Pools at 88 F :-(

[Reel Mckoi]

Our pools reached 88 F this afternoon, in the 96 F heat. We covered them
with old lace curtains to provide some shade but not block sir circulation.
They didn't go above 88 F. At sundown all fish were doing fine and ate like
hogs. The heat sure isn't affecting their appetites. My husband built a
much larger, better filter for the new 500 gallon "for-sale" holding tank.
I'll be hooking it up this weekend. He used a sturdy artillery case someone
gave us. The bottom will be filled with old small crock pots with regular
filter material above that. Not real attractive but few people go back
there.
--
McKoi.... the frugal ponder...
EVERYONE: "Please check people's headers for forgeries
before flushing." NAMES ARE BEING FORGED.
My Pond Page http://tinyurl.com/cuq5b
~~~ }<((((o> ~~~ }<{{{{o> ~~~ }<(((((o>

[Courageous]

>Our pools reached 88 F this afternoon...

As measured where?

Anyway, if you point your pump return straight up, this should make a fountain.
Evaporation will increase, as will cooling.

Can't say if this would be better than the lace.

Shade is good.

Is your area particularly humid?

C//

[Reel Mckoi]

"Courageous" > wrote in message
...
>
> >Our pools reached 88 F this afternoon...
>
> As measured where?

## About 2/3s of the way down to the bottom of the 500 gallon pool - and at
the bottom of the 150 gallon pools. :-(

> Anyway, if you point your pump return straight up, this should make a
fountain.
> Evaporation will increase, as will cooling.

## Not all the pools have pumps. Most just have aerators. The 500 gallon
pool has 2 large old aquarium filters. The return water falls over a lip to
return to the pond - like the Aquaclears. I can't afford pumps for all
these pools at the moment.

> Can't say if this would be better than the lace.

> Shade is good.

## Yes, that's true. I just dug out some more old curtains that are thin
but solid, and will block even more of the sun. We took down a tree and now
the sun is more than we need back there - but the tree was a danger to the
house and had to go.

> Is your area particularly humid?

## Oh yes! The humidity here is very high all summer. It'll be hot and
humid here until around the end of Sept.
>
> C//
>
--
McKoi.... the frugal ponder...
EVERYONE: "Please check people's headers for forgeries
before flushing." NAMES ARE BEING FORGED.
My Pond Page http://tinyurl.com/cuq5b
~~~ }<((((o> ~~~ }<{{{{o> ~~~ }<(((((o>

[Courageous]

>I can't afford pumps for all these pools at the moment.

Consider ebay, and used pumps. Although, I wouldn't count on your pump
expenditures for cooling, if that's your top priority.

>## Yes, that's true. I just dug out some more old curtains that are thin
>but solid, and will block even more of the sun. We took down a tree and now
>the sun is more than we need back there - but the tree was a danger to the
>house and had to go.

Theoretically, and barring aesthetics, one could build a shade canopy out
of PVC building materials for fairly little $$.

C//

[Reel Mckoi]

"Courageous" > wrote in message
...
>
> >I can't afford pumps for all these pools at the moment.
>
> Consider ebay, and used pumps. Although, I wouldn't count on your pump
> expenditures for cooling, if that's your top priority.

$$ Thanks but I'll pass on buying anything from Ebay. I think I'll get
powerheads and use them with sponges next summer (for filtration). That's
the method I was using in the past in these pools - until the powerheads
died off one by one. For cooling I'm going to go with the old curtains and
shade (for now.) Shade makes a big difference.

> >## Yes, that's true. I just dug out some more old curtains that are thin
> >but solid, and will block even more of the sun. We took down a tree and
now
> >the sun is more than we need back there - but the tree was a danger to
the
> >house and had to go.

> Theoretically, and barring aesthetics, one could build a shade canopy out
> of PVC building materials for fairly little $$.

$$ This is true. Aesthetics are not a problem as these pools are behind the
house. Any shade canopy would have to cover all 8 pools = an area about 16'
wide by about 30' long. My husband is looking into "shade cloth" and other
options. As warm as the water was the fish didn't seem to mind. The
uncovered tubs of pond plants are going crazy with all the sun and heat.

