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Thread: Sunlight
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02-08-2020, 08:20 AM #1
Sunlight
Hi guys,
I've got a weird one for you.
Our pond is in full sun all day and we have to run a million watts of UV to try keep the green stuff at bay, and we never get things totally clear through summer.
So as the Mrs is dead against pergolas, I sold her on the idea of a sale shade, which we put up yesterday.
Now my issue is that we can move the sale to angle/cover more of one section of pond than another, but if we cover more of one bit we expose another.
So in the morning the sun comes up to the left (technical terms, stay with me) of the pond and low, which means it would get under the sale, and then the same early eve at the opposite side. But this means the mid day and afternoon sun, from mid morning really, is fully blocked by the sun, which I assume I want.
So, my question is, is the sun worse for my pond at any particular time, is the morning sun worse than the evening sun, or vice versa? I ask as I can shift the sale to cut out more of one than the other.
Hope this made sense.
Cheers guys,
Jay
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02-08-2020, 09:38 AM #2
The morning sun is not so intense & hasn’t had so much time to warm up as an evening sun, either still aren’t too bad. The midday & afternoon soon is the most intense sunlight & heat that you would like to shade.
1kGal BD/Skim RDF/UV/k1 2.3kGal 2windows 2airBD/skim Sieve/Eazypod RDFcombi+bakki 3xVP/UV,ASHP
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02-08-2020, 11:03 AM #3
Hi Mike,
Thanks for the reply. So if I had to have the pond exposed to anything, you'd say expose it to morning sun and shade it from everything else?
Jay
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02-08-2020, 11:28 AM #4
Yes Jason that would be best imho
Other options could (other half dependant) try upright trellis giving some mottled shade if that is possible or louvred slats or laser cut panels In a contemporary style, or even trees in pots suitably positioned, anything that will fit in with your garden style.1kGal BD/Skim RDF/UV/k1 2.3kGal 2windows 2airBD/skim Sieve/Eazypod RDFcombi+bakki 3xVP/UV,ASHP
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freddyboy Thanked / Liked this Post
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02-08-2020, 05:13 PM #5
well Jay, as '' mad dogs and English men go out in the midday sun '' then that is when the sun is at its
hottest and you would want to shade, isn't you're pond huge ? Fancy rehoming 3 sturgeon for Craig
on here ...........................................Don't ask don't get
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freddyboy Thanked / Liked this Post
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03-08-2020, 10:43 PM #6
Hi Mike, thanks for the reply, that's good to know. Funny you should mention the Mrs, she is dead against pretty much any structure around the pond, hence the sail, but thanks for the suggestion.
Hi Anne, thanks for the reply, I'll be honest and say I wasn't sure if algae growth had anything to do with the intensity of the sun or just the light itself, if that makes sense.
As for Stergeon, I used to have some back up north in my first pond, I loved them and they both grew to about a meter, but they were a pig to keep with the koi and I lost them both 6 months apart and have no idea why. As for rehoming them, sorry but they were such a pain I wouldn't want them again, and for some reason the Mrs hates them.
You wouldn't class our pond as huge, 40k litres, but it's deep at 8'.
Jay
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freddyboy Thanked / Liked this Post
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07-08-2020, 10:03 PM #7
IMG_20200807_191327.jpg
This is the sale if anyone is interested. Its made a huge difference in just a week.
Its from Wayfair, 6m x 5m. Think it was £49.
Jay
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08-08-2020, 08:31 AM #8
Try 2 sails
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08-08-2020, 03:29 PM #9
The Mrs wouldn't let me.
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10-08-2020, 09:01 PM #10
IMG_20200810_200459.jpgj
I know it's far from clear, but a week ago when I fitted the sail you couldn't see into the water at all, now you can see fish at the bottom. I think another 24h and I'll be able to see the bottom drains.
Annoyingly I put some Mediclay in the water months ago and it's still there giving the water a white powdery look. Its fading, but still very annoying.
Anyway, the sail works beautifully. We've had a week of non stop bright sunshine during the days, so it's impressive how quickly it's clearing.
Jay
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11-08-2020, 08:06 AM #11
That's a good improvement Jason and not a bad price to cure the problem either !!
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12-08-2020, 10:06 PM #12
Yeh definitely.
I still can't see clearly to the bottom, (it is 8ft deep) but strangely the upper levels of water seem incredibly clear, totally void of any fines, I don't think I've seen it that clear since I first filled it.
I'm incredibly impressed with this very cheap solution and would recommend it to anyone having similar issues. Its not as intrusive as a pergola, and at the height we've got it we don't really notice it.
We have sloped it a little, so it's higher at the house end, so we can still see the full pond surface from out of our upstairs windows, which means we are still able to watch the fish.
Anyway, I hope this helps someone.
Jason
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