How long leave filter running for?

[shard]

Hi
I see a number of members here have bought houses and inherited ponds, same here.
I've inherited:
- pond, roughly 2m x 1.5m or 7 foot by 5 foot
- Laguna pressure-flo filter
- Laguna max flo pump

Just got through the ice and a number of fish have died. Before the ice I couldn't get the motor working and I've had to sort out the house (also a bit broken) so it hasn't run since at least October. It was clogged up, I've unclogged it so it can't have been working before anyway (thanks last owner)

Now I've got it working but as I've had no prior interest in ponds or fish I could do with the answers to a number of questions:

1) I don't know how long to let it run or what the water should look like before or after the process? The fish look like they're coming to the surface for air so I'm guessing it must be bad
2) How often do you need to run it?
3) I've been left lots of food, is there a minimum outside temperature below which you shouldn't feed them? I -think- they're goldfish. Do they have enough sense to not eat if the food will damage them? I read something about food rotting inside them in cold weather.

Although I don't really want them I also don't want them to die so if a little effort on my part will keep them going I'm happy to do so. Besides my daughter likes them.

thanks for any reply

 

[DrDave]

Welcome to the Forum.

 

[j.w]

Shard

 

[stroppy]

its too cold to feed fish ...but they do need a whole in the ice if the water freezes, that may be the reason you lost some if you can keep your pump running with a hose going straight back into the pond that should keep it from freezing over ... your pump should be running 24/7 in the spring

 

[CometKeith]

Hi Shard, Welcome. don't feed them until the water temp is consistently over 50 degrees Fahrenheit. This is important for a number of reasons including the fish can't properly digest the food and also the pond will load up with waste before it has a chance to naturally cycle them. They may be gasping for air as the pond is low in O2. Consider setting up an air pump with an airstone about 6-10 inches below the surface. This will also help keep a hole in the ice.

 

[addy1]

You might want to test your water when you can, if it has not been filtered there is a good chance it has high levels in it.

If they are goldfish, they are pretty tough. If they are koi they are more picky about the water.

If you can run your filter, you should 24 hours a day. Was it the filter you unclogged? if not make sure you clean the filter well also.