Can you help a newbie please?

[Chris 9-5]

I know you are a keen pond keepers and I have a problem and I hope you can help.

In a nut shell, my sister has a very large pond with koi in it, some big fish too.

However the water looks like gravy dark brown, absolutely discusting!

Her husband has left and she has asked me to sort out the pond, its about 18 foot long by 8 foot wide by about 4 foot deep, a local aquatics place calculated about 5000 gallons.

Here is what I know:

There is a huge filter in the ground which is pump fed by a large oase pump, the pump works well. The filter is like a big bin about 3 foot round by the same deep and it was rank!

The guys at the shop suggested cleaning the filter first which I did including removal the 8" of live smelly mud at the bottom! The filter has a big bag of rocks and a couple of gause pads, not much media really.

I also pumped out about half the water and refilled using a fresh water additive from the shop.

Well that was a couple of days ago and my sister says it looks exactly the same, brown and muddy looking - for all I know there could be a foot of silt at the bottom of the pond, you just cant see.

There are some UV's connected to the filter system but I am not sure if they are working and the tubes must be very old.

Any guidance would really help - the water was once clear so I know the hardware is up to it (maybe new bulbs and filter media required), but it looks like years of neglect!

Thanks Chris

 

[koikeepr]

I would bet you're theory of having a foot of muck in the bottom is accurate. If there was lots of it in the filter, there's lots more in the pond. Basically, you've got to remove it all if you want to get anywhere.

Is there a way for you to put the fish in a temp pool of some sort while you do a full drain of the pond?

UV bulbs need to be changed every year or two depending on how they are used, so you need a new bulb. It will do nothing, however, to all that muck.

You basically have no choice than to clean that thing out. Then reclean the filtration.

When you're done, your sis will need to do weekly or bi-monthly water changes of 20% or the pond will end up in the same way in a short time.

 

[Chris 9-5]

Thank you, I had kinda expected your response

The problem with temporarily housing the fish is two fold:

1) No idea how many there are - what volume of water per fish would I need?
2) Having a container big enough,,,

If I do the complete clean and new bulbs, and put the correct new water additive in, how long before the fish could go back into the pond please?

Thanks again for your help, I know I'm up against it!

 

[koikeepr]

The pool would be temporary. Just for you to quickly drain and muck out. Figure if you start early in the morning, you can have the fish back in by afternoon if you bring some help along.

You can buy one of them cheap pools at Wal-mart. Sometimes they have 'em for like $39 or $49 on sale. Those above ground ones. Make sure you have it in the shade and that you put some aeration into it while you're doing this. You jsut pump some of the existing pond water into the pool.

Then when you put fresh water into the pond, make sure to dechlor it. Then you should put the fish either into clear bags (see if Petsmart will give you a bunch) or plastic rubbermaid containers. You put fish into these containers (with the old pond water they are in)and float them for 15 or 20 minutes until the temps equalize. You then gently pick up the fish in the containers or bags with your hands and release them into the fresh pond. DO NOT pour any of that crappy water back into the new pond.

 

[Chris 9-5]

Kiokeeper, that almost sounds do-able!

And I like the idea of putting NONE of the old water back, instant clean!

I assume the final rinse of the filter media should be done with the old water not fresh unless its been de chlorinated??

Thanks again!

 

[koikeepr]

Right-o! Reserve some of the water BEFORE you start mucking around in it, so at least you're getting the clearer part and not the portion after you jumble all the muck. Wash that filter media in old water and then place it in the cleaned pond.

And then beg your sister to do continual water changes (or at least help her). Unless you want the mucking to happen often, which is not what you want. It highly stresses fish to be chased and caught. My recommendation on a pond that size, is to drain it as far as your can before trying to catch them. It's very, very hard to catch koi. But it's easier in lower amounts of water. Of course, you've got a foot of muck to contend with, and you don't want them going through that.

Another idea is to grab an old bed sheet and use it a bit like a fisherman's seine net. Start on one side of the pond. Get a few people on each side and lower one end of the sheet down and the pull/drag to the other end of the pond where you can kinda corral the fish. Then two folks have to usher the sheet under and up to catch some fish. Then grab 'em and put them in the temp pool.

I look forward to hearing how this situation turns out for you. Good for you for helping your sis--and those poor fish!

 

[Chris 9-5]

I look forward to hearing how this situation turns out for you. Good for you for helping your sis--and those poor fish!

Thats great, I will take some before / during / after pics and post them up for you!

Thanks for giving me the confidence to have a go at it

 

[koikeepr]

Looking forward to seeing your adventure! Get friends to help, it always make this easier.

 

[jason081180]

Koikeepr always has great advice. You've got your work cut out for you, but if you follow her instructions it should turn out great. I look forward to seeing the pictures and it will be interesting to find out how many fish are really in there.

 

[Chris 9-5]

it will be interesting to find out how many fish are really in there.

Certainly will, I bet more than 10!!

I just bought the temporary pool so the plan is to do the clean next week!

Without being rude - what should I do with all the silt?

 

[jason081180]

the silt and dirty water are great for your yard and garden.

 

[Chris 9-5]

Thanks!

The pond:

The "too small" UV's

The filter - incorrect flow and over pumped!

And yes that is the colour of the water!

 

[DrCase]

Looking at The pond , it has a good old time feeling to it

 

[Chris 9-5]

Looking at The pond , it has a good old time feeling to it

Yep I agree, you can imagine many summer evenings under that light listening to the waterfall and the fish whist sipping on cold beers :fish:

 

[Chris 9-5]

The pond has several problems:

1. The filter - apparently its a loft header tank, the orginal owner was a central heating engineer, its also got the wrong flow, it has water entering at the top, and exiting at the bottom where the silt is..........
2. The pump feeding the filter is too strong, its blasting water through the UV's and the media too quickly
3. The UV's are not only old but very small - 2 x 11w - Hozelock Vorton 27000

My biggest problem is money - you can imagine my sister doesnt want to spend out on "his" fish!

Seems like the cheapest option is:

1. Reverse the filter flow and reduce the pump pressure (divert some to the waterfall via a T piece)
2. Replace the UV bulbs
3. Do the complete clean as you describe

A better option would be

1. Replace the filter (ebay is a good idea)and reduce the pump pressure (divert some to the waterfall via a T piece)
2. Add larger UV's
3. Do the complete clean

Any thoughts team?