Midges & Mozzies!
Posted: Wed Jan 27, 2016 1:10 am
Gents, Ladies,
Does anyone have a solution for an annoying problem that I just can't seem to rid myself of? I've got a raised pond, approximately 3 and half foot deep and 1500 gallons with bottom drain leading to a 2 bay filter (brushes/jap matting). Helping with the filtration is a 12ft x 1ft x 1ft stream over two levels, 2/3rds full of alfagrog (assisted in the summer with assorted water-loving plants) which is pump fed from the main pond.
Although the pond is immature at only 6 months old, I keep on top of the chemistry with regular checks and water parameters are well within limits, I've got a dozen or so "low grade" koi together with a similar number of goldfish types and a tench or two. No prize winners in there but I like watching them and they all seem to be in fine fettle - the only one I ever lost was a sickly fellow which pegged it in the first week of them all being introduced back in July, since then I've been incident free.
My problem is midges & mozzies! Even now, with temps around 5C earlier this week, I still get the annoying little buggers hovering around both the pond and in the filter - in the summer there's tons of 'em which takes away the pleasure of sitting by the pond and watching the fish! I clean the filter weekly but always find loads of their wriggly larvae in there. I've got sticky fly-traps and a two bar electric mozzie zapper rigged up and on permanently over my filter (inside the garage) which deals with a good many (but evidently not all) of the adults but the larvae still thrive. In an effort to get rid of them I've also tried those mosquito dunk doughnut ringy things which are supposed to act as a "larvaecide" but had no noticeable success.
So I'm desperately hoping that you guys will be able to help me out and let me know of any effective ways that I can kill off the damn things (without harming the fish) and prevent them coming back before the weather warms up and I'm inundated with them again? I'm sure I can't be the only one who's ever had this issue so I'd be really interested in hearing from anyone else who has suffered with these critters and what you did/do about controlling them.
Itching in anticipation of your suggestions, Thanks & Regards Mick.
Does anyone have a solution for an annoying problem that I just can't seem to rid myself of? I've got a raised pond, approximately 3 and half foot deep and 1500 gallons with bottom drain leading to a 2 bay filter (brushes/jap matting). Helping with the filtration is a 12ft x 1ft x 1ft stream over two levels, 2/3rds full of alfagrog (assisted in the summer with assorted water-loving plants) which is pump fed from the main pond.
Although the pond is immature at only 6 months old, I keep on top of the chemistry with regular checks and water parameters are well within limits, I've got a dozen or so "low grade" koi together with a similar number of goldfish types and a tench or two. No prize winners in there but I like watching them and they all seem to be in fine fettle - the only one I ever lost was a sickly fellow which pegged it in the first week of them all being introduced back in July, since then I've been incident free.
My problem is midges & mozzies! Even now, with temps around 5C earlier this week, I still get the annoying little buggers hovering around both the pond and in the filter - in the summer there's tons of 'em which takes away the pleasure of sitting by the pond and watching the fish! I clean the filter weekly but always find loads of their wriggly larvae in there. I've got sticky fly-traps and a two bar electric mozzie zapper rigged up and on permanently over my filter (inside the garage) which deals with a good many (but evidently not all) of the adults but the larvae still thrive. In an effort to get rid of them I've also tried those mosquito dunk doughnut ringy things which are supposed to act as a "larvaecide" but had no noticeable success.
So I'm desperately hoping that you guys will be able to help me out and let me know of any effective ways that I can kill off the damn things (without harming the fish) and prevent them coming back before the weather warms up and I'm inundated with them again? I'm sure I can't be the only one who's ever had this issue so I'd be really interested in hearing from anyone else who has suffered with these critters and what you did/do about controlling them.
Itching in anticipation of your suggestions, Thanks & Regards Mick.