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Thread: An Isaan Pond

  1. #1401
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    Looking good Mendy!

  2. #1402
    Thailand Expat DrWilly's Avatar
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    Why not run it 24/7?

  3. #1403
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    I don't think that's reall necessary... but I guess also cost and it makes a fair bit of splashing noise for the neighbours...

  4. #1404
    Thailand Expat DrWilly's Avatar
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    Fair enough.

    But doesnt everyone love the sound of splashing water?

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    ^ It's not really a soothing 'splashing' sound... more like the noise of a high-powered hose blasting water against a wall. It's right by the back of these apartments that have been built and our concrete perimeter walls seem to amplify the sound.

    If I'm sitting in the sala by the pond I'll sometimes turn the damn thing off because it's too noisy!

    And what with our chickens and dogs as well... I'm surprised anyone rents the apartments to be honest.

  6. #1406
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    Mate, early morning and still days is when the Pond needs it most.

    Most decent breezes will create enough wave action/O2 transfer to keep your fish happy.

  7. #1407
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    Great Mendip, one happi Isan pond.

  8. #1408
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    ^^ I believe early morning because that's the lonest period since the last daylight and therefore any O2 production from photosynthesis in the green algae?

    The pond is in a sheltered residential plot and it takes some wind to get the lightest of ripples to develop. I think during the upcoming hot aeason I'll keep it on from early morning regardless... until the rains come.

  9. #1409
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    Just an idea for aeration, but my rusty undergraduate Chemical Engineering learnings from 30 years ago suggest to me that possibly a subsurface water circulation solution might be as effective as a waterfall in maximising dissolved o2 levels.

    The pond absorbs o2 through its surface in contact with the air. The rate of o2 uptake is inversely proportional to the o2 concentration in the surface water layer.

    The problem is that the water is static and an o2 concentration gradient exists from the surface down to the bottom. o2 does not dissolve quickly into the surface because the surface layer already has the highest o2 concentration.

    You want to bring the stale water from the depths up to the surface where it will absorb o2 faster than semi-oxygenated surface layer will.

    If you rigged up a simple submersible pump floating just below the surface with a weighted hose exiting at the lowest point under the pond surface (in the centre of the pond) this might be equally effective in oxygenating the depths of the pond. The pump would send oxygenated surface water down to the depths and the circulation effect would also bring the stale depth water up to the surface where its low oxygen content would encourage faster o2 uptake at the surface.

    The pump work required may be smaller and cheaper than the waterfall too since there is not the same elevation head to pump water across to raise the water.

    I rigged up a waterfall on my old pool at my old place. It poured water down the feature wall at the back. But it was incredibly noisy like you say. It was fun for a photo opp but I would not turn it on for the purposes of creating a relaxing ambience.

    I did think about getting a variable speed pump so I could run the waterfall at a quiet and relaxing trickle rather than a roaring gushing torrent and it might be worth exploring this option.

    This was my feature wall (without the waterfall running) which KLF liked to sit under like a mermaid singing her siren song to lure me onto the rocks.

    An Isaan Pond-p1100053c-jpg

    Korean ladies love their beer and can drink any fella under the table. KLF was particularly fond of a drop of Little Creature Pale Ale

    An Isaan Pond-p1100050-jpg

    Fond memories.

  10. #1410
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    Looper.
    Still teakdoors #1 swordsman. Punty and pat tried to take the title away. But failed miserably . Fucking legend looper. I take my hat of sir.

  11. #1411
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    ^^ Bloody hell Looper... that last photo has raised the bar a bit in this thread!

    Quote Originally Posted by Looper View Post
    Fond memories.
    And all I get are 'Pond' memories.


    There's some really good points there Looper.

    To be honest I'm getting a bit pissed off with the amount of work this pond has created... it was supposed to just be a bit of a hobby but now it's become a way of life.

    As the waterfall has now been built and set up I'm going to stick with this arrangement for now. The intake is almost halfway out at the bottom of the pond so in itself the waterfall does create some circulation but probably not sufficient circulation or aeration during the really bad times. I have a spare pump that I can rig up to really boost circulation if a problem develops again.

    One problem I have found with excessive circulation is that all the shite from the bottom then gets stirred up into the water column and I don't think that does the fish any good either.

    You're spot on about the waterfall noise... it certainly doesn't create a relaxing ambience but I think it looks good.

  12. #1412
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    When I set my pumps in the middle of the pond I would get plastic mesh containers and use 2 inch filter media pad to line the mesh container and to encapsulate the pump. This would raise the pump off the bottom muck and prevent the sludge from clogging the pump. About every three weeks I would remove the pump and hose the sludge from the plastic mesh container and the 2 inch filter media pad.

    There are round funnel shaped fountain heads with a round flow regulator in the center that you control by pushing in/out. These type of fountains when set can emit a solid half circle of water from fountain head to the water surface. At this setting the fountain makes very little noise.

    Whenever working in the pond wash your hands with soap and water. Wash a second time with lanolin infused rubbing alcohol (regular rubbing alcohol ok) to prevent cut infections.

  13. #1413
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    Little creatures pale ale is a great drop

  14. #1414
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mendip View Post
    You're spot on about the waterfall noise... it certainly doesn't create a relaxing ambience but I think it looks good.
    You could maybe cut down on the noise I think by arranging rocks for the water to cascade onto before it strikes the pond surface.

