Fall Pond Cleaning – Recreation
Fall Pond Cleaning
Brett Fogle
Doing a full pond cleaning during the colder winter months can be very stressful on your fish. However, if the pond is really dirty and full of muck - then you may want to consider it because all of the decaying organic matter in the pond can cause problems if the pond ices over, and this begins to de-gas and rot.
So, I think the best solution, and what we used to do for our clients was do a partial Fall pond cleaning.
Heres how to do it:
First, get a container that will hold roughly 100 gallons or so, or up to half of your pond volume bigger is better. Then take a pump with a hose, and pump out the relativel clean water from your pond by holding the pump just beneath the water surface. Keep as much of the old pond water as you can. Then, catch your fish if possible and place them into the holding tank of their own clean water.
Then you can either net out your leaves and dispose of them, along with any muck that you can get out also. Alternatively, you can then pump out the remaining water and do a thorough clean out, including vacuuming out the pond with a large wet/dry vac this works great!.
Then refill the pond back up to the level it was at before disposing of the water, de-chlorinate the water, and adjust the pH to match that of the old water in your holding tank. At this point, start pumping new water from the pond into your holding tub, and then pumping the mixture back into the pond. Do this for 15-20 minutes until the new water mixture matches that in the pond - and then pump the remaining water back into your pond while netting your fish back in as well.
But its very important not to expose your fish to new water conditions too quickly as differences in temperature and pH can cause extreme stress to your fish, affect the immune system, and even cause shock or fish death. So always be careful when changing water.
About The Author
Brett Fogle is the owner of several pond-related websites like http://www.MacArthurWatergardens.com and two others including http://www.Pond-Filters-Online.com and http://4-pond-pumps.com. He also publishes a free monthly newsletter called PondStuff! with a reader circulation of over 9,000. Sign up for the FREE newsletter and receive our complimentary New Pond Owners Guide!
brett@macarthurwatergardens.com
House Cleaning Services – Choosing The Right House Cleaning Service For Your Home – Home
House Cleaning Services - Choosing The Right House Cleaning Service For Your Home
Fayola Peters
Today our time is eaten up by work, commuting, study, and so on and so on. We dont have much time left over to clean our own homes anymore. So we hire house cleaning services to help clean our homes.
If you are one of the thousands of people looking for house cleaning services there are four 4 steps that you can take to help you to choose the right house cleaning service for you.
1. Decide and write down what house cleaning you want done in your home by the house cleaning service you will eventually hire.
You can write down which rooms you want cleaned, what items or furniture you want cleaned, like laundry, floors, carpets, ceilings, dishes. You can even decide on whether you want the house cleaning service you hire to make beds.
2. Next to your list write down the price you would be willing and can afford to pay for the house cleaning services you listed for step one 1.
State the price that you would be willing to pay per month.
There are many house cleaning services out there, to help you find one thats right for you and matches closely with what you have listed in step one and two you can...
3. Make a list of potential house cleaning services to hire by:
asking for recommendations from friends and/or neighbors who use house cleaning services.
using the classifieds and the telephone directory
using the internet to find places online where you can find a prescreened maid service or find prescreened cleaning contractors go to http://www.housecleaning-tips.com/cleaning-services.html
4. Most house cleaning services offer free consultations. Using the list you made for step three 3, contact the prospective house cleaning services and set up appointments. During these appointments you can find out what house cleaning services they offer, what they charge, as well as get an idea of there personality and professionalism.
If you follow the steps listed above, I
Cleaning and Storing your Dutch Oven – Food
Cleaning and Storing your Dutch Oven
Glea Reno and Dennis Reno
There are many opinions on cleaning a Dutch Oven. Not all Dutch Oven cooks believe you can use soap in your Dutch Oven. Some cooks suggest never to wash them, others wash them, but not with detergent. We have found that a well-seasoned oven will not be damaged by using a few drops of dishwashing soap if you have been cooking something really greasy. Just be sure to rinse several times to make sure there is no soap residue. If your oven is not well-seasoned, whatever you put in the oven will be absorbed into the pot and become part of your next meal.
Dutch Oven care begins with seasoning, but its important to clean them properly after each use. Cleaning cast iron is easier than scrubbing pots and pans. As soon as possible after using your Dutch Oven, scrape out as much food as possible with a plastic scraper. Put 1 - 2 quarts of hot water in your oven and scrub with a plastic scrubbing pad or a vegetable brush. Immediately after washing, dry the oven thoroughly by putting it in your kitchen oven at 150 to 200 degrees for about 10 minutes.
Cast Iron can only be dried by heating. Heat dries out the moisture in the pores. If a pot is not completely dried after it is used, it will rust. The pores must be opened by heating up, and the moisture dried out of it. Dont let the oven set around after washing, go straight from draining the rinse water into the kitchen oven if possible. If you are camping and dont have a kitchen oven to dry a Dutch Oven, dry it the best you can and try and store it away from moisture.
Dutch Ovens when cared for, will last for generations. Be sure your oven has been cleaned and lightly oiled before putting it away. Try to keep your ovens in a dry, warm place. Remember, moisture with cause cast iron to rust. Leave your lids slightly ajar, allowing the air to circulate. I like to store with a paper towel rolled up and sticking out from under the lid. The towel inside the oven acts as a wick and will help absorb moisture.
Tip: Heres another idea. If you need to store an oven for long periods of time, use a light-weight food-grade Mineral Oil and coat the oven, inside and out. Its cheap and effective. Once you have sealed the oven with mineral oil, no oxygen can reach the seasoning and it will last many months.
With correct use and proper care, a well seasoned oven produces a unique flavor unequaled by any other cooking utensil. Thats the Magic, it looks great and tastes even better!
About The Author
Glea Reno and Dennis Reno are the owners of Dutchovenmagic.com. They are based at Billings, Montana and have taught Youth Groups, Scout Troops, Church Organization and friends what they have learned over years in Dutch oven cooking. They also do cooking demonstration at various retail outlets. They can be contacted at help@dutchovenmagic.com
info@dutchovenmagic.com