A Gardeners Forum Forums Members History Forum Life 2005 Misc. Pond Questions

#1) If you have pumps in the pond, obviously hooked up to electricity, and you get in the pond...can you get electrocuted, or is it safe?

#2) Does it matter where you put your filter in the pond? Mine is impossible to get to unless I get INTO the pond...which is gonna be really cold and wet this winter. The pond is too big to reach it from the side if it's in the middle.

#3) I forgot the other question, but it will come to me.


Cindy

O.K..I just reasoned out the answer to the first question all by myself. If there was a chance of getting shocked, the fish would not be alive.

LOL

I was about to tell you...if the fish are floating, don't get in. Otherwise you are pretty safe.

For the filter...I just put mine in the deepest area of the pond, not necessarily the center. My pond is sorta an hourglass shape...the top half of the hourglass is a bit wider than the bottom. So, the pump sits in the middle of the wider section...but if I am careful and really reach, I can usually fish it out. Otherwise I carefully pull on the electrical cord until it is close enough to the side to grab it...course, that isn't the best option if you don't want shorts in the line in the future.

Cindy~ Do you have a GFI(Ground fault circuit interrupter) on the outlet that the pump is plugged into????? It is always best to unplug the pump and all electricity prior to sticking you hand in the water. Fish may not show major signs from electric shock.
Donna

Actually, I have extension cords plugged together to reach to the pond. It's a thousand wonders I didn't get electrocuted the other night when the yard flooded. The extension cords were under the water, and I fished around until I found them and stood in a foot of water while unplugging them.

Yesterday I bought this thing called "Power Stake" that you stick in the ground and it has 3 outlets and a circuit breaker...it has a picture of a garden pond on the box. So, I get it home and take it out of the box and there's a paper in the box that says not to use near water and not to use it when it's wet outside. So, this obviously isn't what I needed. :rolleyes:


Another question.....
Do I need to put something in my pond to entertain the fish?
They look so bored all the time...just hanging out and swimming back and forth...nothing to do. I feel kinda sorry for them.
I was thinking about sinking one of Brennan's toys in the pond so they would have something colorful to look at and swim through...like maybe a big plastic backhoe or something.

LOL

Keep in mind that fish have brains wired for very few things...eat...reproduce...breath...poo...eat again. Adding things to the pond is fine and will add to your entertainment, but likely won't impact the quality of their lives.

Likely, they aren't moving much because the weather is starting to cool and they will soon become dormant.

um....and one long extension cord would really be a better option.

It's so hard for me to remember things like that, since I treat my pets like humans!
I just thought they must be bored stiff...
...with nothing in there to do.

I am getting a ground fault circuit breaker installed tomorrow for the pond. Electricity is sorta freaking me out these days...
I am a very careless person...and that will give me one less thing to have to worry about hurting myself with. I hate getting shocked...I get shocked a lot.

If you want to spoil your fish...think the way they do. Of the limited things that get their attention...what can you change up on them? Food is the easiest (I'm not even going to think about the reproduction part...LOL)

Pick up a package of frozen blood worms or brine shrimp (or glassworm, krill, plankton, etc...whatever your petstore has.) They will go insane over the new food...and you'll be speaking their language!

I hope they like these better than the nightcrawler I threw into the other pond for them. It scared them so bad they tried to jump out of the far end of the pond!

Next time....dangle the nightcrawler in the water a bit to get their attention.

Wiggly things are more intriguing than weird things that come flinging out of the sky and land on your head.

Uhhh, yeah...that's what I tried telling my last husband!

I got one of them green garden stakes...haven't been shocked yet...and I'm BAD& still alive!I actually STAND in the water and plug pump back into box.

yeah....I thought about the wadeing part too(I have to have the right shorts on...shorter the dryer...lol)I still waded....and sometimes i'll drag it out of its cage to clean& just wade once...depends on water temp...(and I'm warmer than U!)maybe think of some neopreen waders.insulated& waterproff.Hubby has some.I just haven't used.just slip right in and out.gee can even play with your fish then


I'm currently haveing to dig another pond in my yard...all dig party invites have been turned down& i've broke a shovel& broke off tip on shovel(which it NOW cuts roots great since modified accident...)
TIP.DO NOT beat tough roots with shovel...shovel may break.cuseing is fine .
Back to pond-in-progress.My 3 dogs ganged up on my ducks and they got Indy.so he's been recovering in my jacazzui tub in bathroom.He has a gapeing hole above his leg& a few holes in his neck.he's outta shock and currently on antibiotic& a house guest.He hangs out watching TV when the dogs are outside.He's currently watching animal planet in his laundry basket.He was injured Friday& is now tuesday.I was told sunday that I smelled like my duck

I'm makeing custumized deepths.it has a deep end...shallow end and will have a barely covered spot in middle...for walking out for pump for cleaning....(I took into account the wadeing expierances B4Digging)

cindy fish hybernate kinda at water temps of 50 they don't eat.Thats why they R bored.U could run TV out thwre and show them shark tales& finding nemo...LOL

I'd have to break the ice on my pond right now to get in!
It's 15 degrees here right now!


Cindy Sue

What a great thread...I don't have a pond and I loved reading it!!!

Loz...can you imagine if me and njoynit were next door neighbors?

Jeff and the Survivor Execs would probably love it!! They do love their water challenges.....

I'm telling you, I'd love to be your neighbor and watch you out in the yard....it'd be priceless.... You and Njoynit together would be even better!

Shoot....ya'll better hope I live.Hubby finally noticed the ducks not out front.He asked where they was Debra only helped dig the 1st day and told bubby.She watched. He'll see it Fri or saturday.Its always already dark when he gets home.Saves me from getting in lots of trouble sometimes. Indy is improveing.I've cleaned feathers out of the dryer....lint thing...bathroom floor...under TV in liveingroom.

Cindy.I quit Beam a LOOOOOOOOOOOOOooooooNg time ago. I drank 2 5ths in a 14 hour period and was sober afterwards.I got mad& switched to Jack back then.Now I drink southern comfort/tequila/Crown.

while were chatting liquir..........Does your store carry Starburst?its in a white bottle.Its like orange rum.


So WHO has a great pond skimmer idea?My pool one has holes.I "rigged" some window screen,but it ain't really doing it justice.I'll get a new pond shot and post tomorrow.I'm gonna go count some raindrops& then go play in the mud on way to bus stop and put my idiot signs out on hill b4 some yahoo screws my hill up.