Category: Pets

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Pond Up and Running

It took awhile longer than expected to get the liner in shape once again. But it’s looking good, better each year, so I wanted to get it near perfected in anticipation of winter ops, maybe for the 24-25 season. The system’s now running a secondary internal circulation pump and bottom filter, so the main pump and waterfall can be turned off during cold weather hibernation months without incurring water quality issues.

It will still need cleaning at season’s end, but that can be accomplished in a few hours with fish waiting in an aerated bin while the sump pump does it’s work. That’s a whole new maintenance process needing worked out, but we’re getting there. The lily needs re-potted and set in shallower water to get re-started. The plants were all stressed from being inside too long. We’ll call this the before pic for the year:

It would be nice not needing to maintain a winter aquarium for these guys in the basement.
Still the Rain -B.B. Chun King and the Buddaheads
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Colorado Pet Equality

Greedy landlords never run out of reasons and excuses to grift and rob. They’ll have a harder time doing it to pet-loving renters in Colorado going forward. HB23-1068 removes the formerly legal option of gouging pet owners for increased rent rates and security deposit fraud.

There’s no bad dogs – only bad owners.
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Spring Notes Around the Place

We’re looking at freezing overnights again later this week, so no hurry to get the pond going. There’s not much point until it’s time to put the plants out and the Blue Herons are gone, so that’s all weather-driven. Yardwork and lawnmower maintenance are on the bubble. I’m still running the same WeedEater™ mower I bought at the RAF Mildenhall BX in 1993. That was a fun time – Albania, sheesh. I’m literally running that thing until the wheels fall off and then some, with #4 awaiting a re-shim this year. Spent a couple hours trying to patch up the backyard yesterday.

This is what happens to lawns with female dogs: Acidic urine. It’s only around half done, more to do today.
I’m still worried he’s gonna hurt that cat again.
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Low Key Monday

Starting the work-week with a couple fish pics. I love how the aquarium looks with morning sun shining in. Can anybody spot the cat reflection?

Rainy Day Blues -Big Bill & the Cool Tones
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Big Tank Early 2023

Recently added a 2nd smaller canister filter for water polishing. I’ll upgrade those lines to something black so they don’t stick out like a sore thumb one of these days. I’ve been overfeeding them and the growing Loach population seems to stir up quite a bit of detritus. Here’s a little 2-minute vid looking long-ways through. Quick vid from a week later after cleaning the glass.

Three Firemouths huddling together in the warm sun
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Predators

These were sometime last summer. I’m kinda surprised how well Boots does, gimpy as he is. Jax needs a little help with his, but he came real close to getting a duck out of the creek yesterday.

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Lazy Tomcat

I was terrified those kittens were gonna destroy the grill on that subwoofer, but fortunately the scratching post I made with some sisal rope did the trick.

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Goldies in for the Winter

Michelle helped me accomplish the bi-annual fish move last Saturday. It’s a weather-driven event when the water starts getting cold enough to put them into hibernation and falling leaves begin clogging things up. Most of the water gets pumped out of the pond then we start scooping them out – big nets full of leaves and fish – six in one go, at one point.

We ended up with 30 this year. That sounds about right, considering they did not reproduce (that I know of) and we lost 4 to fishicide (jumping out) and sickness. IIRC, we started with 35 last spring, so that’s probably in the margin of counting error. The only issue is they are all getting big, so their 120-gallon winter home is around 25 short of it’s estimated maximum fish load capacity now.

The Marineland C530 filter is over-sized for that tank, with a custom pre-filter intake to extend longevity. It will be interesting to watch the water tests to see if it can keep up with that much bio load. Worst case scenario I’ll just need to do more frequent water changes and see if the population trends down next year. Not sure why some years they reproduce and others they don’t. We may yet find babies in the plant bins.

LATE UPDATE: Ten days and no ammonia with my patented “Insta-Cycle” process!
Francie’s old desk needed a new middle leg.
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Prairie Dog Control

Local governments often resort to poisoning, to the chagrin of environmental groups. The Prairie Dogs actually created a flight safety issue at Buckley Air National Guard Base when I was stationed there with the Air Force back in the early 80s. Dedicated Dog-Lovers occasionally muster moving campaigns. We’re going the natural predator route in Frederick, at least at our place.

I’ve seen hawks pull them up from time-to-time, but Boots is kinda gimpy and slow, due to a run-in with Jax early on. He tries tho, and is often seen following Tigger about, trying to catch on. He figured it out. The day after he brought back his first PD kill I was sitting on the tailgate in my usual morning resting mode when I observed the little rascal creep right up and disappear into the nearest PD hole across the street.

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Boots

Me and this guy are a couple of real gimpy buds, just glad to still be here.
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Happy Fish

Took these vids about a month ago, right after getting them moved outside. Phoebe said it looks like they are “kissing up” on each other. They do seem to get pretty excited sometimes. One made it all the way out into the yard early on and survived after found and thrown back in shortly thereafter. Another one didn’t get so lucky just a few days ago. Saw the raccoons only once so far this year. Seems maybe Jax gave them a good scare that night.