Question on fish load

[Gemma]

I need help in figuring out if my pond is over stocked, and how many fish should move to the new pond!

If I understood correctly there isn't a specific formula that works for every pond to determine the fish load it can safely support, right? So can you please help me figuring out what my particular system can support?

My pond is roughly 3,800gl, the pump is 6000gph, I have a large skimmer with a net, a mud pad and 2 additional finer pads, I have 2 bio falls (24" and 26" opening) stocked with media, a 55 UV light with its own pump
I rinse the bio falls media once a year (Spring cleaning) and the skimmer pads daily.
I test ammonia (0) and Nitrite (0) weekly.
I feed 2-3 times x day in the Summer, 1-2 in the Fall.

Fish load at the moment: 2 Shubunkins, 9 large koi, and 4 babies purchased with the intention of moving them to the other pond once ready.

The pond construction is taking longer than we thought, how long can my pond support all these fish, and should I move more than just the 4 babies, to the new pond?

@Jimmy Gibson I can't always follow threads, I didn't understand if your fish loss was a result of overstocked?

 

[MitchM]

Gemma, there is a formula for figuring out how many fish a pond can handle.
https://russellwatergardens.com/pages/koi-length-and-weight

 

[Lisak1]

BEWARE! MORE MATH!

haha! I can see why people want an easy "gallon per inch" formula. Now I gotta WEIGH these suckers? Or can I just ask them their weight? Will they be like me and shave off a few dozen pounds?

 

[MitchM]

There are two other options:

1) Eh, you're fine.
2) THAT'S TOO MANY! YOU'RE GOING TO KILL EVERYTHING!

.

 

[Gemma]

Gemma, there is a formula for figuring out how many fish a pond can handle.
https://russellwatergardens.com/pages/koi-length-and-weight

Easier said than done! ....please tell me you're kidding

I forgot to add the pond Max aerator

 

[Lisak1]

There are two other options:

1) Eh, you're fine.
2) THAT'S TOO MANY! YOU'RE GOING TO KILL EVERYTHING!

.

HA! No math! That works!

 

[Gemma]

There are two other options:

1) Eh, you're fine.
2) THAT'S TOO MANY! YOU'RE GOING TO KILL EVERYTHING!

.

Lol not helping Mitch!

That's where I've been, unable to make up my mind and choose one....but at least you gave me the two options instead of "You're over stocked"!

 

[Gemma]

Well I will definitely take the babies out and one of the large ones...that will cut the number down to 2 shubunkins and 8 koi, I think....I HATE MATH!!!!!!

 

[mrsclem]

Are you keeping both ponds? Our 2 ponds are both between 4200-4500 gal each. 7 large koi (20-32") in one and only 3 large and 9 smaller in the other. Problem is they don't like the low fish load! I rehome and they spawn!

 

[Mmathis]

Best bet, to me, would be to just monitor your water parameters, and adjust accordingly (water changes, adding Prime, etc.). Sounds like this is a temporary situation.

 

[Gemma]

Are you keeping both ponds? Our 2 ponds are both between 4200-4500 gal each. 7 large koi (20-32") in one and only 3 large and 9 smaller in the other. Problem is they don't like the low fish load! I rehome and they spawn!

Yes, I'm keeping both ponds!
I'll know soon the approx. volume of the new pond, but should be at least 6000gls, that's why I wanted to remove some fish from this pond, but hubby thinks that it will be very stressful for them to be chased, netted and put in a strange pond, also he says they have made friends over the years and they will be sad if I split them up....

 

[mrsclem]

When we built our 2nd pond, we moved about 1/3 of our fish. Strange , brand new pond but moved filter media to get things started and everybody did fine. They loved the new pond as it was so much deeper.

 

[LarryM]

Seems to me as long as your water levels test ok you are in good shape. You can always cut back on feeding and do water changes if your ammonia levels get high, but unless that happens I'd say you have nothing to worry about.

 

[Gemma]

When we built our 2nd pond, we moved about 1/3 of our fish. Strange , brand new pond but moved filter media to get things started and everybody did fine. They loved the new pond as it was so much deeper.

I was thinking I could rinse the skimmer pads over the new pond to get the cycle going

Seems to me as long as your water levels test ok you are in good shape. You can always cut back on feeding and do water changes if your ammonia levels get high, but unless that happens I'd say you have nothing to worry about.

Thank you so much! That makes me feel better!

 

[Lisak1]

And maybe some of those fish don't really like each other and would prefer a bit of separation!

 

[Jimmy Gibson]

I need help in figuring out if my pond is over stocked, and how many fish should move to the new pond!

