Well pump on 24/7 for Flow Through Koi Pond
catfishhoward
8 months ago
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catfishhoward
8 months agoRelated Discussions
Regulating rate flow on pump
Comments (20)This project took longer to finish then I had hoped (lack of time and the weather), but finally I was able to get everything in place this past weekend. So far so good. I ended up getting a 2" ball valve, and installing in on the output flow of the pump, very close to the pump itself (it ouwld have been difficult to put it further down line). I didn't realize the pressure that would build up on this valve, so I needed to use the Oatey Rain and shine glue to secure. I also took the opportunity of putting in a better check valve (this did go in further down line). So far so good. I am able to control the flow just fine. One last question: Will the decreased flow by using the valve put an extra strain on the pump itself, thus causing problems in the future? I was never able to find any information from Tsurumi about using the valve. THANKS for ALL for the advice. Saved me a lot of money....See Morenew koi pond - water changes
Comments (6)Frank, I can empathize about the bacterial infections. Over the years it has happened more than once to my pond. When the first pond was way too shallow, any fish that jumped out was going to die from massive gram negative infections. It was in the soil and short of solarization it just wasn't going to go away from our heavy, often water logged clay dirt. Once the 1000 gallon pond was in, storm created power loss caused backwash from the Skippy filter, making the pond a deadly sewer for the fishies. Some creative plumbing solved that problem until a clump of dead leaves and trash escaped the fall cleaning and over the winter allowed bacteria and parasites to multiply until spring when the fishies were attacked once again. A plant from a not very well kept nursery sheltered parasites. The latest insult was the downpour from Katrina. Farms in the area were affected by numerous plant diseases that had never been in this area previously but which are endemic in swampland the storms had passed over. My pond over flowed from the downpour and the rainwater, which was actually dirty from sediment, brought both diseases and parasites to the pond along with an oil slick. That was a hard one. Even with the help and advice of the sages on this forum, I lost twenty-one koi and fancy goldfish. Some I had for over seven years. I don't wait for the trouble to show itself now. I just go ahead and treat the water before the bad rains hit. I try to be philosophical about it but dang, I hate to lose my finny friends. There can be a problem with asphalt shingles. They leach chemicals and oil into the rainwater. If you could spread a tarp over the area that is draining into a holding tank some of that could be reduced. It would have to sit long enough to allow some of the chemicals to sink to the bottom and others with any oil would float. The top could be flushed off but only the center water could be salvaged. Then it would have to be aerated and treated before it could go into the pond. Does anyone from your area sell water by the tank? That would get you started and then you could treat the farm pond water to top it off or the half gallon a minute could be run to the pond continuously. That is a horrible rate. What do you do for your home? What supplies the farm pond? Sandy...See Moredeciding pond size for gf's & Koi
Comments (30)Hi there I am new on here but have found the info valuable so far so thanks to all. I think we have just made a HUGE mistake with our new pond. We originally dug a pond 6ft by 9 ft by 2ft deep and kept seven goldfish in it which wintered well and seemed happy. Being bitten by the fishkeeping bug we then dug a larger pond on the raised area above the original pond which is 15ft by 20ft but we miscalculated the depth. We originally planned 2ft 6" but when it was filled we realised it was less than two feet deep. By this time we had moved the fish into place and have been given two smalll koi and three Golden orfe along with another bucket full of goldfish so 29 in all. The water surface is plentiful but i am worried about the lack of depth. We have a large rubber liner in it which is now trimmed to size and rocked over and planted out around the edges. so to change this would mean a complete redig. Has anybody any ideas whereas we could cut the middle out of the liner and dig the middle bit a lot deeper then join on a new piece of liner? I think this could be an option. I dont want unhappy fish but my husband is groaning at the thought of rebuilding the whole thing.!...See MoreNew house came with great Koi pond! Debating how to handle maintenance
Comments (39)Hi Jane, the upper smaller pond is called a bog and it's purpose is to clean your water and offer a naturalized setting. This is a good thing that someone planned that feature. Your iris as with most of the water iris can be on the aggressive side. I divided mine with a saw a year ago. You wouldn't know that today though. I have Gamecock and Yellow flag. Yellow flag are super water cleaners. My gamecock has never bloomed but I do feed them with the approved pond tabs so as to not upset the overall environment. Personally, I would wait to divide as you could still get some cold snaps and they might be too stressed to handle the cold under those conditions. Placing them in a water garden plastic container/basket would make the job of dividing in the future much easier. There are many bog type plants to choose from. I love parrot feathers. They like to float on top and koi like to eat them so it is better the two don't meet. In regards to water: You might check to see if there is a koi club nearby or a garden center with knowledge about water gardens and koi. Of course the internet is full of information and it can be like the wild, wild west. You will run into many differences of opinions. I ran into that and it was very disheartening and totally confusing. In the end, it's up to you to do homework on water chemistry and how best to maintain your pond. I only say this because of experience and I hope you understand. I would gladly tell you what works for me but our ponds and environments are very different. Sad experience tells me that stuff happens on Saturday nights when there are no stores open to get emergency supplies so now I have those things, just in case. At minimum, you should know how to test your water. The good news is your pond is established meaning you have all those beneficial bacteria working for you. That can take months to get going. The first year of a pond can be an adventure :( Barring an ammonia spike, the bacteria should be able to handle the majority of work. Prior owners said to just add water occasionally. That probably would be okay because of your total volume. Doing the whole chlorine removal probably isn't necessary unless you are changing out thousands of gallons. A couple of hundred gallons added to what you already have will dilute it enough, I would think. Looking to the immediate future, spring is coming which will mean a food change. Water warms up, bacteria get more active. I would imagine the number one mistake people make is overfeeding. When the water temp. is low, you might not feed at all. The fish's metabolism slows down and food won't process. Koi can live in iced over conditions with a small vent hole for gasses to escape. They can do this for a long time so don't feel you are torturing them. But then spring comes and they are hungry and you need to be careful with the type and quantity of food because they will make a lot of waste and your bio filter needs to warm up in order to process waste. Are your Koi more cigar shaped (male) or rounder (female)? Spawning season is coming and that affects water quality too. Finally, think long and hard about adding more fish until you feel really confident in your maintenance routine. You probably will have to muck out the debris on the bottom, old leaves and such. Does this pond have a liner? Cleaning it out is messy and exhausting. Your filter will need to be cleaned or backwashed and you should check all your equipment for wear and tear. Pumps do wear out mostly when you least expect it. Hopefully they left you some notes on the how, what, where for reference. Did the prior owners take care of this themselves or hire a service? I hope this helps a little. Have a great day!...See Morecatfishhoward
8 months agoJake The Wonderdog
8 months ago
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