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And what area are you from that also makes a difference.
Nice looking ponds btw
Nice looking ponds btw
First home, first pond.. water is dirty!
- Thread starter lynntran
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I'm so happy to find this forum! I was starting to have trouble sleeping from worrying about the pond! I have ordered a water test kit that should come in about 2 days. Will take some more pictures in the afternoon of what I am dealing with. I appreciate all your advice!
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I live in southeastern Pennsylvania.
tbendl
T
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You can take a water sample to a fish place and they can test it for you as well.
You really do have some pretty ponds there! It might take some time and a steep learning curve but I think it's worth every second I spend outside near my pond.
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It's set up right side the master bedroom so it's a great view. I'm all for the sound of a waterfall at night!
Welcome!
All god advice you got already. I just want to add my 2 cents
When you clean out the filter (take what inside the tank out and rinse it) rinse them in de-chlorinate water. OR, I normally just rinse in a bucket filled with pond water itself. And when you do a water change, dont forget to add some de-chlorine for new water too (unless you have well water)
If you drain the pond, dont scrub the liner too hard or you will lose beneficial bacteria that's already established there and will have to start over
Good luck! you have pretty pond there.
All god advice you got already. I just want to add my 2 cents
When you clean out the filter (take what inside the tank out and rinse it) rinse them in de-chlorinate water. OR, I normally just rinse in a bucket filled with pond water itself. And when you do a water change, dont forget to add some de-chlorine for new water too (unless you have well water)
If you drain the pond, dont scrub the liner too hard or you will lose beneficial bacteria that's already established there and will have to start over
Good luck! you have pretty pond there.
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I agree that pictures will enable us to better help you
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Welcome!
All god advice you got already. I just want to add my 2 cents
When you clean out the filter (take what inside the tank out and rinse it) rinse them in de-chlorinate water. OR, I normally just rinse in a bucket filled with pond water itself. And when you do a water change, dont forget to add some de-chlorine for new water too (unless you have well water)
If you drain the pond, dont scrub the liner too hard or you will lose beneficial bacteria that's already established there and will have to start over
Good luck! you have pretty pond there.
Oh I won't be draining the pond. Those koi are like 15 pounders. HUGE. I'd be lucky to even grab one without falling into the deep end. I'm only 5 feet tall. Pond is 4. LOL.
lol
wow, those are huge fish. yea, they are going nowhere!
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15 pounders - that probably explains your problem . Huge fish = huge waste = huge algae. Small fish become huge fish, and the filtration that might have been adequate when they were small might no longer be up to the job... together with maybe a bit of overdue filter 'maintenance'. Test it's not just maintenance needed first though
. Huge fish = huge waste = huge algae. Small fish become huge fish, and the filtration that might have been adequate when they were small might no longer be up to the job... together with maybe a bit of overdue filter 'maintenance'. Test it's not just maintenance needed first though
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I believe their biggest koi inherited the name Moby (like the whale) so that explains a bit of my current situation!15 pounders - that probably explains your problem
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Don't let Moby become your white whale then . I'm surprised the previous owner didn't give you some instructions on how they're fed?
Fwiw, inheriting a Koi pond is about the steepest learning curve in terms of pond maintenance, but don't let that put you off, it's all perfectly doable but you just have to get your processes right. So bottom line there's a pump somewhere in your pond, this sucks in the dirty water which goes into the two barrels (google skippy filter) to filter out the waste, also passes over a UV light, and finally puts the water back in through a waterfall. The two barrels use various means to trap the bad waste (google mechanical filter and biological filter), and there are good bacteria (google nitrobacter) in there that then eat the waste and turn it into something more benign (google ammonia, nitrate, nitrite cycle ponds). Some plants are notoriously good at consuming the bad waste (ie reeds, rushes, watercress) so that's why the previous owner recommended them in the filter.
Algae come in various varieties (google suspended algae, string algae), yours looks like suspended and ultraviolet radiation kills it. But you need to replace the UV bulb in your UV unit every year or so, the phosphorous coat inside the bulb wears out after c. 12 months - I'd go ahead and just replace that to be safe first. Check it's even on, maybe it was switched off in the housemove. That'll start dealing with algae but as long as your fish are pooping and the filter is full you still have more coming in, so you'll need to deal with that too. There are products you can buy to bind your algae and make it drop to the bottom, I've used them once years ago and indeed they do do just that but then the dead algae drops to the bottom and you'll still want to clear that out.
Lastly you say you have a bubbling thing, that maybe aeration. Google koi airstone - that'll be something at the bottom that just makes bubbles to increase the oxygen level. Fish like oxygen in the water and aeration makes the water circulate so it can pick up oxygen molecules everytime the water is at the surface. The bubbles don't add the oxygen, the rotation of the water does.
Anyhow enough of the soliloquy, hopefully that's given you a direction - next is pictures pictures pictures... good luck
. I'm surprised the previous owner didn't give you some instructions on how they're fed? Fwiw, inheriting a Koi pond is about the steepest learning curve in terms of pond maintenance, but don't let that put you off, it's all perfectly doable but you just have to get your processes right. So bottom line there's a pump somewhere in your pond, this sucks in the dirty water which goes into the two barrels (google skippy filter) to filter out the waste, also passes over a UV light, and finally puts the water back in through a waterfall. The two barrels use various means to trap the bad waste (google mechanical filter and biological filter), and there are good bacteria (google nitrobacter) in there that then eat the waste and turn it into something more benign (google ammonia, nitrate, nitrite cycle ponds). Some plants are notoriously good at consuming the bad waste (ie reeds, rushes, watercress) so that's why the previous owner recommended them in the filter.
Algae come in various varieties (google suspended algae, string algae), yours looks like suspended and ultraviolet radiation kills it. But you need to replace the UV bulb in your UV unit every year or so, the phosphorous coat inside the bulb wears out after c. 12 months - I'd go ahead and just replace that to be safe first. Check it's even on, maybe it was switched off in the housemove. That'll start dealing with algae but as long as your fish are pooping and the filter is full you still have more coming in, so you'll need to deal with that too. There are products you can buy to bind your algae and make it drop to the bottom, I've used them once years ago and indeed they do do just that but then the dead algae drops to the bottom and you'll still want to clear that out.
Lastly you say you have a bubbling thing, that maybe aeration. Google koi airstone - that'll be something at the bottom that just makes bubbles to increase the oxygen level. Fish like oxygen in the water and aeration makes the water circulate so it can pick up oxygen molecules everytime the water is at the surface. The bubbles don't add the oxygen, the rotation of the water does.
Anyhow enough of the soliloquy, hopefully that's given you a direction - next is pictures pictures pictures... good luck
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As long as you're googling, see if there is a local koi club to help you out
My thoughts are:
1. Once you get the test kit, test the water and post the results up here.
2. The color of the water is not important - clear does not always equal healthy. I struggle with green water on occasion too. If the fish are happy and healthy that's all that matters.
3. How big is the goldfish pond?
4. You are not failing at ponding. Green water is not a bad thing. I know you want it clear, but its not hurting anything.
5. If the water is healthy, deal with your move and then worry about the ponds.
Hope that helps you sleep!
1. Once you get the test kit, test the water and post the results up here.
2. The color of the water is not important - clear does not always equal healthy. I struggle with green water on occasion too. If the fish are happy and healthy that's all that matters.
3. How big is the goldfish pond?
4. You are not failing at ponding. Green water is not a bad thing. I know you want it clear, but its not hurting anything.
5. If the water is healthy, deal with your move and then worry about the ponds.
Hope that helps you sleep!