> C//

--
McKoi.... the frugal ponder...
EVERYONE: "Please check people's headers for forgeries
before flushing." NAMES ARE BEING FORGED.
My Pond Page http://tinyurl.com/cuq5b
~~~ }<((((o> ~~~ }<{{{{o> ~~~ }<(((((o>

[Courageous]

>$$ Thanks but I'll pass on buying anything from Ebay.

Ebay's really not bad. One needs to investigate the seller,
and use pay pal. I've bought palace rugs on ebay, from trusted
sellers. Each seller has to be evaluated individually. For used
items, a good seller will point out mars on the items that are
likely to be a problem to some buyers. If you can't get a good
read on an item (multiple pictures, assessment of functionality,
age, and for mechanical equipment -- testing), don't buy it
(except perhaps for pennies on the dollar).

C//

[PlainBill]

On Fri, 1 Jul 2005 10:25:15 -0500, "Reel Mckoi"
> wrote:

>
>"Courageous" > wrote in message
...
>>

>> Theoretically, and barring aesthetics, one could build a shade canopy out
>> of PVC building materials for fairly little $$.
>
>$$ This is true. Aesthetics are not a problem as these pools are behind the
>house. Any shade canopy would have to cover all 8 pools = an area about 16'
>wide by about 30' long. My husband is looking into "shade cloth" and other
>options. As warm as the water was the fish didn't seem to mind. The
>uncovered tubs of pond plants are going crazy with all the sun and heat.
>
>> C//

Have your huband look at the shade cloth available at Home Depot and
Lowes - in the garden center, not the hardware (door) section. It's
available in different sizes. Last time I looked, a 6' x 25' roll
cost $36. Note that you don't have to cover the entire pond, just
covering half will cut down the heat input by 50%.

PlainBill

[Reel Mckoi]

"PlainBill" > wrote in message
...
> On Fri, 1 Jul 2005 10:25:15 -0500, "Reel Mckoi"
> > wrote:
>
> >
> >"Courageous" > wrote in message
> ...
> >>
>
> >> Theoretically, and barring aesthetics, one could build a shade canopy
out
> >> of PVC building materials for fairly little $$.
> >
> >$$ This is true. Aesthetics are not a problem as these pools are behind
the
> >house. Any shade canopy would have to cover all 8 pools = an area about
16'
> >wide by about 30' long. My husband is looking into "shade cloth" and
other
> >options. As warm as the water was the fish didn't seem to mind. The
> >uncovered tubs of pond plants are going crazy with all the sun and heat.
> >
> >> C//
>
> Have your huband look at the shade cloth available at Home Depot and
> Lowes - in the garden center, not the hardware (door) section.

## That's a good idea! Thanks........

It's
> available in different sizes. Last time I looked, a 6' x 25' roll
> cost $36. Note that you don't have to cover the entire pond, just
> covering half will cut down the heat input by 50%.

## That's an excellent idea. I wish we had the time to do it this weekend
(go to Lowe's) and look at their shade cloth. Meanwhile we have old
curtains over the south sides of the pools for shade. The water was 86 to
88 F. We just spent the day emptying the 2000 gallon pond and
sorting/culling all the fish and we're exhausted. We have to repair the
sides that are collapsing and the berm where it's sinking. We hosed and
vacuumed out all the spilled gravel and mulm. We also removed a ton of
rocks from the berm, and loads of heavy overgrown plants..... Once we have
this project done we'll concentrate on the shade for the pools behind the
house.

We found about 8 baby koi in this pond, most are Duitsoi but we can't tell
if they're butterfly koi or not. The smaller pond is now all butterfly koi.
The 2000 gallon one will still be both. All goldfish are being removed.
They're just too prolific for their own good. I'll keep a few of my old
timers in a pool behind the house.

--
McKoi.... the frugal ponder...
EVERYONE: "Please check people's headers for forgeries
before flushing." NAMES ARE BEING FORGED.
My Pond Page http://tinyurl.com/cuq5b
~~~ }<((((o> ~~~ }<{{{{o> ~~~ }<(((((o>

[Anne Lurie]

You might look into shade cloth -- the stuff I have is coarser than lace
curtains, finer than bird netting, also dark green color helps, I think.

I could not find a link for shade cloth, except for greenhouses (way more
than you'd need, I think!) however, I do recall someone here last year who
showed pix of a really nifty sun umbrella shade thing. As I recall, you
could even move it according to the time of day.

Anne Lurie
Raleigh, NC


"Reel Mckoi" > wrote in message
...
> Our pools reached 88 F this afternoon, in the 96 F heat. We covered them
> with old lace curtains to provide some shade but not block sir
> circulation.
> They didn't go above 88 F. At sundown all fish were doing fine and ate
> like
> hogs. The heat sure isn't affecting their appetites. My husband built a
> much larger, better filter for the new 500 gallon "for-sale" holding tank.
> I'll be hooking it up this weekend. He used a sturdy artillery case
> someone
> gave us. The bottom will be filled with old small crock pots with regular
> filter material above that. Not real attractive but few people go back
> there.
> --
> McKoi.... the frugal ponder...
> EVERYONE: "Please check people's headers for forgeries
> before flushing." NAMES ARE BEING FORGED.
> My Pond Page http://tinyurl.com/cuq5b
> ~~~ }<((((o> ~~~ }<{{{{o> ~~~ }<(((((o>
>

[Reel Mckoi]

"Anne Lurie" > wrote in message
...
> You might look into shade cloth -- the stuff I have is coarser than lace
> curtains, finer than bird netting, also dark green color helps, I think.
>
> I could not find a link for shade cloth, except for greenhouses (way more
> than you'd need, I think!) however, I do recall someone here last year
who
> showed pix of a really nifty sun umbrella shade thing. As I recall, you
> could even move it according to the time of day.
==================================
I would rather have something I didn't have to keep moving as I'm not always
home during the day - I'm kind of in and out. And there are 7 pools plus a
500 gallon holding tank. Actually the old curtains are "working!" :-))) I
have them draped over the south side of these small ponds, supported by the
hardware cloth and bird netting - so far so good - for now!

Once we finish the project we're now working (big pond repair) on we'll
check out the various commercial shade cloths available.
--
McKoi.... the frugal ponder...
EVERYONE: "Please check people's headers for forgeries
before flushing." NAMES ARE BEING FORGED.
My Pond Page http://tinyurl.com/cuq5b
~~~ }<((((o> ~~~ }<{{{{o> ~~~ }<(((((o>