gmb

Last year we were brand new pond newbies, now we're a year older but
we "wintered" our surviving fish in a 100 outdoor gal. tank because
the _______ chipmunk ate a huge hole in the liner. Before the
"episode" we d****d the pond with a net that had such huge holes it
caught EVERY heavy downward pointing oak leaf stem aimed for the
pond.

The "pond committee" - that would be me... and husband (the guy that
ends up doing most of the work - my job is "idea gal" and "point and
grunt" and "you didn't do it right" - OK guys... happy? I admit it.
Mr. "gravity man" (see aforementioned husband) was determined to reuse
hated netting. See man that drinks coffee and goes to work. See
Jane... errrr me shake, PLUCK pounds of offensive leaves. We've had
some non-heated but venus-mars conversations about leaves collecting
near the fence (we're talking a 2 month season and we are here to make
sure that isn't a problem with the NEIGHBOR's fence) and then the
aesthetic acceptances or compromises we are willing to take. I swore
I'd rather fish the huge volume of leaves that deal with that dreaded
big hole netting. I voted for frames (flat) with screening because
although flat it would be easy to broom or blow off. My lightweight
frame vision has taken on a heavier look - although we both agree
several frames are the answer, to store, move, maintain. One is
hinged. The bonus of such a plan is it is predator proof, but we
really only want to use it to thwart leaves. Although we haven't
actually stapled the screen in place, I know we are both wondering if
there wasn't a better answer (albeit temporary) that had a less
intrusive affect on our "lovely yard water feature. " Has ANY one
solved this his/her Lilliputian dilemna? We are afterall more mindful
of the fish safety and water clarity than appearances but hate to
defeat the original purpose of something we can look out the window
and enjoy. Discuss...

phyllis and jim

Gnarly problem.

We leave the pond open. Is yours small enough that you could let the
winter leaves settle and net the up in the spring? Pretty pond,
spring work?


Jim

k

I can be called a very baaaad ponder. We don't net.
The pond is not set up to do it, we have two dogs
that I worry about nets around and various other
reasons (lazy gardeners is probably up there, too).
That said - if a hole is kept open in the ice we have
no problems with leaves in the pond. They get
cleaned out in the spring. We've run the pond this
way for over ten years. I like the look of fall leaves
on water, I like my relaxed style of gardening and
all is well.
We keep the pond lightly stocked and we don't
feed. I think this also has a lot to do with a successful
pond in our case.

k :-)
http://tinyurl.com/6bguh ~ new pond keeper info
http://tinyurl.com/yp64db ~ slide show of pond

gmb

We're not talking about a few dainty leaves. The pond is literally
under a hickory tree, which, alone I could deal with. The hickory is
under a couple of towering oaks in the neighbor's yard. I live in a
mature oak neighborhood. The county vacuums up the leaves three times
during the season if we deposit them at the curb (too many to bag).
Prior to each vacuum, our two lane streets become a single lane with
hip high piles and parked cars on both sides. Springtime brings oak
pollen - another problem which can turn the water tea colored. The
trees provide shade and help us fight algae but I'm leary of leaving
that much of anything to steep in the water. (We do get some sun on
the pond and it's gorgeous.) The leaves are starting to drop mostly
because of the current drought. Our net/screen plan is temporary, to
be removed when the leaves are done, but it sure doesn't look
natural... Funny, the pond was originally for us. Now it's all about
our fish family!

Gail
(Northern Virginia)

P.S. If anyone has pictures of their solution, I'd love to see them.

where are the leaves coming from? how big is the pond?
I can see many solutions.
leaves will catch on bird netting, but if the bird netting is taut the wind blows
them off. the bird netting on my pond is at an angle and taut, but then I have no
actual trees looming over my pond.

if the leaves are blowing in, then I would suggest using 10' aluminum conduit and
thread it thru the bird netting and pull the netting taut between the poles (poles go
in, come out very easily). this is actually how birds are netted for banding (altho
the netting is soft cotton and hung with folds to snare the birds). place the
conduit/net so it blocks leaves from blowing in.

if the leaves are dropping from overhead, then hang the net right under the trees,
make a sorta tent over the pond.

there are always leaf skimmers. a pump in a container on the side ****s the water
and whatever else over into a container.

Ingrid

k

Sounds like you need to build a heavy duty
gazebo of some sorts.

k :-)

~ jan

http://users.owt.com/jjspond/koipond/photos/46s.jpg I didn't do frames. I
just lay the boards down and cover with screening that is tied down at the
edges with rocks. The screening sits about 8" above the water. For the lily
pond I used shade cloth, comes in wider widths. ~ jan
------------
Zone 7a, SE Washington State
Ponds: http://www.jjspond.us

reel mckoi

-----------------------------------
If you don't want to use a finer bird netting like I do, you can net the
leaves out once a week. I do that with my only unnetted inground 150g
goldfish pond. They're removed before they start to decompose. It takes me
only a few minutes to get most of them.
--

RM....
Frugal ponding since 1995.
rec.ponder since late 1996.
Zone 6. Middle TN USA
~~~~ }<((((*> ~~~ }<{{{{(ö>

reel mckoi

--------------------
Or turn the trees into firewood.
--
RM....
Frugal ponding since 1995.
rec.ponder since late 1996.
Zone 6. Middle TN USA
~~~~ }<((((*> ~~~ }<{{{{(ö>

gill passman

This only works if you have the time to do it.......and I speak from
bitter experience.....even when netted if you can only get to the pond
at weekends the weight of very heavy leaf fall is more than any nets can
cope with and the old pond was netted......The new pond is next to the
house and lit so won't be an issue but in the winter the old pond was
just a walking disaster when it came to maintenance and a full time
job......the problem was the number of trees and amount of leaves....to
sustain the old pond I really needed to be up there twice a day in the
autumn....as it is now I can just go and do a sweep up in the area at
weekends but I'm not risking any fish lives anymore.....

Gill