I guess Steve will be living in the dog pen for a few days…
I gave up on ponds because of racoons, alge and all the maintenance of cleaning filters. Not to mention the cost of electricity to run the pump 24/7. I converted my pond to something called a “Pondless Waterfall”. Basically you build a chamber in the pond with a frame, made mine from treated wood, put a heavy screen on top, cover with weed fabric and dress up with rocks. What happens is the water comes off the waterfall and flows down between the rocks and into the pump area where it is recirculated back to the top of the waterfall. Of course you cannot have fish but you can enjoy the sights and sounds of the waterfall. Dump your filter and just run the water directly from the pump to the outlet on top of the waterfall. And the best part is you can shut off the pump whenever do not want the water to run. I only operate my pump when I am outside around the waterfall. I still have plants around the pond and in pots in the rocks. All I do now is add some water from time to time. Just search the web for pondless waterfall and you can find several manufacturers of kits. I built my own two years ago and it was simple.
Big John
My pond is 4 feet deep, with straight verticle sides. It was built before the “Pond liners” of today were available, so we used a custom swimming pool liner.
The only time I have had trouble with “Rodents” was when I first put a tub of Bull rushes, on a milk crate in one corner. That acted like a lunching ramp for the coons. They didn’y get any fish, but the made a mess of the Bullrushes.
Since then I have moved them out to the centre. No more trouble.
When the liner finally comes to a leaking end…so far over 30 years, and counting; I’ll fill in the pond and end the whole thing. Too much trouble…and I don’t even filter the water…the fish live well without filtering and I haven’t cleaned the pond out in 5 years.
I do have a swimming pool skimmer built into the side and a pump that circulates the water over a stream and water fall. An air pump is going contiuously to circulate water from the bottom to the top using an air/water pump method.
The water lillies seem to thrive and the whole area surrounding the pond is relatively maintenence free with wild grasses and other rustic things…
Some people try to make a pond a “Pretty Thing”…it sould be natural and look like a small part of nature to my mind. But then I do not have a wife, trying for a place in National Ponds and Gardens magazine.
I’m not so sure, Fred. I think there’s been some other issues with “rodents”… They went after our beer supply in York…
And the results of using the above in my neighborhood would result in the below in my driveway to carry me off!
Vic, if John were to use that method I would have to go visit him at the county jail.
On second thought…
John:
Beautiful police car!
At least you would be going in style.
Happy RRing,
Jerry
That ain’t Warrens cruiser!
That’s one I wish was mine!
TOG
Yeah, I realized that about 2 seconds after I hit ‘post’. I don’t type very fast, but it’s apparently faster than I think.
BTW, the d**m racoons are a real problem here, but I don’t see how to have a hydroelectric plant without water.
Happy RRing,
Jerry
Hi there everyone;
Two things jump out at me on this, coons a roamers of sorts I had a problem with them years ago with a hen house, there was this monster that got that way due to my hens, I would see it all the time and noticed severl scars from fights it had been in, so I managed to be humane and live trapped it.
It went 10 miles down the road that night and just before dawn.. well maybe that next evening it was back again, the same one with all it's little nicks.
A few days afterwords I managed to catch him again, this time it went 20 miles down the road. two weeks later it was back.
Well the landlord had this issue about shooting at night ( Good Grief What's the problem??) so anyhow how am I going to get rid of this thing, good laying hens don't just pop out of an egg ya know.
Hummmm, an end to the problem with no poison and no noise??
Out comes the archery epuipment and the chicken eater also went out like a light.
1.) CHECK YOUR AREA LAWS
2.) Coons are hunted at night get a lisc. and a spotlight and someone to hold it( oh hunny??? ) (they are legal for that part in my state) and learn to use a bow, no one will know the thing is missing and you will be controling the population and saving your pond at the same time. and last but not least archery is rather fun!
P.S. Use broadhead type points on your arrows or you will have a very very mad coon until he givs out.
SmokeboxHello again,
Just one more thing to point out,
NEVER NEVER EVER
Shoot an arrow up in the air, ( Like at a treed coon) they (the arrow) go forever, scatter some feed at a distance you are good at shooting at and sit beside the window then cut lose (might want to remove the screen before you shoot though) oh btw the feed part just might be against the law so see item # 1 on the above post on that one.
Try it it can be a blast!
smokeboxOne more thought,
Rock and Roll singer Ted Nugent has a song called " Kill it and Grill it"
SmokeboxSave the skin for me, my Davy Crockett coonskin cap has finally given up and I need a replacement!
COON SKIN AND ALIGATOR HIDE…
MAKES A PAIR OF JUMPBOOTS JUST FINE.....Steve Featherkile said:Wot about the skin from that b'ar you kilt when you wuz only three?
Save the skin for me, my Davy Crockett coonskin cap has finally given up and I need a replacement! :D
Chris Vernell said:I made that part of my Guilly suit when I was a sniper in the Marines. :DSteve Featherkile said:Wot about the skin from that b'ar you kilt when you wuz only three?
Save the skin for me, my Davy Crockett coonskin cap has finally given up and I need a replacement! :D
Are you making fun of my redneck upbringing??
LOL
SmokeboxI live two miles out of town and have trapped them successfully. Get some every other year or so…possums in between. I have a deep pond, so no problem there with them getting the fish. I like the pond and think it’s worth the bother/expense. Jerry