All My fish keep dying

[oldskool]

I started a "pond" ( about 60 gal bowl) last week with 3 plants. I added 3 koi and a few comets. They have since (all but 2) died. They spend alot of time at the top "gasping" and then, they die the next day. I am planning on draining all the water and starting over. My water is VERY Alkaline (slightly high ammonium) and I have 1 small lilly, and two seasonal tropical grass plants. what do I need to do to keep the water more stable for the fish. I do not have a airation system or water filter/pump system yet and plan on getting one today.

What should I do? Thanks in advance.

 

[kirscp]

Couple of things.

You need a filter system if you want to keep fish. You also need aeration of some type. The filter will cut down on the ammonia and some type of water movement is needed. will need to keep an eye on the temp of your water.

Also, 60 gallons is not enough volume for koi. With a good filter you could keep around 20 inches of fish in your pond. A goldfish will grow to 6-7", so 3 goldfish would be your ideal stock limit. With better filtration you could add more, but you need to keep an eye on the water quality. You need to remember that fish do grow, so a 3" koi this year, will grow by next year. A koi will grow up to 20" at 4 years of age.

The bottom line is that your pond is over populated, under filtered, and under aerated. Add a filter and have the return land into the water.

 

[oldskool]

gotcha on the fish numbers. if I have a 60 gallon area, I guess a 150gpm pump would work for water movement? Don't plants filter enough for such a small volume?

 

[kirscp]

The pump size will be fine, as far as a filter. You can make one easily. You don't need a very big one, you can use a pail or something put your pump in that, then fill it with some type of fiber media. I can't think of what it's called, but pillow fill, polyester floss? That would work fine. You would have to clean it every so often.

The plants will not filter enough to keep the fish you want. They are producing more waste when the plants can handle.

 

[pondlady]

airation, filtration,circulation. End of story.

 

[DrDave]

You never told us what size your dead fish were...................

 

[Johnny d.]

You never told us what size your dead fish were...................

About ten of the gold fish were feeders, two fantails about in and a half and two koi about in and a half. All pretty small.

 

[Mmathis]

About ten of the gold fish were feeders, two fantails about in and a half and two koi about in and a half. All pretty small.

@Johnny d. This is an old post from 2008. Go back to one of your threads that you just started and add this in there.