Pump selection guide/article?

[sissy]

I bought laguna 4 year warranty included and low energy cost .Together both pumps a 2900 gph and a 2400 gph use less than 115 watts .I also have a 1000 gph laguna one and it uses only 40 watts,it is a skimmer pump so it uses more electricity

 

[Lawdog]

Glad to hear about the efficiency! Thank you for letting me jump into the thread and ask a personal question JBailey

 

[JBailey]

What is the reasoning behind the different recommendations for water turnover? I see some for twice the water volume per hour and some for half. Is it size, or koi vs. goldfish vs. no fish?
I have decided to go with a smaller trough pond this season, so I can get my fishies a nicer home, plus decide just where for sure I want a bigger pond. I'll still need a new pump, since my current one is tiny, but probably not a giant turbo pump.

 

[Meyer Jordan]

What is the reasoning behind the different recommendations for water turnover? I see some for twice the water volume per hour and some for half. Is it size, or koi vs. goldfish vs. no fish?
I have decided to go with a smaller trough pond this season, so I can get my fishies a nicer home, plus decide just where for sure I want a bigger pond. I'll still need a new pump, since my current one is tiny, but probably not a giant turbo pump.

The primary reason for a high turnover (1 -2 times per hour) is to quickly move the pond water that is being constantly polluted by the fish and other pond creatures through natural processes to the biofilter where nitrification and other chemical and organic processes will cleanse it. Properly sized biofiltration is an absolute must in addtion to this turn-over rate to insure optimum overall efficiency.

 

[sissy]

I called webbs and gave them the size of my pond and what kind of fish and how big they were and how long the hose was going to be and how high it had to pump and they really did help a lot .I e-mailed them first and they gave me some of the info but for 1 pump and I always use 2 pumps .never want to be stuck if one pump goes out again .One pump goes to each filter and to 2 spitters . .I read also that in the winter they can produce ammonia from there mouths ,not sure if it is true .

 

[Meyer Jordan]

I read also that in the winter they can produce ammonia from there mouths ,not sure if it is true .

Some Ammonia is produced through the degradation of fish waste but the fish themselves only produce Ammonia through respiration (gills).

 

[sissy]

I think that is what they meant but I worded it wrong .Thank you great info since most have no filters running all winter .Never thought about ammonia in the winter before

 

[Meyer Jordan]

I think that is what they meant but I worded it wrong .Thank you great info since most have no filters running all winter .Never thought about ammonia in the winter before

Ammonia levels will be relatively low in Winter months as the fish's metabolism will be reduced. Lower metabolism=less Ammonia. Moreover, Ammonia is less toxic at low temperatures. Nature will usually take care of its own............ if one lets it.

 

[sissy]

I am still trying to figure out why these pond test kits will not read right with the colder water ,but if I bring the jar in and let it sit just a few minutes the tests are OK The old kit reads the same as the new kit .Funny thing is I contacted them and they said the water if to cold can be off a little .I used to not test my old pond in the winter and only a little in the summer since it was well established .I checked the date on the new kit and that was OK so that is not it and they thought the kit could have frozen but it was shipped from Webbs during all the warm weather in December

 

[Meyer Jordan]

I am still trying to figure out why these pond test kits will not read right with the colder water ,but if I bring the jar in and let it sit just a few minutes the tests are OK The old kit reads the same as the new kit .Funny thing is I contacted them and they said the water if to cold can be off a little .I used to not test my old pond in the winter and only a little in the summer since it was well established .I checked the date on the new kit and that was OK so that is not it and they thought the kit could have frozen but it was shipped from Webbs during all the warm weather in December

Is this an issue with all parameters or only certain ones?

 

[sissy]

All are slightly off but when water is just a little warmer the tests look good .Since I have really never tested in the winter I was not sure about the tests .I did take the water to the pet store also and all tests were good .Bad thing is I read the paper when I got in the truck and some where along the line I lost the paper .I totally searched the truck from top to bottom and can't find the paper so glad I read it right then .I am going to Danville tuesday so may take more water with me .But being that it is in my truck I am sure it is not as cold as when it came out of the pond .I checked the pond water temp today and it is around 38 I think .It was cold and windy out and I did not want to stay out there long .

 

[JBailey]

I haven't done any water testing on my temp 'pond' yet. The fish look good, and I'm about to do some clean up, since it's starting to warm up here. I have hopes of moving them to a bigger trough pond this month, and I will do a small raised bog filter then. I can't wait to really get going on a habitat in stead of just a holding trough.

 

[Meyer Jordan]

All are slightly off but when water is just a little warmer the tests look good .Since I have really never tested in the winter I was not sure about the tests .I did take the water to the pet store also and all tests were good .Bad thing is I read the paper when I got in the truck and some where along the line I lost the paper .I totally searched the truck from top to bottom and can't find the paper so glad I read it right then .I am going to Danville tuesday so may take more water with me .But being that it is in my truck I am sure it is not as cold as when it came out of the pond .I checked the pond water temp today and it is around 38 I think .It was cold and windy out and I did not want to stay out there long .

I can understand why test probes may need calibration for temperature, but not liquid test kits. I have been searching the web for about a week now and can find absolutely no reference to the phenomena that you are reporting. The only test results that may change from the same sample due to temperature change would be Dissolved Oxygen. I'm baffled!

 

[EricV]

I can understand why test probes may need calibration for temperature, but not liquid test kits. I have been searching the web for about a week now and can find absolutely no reference to the phenomena that you are reporting. The only test results that may change from the same sample due to temperature change would be Dissolved Oxygen. I'm baffled!

Low temperatures slow down chemical reactions, so if you said they took 15 minutes to be accurate instead of 5 I'd believe that for sure.

 

[Meyer Jordan]

Low temperatures slow down chemical reactions, so if you said they took 15 minutes to be accurate instead of 5 I'd believe that for sure.

Yes, I understand that. What I don't understand is why Sissy is getting different results. The results may take longer to reach but they should still be the same.