Spring is nearly here!

Advice on Koi,Ponds and Equipment
pollygog
Posts: 617
Joined: Mon Jan 19, 2009 6:26 pm

Re: Spring is nearly here!

Post by pollygog »

Sequel to my uv tube going is my 55w TMC Proclear Advantage has now thrown in the towel completely, so, I looked around on the internet for a replacement. The Ultima which has replaced the Advantage is a different shape so I would have to change the welded pipework same as Colin mentioned in earlier post. Eventually I decided it was far easier just to replace the entire seals and control gear electrics complete with end caps and so on Sunday the 9th August I ordered it online for delivery from Aquatic Spare Parts the following week. I then get an email the following day to say my order is being dispatched, but; underneath is a disclaimer saying any items purchased on Pre Order will not be dispatched now but when they arrive in UK! ################ WHAT A BUMMER!
I'm still waiting for parts to arrive and my pond is still like pea soup!

I mentioned earlier that I've had a bumper crop this week and was rapidly running out of space in our two freezers so decided this week that we would buy a new one, we had to go to Refrigeration North West Ltd Hawarden to get the one we wanted as all our local stores have a long waiting list (end of September mostly) Huge choice there for all white goods etc. and very good pricing so well worth the trip. Freezer has now got about 20 kgs of fruit and growing.
roselanekoi
Posts: 307
Joined: Thu Feb 14, 2008 7:38 pm

Re: Spring is nearly here!

Post by roselanekoi »

That's a disappointment with your UV. Some of these online stores have large catalogues on their websites but not such large stocks and rely on ordering stuff in one they get an order. Unfortunately in your case, it sounds as though their supplier is out of stock.

I've been caught out like this more than once when ordering goods on Ebay only realising it was coming form China in about a months time after not reading the small print. Some deliveries from abroad are quite good though. I recently ordered a camera lens filter from a US company and was pleasantly surprised to get it delivered a couple of days later, I was expecting a couple of weeks wait at least.
roselanekoi
Posts: 307
Joined: Thu Feb 14, 2008 7:38 pm

Re: Spring is nearly here!

Post by roselanekoi »

I went for a walk up Moel Famau a few days ago and I could see the heather was starting to bloom although it's perhaps a week or two from its best.
Moel Famau-16.jpg
Moel Famau-16.jpg (156.74 KiB) Viewed 7575 times
Although it's nice to see, it's also a sign that summer is coming to an end, not that we've had much summer weather lately.
pollygog
Posts: 617
Joined: Mon Jan 19, 2009 6:26 pm

Re: Spring is nearly here!

Post by pollygog »

I do agree Colin, the new heather blooming really is a nice sight even though its the herald of cooler days to come (shiver shiver)
I completed replacing the electrics on my TMC Proclear UV filter last Tuesday, in fact I actually ended up replacing all the parts connected to the filter and also replaced the junction box and my old Blagdon three outlet control box, this was replaced with a Kockney Koi four outlet box, which has a surprising 3 kilowatt output, even more surprising, its made in UK!
I actually sourced all the replacement electrics with parts not made in China. The new replacement electrical ballast was made in Bristol, a new IP68 crushproof heavy duty junction box, made in Hamburg, new 15amp hd cable, made in GB.
It really is possible to replace goods like for like without breaking the bank or resorting to buying Chinese goods, in fact I replaced all the electrical fittings and several other parts, this included all new O rings and two new lock nuts.
On the subject of lock nuts I was quite surprised to find hairline cracks running through the threads inside both lock nuts, it wasn't until I took them off and examined them with a magnifying glass that I spotted them.
The caveat here is to examine them regularly and very closely!

Another interesting thing I found about these lock nuts is TMC spares site advises you that there are two different sized 'O' rings that fit on quartz sleeve and it is most important that you fit correct ring. I was told some years back by a TMC engineer at their depot in Stockport that my 55w Pro Clear Advantage takes the thin 'O' ring, what the TMC site doesn't advise you is that dealers will sell you the newer lock nut from the Ultra which is slightly different inside behind threads, my older Pro Clear Advantage lock nuts have a very slight ridge running around the inside that comes into contact with 'O' ring when nut is tightened, the newer Ultima and the previous model Ultra doesn't have this ridge which suggests it is geared to the thicker 'O' ring, but: there is nowhere on the TMC site that warns you about this anomaly.
pollygog
Posts: 617
Joined: Mon Jan 19, 2009 6:26 pm

Re: Spring is nearly here!

