Well... I moved some into the waterfall area and it seems to be doing ok. I just realized that my duck weed disapeared entirely too. I haven't used any fertilizer, salt or chemicals in the pond at all. It's been doing so well with minimum interference from me that I don't want to change anything! I may try to pull some parrot's feather and pot it up. I was going to try to overwinter some anyway. I'm sort of a "bird nut" so a plant called parrot's feather has some appeal! But if i doesn't want to grow for me I'll jsut try something else

Really nice ! Very attractive ! My pond is kind of disorganized and lately since it has been drought conditions - I've added a dwarf banana and two palm like succulents - so it has a miniature oasis effect. I'm no math wiz - but your question about other features which I don't have - except for a return from the inground filter - raised for splash effect and the pump fountain (turned low so the filter gets most of the pump water flow) - makes me think that having the waterfall flowing over warmed slate and being shallow - evaporation rate would be more. My pond is shaded a bit more than half the day. But it is still miserably hot during the day - even the toads and frogs, fish too, are not visible much during mid-day. All the care you have taken with building your pond - I think it is just evaporation and not a leak. Global warming around here - no joke! :-)

Good news! Regarding missing fish - it could be a heron. Fish hide after they atttack and they often take a fish or two each time they visit without leaving any visible sign of their visit. I happend to see a large, white splat left on the side of the pond and my fish and frogs were all hiding for several days. Just letting you know, don't discount missing fish not to be a heron just because you don't see any evidence. My fish are still active here my Zone 7 Southern Maryland so I'm still feeding. I don't have a thermometer in my pond at the moment - guess I should drag it out and put it in just to check. We have had a few days of mid 40's at night and one very light frost two nights ago, but the daytime temps are in the 60's. It takes longer for water to cool down than air.

Happy Sunday.. The weather is perfect..high 90's, 95% humidity, breezy, and the sun is shining.. Plants are in heaven..:) So, am I... Consentida..You're welcome.. I too need to repot my tree Gardenia. The problem is, I want to use a bigger, plastic growing pot..nothing fancy. Got to look for one..never toss pots..whenever we buy a perrenial that comes in large container, I save them. Large, growing pots are expensive. Especially 12" and up. My gardenias are potted in a combo of soil and soil-less mediums..since gardenias prefer acidic soil, Peat or Spaghnum Peat is added..Black, rich house plant soil, too. When HD sold decent sand like Mike's talking about, it too was added..the finish is Perlite and small stones. I think that's it..After repotting, soil gets a hearty drink with a few drops of Superthrive. Con, regarding hoyas, do you know its type and what size pot it's in? Hoyas start flowering when roots fill container..light is important. Some people grow hoyas under artificial light, but lights must be on 14+ hours per day.. People on the Hoya forum have beautiful specimens..Wow. They fertilize quite often..Years ago, when I got 'hooked' on plants, I read, slow-growing plants should get little fertilizer. 2-3 times per year. Hoyas are slow-growing, so, they'd get little fertilizer..after talking to ppl on the hoya forum, I learned they fertilize every other week, etc, and their hoyas are just gorgeous. If you feel your hoya is overpotted, perhaps you should downsize its container??? Mike, it's tempting, but an 800? mile drive is a bit far..lol...Although, I always wanted to visit the east, especially New England states..it's impossible going anywhere, no vacations, not with the pets..2 dogs, 4 birds and an iguana..lol.. The last time we left IL was for a funeral. I had a friend come over to feed the birds, (we didnt have the iguana) and at the time we had one dog..we put the dog in a kennel which ended up turning into a disaster. Umm, chocolate-scented-flowers..I had a chocolate scented Geranuium..it smelled delicious..lol. I've never seen pics of your hoya..What type do you have? I got to get outside and snap pics..plus repot fand fert a few more plants..I'll get to it soon..gotta eat something first, my last meal was yesterday..lol Cereal and a banana..ummm..lol. Ponderosas are the prettiest. A local conservatory has a huge, tree-shaped Ponderosa..The first time seeing it, I thought the fruits were grapefruits..the lemons are huge. It's different growing citrus in a green house year round, opposed to a house. I think, not sure, theirs is planted in dirt, not a container..We used to visit the conservatory several times a year..Despite the season, their Ponderosa was in bloom and fruiting. After seeing their tree for the first time, the following day, I contacted Briteleaf Nursery and ordered a ponderosa..lol. Mike do you bring all plants outside? Does your house look empty? lol..it's so easy buying plants when a room is barren..then come fall, one thinks, where did this and that plant go??? lol. Happy Sunday..hope you're weather is beautiful..Toni