Do I need to keep all of my filters on 24/7? Please see the pictures!

[Nick2021]

Happy New Year from London!

I am a new house with a fish pound with 15 Koi fish. Do I need to keep all of these equipments on 24/7?
The electricity is very expensive for all of these:
- nexus2010
- Evolution AQUA
-B filter
- Surface Skimmer
- Blow Pond Air

I understand that Nexus2010 needs to be on to keep good bacteria. But can I keep it on few hours per week?
I attach the pictures of the filters.

cheers
Nick

 

[j.w]

@Nick2021
I don't know what all those are but whichever one is filtering the water should be kept on as long as it can't freeze up ever hour of the day. My pump is a submersible to my filters so can't freeze under water and as long as the water is running it won't freeze to my top edge pond filter. The filter on the bottom of my pond no worries at all. The skimmer you could turn off, I don't even have one of those as not needed.

 

[Mmathis]

Hello and welcome. There are some aspects that should run 24/7 as @j.w said. What size is your pond?

It looks like you are set up as what we call a DKP, or dedicated koi pond, which is an equipment-dependent set up. Most on here, are garden-ponders, where we let Mother Nature care for our water by using plants. We are going to suggest that you ditch all the equipment…..AND CONSTRUCT A BOG, or eco/wetlands type filtration system. But, to each his own. Neither is right or wrong, just “different” so if power usage is an issue, the bog is the way to go. Many on here will be more than happy to supply you with information.

 

[WaterGardener]

Everything with my pond runs 24/7 365 days a year. Yes, it does increase the electric bill, but to me it's worth it.

 

[brokensword]

TurtleMommaMax took the words right outta ma mouth; if you construct a bog filter, you'll only need ONE pump and cut your energy costs down magnificently! Search here on the forums for 'bog'; you'll be kept busy reading and if you like what you see, holler on back at us with any followups or sage advice or just plain idiot savant wisdoms! And if you're really in a pinch, we'll throw the Prez of the BFC atcha; hey @poconojoe ? He's retired now so LOTS of time to pound the pavement with our glorious cause! BFC members UNITE!

 

[WaterGardener]

I'm in the minority here and my pond has a bead type filter, a shower filter, and a skimmer. Those all operate from a single pump.

The only other pump we use is an air pump, like the one on the shelf in one of the pictures. I would think that would be the same for those of you with bogs. One pump for water, one for air.

The OP does seem to have a lot of equipment, including a drum filter, which is electrically powered. The only other things using power should be pumps, if there are more than one.

Is there a main pump somewhere?

The Nexus 210 filter seems to be rated for ponds up to 4000 gallons, not that that necessarily means anything about the size of the pond. There also is a pressure type filter, the blue plastic tank with the Aqua label. Don't know what the green box is. There does seem to be a small pump near that.

But to answer the question, whatever system you have, it needs to run all the time that the pond is not frozen in winter. Even then, the air pump should be running.

 

[Nick2021]

Hello and welcome. There are some aspects that should run 24/7 as @j.w said. What size is your pond?

It looks like you are set up as what we call a DKP, or dedicated koi pond, which is an equipment-dependent set up. Most on here, are garden-ponders, where we let Mother Nature care for our water by using plants. We are going to suggest that you ditch all the equipment…..AND CONSTRUCT A BOG, or eco/wetlands type filtration system. But, to each his own. Neither is right or wrong, just “different” so if power usage is an issue, the bog is the way to go. Many on here will be more than happy to supply you with information.

Great.
The pond size is 5*3 sqmeter!
The set up is for Koi.
Is there any link to see the cost of those eco filters?

Thanks

 

[Nick2021]

TurtleMommaMax took the words right outta ma mouth; if you construct a bog filter, you'll only need ONE pump and cut your energy costs down magnificently! Search here on the forums for 'bog'; you'll be kept busy reading and if you like what you see, holler on back at us with any followups or sage advice or just plain idiot savant wisdoms! And if you're really in a pinch, we'll throw the Prez of the BFC atcha; hey @poconojoe ? He's retired now so LOTS of time to pound the pavement with our glorious cause! BFC members UNITE!

Thanks. I will go for bog filter.
I am new! Is the blow water pressure enough for my 15 coy fish now till I find the solution? I turned all if the filter off.

 

[Nick2021]

I'm in the minority here and my pond has a bead type filter, a shower filter, and a skimmer. Those all operate from a single pump.

The only other pump we use is an air pump, like the one on the shelf in one of the pictures. I would think that would be the same for those of you with bogs. One pump for water, one for air.

The OP does seem to have a lot of equipment, including a drum filter, which is electrically powered. The only other things using power should be pumps, if there are more than one.

Is there a main pump somewhere?

The Nexus 210 filter seems to be rated for ponds up to 4000 gallons, not that that necessarily means anything about the size of the pond. There also is a pressure type filter, the blue plastic tank with the Aqua label. Don't know what the green box is. There does seem to be a small pump near that.

But to answer the question, whatever system you have, it needs to run all the time that the pond is not frozen in winter. Even then, the air pump should be running.

This is picture of filter which I think it is not needed for 15 coy fish.

 

[addy1]

Is there any link to see the cost of those eco filters?

Welcome to the forum.

The cost , if done like I did mine, is the cost of liner and or a container, the cost of pea gravel, the cost of some pvc. It can be pretty cheap. Mine is just pea gravel, liner, pvc all run off one pump.

Others have done aqua blocks snorkels etc. Which drives the cost up.

I turned all if the filter off.

Be careful they may need that filter, koi are trashy fish ie they poo a lot, the water is tougher to keep good for them vs goldfish.
Do some water testing.

I do not use any filter except my bog so I can not help you with filters like what you show above.

 

[Nick2021]

View attachment 146017
This is picture of filter which I think it is not needed for 15 coy fish.

There are three pumps. The bead filter is keeping good bacteria or the above filter?

 

[addy1]

There are three pumps. The bead filter is keeping good bacteria or the above filter?

I don't know others will chime in that use filters.

 

[Nick2021]

View attachment 146017
This is picture of filter which I think it is not needed for 15 coy fish.

Do you have Koi fish? If Bead filter is enough, I should turn only this one on as it is linked to one pump.

 

[addy1]

Do you have Koi fish? If Bead filter is enough, I should turn only this one on as it is linked to one pump.

No I do not, I have around 9000 gallons or so and only shubunkins/goldfish. I have never used a store bought filter, so do not know much about them.

other members on here have Koi and filter with a bog.

 

[WaterGardener]

The picture is of a rotary drum filter. Its function is to remove gunk and any debris from the water.

Are you testing your water parameters with liquid tests? If so, what are the levels for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and KH?

Eliminating any of your filtration can cause an increase in ammonia and nitrite, either of which can be deadly to the fish. So please be careful with that. If you turn anything off, please test the water frequently to make sure the parameters are staying safe.

Depending on their size and the size of your pond, 15 koi can be an overwhelming number for a pond, requiring a great deal of filtration to keep the water and the fish healthy.

To me the whole set up seems piecemeal and the owner may have kept increasing the filtration in bits and pieces to keep up with the waste production increase as the fish grew. Just a guess, but I don't see how anyone would have designed it originally as it is now.

If your bead filter is large enough, it can filter the entire pond. But since there is so much additional filtration, I have to think that the single bead filter is not adequate.

Can you contact the previous owners and ask them for more information?