    If it is currently a straight free-air drop like mine was then that is certainly noisy.

    I could not do that easily with my pool waterfall but since you have a pond it would be easier to organise.

    Or if its too deep for rocks then maybe a deflector plate to spray the water out horizontally a bit before it hits the surface.

  15. #1415
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    The strangest thing happened tonight.

    I was supping a glass Mont Clair by the pond when I suddenly became aware that... the tadpoles have come back!

    They seem to like mangoes as well.



    We were inundated with tadpoles 2 or 3 weeks ago and then they suddenly and mysteriously disappeared... and I've seen no sign of any big tadpoles, developing froglets or even baby frogs ever since. It remains a complete mystery.

    Today's tadpoles are small and must be from a new batch of spawn but I wonder what their future is?

    Maybe Maya will drink them?


  16. #1416
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mendip View Post
    We were inundated with tadpoles 2 or 3 weeks ago and then they suddenly and mysteriously disappeared... and I've seen no sign of any big tadpoles, developing froglets or even baby frogs ever since. It remains a complete mystery.
    Have you looked what the wife's been eating on her somtam?

  17. #1417
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    I haven't updated this thread for a few months so here is the pond today, about a year since the big clean-out.

    And I don't mind saying it myself... it doesn't look too bad.



    Although everything looks better after a night of rain. I leave overgrown areas to encourage wildlife and give the snakes and lizards a chance to hide from the dogs.



    And the waterfall is on throughout daylight hours most days regardless of the weather. I think this has made a big difference to maintaining a better water quality.



    Today I wondered what had caught Yogi's attention...



    ... looks like we'll be having more tadpoles in the near future.



    The girls relax in their natural positions of seniority.



    But of course, this being Isaan there's always some turd or other lurking in the toilet bowl. The week before I returned we had a lot of rain and one morning the gardener found a pla chon wriggling in the grass next to the pond. It's around 7 inches long and currently living in the catfish tank, but soon to be re-homed elsewhere before we restock with pla duuk.



    The big question of course... was the pla chon exiting our pond to look for pastures new, or about to enter it having travelled from elsewhere. The snakehead are known to travel across land in the wet season which is one reason they're so successful at inhabiting so many of Thailand's waterways.

    To make matters worse, yesterday I saw the unmistakable blunt-nosed silhouette of another pla chon cruising around the pond, just under the surface. It was slightly bigger than the one in the picture above and whereas it will currently do a good job of controlling the pla nin fry... experience has shown that these complete b@stards will grow and then start eating my 'fish and chips' pla nin and pla tabtim.

    After all I went through last year I can't face another pond clear-out... after nearly a year I've only just started clipping my now regrown left big toenail again and the right one still has about another quarter inch to go to grow out the black mouldy part of the nail. I'm not going through that again. Besides, it seems impossible to keep the buggers out and I reckon I'll just have to learn to live with them.

  18. #1418
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    ^ No mention of fish dying so i assume you've fixed that. On the Pla Chon, is Ootai not up for some pond netting as he seemed to really enjoy it.

  19. #1419
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    ^ Yeah, no fish dying and a batch of fingerling pla tabtim I restocked with last year are thriving. Should be ready for the frying pan by year's end. The pla tabtim make a better fish and chips fillet than the pla nin.

    As for Ootai, I'm hoping he does the right thing and comes along to clean the pond out with the gardener while I'm away in the UK. That would be a nice surprise.

    What do you say mate? I could tell you secretly enjoyed yourself last year and you can take home a couple of nice catfish for your efforts.

  20. #1420
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    I think if you proffered some waders he'd be in them like sin.

  21. #1421
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    ^ I've only got a pair wellies, and I'd never trust an Ozzie to wear wellies round here. There's a goat farm just up the road.

  22. #1422
    Thailand Expat DrWilly's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mendip View Post
    ^ I've only got a pair wellies, and I'd never trust an Ozzie to wear wellies round here. There's a goat farm just up the road.
    That escalated quickly

  23. #1423
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    I've never known a wet season like this, the rain is relentless.

    I was up at midnight to close doors and windows due to a storm, and then the rain started up again at 6am.

    At least it's the straight-downy kind of rain now. The pond is ready to burst it's banks.




  24. #1424
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mendip View Post
    I've never known a wet season like this, the rain is relentless.

    I was up at midnight to close doors and windows due to a storm, and then the rain started up again at 6am.

    At least it's the straight-downy kind of rain now. The pond is ready to burst it's banks.
    Mendip
    I agree re the rain it is a pain in the arse, it makes the grass grow but I can't get to cut it as its too wet, any area that doesn't have grass is a muddy mess.
    Re the pond overflowing is your drain outlet blocked? Or is it just not able to keep up with the amount of water coming in?

    As for cleaning the pond get your neighbours goats to help you!

  25. #1425
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    Quote Originally Posted by ootai View Post
    I agree re the rain it is a pain in the arse, it makes the grass grow but I can't get to cut it as its too wet
    Very true. Before I went to England this whole area was mown. Mostly not grass, I figure if I can keep it mown and green I don't mind too much what kind of green it is. After my return I was trying to regain control one area at a time but it is way past mowing now, I'll need to get the strimmer out first and that isn't happening today because it is currently pouring with rain.

    An Isaan Pond-grass-jpg

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