Heron emptied my pond, chance to improve

[j.w]

@sterobbo99 go here and look at @addy1 's shubunkin fish. When you get to that page scroll down: https://www.gardenpondforum.com/threads/whatcha-doing-today.22400/page-69#post-395026

 

[Doghouse Riley]

Koi aren't suitable for small pools, Mine is 12' X 9' X 5' and holds over 2,500 gallons, it has a bottom drain and a 40 gall purgeable pump sump. The filter holds another 160 gallons.
I have a UV sterilizer and a 1000 lph air pump, which run 24/7.

This tancho sanke of mine is over 2ft long. They don't all grow at the same rate

It came along with others in this box, overnight by carrier, seven years ago. The supplier has since ceased trading.

in this poly bag. They were all about 5 to 7 inches in length and cost £10 each.

 

[sterobbo99]

Thanks for your replies, them Shubunkin look the type of thing I'd like. I've only managed to look in the pond today as it was dark when I got home last night and there are actually 2 of the fish still there so not as bad as first feared. I have a net being delivered today so I'll get that up asap and hopefully that will protect them.

Anyone have any comments on the products I linked in the previous post? Just want some feedback as to if they are the right thing to get my water quality right if I change a portion of it out.

Cheers

 

[Doghouse Riley]

The pump you've chosen will be fine

If you're buying a pump which is combined with a filter. It's best to put it on say a couple of bricks on the bottom of your pond. It will reduce the number of times you will have to clean the filter.
Remember "koi's law" .....
(it's a running thread I started years ago on another forum where other koi keepers add the mishaps that occur with their pools. It's had 113 responses and over sixteen thousand hits).

.....states, that; " any leaf that falls from a tree or bush in the gardens in your road is likekly to end up in your pond."

A pond of less than 100 gallons will be more susceptible to water quality changes. So you'll need to keep any eye on it. The temptation with us all, is to over-stock a small pond.

 

[sterobbo99]

Just a quick update, my water test kit came today and I managed to test for pH and ammonia before coming to work. pH was 7 and ammonia was .2ppm so not too bad. I guess having 0 ammonia is more desirable but from reading up .2 isn't a huge issue if the pH is ok. What's the best way of getting that down?

No sign of the heron for the last few days so hopefully it has moved on from our area. I'm going to look at getting a few goldfish and shubunkin this week once I have ran all the water tests and am happy everything seems ok.

 

[sissy]

just let it go for now but zeolite works to bring down ammonia and crushed oyster shells are great to keep ph stable

 

[sissy]

I bought this at walmart for 2 dollars and put zeolite and crushed oyster shells in them .They were clearance out again this year and have a thermometer in them also this year .They just float around and do the job

 

[sissy]

they are for swimming pools so you might be able to find them where you live

 

[j.w]

I have a couple of those @sissy leftover from and above the ground swim pool. Mine don't have a temp gauge tho. Neat idea putting stuff for the pond in them!

 

[sissy]

been doing it since 2007 when my sister and her hubby took down their pool and I saw they had 3 of them that were still brand new and asked if I could have them before they threw them away

 

[ki5ka]

I I have seen koi .. 8 feet long ...

?

 

[sterobbo99]

Right sorry for going missing for a few days, been really busy!

Managed to tidy up the pond and have done a full water sample today. Here are the results:

pH - 8 ( I changed around 1/3 of the water yesterday so I'm guessing that is why the pH has gone up from the other day, will keep testing though)
Ammonia - .2
Nitrite - between 0 and .25
Nitrate - between 0 and .25
KH - 6dH
GH - 9dH

If anyone has any comments advice as to whether I need to address anything please feel free to educate me!
From the small info on my test kit everything seems somewhere near but as i've said before i'm a total novice

Cheers

 

[sissy]

?

eric the ponddigger had one on you tube video