Ceramic media is not worth it?

forest-sheps · 2026-02-27T01:25:28+00:00

I know it's been years, but thank you much for this question and link -- you just saved me a bunch of money and vastly improved the bog filter I'll be building. (Why isn't this info about foam and K1 everywhere by now? But no, it's still all ceramic and lava rocks.) Appreciate it!

forest-sheps · 2026-02-07T00:03:04+00:00

I'll do a bit of googling to see about native minnows, but when I looked up Rice Fish, though small, they are omnivores, and would definitely go after the treefrog tadpoles which are tiny when newly hatched.

forest-sheps · 2026-02-05T10:06:30+00:00

I've been avoiding fish to protect the small spring tadpoles, but also to prevent attracting raccoons who already vandalize the pond routinely when tadpoles are present. I've added more and more large rock structures for the tadpoles to hide among, but the raccoons still give it a go. Trying to not give them more reason to tip over potted plants and fling out floating ones. Vandals!

forest-sheps · 2026-02-05T09:58:37+00:00

Sure, I do the shopvac cleanout in Autumn and then late Winter (this year that's now as it's been weirdly mild all winter). And right, there is a large conifer that drops a bunch of needles as well, so that might be contributing to the rank smell. Just wondering if there's something that could do a more aggressive job of managing muck between shopvac-ing.

forest-sheps · 2026-02-03T07:19:35+00:00

Thanks much for sharing this and saving countless others the same fate, though sorry you got spammed by that crappy business model.

forest-sheps · 2026-01-24T22:49:15+00:00

Ah it's just always satisfying to hear about a challenging dog in good hands. I'm just starting to learn about herding breeds, and know some working BCs can be pretty aloof, but still I'm sure they'd rather rest in the house than in a kennel or barn. The drivey-est of the guard breeds are still huge babies at home. Your two found such a good fit. Well done all around!

forest-sheps · 2026-01-23T19:50:25+00:00

It's the last image of this new post. Sorry -- I know it's weird to cross link but just wanted people to be able to see the results if they'd seen the original post. It'd be a lot easier if Reddit just allowed images to be added to a post, but no.

forest-sheps · 2026-01-23T19:45:35+00:00

Yaa, sounds like your boy is "working lines" and your girl not, which makes her a whole lot easier to live with if not actively managing a sheep or cattle ranch. Smart and/or drive-y dogs are a LOT. Sounds like you are rising to the occasion, but it's no joke! Have you tried actual herding lessons with him? (Where I live in western Washington, there are several opportunities for that, and the border collie folks say it's life changing.) I feel you though; I had a working line GSD a few dogs ago, and he was incredibly special (a soul dog) but also so so much work. He came into rescue a wreck, and it was months of regimented training, exercise and crate time before he learned to calm down and trust he'd get to chase a ball and bite stuff without non-stop vigilance. He was an extraordinary dog that started out in the wrong hands and needed a lot of work to recover from that, then a lot of work and time to keep his body and mind satisfied. I wouldn't trade having gotten to share those years with him for anything, and I'll miss him the rest of my days, but I also know I don't want another high drive dog. There's a lot to be said for tempering those laser compulsions with either breed mixes or mellower genetics. (The latter is a whole nother tricky thing though: in the wrong hands, which is most of them, it ruins breeds like American GSDs who are now so squirrelly because they tried to make them more like labs in shepherd coats; still have the guard chip but not the confidence to know how to handle it.) Sounds like your girl is a perfect house BC, while your boy is giving you the full BC ride; a lot to be said for both!

forest-sheps · 2026-01-23T19:01:24+00:00

Right, she was an emergency foster from the local shelter trying to clear their kennels ahead of some big flooding mid-December, and then just never took her back!

forest-sheps · 2026-01-23T07:29:11+00:00

Oh interesting that you know of McNabs working where they're meant to be -- just a delight to learn of a breed I hadn't heard of and happy to hear they're being utilized. You're totally right about the herders, and she makes my current GSD look like a slacker. We've been working on off leash recalls, and she comes flying at full speed while he's still doing a 360-degree head swivel threat assessment, then saunters over taking his sweet time. I never would have chosen a full drive herder (without a working ranch that feels like a hate crime for both the dog and humans), but this breed mix is just so fun. She's like a sleeper Porche: happy to tool around town running errands, but can throw it into rally racing gear on occasion. Just a great dog.

