Last Updated: 10/4/21

1. I had to get the pond when I got home on 9/1/21 as the tubing popped off the auxiliary pump so it was just shooting water in the air. I had to get in the next day, 9/2/21, because the same thing happened to the main pump! I can't fix it from the land so I had to haul out the hop waders and screw driver to loosen and tighten the hose clamps.

2. At 12:40 pm on 9/6/21, it was 78 degrees F outside and not too bad. Both the thermometers in the 1800 and 153 gallon ponds read 74 degrees F. I squirted all the filter materials, put in additives, and topped off the ponds. I put new oyster shell in the little mesh bag in the biofilter. I put in a new Koi Kastle since I had stomped the other one to death. The new one is much smaller. I worry my big koi might get stuck in it. They make it seem so huge on-line but I don't think even one of my koi can fit in there. The goldfish can use it, of course, and hopefully the koi can't get stuck in it (there's no bottom so it should just lift up in they go in). I removed three wheelbarrows full of Japanese stilt grass from around the big pond but it doesn't make much difference as that's only about 5% of how much of it that is around the pond! I just can't keep up with it. It's all over every single "garden" that I have. I say "garden" because no one would believe that they are planted with desired plants, weeded, and mulched like ever but I used to keep up with them back in the day when my parents were alive and doing some other tasks I now have to do, and I had twice as much time off from the better job that I used to have. I am ashamed of my "gardens" now. I should be punished for my failure. Speaking of failures...

I am supposed to repot the pond iris every two years. It was last done four years ago! I only managed to pull up two two gallon pots of iris with sweetflag mixed in. I had to cut the tubers which were growing in to both pots and other pots as well as the gravel on the bottom of the pond. I think the white iris are in with those that I did but can't be sure. I didn't have time to repot the other half dozen iris pots. I repotted the two two gallon pots in to four two gallon pots. One was for the sweetflag and the other three for the iris. How do you tell them apart? There are two ways. The sweetflag has a hard ridge up the center of the leaf which iris do not. Also, if you break the leaves or tubers, the sweetflag has a distinct odor. So, at least those plants got new soil, pea gravel, and fertilizer. The other maybe 25 pots in the pond, not so much! They're totally neglected, and I am ashamed for my lack of time and strength to do it.

3. On 9/12/21, at 11:06 am, the air temperature was already 77 degrees F. The 1800 gallon pond was at 70 degrees F as was the 153 gallon pond. I squirted off all the filter materials and added additives and water to all the ponds.

4. As I was leaving on 9/13/21, I looked out the window to see the main pond pump fountaining up on the air again! I had to get my hip waders and get in to reattach it. I have to buy a new rubber connector because maybe the other one is getting old?

5. It was 75 degrees F outside at 1:18 pm on 9/19/21. The 1800 gallon pond thermometer was at 75 degrees F, and the 153 gallon pond was at 74 degrees F. I squirted off all the filter materials, the Matala in the Biosteps filter, and the bioballs. So, that was a lot of work! I added additives and water to the ponds.

6. It was a busy day on 9/26/21! At 2:10 pm (already running behind!), it was 71 degrees F outside with a breeze. The 1800 gallon pond was down to 65 degrees F, and the 153 gallon pond was at 68 degrees F. First, I removed the ropes byt the big pond. I then got the half net off the big pond which was a struggle with the weeds and one hardy canna in the pond growing through it. I cleared some, but not all, weeds from the edge of the big pond. I cut down yellow flag iris growing in the ground next to the 153 gallon pond. I changed the PondMaster filters. I put the half net on the 153 gallon pond, drapped over the weeds and 20 gallon tub pond.

I squirted all the filter materials in the big pond, collected yellow waterlily leaves (do weekly but I guess I don't usually mention it!), etc. I got the big net over the big pond. It was a big chore! I put in additives and water. Tada! Ready for the torrent of leaves!

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