Pond Netting

[Tamianth]

Thought I'd show what I did to keep my netting from being too much of a pain. Since its hard for just me to remove net by myself,lol, I came up with this solution of useing shepards hooks. The net was wide enough to actually drape over the back side and I bought three shorter nets, run end to center where the third net I can pull back to access and open it like a tent sort of.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v603/Tamianth/MVC-019S.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v603/Tamianth/MVC-020S.jpg

[Dave in Innisfil]

I was wondering your specific need for the netting, and whether it's just a seasonal set up or you plan on it as a permanent fixture. I made a dome frame over my bog pond this spring with a 3/4" PVC conduit frame that worked well as temporary predation protection while it was my QT pond. Now, with fall soon upon us, I'm manually skimming daily a quantity of poplar leaves that fall directly into my main pond, and battling a kingfisher who has recently acquired a taste for our goldies. The shepherd's hook idea is far more cosmetically appeasing than my solution.

[Jackie Ramo]

Very Clever Kathy!!! certainly makes access a lot easier.

[Tamianth]

Dave,
I live in the cascade foothills, on the edge of town, on top of the river... Herons, Osprey,eagles, coon... You name it, I've most likely seen it !rofl

They don't like me much, I'm not into giving them freebies. I've got stakes run about every 6" along the bottom but need to get a few more. The hubby made mine so they sink up pretty deep.

Pretty much its seasonal as we do get some some winters, so that makes it a must to come down. But when hubby retires in a couple of years we plan on selling & moving otherwise I'd very much consider a permanent set up like a pergola with removable screen or something a bit different!

I sort of made use of some safety pins and clips to make sure any gaps are closed up for the moment. I'm considering doing some trimming and sewing with 50 lb test.

What I would suggest though if someone else where to try this, to use heavier hooks then what we managed to get. These seem a little too small round and if you go for tightness, they tend to bend somewhat.

I think some hanging lanterns or small plants would look nice though! :grin:

********

Jackie,
Thats what I was looking for, easier access. What with hubby working weekends and this weekend both my kids are working the big shindig down at the lake at least I don't need any one to help me get the blasted net off! That big sucker took all four of us to move off!

Its not pretty but will do the job! :smile:

I'm going to be hit and miss with running kids back & forth to work this weekend,lol!

[Dave in Innisfil]

I'm having no luck detering the kingfisher. Tina wants me to take a pic of it 'cause she's never seen one, and I want to reach for the pellet gun.

What size rod are your shepherd's hooks made from ? I'm thinking of having the local welder make me up some of a higher guage metal than the ones they sell at the garden centres.

[Jackie Ramo]

Dave, I've never read of anyone deterring a kingfisher without a net or if they did, it wasn't posted...

Kathy a party by the lake?? Cool! Wear bug spray!! :grin:

[Dave in Innisfil]

The damn bird perches in a dead tree in the greenbelt behind our house. I can see it over the garage from the driveway, watching the pond and me. It won't come any closer if I'm in the backyard or in the garage, but when I go inside, it moves to the clothesline nearest the ponds. Our hall extends the lenght of the house and faces out to the pond, and I've heard the splash and seen it flying away. I hoped the two plastic owls would deter it, but if this keeps up I'm going the heavier guage shepherd hook 'n net solution, to heck with the cosmetics. On the lighter side, it's mostly cleaning out my guinea-pig goldies.

[Tamianth]

I don't have a clue Dave, the metal is around the size of my fingers for tickness. So having them built would be a better Idea. I also don't like the flimsy black netting they tend to sell in most places, it tears to easily for my likeing. I figure if I can tear it, so can the critters with ease. Why I went with this heavy green stuff. Luckily I don't have any jumpers to deal with either though, but still like it higher up after seeing the Heron weigh it down enough to perch ontop of the spitter when I had it on a few tripods earlier this spring.

I prefer the springboard/trampoline effect personally. !rofl Go ahead, dive into it and we'll see how high they pop back up! Boing......... ^ :twisted:

I'm staying clean away Jackie.... its a bikers weekend thing along with it being a holiday weekend. We listened to sirens going yesterday and heard 8 cars and a swat truck dispatched up the road went through! This hwy is a bad one for accidents but it makes me wonder when they see that many squad cars and a swat team going...... !wow!