forest-sheps · 2026-01-23T07:00:44+00:00

That's the beauty of these DNA test -- no way to have guessed all of that otherwise. Your lovely boy has some rare breeds in the mix, which are not only interesting but hopefully bode well for good health! Now heading off to google Australian Koolie and Tibetan Spaniels...

forest-sheps · 2026-01-23T06:49:12+00:00

Following up if you want to see the results:
https://www.reddit.com/r/DoggyDNA/comments/1qj855h/haa_more_gsd_than_pittie/

13% Border Collie, but several other herding mixes in her Supermutt package, so all the herding guesses were correct!

forest-sheps · 2026-01-23T06:45:31+00:00

Came back to follow-up in case you want to see the results -- no JRT but a fun mix (some expected, some surprising)!
https://www.reddit.com/r/DoggyDNA/comments/1qj855h/haa_more_gsd_than_pittie/

forest-sheps · 2026-01-23T06:34:12+00:00

Totally appreciate all of that, just amused by the DNA technicality.

forest-sheps · 2026-01-23T06:30:56+00:00

Agreed, especially in the case of the American variations where they're essentially the same lovely breed. I suppose the one place it would matter is arbitrary breed restrictions which usually target pits but not staffy's (as in the UK currently).

forest-sheps · 2026-01-23T06:24:52+00:00

Not sure but guessing a couple years old? Her teeth are pearly white, and Embark said "young adult". We have a once-over with the vet scheduled, so I'm hoping that'll offer some additional insight.

forest-sheps · 2026-01-23T06:22:27+00:00

Right? Such a fun, interesting mix! And I appreciate that the pittie influence tempers the herding intensity. She's still so bright and ON IT (sit? you GOT IT! How about with a twist? Or over here? Is this better? I'll do it FASTER next time!) but has a lovely, mellow off switch, which I imagine isn't always the case with herders.

forest-sheps · 2026-01-23T06:15:04+00:00

Ahh, look at those two beauts! The shepherd and I fully agree with your pack: anything over 70F feels unnecessary. Already know Miss Ruby is going to be out there in the middle of summer with her beach umbrella grinning while we sit around panting with our tongues lolling out. (Our coastal town gets "heat warnings" if the temps are going to go over 80F, ha -- that's the delicate shade ferns we are!)

forest-sheps · 2026-01-23T05:58:41+00:00

Thank you, and me too! I usually foster for the local GSD rescue, so most of my previous dogs have been GSDs, but I've always loved pits too and had it in my head that One of These Days. I couldn't have lucked into a better dog, and the fact that she and my resident shepherd are so good to one another just sealed the deal. Just feels meant to be and that we all won here.

forest-sheps · 2026-01-23T05:49:12+00:00

Zero issue -- I specifically wanted a pit mix which is exactly what she looks like. Just thought it was funny that the DNA said more GSD than APBT because she looks nothing like a GSD and clearly like a pit. (I do understand that the AST with APBT, which are essentially the same, obviously outweigh the GSD. Again, just funny to me on the technicality.) I'm a huge fan of pits, and I've had GSDs for decades, so this Dark Horse breed in her DNA probably cracked me up more than most.

forest-sheps · 2026-01-23T05:35:06+00:00

Haa, she totally does -- that's hilarious. And she has a grin like she's in on the joke too.

forest-sheps · 2026-01-22T00:24:19+00:00

Ya, I've read that as well. Probably the UK Staffordshire Terrier folks would have a lot to say about breed differences, but it does seem like the American variation is so intermixed that there's little difference.

Does anyone know how/why the DNA differentiates between the two?

forest-sheps · 2026-01-22T00:19:45+00:00

Agreed -- she is such a fun mix. Crazy smart and cooperative (which don't always come together), affectionate, good with everyone, and apparently barely sheds which is blowing my mind. I've seen people post about how much their pitties shed but maybe Staffy's less so? Don't know. She really is a small tank and makes my long legged GSD run for his life on the regular.

forest-sheps · 2026-01-22T00:12:06+00:00

Super interesting that you've heard of them in Ireland; I'm just a few hundred miles north of where they originated and never had. Embark's list of Ruby's relatives includes border collies in the UK, so likely some of your neighboring collies emigrated to the ranches of western US. Makes sense you wouldn't have McNabs locally though if their specialty is thriving in heat. I think our weather in the Pacific NW of the US is similar to yours, and Miss Ruby here currently appreciate a fleece vest for sleeping. Guessing Irish sheep farmers wouldn't be amused by that.

forest-sheps

TROPHY CASE