ok, the story goes like this...after moving the fish down to Bandon, I had the sweet task of cleaning out their pond in order to move it. I had expected stinky big time, but there was no odor at all ! There is a very simple filter system in it, which is a holed pipework underneath, topped with inches of gravel, so that the pump pulls downward over the whole bottom. After a time a balanced eco system develops.

 
 J.J & C Movers, hired for their skills with pianos, were great about the challenge of moving the pond.

 
full

Various fish homes. The wee orange tupperware was their traveling in the car home. On the deck is the small 75 gallon tank they lived in while waiting for their real home to come, which is a 300 gallon rubbermaid tank with a wooden surround.

We call it Peter's pond, in honor of a friend who died of cancer the year the pond was made.

 

 

 
full
 Happy swimmers. The large white with black speckles is the only koi among all the goldfish. He thinks he is just a very hungry goldfish. His name is Wally, for to me, he looks like a walrus. The others are various species of goldfish, about 20 of them, half of which were born in this pond a few years ago. That was a fun treat , watching them grow from wee tadpole like creatures into their various selves. In some cases we could tell who the parents were. Most of the fish have names, tho there are many orange and white ones that aren't easily known, at the moment we call them all "Creamcycle" . There are also many just white, all named Pearl.

 
 Now comes the much less urgent chore of gardening around the pond and throughout the courtyard.