LOL Theresa, It hadn't dawned on me that I am now considered a 'ponder'! Mine is cycling well, had that pea soup stage for less than a week, and it seems everything is going well. I know I need the thin coat of algae to maintain the natural biological blah blah blah, lol. It hasn't gotten out of hand yet. Just in case, I did buy some Hydrogen Peroxide last week. And I did use the good bacteria stuff when I first got it going. I have the prefilters wrapped in aquarium sponges and then cheesecloth. I have also been rinsing them in either pond water, or rain water, which is what I have been using more of since we are getting so much of it. That's also what I have been using to do the partial water changes once a week, as well topping off the lotus tub when it needs it. Then I use the extra water for the plants. I know I have quilt batting somewhere in my closet with all my material n stuff, it's just that I can't find it, lol. (It's one of those closets that gets messy real fast, lol..you open the door a crack and just push something in the crack so it doesnt all fall on you! Just happens no matter how often I straighten it up.) That's why I have been using the sponges and cheesecloth for now. I also have some activated charcoal in the skippy in front of the water outlet. Think that's what cleared up the pea soup so fast. Which I think was made worse by all the pollen from the trees. The waterlilies are really poppin out pads fast so I think I should have some good coverage soon. O and yes, I do have the dechlorinator. Havent used it yet though. If I know am gonna need water, and dont have the rain water, I just fill up some buckets w/hose water and let them sit for 24 hrs before I use em. As for the catfish, I know..that's why I havent gotten him yet, I'm nervous he'll get the Koi sick. Thank you!

We had lots of trouble with mice getting in vehicles when we lived on a farm, so did my mom and dad and in vehicles we drove every day of the world. It was worse in the winter.... and we did not keep any type of food in our vehicles....once we were going to town in my Cadillac and it just wouldn't run, step on the gas and it would just bog down. We made it to Walmart, pulled in and my husband took the top of the air filter off and the whole compartment was just stuffed with sunflower seeds from the bird feeders. My dad used to find dog food stuffed different places in his truck, along with chewed wires, they can do a lot of damage to a vehicle.

So ... ... some of you guys' cats work on the "piece work" system, do they? Dis-assembly rather than assembly as in the average factory, I assume. A while ago I had a mouse that had been caught in a trap on a food shelf ... so long earlier that it got a bit stuck down. Hadn't noticed a smell ... but then, I don't smell too well. The "affectionate package" disposal unit seemed to enjoy it, though. At least, I think that it was the affectionate one, not the barn cat that, for about five years, though she follows me around, wouldn't let me touch her ... but has allowed it, recently (only when she's eating). The recently-grown black one sometimes allows it when he's eating ... and the two recently-appeared half-grown ones sometimes allow it while they're eating ... and they sometimes hang around when I'm nearby, while they used to run like a streak of greased lightning whenever I showed on the scene: I guess that a cat can get used to almost anything! ole joyful

Well, I replanted and have perfect germination again. I've only trapped one mouse in the past two months, and I have traps underneath the light table to protect my seedlings. I'm keeping my fingers crossed. In addition to the coleus, I also planted some sedums and sempervivums which have had excellent germination, too. Martha