Last year I built a Skippy Filter and everyone was a great help in answering my all my questions. Prior to that I had a UV Filter. Since I have built that Skippy filter I have a large build up of dead Algae on the media (dish sponges inside of a netting type of bag). I also have a large amount of dead algae on the bottom of the pond. 1) Do I just need to rinse the media clean and put it back into the skippy and vacuum the bottom or should the pond cycle take care of everything once it is properly established?
Since ive built my pond i have mostly been concerned with the landscaping around the pond and not inside of the pond. I have 2 or 3 fish that somehow have survived for 2-3 years without being fed. I also have 2-3 pond plants. Last year I planted a few water lilies which never really thrived. 2) In what order should I start to establish a proper pond cycle? I dont know whether I should first be concerned with putting plants in the water, more fish, or getting rid of the algae.
Any help would be appreciated and thanks in advance,
Brian
1) Do I just need to rinse the media clean and put it back into the skippy and vacuum the bottom or should the pond cycle take care of everything once it is properly established?
Correct, just
gently rinse the media and put it back into the skippy then vacuum the bottom. You don't need to be OCD about the vacuuming as long as around 70% of it is removed.
This "stuff" or "build up" is what is considered to be complex organic waste since the "stuff" is in more of a solid state rather than a chemical state. When anything is in a solid state, then more energy and oxygen is required as fuel for microorganisms to decompose the solid state "stuff" into its constituent chemical state compounds. This fuel must be taken from somewhere so the microorganisms steals these components from water, which can mean bad news to plants and fish that need it to survive. When this happens, then other "bad" things can happen unless you have proper insects or algae or other "stuff" in the water to counteract these "bad" things, such as replenishing the lost oxygen. Once in the solid waste "build up sutff" is in a chemical state, then the "stuff" becomes more easily manageable by humans through the use of plants and biological filtration. So, best route is to gently rinse the media and vacuum the bottom.
2) In what order should I start to establish a proper pond cycle?
Anything that helps to grow the filtering microorganisms will help a pond to cycle and these microorganisms need fuel. The typical type of microorganisms that a ponder tries to grow is the type of microorganisms that is easier to be managed by humans, such as when the fuel is in the chemical state, as explained above. A "chemical state" can be represented by the ammonia, which is what fish create after feeding. This ammonia waste can then be much easier filtered, or processed, by the appropriate microorganisms so to create nitrate nitrogen, that is plant and algae fertilizer.
The dead algae will release this ammonia as well except, since the dead algae is in a solid state, then the additional fuel components will be required.
So, the easiest way to help establish a proper pond cycle is to slowly feed your fish.
There is much to be learned if you want a better answer to this question so this means there must be homework for you to do and here are some keywords for you to further study: 1) nitrification; 2) denitrification; 3) biological oxygen demand; 4) alkalinity; 5) ammonia; 6) nitrite; 7) nitrate; 8) likely other terms that I can not recall at the moment due to having a few cervezas.
