Another Filter Question

I'm getting to the point where I think I'm going to need to put in a
good external filter, maybe with UV. I don't need the pond to look
like a swimming pool, but the suspended solids and algae are really
getting out of control. At present all I have is some filter material
in my skimmer over my pump, and some lava rock and filter material
(and plants!) in my waterfall box.

I'm definitely not handy, so a diy solution isn't gonna work for me.
Any recommendations regarding a good ready-made filter system?

Thanks.

Joan
___________________




Joan

On Thu, 14 Jun 2007 1756 CST, Joan <> wrote:

>I'm getting to the point where I think I'm going to need to put in a
>good external filter, maybe with UV. I don't need the pond to look
>like a swimming pool, but the suspended solids and algae are really
>getting out of control. At present all I have is some filter material
>in my skimmer over my pump, and some lava rock and filter material
>(and plants!) in my waterfall box.
>
>I'm definitely not handy, so a diy solution isn't gonna work for me.
>Any recommendations regarding a good ready-made filter system?
>
>Thanks.
>Joan

Joan, you may be fine, clue us in on how big the pond is, the flow rate,
the inhabitants, etc. Water parameters, if you have test kits. Patience may
be all you need. ~ jan
------------
Zone 7a, SE Washington State
Ponds: www.jjspond.us

>>I'm getting to the point where I think I'm going to need to put in a
>>good external filter, maybe with UV.

[snipped for bandwidth]

>Joan, you may be fine, clue us in on how big the pond is, the flow rate,
>the inhabitants, etc. Water parameters, if you have test kits. Patience may
>be all you need. ~ jan
>------------
>Zone 7a, SE Washington State
>Ponds: www.jjspond.us

The pond is about 1800 gallons, only around 8 goldfish. Water
parameters are all good. Just have tons of suspended solids: mud and
now a major algae bloom, despite barley straw and elodea. Can't see
the fish unless they are right up close to the top.

Joan

Your fish load is good and light. If you have all those solids, some
more effective filter medium or settling tank may be in order. Lava
rock is notorious for getting clogged and for not filtering. Folks
here will suggest many options.

The slow-passage veggie filter is always good. Ours take about 45 min
for the water to pass through. The hyacinth roots really slow the
flow and most of the junk settles out before the exit.

We have used a UV to handle initial algae blooms. Once the pond
plants really get going, however, we turn it off. It needed less than
2 weeks this year. Low use saves cost!

Good luck.

Jim

>Your fish load is good and light. If you have all those solids, some
>more effective filter medium or settling tank may be in order. Lava
>rock is notorious for getting clogged and for not filtering. Folks
>here will suggest many options.

That's kinda what I'm thinking. Any recommendations in particular?

>The slow-passage veggie filter is always good. Ours take about 45 min
>for the water to pass through. The hyacinth roots really slow the
>flow and most of the junk settles out before the exit.

Do you set that up outside the main pond? Like, for instance, would I
put them in my waterfall box?

>We have used a UV to handle initial algae blooms. Once the pond
>plants really get going, however, we turn it off. It needed less than
>2 weeks this year. Low use saves cost!
>
>Good luck.
>
>Jim

Oh that's good to know. I have been thinking about UV and wanting to
make sure it's safe, in terms of oxygen crash/dead algae, harming
beneficial bacteria, etc.

What do you all think about the bottom drain issue? Can I get by
without one if I vacuum or scoop the bottom with a net on a long
handle or both?

Joan

Hi Joan - 8 GF in a 1800 gal pond shouldn't need much to clear the water - a
bio-filter and oxygenation will do it (waterfall for O2) - I have ~ 40 fish
(incl 2 large koi in a 1100 gal pond and it is clear with no UV) - is this a
new pond? - it takes awhile to stabilize and a bacteria supplement helps to
speed things up
Gale :~)

> The pond is about 1800 gallons, only around 8 goldfish. Water
> parameters are all good. Just have tons of suspended solids: mud and
> now a major algae bloom, despite barley straw and elodea. Can't see
> the fish unless they are right up close to the top.
>
> Joan
>

> That's kinda what I'm thinking. Any recommendations in particular?

Screening seems to do well and to be easy to clean.

> Do you set that up outside the main pond? Like, for instance, would I
> put them in my waterfall box?
Our hyacinth are in berm ponds that act as veggie filters. The rule
of thumb, as I understand it, is 10% of the surface of the main pond
in the veggie filter. More is always better. Regardless of how much
space you have available, more plants is good. You can see our setup
on our website (see our profile)

> Oh that's good to know. I have been thinking about UV and wanting to
> make sure it's safe, in terms of oxygen crash/dead algae, harming
> beneficial bacteria, etc.
UV is a great interim measure. We prefer not to have it necessary in
the longer run. Algae cannot compete with more complex plants once the
latter get going! UV lets you crunch an algae bloom.

