Help me please...koi are dying

[sweetbeats]

I'm doing some reading/research. I am pretty upset the previous owner and the contractor she hired didn't put the waterfall filter in...how could they miss that?? And it looks like, if I want to purchase a purpose-built waterfall filter that will support a pond the size of mine and the pump flow we have it will be about $700 or more. Angry.

 

[sweetbeats]

Maybe I can use something like this with Matala pads:

https://www.123ponds.com/f060.html?...s6SiMine2QxrjRQ2A9vKUC4aqbuNB6VgaAiprEALw_wcB

There will be some significant work of at the head of the falls as far as moving rock, digging, etc., but...yeah...

 

[Mmathis]

I'm doing some reading/research. I am pretty upset the previous owner and the contractor she hired didn't put the waterfall filter in...how could they miss that?? And it looks like, if I want to purchase a purpose-built waterfall filter that will support a pond the size of mine and the pump flow we have it will be about $700 or more. Angry.

The pond itself is fine. The infrastructure simply wasn’t well thought out. It would be nice if there was a way to provide input/feedback to the builder/contractor, especially since this is apparently the first attempt at a pond. People aren’t going to know how to improve things if they don’t get feedback. As you’ll hear us say over and over — we learn from our own mistakes....and the mistakes of others. But, if you don’t know that you screwed up, you’re going to keep making the same mistakes!

 

[sissy]

Your welcome I have used that method for years now .I use window screening for lots of stuff around and in the pond .Lets hope you get threw all this

 

[Tula]

Just my opinion........and I'm in the same boat as you, my water fall ( while gorgeous ) was mortared into place and doesn't hold bio media ) but pushing that much water through the Savio waterfall weir , using just the matala pad......it'll clog pretty quickly.

Maybe I'm missing something....is this a waterfall weir with a pad, that doesn't hold bags of media such as bio balls?

 

[sweetbeats]

Just my opinion........and I'm in the same boat as you, my water fall ( while gorgeous ) was mortared into place and doesn't hold bio media ) but pushing that much water through the Savio waterfall weir , using just the matala pad......it'll clog pretty quickly.

Maybe I'm missing something....is this a waterfall weir with a pad, that doesn't hold bags of media such as bio balls?

Hmmm, yes...it looks like it is designed to hold a filter mat only and no other media. Not that it couldn't be loaded with lava rock instead or something like that, but it looks like the volume of the weir that can hold biofilter media is less than a cubic foot...that won't work.

 

[Tula]

I personally like your idea of just adding some bags of bio media for now. It certainly can't hurt and allows you some time to figure out things Media does best when mechanically cleaned water flows over it, so if yours gets dirty quickly, just swish it out in a bucket of pond water.

 

[sweetbeats]

What if I went back to my original idea of damming the pool at the head of the waterfall and filled that with lava rock? The pump outlet would be at the back of the pool, and the water would flow through the lava rock. The flow would be dispersed by the dam, and I think I could fit maybe 6 cubic feet of lava rock in there...might that work?

 

[Tula]

Another thing, if the pump repair is expensive, could you put in a less powerful, less expensive pump in the other skimmer? I think getting some circulation on that side of your pond would eliminate "dead areas".

 

[Tula]

What if I went back to my original idea of damming the pool at the head of the waterfall and filled that with lava rock? The pump outlet would be at the back of the pool, and the water would flow through the lava rock. The flow would be dispersed by the dam, and I think I could fit maybe 6 cubic feet of lava rock in there...might that work?

It can't hurt, so I say try it. Just make sure to put it in a mesh bag ( laundry bags work ) so you can rinse in pond water easily etc.

 

[sweetbeats]

I personally like your idea of just adding some bags of bio media for now. It certainly can't hurt and allows you some time to figure out things Media does best when mechanically cleaned water flows over it, so if yours gets dirty quickly, just swish it out in a bucket of pond water.

Is lava rock a good media? And will any lava rock do or are there particular types?

 

[Tula]

Lots of people use lava rock I've also heard about feather rock, bio balls, Savio uses a strapping type material and an excellent, but expensive media is Momotaro Bakki House Media.

I used some cermedia ( sp?) some years back and had problems with it disintegrating.

 

[addy1]

I have used lava rock, used it with my AZ pond that was 14000 gallons. It worked just fine. I think @sissy uses it also.

 

[addy1]

will any lava rock do or are there particular types?

I used the kind you can buy by the bag at home depot, lowes

 

[MitchM]

I just watched the pond overview video.
That's a really nice looking pond!
But - It does look like there are a few areas where surface runoff can enter the pond which will present some water quality challenges. If you could either dig a small trench around the pond or build up a small berm that would ensure the majority of surface water would run away from the pond, that would make things easier for you.
If you're sure surface water isn't entering the pond, don't worry about a berm or trench.
I don't understand where your overflow comes into play. Would you be able to post a picture where the overflow exits the pond?
You have so many great plants and bushes around your pond, I don't think feeding the fish will be necessary. I think you'll have plenty of natural food available from various insects that inhabit those bushes plus the vegetation that falls in and the algae that will grow.
Maybe some cattails or variegated flags can help with water quality.
Anywhere you can circulate water and use some filter material to trap detritus that can then be removed will work.