[Merlin]

Hi Tamianth

Sorry to say but that net is ruining the look of a verry nice pond. :( . Green neting has an awful habbit of sticking out like a sore thumb. If you can change it to black you would see one hell of a difference, the netting becomes almost invisible . What a pain in the butt though, Eagles , Ospreys Herrons AND coons , you sure have your work cut out . :(

[Tamianth]

Hi Merlin,
Yeah, I know! The only black netting they sell around here is so flimsy I can tear it myself. I worry more about the osprey, they hang this river bad first of the summer and end of it. I'd love to do a pergola actually, but its just not in the works as of now. And we may be selling in a couple of years when the DH retires. When that happens, I'll be looking to build a new pond elsewhere, bigger with a pergola. We are thinking of moving to Idaho so I can move the fish as well! :grin:

[Jackie Ramo]

Kathy have you looked at the plastic bird netting. Usually on sale late summer at HD and other places. I have it in the biofalls as part of the biomedia. Tough stuff.

[Merlin]

That is a shame Kathy, the stuff I have is impossible to tear by hand. If it was not for the land based predators I would have sugested stringing fishing line across the pond to stop the air predators. But for the others electric fencing is the only other option. Ok if cash is not a problem , but for most of us it is just too expensive. :(.

Still at the end of the day if your net keeps your babies safe then that is all that matters. :-)

[Tamianth]

Yeah, all my plans are hold as of now anyway! The hubby is having some throat problems, barium swallow and xray's in the am first thing! :( He's not felt up to doing too overly much, but yet on edge....

[Jackie Ramo]

Kathy sorry to hear that hubby is undergoing those nasty tests. Be sure he takes care of himself.

[Merlin]

Kathy you are sure going through it at present, I hope hubbys throat gets better soon :-) .

[Tamianth]

Well, both came back negative except for a excess of mucous. Monday morning he's having a endoscopy, upper gi and throat to take a look. I've a feeling a couple of problems he let go clashed with a vengence. Thought he had ulcer, but its actually acid reflux and this darn cold he's had forever.. Stubborn man didn't go back to the Dr when I told him to see whats going on since the ulcer tabs didn't clear it up etc. And to see about that cold that didn't go away. :mad: His throat actually looks inflammed from the outside now.

[Jackie Ramo]

Sounds darned nasty Kathy. Make him take care of himself!!! And make sure he keeps going until they find out what it is. Tests are a pita but the options are worse.

[Tamianth]

I've been threatening him with a Baytril injection where he bends over and litterally giving him: :frisbee: !bonk

Some of that mucouse is trying to turn loose though.... That must be a good sign.

Now I've got a darn cold to boot..... :mad:

[Dewi]

Very enterprising Tam, We all see things in different prospectives, thats how we learn, must be some very frustrated critters there :) :wink: Hope you and your husband get well soon,
Regards Dewi

[Jackie Ramo]

I've been threatening him with a Baytril injection where he bends over and litterally giving him: :frisbee: !bonk

Some of that mucouse is trying to turn loose though.... That must be a good sign.

Now I've got a darn cold to boot..... :mad:

:lol: Remind me not to get sick around you!! Its too early for cold season isn't it??? or is that time upon us again...

[Tamianth]

Unfortunatly we are starting into fall. Been clouding up and raining off and on, two three day's of it, then back into the 70's for a few day's. The up & down temps swinging are not fun to deal with here. This is the humid side, we get so much moisture in just the air here. When it freezes, you can see the ice chrystals floating in air..... :-? No wonder folks get sick breathing that into there lungs......

This darn cold bug is one the kids managed to bring home from working that big weekend party thing down at the lake. !bonk

*laughs* I sometimes have to resort to threats to get the DH to do whats right... Stubborn that one and doesn't scream ouch until the door hits him several times and by then, its much worse.

[Jackie Ramo]

I'm just in denial Kathy. Hate the thought of fall coming. We've been having wonderful warm days well above normal temps so it seems it is still August.

Here its me who puts taking care of themselves off, Smith is very good about babying himself.