Hello, My name is Larry. I have questions Koi pond or a flower pond

[LarryAlvarez]

I'm 76 years young and semi retired. I work parttime as a high school counselor. I have a veggie garden and a flower garden, My wife does all the work and I take all the credit.
I've always wanted a koi pond with a waterfall and water lillys. My questions is must I run the pump continuosly 24/7? I have a swimming pool that runs the pump 4 hours a day. My utility bill is 400 $ a month.

 

[minnowman]

Welcome Larry. Pond pumps use much less electricity than pool pumps because they usually run at a much lower pressure. You will have to run the pump continuously for Koi. A few smaller type fish can be kept in a pond without pumping if they are not fed much. Check out the DIY section for more details.

 

[fishin4cars]

welcome aboard Larry, I run a 25,000 gallon swimming pool and two ponds one-300 gallons 1-2500 gallons both contaning med large (12"-19" to small koi(5" -12"). I can tell you the swimming pool averages about $50 a month regular to $75 a month during heavy swimming, running the pumps on a timer for 8 hours a day. The ponds use about $30-$40 a month running 24/7 365 days a year. That's four pumps on two ponds. My aquariums, 1-75 gallon and 1-30 gallon with heaters run about $15-$20 a month. and I'm in about the same boat, about $360-$400+ a month depending on rates, time of the year, etc.

 

[addy1]

I have a water garden, ie no koi, run a pump 24/7 evolution series 4500, did not notice a spike in our bill when we started using it. In fact our bill is less than it was last year.

 

[sissy]

I have koi and the pumps run 24/7 and they need it ,even in the winter I keep one running on my pond .My pumps are cheap harbor freight pumps and really they don't use more than a pool pump that runs 4 hours a day ,My electric bill is around a 100 dollars a month here and thats for the whole house .

 

[Waterbug]

The only reason for requiring a pump run 24/7 is to add O2 to the water. Once that is understood the next questions would be whether additional O2 is needed and then, if needed, what's the cheapest way.

Is O2 needed?
Depends on the size of the pond, its shape, how clean it's kept, temperature, size and number of Koi. The common answer is to run a pump 24/7. Fish do better with good O2 levels and it's commonly thought pumps add O2. But fish can survive in less than ideal conditions. In a large pond, cool temps, fairly clean, a few small Koi fed very little, no pump would probably be needed for the Koi to do well.

Cheapest O2
If additional O2 is needed to support a large fish load an air pump is a much cheaper source than a water pump. Air pumps can be in the 5-10 watt range. So that would cost about 42 to 84 cents per month for electric running 24/7. (5x(24*30))/1000)*0.117 = 0.42. And you could just have the air pump on hand if the fish showed signs of needing more O2 rather than running 24/7 on the off chance it's needed.

Gas exchange happens at the surface and has nothing to do with movement or "forcing air into water". Air pumps add a lot because each bubble creates a lot of surface area between the water and air in the bubble. Smaller the bubble means more bubbles, means more surface area which is why manufacturers tout bubble size.

So if you look over a still pond you will see a lot of surface area all with a continuous exchange of gases. Those leaving and those entering. The science is a bit complex but is called diffusion.

For water pumps it's all about where the water goes. Just circulating water would add very little O2. Lots of people think ponds lake stratify like lakes but ponds are far too shallow for that. Over a small water falls would add some, but way less than people think. A large waterfall adds more. A long stream adds more. A fountain adds some O2. Using a water pump to push water through a venturi setup adds a lot of O2 but still at a much higher (10x) cost than an air pump.

So if you looked at the amount of power it takes to create a waterfalls vs that same power applied to an air pump you could run like 15 pumps for the same energy cost. Basically your whole pond would be bubbles...not that this would be a good idea. Too much O2 can kill fish too.

 

[Catfishnut]

A few properly positioned aerators will also aid in circulating the pond water and creating a minor current flow which is good for the fish and the pond as a whole. I am not yet familiar with what Koi or similar ornamental fish require, but delicate fish like shad and alewifes, which are baitfish, require some current flow, but cannot handle an excessive flow. Certain fish require very specific parameters and you have to accomodate them so that they may survive. So, you must understand the habits and lifestyle of the fish you have in your pond/tank.

Certain fish require a lot of O2, there are two ways for them to obtain it. They must either swim continously to circulate the oxygenated water over their gills or lay idle in a slow water current, hold their position and allow the water to flow over their gills naturally, using the current. Like sharks for instance, they must continuously swim to keep fresh water running over and through their gills.

Shad, for instance, require some water flow because they are too delicate to swim 24/7. But, they cannot handle a forceful current, that tires them out. If they get overtired, they quit maneuvering and swimming, then they just float with the waters current. They don't get sufficient oxygen when they get to this stage because they are just floating about and not enough oxygenated water passes over their gills. Finally, they end up bashing into the corners or walls of the tank or pond and that knocks their delicate scales off. Now they are less protected from the elements and may die. Koi are a lot more durable than this, but every fish has their specific needs.

Understand what the needs of your fish are and set up your pond or tank to accomodate them accordingly.

Gordy

 

[Waterbug]

Koi and Goldfish don't require moving water. They also have the ability to gulp air at the surface short term if needed. It's a sign of low O2 or other problem.

 

[Becky]

My wife does all the work and I take all the credit.

Sounds ideal! Welcome to the forums :wave: