Our property lines run through two ponds. We've got the west 2/3rds of one and the southwest corner of the other, and own outright the 3rd. Our neighbors are great, and we simply share responsiblity for upkeep. I mow and weedeat the one closest to our home, and our neighbor maintains the one closest to his home. We work together on brush mowing. I also rototill his gardens, and he helps me with his post hole digger and other projects. I'm fortunate to be on good terms, as I know the problem stories I've certainly heard about, but the property was too nice to pass up, and was worth the chance in our minds.
The Koender Windmill works great-better than I could have asked. Frankly, it would have been worth it just because it really adds to the view. Both of my Grandparents had windmills, although their's were for pumping water for the cattle, so it really adds to our rural setting. As I said earlier, I didn't have to add any chemicals or bacteria to that pond last year, not even Rid-X!
Speaking of Rid-X, my results have been very good. We're on a septic system and I routinely add Rid-X to help insure good health for it (yogurt also is very beneficial from my research), which gave me the idea to try it. I'd already been using Rid-X at our previous house (also on a septic system) on a small water feature with good success to help with accumulated leaves and other debris that had blown in. And I had already been using the liquid bacteria with success on two of our ponds, so I just decided to give Rid-X a try on a larger scale.
I can buy 8 boxes of Rid-X for about the same cost as a gallon of liquid bacteria, but I have no idea of how that compares. And the liquid is certainly easier to apply-it's already mixed. But I've had good results, especially on mat algae that crops up a couple times a year. Not very scientific, but it has worked well for me.
I do think good aeration might prevent most of the mat algae in the first place, so that's why I'm planning to build an electric aeration system for the pond closest to our house. Just have to finish my Bride's house projects first!
GGB