>
> What do you all think about the bottom drain issue? Can I get by
> without one if I vacuum or scoop the bottom with a net on a long
> handle or both?

If your pond has a low point, it is a great place to pull water from
for the filter. If the junk can settle in a veggie filter of regular
filter before the pump, pulling from the bottom is a self-cleaning
mechanism. We pull the water from the bottom of a 7' 'deep well' (old
septic tank) in the pond. The koi stir the muck, which drifts down
into the hole. The pump intake is 4" off the bottom in a 5 gal bucket
with as many 1/2" holes as I could put in it. Big stuff can't get in
and the draw on each hole is very low. Works great. Small stuff goes
to the veggie filters and settles.

Good luck.

Jim

>> That's kinda what I'm thinking. Any recommendations in particular?
>
>Screening seems to do well and to be easy to clean.

Regular nylon screening? Do I put that in my skimmer filter?

>> Do you set that up outside the main pond? Like, for instance, would I
>> put them in my waterfall box?
>Our hyacinth are in berm ponds that act as veggie filters. The rule
>of thumb, as I understand it, is 10% of the surface of the main pond
>in the veggie filter. More is always better. Regardless of how much
>space you have available, more plants is good. You can see our setup
>on our website (see our profile)

A berm pond is a nice idea. Don't know if I can do that, but I can
float water hyacinth in the main pond. I have quite a few in there
now. It's not doing much to clear up the murkiness though. :-(

>UV is a great interim measure. We prefer not to have it necessary in
>the longer run. Algae cannot compete with more complex plants once the
>latter get going! UV lets you crunch an algae bloom.

Sounds good.

>> What do you all think about the bottom drain issue? Can I get by
>> without one if I vacuum or scoop the bottom with a net on a long
>> handle or both?
>
>If your pond has a low point, it is a great place to pull water from
>for the filter.

Do I use one of those retrofit drains that pulls water from on top of
the liner? Do I need a submersible pump for that? Can I use my
skimmer pump? Do people sometimes need more than one pump in their
pond?

>If the junk can settle in a veggie filter of regular
>filter before the pump, pulling from the bottom is a self-cleaning
>mechanism. We pull the water from the bottom of a 7' 'deep well' (old
>septic tank) in the pond. The koi stir the muck, which drifts down
>into the hole. The pump intake is 4" off the bottom in a 5 gal bucket
>with as many 1/2" holes as I could put in it. Big stuff can't get in
>and the draw on each hole is very low. Works great. Small stuff goes
>to the veggie filters and settles.
>
>Good luck.
>
>Jim

Thanks Jim. That sounds like a nice design. What kind of maintenance
does that system require?

Joan

The pond is about two years old. I thought this year it would be
clear. I have a bunch of elodea that I thougt would out-compete the
algae, plus plants. My biofilter seems to be working fine (knock
wood), since the ammonia seems to be cycling okay. Don't know why
it's so murky.

What about the gunk on the bottom? I don't wanna drain the pond in
the fall, since I've been working on "seasoning" the water for two
years and have it pretty nice now. A pond guy in a store scared me
about hydrogen sulfide buildup and said my skimmer pump won't get the
stuff from the bottom well enough. The pond is about 3 foot deep. I
did get a pond vac and I'm gonna get a swimming pool net on a long
pole, as some folks here suggested, to try to get the muck out before
it gets bad. Will that do it?

Joan

>Hi Joan - 8 GF in a 1800 gal pond shouldn't need much to clear the water - a
>bio-filter and oxygenation will do it (waterfall for O2) - I have ~ 40 fish
>(incl 2 large koi in a 1100 gal pond and it is clear with no UV) - is this a
>new pond? - it takes awhile to stabilize and a bacteria supplement helps to
>speed things up
> Gale :~)

"G Pearce" <> wrote in message
news:...

> Hi Joan - 8 GF in a 1800 gal pond....

Hehee.. .enjoy that while you can, and plan for more fish!

We started with 5 walmart 25 cent goldfish 3 years ago.. now we easily have
over 50 goldfish, and some are BIG. If you are building filters or such,
plan for 3 years from now, not today, because you;'ll end up having to
rebuild the damned thing again as the load increases.

Gareee...on his third larger filter in the same pond after 3 years...