 with kidney lymphoma. His page is here.

2. I did pond work on 8/7/16. The 1800 gallon pond was at 79 degrees F, and the 153 gallon pond was at 77 degrees F. I squirted off the filter materials and the bioballs. I was in my swim suit for the first time this year because I was swimming with my niece earlier in the day.

3. The morning of 8/8/16, there was a strange-looking great blue heron at the big pond. I think it was a juvenile but huge.

4. I did pond chores on 8/14/16 even though the air temperature was 94 degrees F! I was in my swim suit. The 1800 gallon was up to 85 degrees F! That may be one of the hottest readings ever. I forgot to read the 153 gallon pond's thermometer before I added in a few inches of water but, after that, it was 80 degrees F. I pumped out the Biosteps filter to get out the mulm and squirted off the Matala. The in hose popped off so I had to get a screw driver and redo the hose clamp on that. I sure hope it stays. I squirted all the filter materials, put in additives, etc. All the ponds needed water to be added. I fertilized the five waterlilies in the big pond. The tropical waterlily that I overwintered as nuts is doing great now, and it has a flower bud! The tropicals love the heat!

5. I went outside to do pond work on 8/21/16, and it started to rain. Not, a few drops here or there but a deluge. I got soaked and went inside and put on my bathing suit. It rained off and on but, as long as you don't care that you're soaked, it doesn't matter! I had to wear a baseball cap to keep the water off my eyeglasses so I could see. Both thermometers in the 1800 and 153 gallon ponds read 77 degrees F. I changed the PondMaster filters. I squirted all the filter materials. I certainly did not need to add water to any of the ponds or water any outdoor plants!

6. I did pond work on 8/28/16. The 1800 gallon pond thermometer read 77 degrees F, and the 153 gallon pond thermometer also read 77 degree F. I squirted off all the filter materials. When I turned everything back on, the PondMaster Mag Drive 12 that pumps 1200 gph of supplemental water to the waterfall did not turn over. I replaced it with a spare 700 gph filter which barely moved any water. Taking the big pump inside, it turned on, made noise, and turned off. I will have to take it apart.

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