filter mistake

[mofal]

hello guys,

i noticed that i made a big mistake in construction my pond ..

my pond volume is around 2500 us gallons
my pump is 5000 gallons per hour
my waterfall filter takes about 100 gallons ( with bio media inside )

so , retention time is 100/5000 = 1.2 mins ( way below optimum)

my pond is about 9 days old now with koi being there for 3 days only

i think i have a failed biofilter design ?!

does this mean ammonia with build up in my pond ?

i have 7 koi fish , average size is 14 inch

my pond and stream is fillled with gravel..

i think some biofiltration will happen in the pond it self ...dont know if its enough ..!!

thoughts guys??

 

[koiguy1969]

yes, your pond will also provide biofiltration. every surface in the pond will allow for bacterial colonization. its true 5000gph is a pretty stong flow of water, if it turns out it is a concern, you can divert the flow 1/2 thru the filter and 1/2 into the filter after the media so it just flows out thru the outlet into the waterfall. and your stream wil do some biofiltering as well. i dont know the size of the stream, but it can be a big plus as well. why are you doubting your system? are your water tests showing cause for concern? you have to allow time for bacteria to build and the pond to mature a little before you get in panic mode. if your feeding, keep your feeding lite for a few weeks and be patient. if your reading are good your doing fine, if they rise, you can lighten or even stop feeding for a few days at a time...your fish will be fine. i run a 70 gal filter and put 1000gph thru it and another 1000gph venturied into the top for additional aeration for a total of 2000 gph out my waterfall. i keep 6 fish above 14" in a 1200 gal pond, and about 50 fry every year. and they winter in 800 gals from October to May. the fry being sold in spring.
that said...9 days is way too soon to panic!!

 

[addy1]

If your ammonia gets too high a small water change will help, make sure you use dechlor if you have chlorine in your water.

 

[mofal]

yes, your pond will also provide biofiltration. every surface in the pond will allow for bacterial colonization. its true 5000gph is a pretty stong flow of water, if it turns out it is a concern, you can divert the flow 1/2 thru the filter and 1/2 into the filter after the media so it just flows out thru the outlet into the waterfall. and your stream wil do some biofiltering as well. i dont know the size of the stream, but it can be a big plus as well. why are you doubting your system? are your water tests showing cause for concern? you have to allow time for bacteria to build and the pond to mature a little before you get in panic mode. if your feeding, keep your feeding lite for a few weeks and be patient. if your reading are good your doing fine, if they rise, you can lighten or even stop feeding for a few days at a time...your fish will be fine. i run a 70 gal filter and put 1000gph thru it and another 1000gph venturied into the top for additional aeration for a total of 2000 gph out my waterfall. i keep 6 fish above 14" in a 1200 gal pond, and about 50 fry every year. and they winter in 800 gals from October to May. the fry being sold in spring.
that said...9 days is way too soon to panic!!

Thanks mate for comforting me
hows your water tests for ammonia ??

 

[mofal]

If your ammonia gets too high a small water change will help, make sure you use dechlor if you have chlorine in your water.

yeah we have chlorine in the water here , i think waiting 6 days before adding the fish is enough to evaporate the chlorine??

 

[addy1]

You use those liquid test kits. With a new cycling pond you need to keep track of the ammonia levels, if they get too high that will hurt your fish.

We posted at the same time...

yeah we have chlorine in the water here , i think waiting 6 days before adding the fish is enough to evaporate the chlorine??

That many days should have gotten rid of the chlorine.

 

[mofal]

am questioning the bio filter because am planning to stock around 15 koi ..
what if i add a pressurized bio filter as a pre filter ...will it help if i have ammonia issues ?

 

[koiguy1969]

my outside water is pristine..in the basement pond i will get some nitrates, but regular small water changes keep everybody happy,and healthy!
on your last post...more filtration is always a plus. but dont jump the gun, you may not need it...give the pond 2 months before adding more fish then add slowly, dont rush...you'll likely be fine.

 

[mofal]

You use those liquid test kits. With a new cycling pond you need to keep track of the ammonia levels, if they get too high that will hurt your fish.

yeah , ill get those test kits first thing tomorrow morning..

 

[mofal]

my outside water is pristine..in the basement pond i will get some nitrates, but regular small water changes keep everybody happy,and healthy!
on your last post...more filtration is always a plus. but dont jump the gun, you may not need it...give the pond 2 months before adding more fish then add slowly, dont rush...you'll likely be fine.

i hope so mate..
how often you do small water changes for the outside pond ??

 

[Waterbug]

Testing always tells the story. You may not even need a filter today. As you add fish and/or feed more you may need your filter. As you feed more as fish grow you may need more filters.

Number of fish and pond size don't really have much to do with filter needs. Some people feed Koi a couple of times a week. Other people feed 8 to 12 times a day, pounds of food a week. Same size pond, same number of Koi, same size. Each will need completely different filter systems and water changes.

It really depends on your goal. Big fish or just some fish to feed sometimes. Show fish or regular Koi. Very different ponds.

 

[sissy]

Since you want 15 koi and that means good filtering .They get big mine were a couple of inches long and are now over 2 feet long and boy do they poop a lot ,even when they don't get fed much and they don't like heat .

 

[Shdwdrgn]

@mofal - Definitely don't panic! My setup is similar - I run approximately 5000gph through two 55-gal barrel filters, and it took over a month for the algae to get under control, however as far as filtration goes my water qaulity was pretty good and the fish never had any problems. Last Fall I did as koiguy suggested and diverted half my water flow, so I will be curious to see how this affects the algae growth this year.

Other than that - add lots of water plants, especially in places where the water will flow past them. Grasses and rushes are great for the river area because they'll dig deep into your gravel and really help with filtration.

 

[sissy]

all so true nothing is a miracle with ponds and nothing gets solved over night .We all wish it did but thats a dream that is hard to get too .I wish someone would come out with something that was a miracle but never has yet to happen.All well pond on

 

[koiguy1969]

IMO...
there doesnt have to be anything overly difficult about a pond...i'm lazy, and i admit it... i dont want to spend anymore time than abslutely neccessary to keep my pond. and i dont !! i flush my filter every five days. the water flushed is my water change also. i add dechlorinator & fill a 55 gal drum with water. its filling while i flush the filter..the filter flush takes a bout a minute.open a ballvalve. let it drain. i close the flush valve. a minute or so later the drums full, so i open the valve on the drum and drain it into the pond....under 10 minutes every 5 days. and about 2 minutes every other day rinsing the prefilter(s). these things i do when i'm out there feeding them and drinking my morning coffee anyways....not hard at all... that said... i think the most difficult part of ponding for some people is overthinking everything and impatience. i believe a good regular maintainence schedule is the key...nothing hard,or complicated... just steady. oh i do also 'net skim' the waters surface every morning while out there if leaves or other floating debris have found their way in the pond. remember that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure...