Help me please...koi are dying

[sweetbeats]

The only filtration is the Shinmaywa pump and associates leaf basket. There are no other chemicals or filtration systems.

There is an algae mat that goes in the filter basket but I pulled that out several days ago.

 

[Lisak1]

The only filtration is the Shinmaywa pump and associates leaf basket

There's no biological filtration? Nothing in the waterfall box?

 

[sweetbeats]

Don’t think so. This pond was put in I think in 2013 by the previous property owner. We bought the place in the Fall of 2015. We’ve subsequently come to learn the pond and a few other facets of the landscape development that were done by a contractor were the first of this kind he had ever done. As a result some things were not done correctly and we’ve been paying for it ever since. The filter basket housings for instance were installed inside the pond liner and they are supposed to be outside...Autumn is an exciting time trying to keep on top of the leaves clogging the baskets enough to cause the assemblies to become boyant (due to decreased water flow into the assembly) and lift completely out of the pond. My understanding was the baskets are supposed to accommodate a biologically balanced eco-system and they comprise the filtration system, but what do I know. There are actually two basket assemblies and two 10,500gph pumps, but one pump has been out of commission since early 2016 and with replacements being $800+ it hasn’t been in the cards to replace. So we are running the one 10,500gph pump...and as I’ve said already things seemed to be fine and I recall talking to...I don’t know who I talked to...but whoever it was thought 10,500gph running 24/7 was plenty fine.

I’m tired of my daily come home from work routine being a re-enactment of just about any episode of The Walking Dead...dogging a shallow grave in rock-hard dirt.

 

[sweetbeats]

I don’t even know what a waterfall box is.

 

[Lisak1]

I’m tired of my daily come home from work routine being a re-enactment of just about any episode of The Walking Dead...dogging a shallow grave in rock-hard dirt.

Oh, boy. That is so hard. I'm sorry!

This is a waterfall box or a biofalls. This is very typical in a pond installation. Inside of this box there would be some kind of filter media - pads, or balls or lava rock for example. The water is pushed up from the bottom of the box and flows through the filter media, which is colonized with beneficial bacteria.

Do you have something like this at the start of your waterfall?

I think the leaf basket you are describing is a skimmer. The water flows from the pond through the opening into the leaf basket. The pump is often inside the skimmer.

And yes, for a pond your size, you have enough water flow with your current pump.

 

[sweetbeats]

No waterfall box. Geez. Okay. So it’s like our small indoor Fluval aquarium...foam particulate filter to carbon granule pouch to these, uh...white little ceramic pellet things. Sorry...I forget what they call them. But the waterfall box would have something like those porous ceramic media, yes?

 

[Lisak1]

Right. And no external filter either? No canister or pressure filter?

 

[sweetbeats]

Nope. Just the skimmer.

I’m not even sure how I would incorporate such things. The head of the falls is a pretty shallow arrangement:



Here are some test results. I haven’t had time today to research where to get the KH and GH test kits, but this is at least a start:

Pond Test
8/22/18
7:00pm
Ambient temp: 80F
Water temp: 70F
PH (high range): 8.4
Ammonia: 0.25ppm
Nitrite: 0ppm
Nitrate: 0ppm
Salinity: 4ppt

 

[Lisak1]

I don't think you need to go any further in wondering what's happening with your fish. Without any form of filtration (other than the biofilm that exists on the surfaces of the pond) I'm surprised you haven't had issues before this. And don't take this the wrong way - but I can't believe you've been dealing with a koi and pond shop and they've been giving you advice but they haven't once asked about your filter set up or maintenance routine. That to me is shocking.

I don't really know how to advice you from here. I guess a canister filter would be the fastest and easiest quick fix. Long term, you need to figure out how to get a filter on or in your pond. Every pond needs both biological and mechanical filtration - but of the two, biological is the most crucial. Your pond is missing one big link.

 

[Lisak1]

That was a late night (for me - haha!) post. I hope it didn't come off too harsh! Hang in here with us - you clearly have a desire to make this work. Lots of helpful and smart people here who can help brainstorm some ideas for getting your pond up to speed.

I mentioned a canister filter - that's an external filter that you can get set up and running in a matter of minutes. I wouldn't worry about a pretty installation - just drop a pump in the pond, run a hose to the filter and let it flow back into the pond. It has the biological media inside that will begin to grow good bacteria.

Long term I think your best approach would be a bog filter - you have the space, it's a DIY project, and they are pretty! But that's a conversation for another day!

 

[MitchM]

The salinity needs to be reduced, it should be below 0.1%. Right now it's at 0.4% 4ppt = 0.4%
That can only be accomplished with water changes, 20%/week.
If you're on municipal water supply, make sure to use Pond Prime conditioner, if you're on a well, you don't have to use Pond Prime.
Take a PH measurement 1st thing in the morning as well, before the sun has been up for too long.
The other numbers are fine.

 

[sissy]

a filter can be made from a crate ontop of a crate with a pump in the tank and a hose attached with the hose going into the top crate with quilt batting in the top crate

 

[Tula]

I'm so sorry about Crush He sure was a beautiful fish.

 

[sweetbeats]

Thanks all for the additional info and sentiments. We so appreciate it. I’ll follow up more later...sorry for the quick post...have to head to work. All the fish looked pretty good last eve so I didn’t setup a QT yet, but this morning one is flashing so I’m planning on doing that this eve after work. Wish I could do it sooner.

PH this morning looks like something between 8.4 and 8.2. The color didn’t match up to anything but it’s closest to those two color blocks on the chart. Water temp was 64F. Ambient temp 57F.

Thanks.

 

[sweetbeats]

I'm so sorry about Crush He sure was a beautiful fish.

Yes he was. I think he’s the only one we actually named. We recognize and refer to all of them by their characteristics, favorite hangouts, etc., but Crush was the first one we met when we discovered the previous owner left the koi here...he was always the scout, and he just looked like orange soda crushed glass in the sun.