Post by pollygog »

Everything is now back to normal in my pond after replacing UV parts etc. clear water and filter running smoothly.
Just fed my Koi this morning and despite a cold day they are ravenous as usual and looking really bright and colourful.

I started back to fly fishing recently after lockdown and yesterday I caught a superbly conditioned brown trout of about 4lb.
My regret is I never weighed it or took a photo but no camera or scales with me, Still Nigel saw it.
I also caught two half pound Rudd and two blue trout around 2lb but for me the rare browny absolutely made my day.

I finally got my booklet on the Denbigh plum printed this last week, the Covid 19 pandemic prevented me approaching the printers again until recently but now it's actually in print and looking good.
Now I'm working on the follow-up edition.

Sadly the Denbigh plum festival has been cancelled this year as I hoping to launch my booklet there but there are other ways!
Attachments
29th March 2019 Denbigh plum in full blossom.jpg
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pollygog
Posts: 617
Joined: Mon Jan 19, 2009 6:26 pm

Re: Spring is nearly here!

Post by pollygog »

Just when we thought it was safe to go out!

I was fly fishing at Chirk with friends of mine last Tuesday and had a very relaxing day chilling out.
Today, even though it's within Denbighshire it's now out of bounds as it comes under the Wrexham council.
This is thanks to the re-imposing of tighter measures by the Welsh Government last week to control Covid 19: You think!
Two of the friends I was fly fishing with can still go there as they live in England, one living in Crewe and one in Wigan.

Just how stupid is that!

Now, every fly fishing venue we normally go to is now out of bounds thanks to new measures, Treetops, Wrexham, Wal Goch, Nanerch, Graiglwyd Conwy, even Llyn Brenig is out of bounds, yet my friends from England can fish any one of them!

What's even more annoying is thanks to the almost continuous rain over the past few weeks, we can't fish the Elwy as it's been in almost constant spate, so totally unfishable.

Today's gripe over, I'm happy to announce that thanks to my booklet on the Denbigh plum receiving a positive and warm welcome I have been invited onto the committee of the 'Denbigh Plum Group'

I'm not sure whether I have to kneel in their presence or merely bow and tug my forelock in deference but either way I'm pleased that one of my many talents has been recognized at last.
roselanekoi
Posts: 307
Joined: Thu Feb 14, 2008 7:38 pm

Re: Spring is nearly here!

Post by roselanekoi »

Phil I share your frustrations, unfortunately Chirk is in Wrexham. What about the fisheries at Llandegla and near Four Crosses, I think they are both just in Denbighshire.
pollygog
Posts: 617
Joined: Mon Jan 19, 2009 6:26 pm

Re: Spring is nearly here!

Post by pollygog »

They are pretty much closed due to new shutdowns restricting passing traffic for café at Llandegla Colin, Four Crosses is coarse fishing last time I checked.
pollygog
Posts: 617
Joined: Mon Jan 19, 2009 6:26 pm

Re: Spring is nearly here!

Post by pollygog »

I checked Llandegla again as I had not only emailed them with no reply but also phoned them several times with no contact, I phoned again and spoke to Simon the owner who confirmed that the café was shut but the fishing was still open but restricted to locals only. I was down there like a shot and found only one old chap fishing there. The quiet conditions were a huge bonus as Io and behold, I had one of the best days there yet.
Best fish was a large brown trout of 4lb and a rainbow of 3lb, I also caught a decent sized blue trout and a further 5 rainbow trout. I also hooked and lost a large bronze Rudd at the net and 4 other rainbow.
pollygog
Posts: 617
Joined: Mon Jan 19, 2009 6:26 pm

Re: Spring is nearly here!

Post by pollygog »

Isn't it ironic that the area's of Wales that depend either on tourism or universities for a livelihood, are being most infected/affected by Covid 19. We are damned with no income if we keep the students and tourists away or suffer the consequences of illness and death if we allow them in to infect us all!
I for one, and my neighbors I've spoken to wholeheartedly agree that Mark Drakeford was right in putting a ban on tourists/visitors from England, particularly Liverpool and Cheshire.
It's like taking foul tasting medicine or treatments when you are ill, you don't like it but you tolerate it because it makes you better.

Gripe over and to make me feel better and possibly some fly anglers out there also, here is the beautiful brown trout I caught last week at Llandegla.
The white barbless buzzer I caught it on is near his head in front
The trout lost it or spat it out in net and a split second after this photo was taken, it tail-flipped to the left, launching itself straight back into the lake and took off like a rocket.
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Brown trout Llandegla.jpg
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