Hello,
I live in Clearwater, Florida. I have a 5'x7'x2' liner pond (approximately 500 gallons). I use an Atlantic skimmer (9" weir) and waterfall (17" spillway) with a 2000gph pump running through a 40 Watt UV filter. I also run a 700 gph and a 250 gph pump from the skimmer to the pond for extra draw power for the skimmer and to create more current. These 2 pumps were from earlier filters that couldn't cope with my Bio mass. I have 5 common Goldfish, 3 small Koi, 2 large Koi (10-12"), 2 large Placos and a Red Earred Slidder Turtle (10"). I have only 1 small Lilly which I must isolate from the turtle. My water clarity is excellent, though the chemistry is a bit off - ammonia .5ppm, nitrite 1.0ppm, nitrate 40ppm, very hard water GH 300ppm, PH 7.8, KH 180ppm and lastly chlorine .5ppm). I use an Atlantic autofill with an inline chlorine filter at a very low flow and have treated the pond with chlorine treatments multiple times with no change in chlorine level. I clean my filters weekly with the filtered water and treat using microbe-lift/PL and nite-out II. Currently I am also treating with Aqua MedZyme for a suspected Pseudomonas sore on the side of one of the little Koi. It is pinkish-red and the size of half a pee, the Koi is blue and black. This morning i noticed some of the white common goldfish have developed similar red spots as well. This may be natural color, not sure.
My main concerns at the moment are the ammonia and nitrite levels (not sure I trust the chlorine test) and the fish sore. I believe I'm treating these problems right but after a month the readings remain fairly consistent. The filtration set up is just over a month old and i turn the uv light off as instructed for the treatments. Am I just being too impatient? As to the sore, the Koi had a fin injury which has healed completely, yet the red spot remains. Could it be a color mark? Even on an all black and blue koi? Otherwise all the fish and the turtle seem very healthy. Any Suggestions on aquatic plants that the turtle will not eat and won't be harmful? Or suggestions on how to protect the plants. He can destroy an entire plant in minutes, roots, stems and all.
Thanks for any and all help!
I live in Clearwater, Florida. I have a 5'x7'x2' liner pond (approximately 500 gallons). I use an Atlantic skimmer (9" weir) and waterfall (17" spillway) with a 2000gph pump running through a 40 Watt UV filter. I also run a 700 gph and a 250 gph pump from the skimmer to the pond for extra draw power for the skimmer and to create more current. These 2 pumps were from earlier filters that couldn't cope with my Bio mass. I have 5 common Goldfish, 3 small Koi, 2 large Koi (10-12"), 2 large Placos and a Red Earred Slidder Turtle (10"). I have only 1 small Lilly which I must isolate from the turtle. My water clarity is excellent, though the chemistry is a bit off - ammonia .5ppm, nitrite 1.0ppm, nitrate 40ppm, very hard water GH 300ppm, PH 7.8, KH 180ppm and lastly chlorine .5ppm). I use an Atlantic autofill with an inline chlorine filter at a very low flow and have treated the pond with chlorine treatments multiple times with no change in chlorine level. I clean my filters weekly with the filtered water and treat using microbe-lift/PL and nite-out II. Currently I am also treating with Aqua MedZyme for a suspected Pseudomonas sore on the side of one of the little Koi. It is pinkish-red and the size of half a pee, the Koi is blue and black. This morning i noticed some of the white common goldfish have developed similar red spots as well. This may be natural color, not sure.
My main concerns at the moment are the ammonia and nitrite levels (not sure I trust the chlorine test) and the fish sore. I believe I'm treating these problems right but after a month the readings remain fairly consistent. The filtration set up is just over a month old and i turn the uv light off as instructed for the treatments. Am I just being too impatient? As to the sore, the Koi had a fin injury which has healed completely, yet the red spot remains. Could it be a color mark? Even on an all black and blue koi? Otherwise all the fish and the turtle seem very healthy. Any Suggestions on aquatic plants that the turtle will not eat and won't be harmful? Or suggestions on how to protect the plants. He can destroy an entire plant in minutes, roots, stems and all.
Thanks for any and all help!