If I understood correctly there isn't a specific formula that works for every pond to determine the fish load it can safely support, right? So can you please help me figuring out what my particular system can support?

My pond is roughly 3,800gl, the pump is 6000gph, I have a large skimmer with a net, a mud pad and 2 additional finer pads, I have 2 bio falls (24" and 26" opening) stocked with media, a 55 UV light with its own pump
I rinse the bio falls media once a year (Spring cleaning) and the skimmer pads daily.
I test ammonia (0) and Nitrite (0) weekly.
I feed 2-3 times x day in the Summer, 1-2 in the Fall.

Fish load at the moment: 2 Shubunkins, 9 large koi, and 4 babies purchased with the intention of moving them to the other pond once ready.

The pond construction is taking longer than we thought, how long can my pond support all these fish, and should I move more than just the 4 babies, to the new pond?

@Jimmy Gibson I can't always follow threads, I didn't understand if your fish loss was a result of overstocked?

Yes......definitely.....I made the biggest mistake that any first year ponder can do......too many fish when fall, cool water comes......at the beginning of our first year we had the right amount of fish, eight Koi in a 3000 gallon pond......all my bio filtration was working great.....we put lots of plants in.....ammonia and nitrates were great......then love took over my pond and suddenly I have 55 babies......they grew and we stupid enough to get a couple more fish that we came across......but even at that during all that time water chemistry was great......we ended up giving away 47 4" long Koi......so things were great still good water.....then right before the first frost I took in three more Koi that I called "Rescue fish".....because I felt sorry for them.......but even then I still had good water chemistry......but when the water cooled off and the plants died.....the bacteria died off......my pond "Crashed"......At the time of the crash I am ashamed to say I had 17 Koi a lot of them very big...... They died from a parasite...... Out of all of them only four surviving over the winter......two of them this spring I relocated to a friends farm pond that has lots of Koi in it......so right now I have 9 Koi in 3000 gallons.....two of them are going to a new home when I can catch them (nothing wrong with them just don't look like I want )..... So this winter I am going to have seven......so what I have learned is that I have an awesome bio filtration system as long as the water is warm and plenty of plants.....so I am trying to learn from my mistakes...... Less Koi means better Koi

 

[Telion]

Lol homework for me here, just saw this after posting a similar situation.

 

[Telion]

Yes......definitely.....I made the biggest mistake that any first year ponder can do......too many fish when fall, cool water comes......at the beginning of our first year we had the right amount of fish, eight Koi in a 3000 gallon pond......all my bio filtration was working great.....we put lots of plants in.....ammonia and nitrates were great......then love took over my pond and suddenly I have 55 babies......they grew and we stupid enough to get a couple more fish that we came across......but even at that during all that time water chemistry was great......we ended up giving away 47 4" long Koi......so things were great still good water.....then right before the first frost I took in three more Koi that I called "Rescue fish".....because I felt sorry for them.......but even then I still had good water chemistry......but when the water cooled off and the plants died.....the bacteria died off......my pond "Crashed"......At the time of the crash I am ashamed to say I had 17 Koi a lot of them very big...... They died from a parasite...... Out of all of them only four surviving over the winter......two of them this spring I relocated to a friends farm pond that has lots of Koi in it......so right now I have 9 Koi in 3000 gallons.....two of them are going to a new home when I can catch them (nothing wrong with them just don't look like I want )..... So this winter I am going to have seven......so what I have learned is that I have an awesome bio filtration system as long as the water is warm and plenty of plants.....so I am trying to learn from my mistakes...... Less Koi means better Koi

Wow that is tragic sorry for your loss. You mentioned so.ethi g I had not thought of being that my primary filtration is a bog filter. I would like to ask the group would it make since to run a mechanical filtration of sorts in the late fall till the fish go into a non feeding state? I anticipate a lot of my plant life will die off for the winter before the fish go dormant

 

[carolinaguy]

The weight estimate is easy. There is a graph where the entry argument is standard length, or the length from where the tail starts, the peduncle, and the nose. 13 inches is a pound. 28 is 15 pounds I think. 10 gallons a pound is a problem. 30 to 50 is common. 60 to 80 is a championship pond. Above 80 is a natural watergarden. It doesn’t sound like you are headed for a problem.

 

[Gemma]

Yes......definitely.....I made the biggest mistake that any first year ponder can do......too many fish when fall, cool water comes......at the beginning of our first year we had the right amount of fish, eight Koi in a 3000 gallon pond......all my bio filtration was working great.....we put lots of plants in.....ammonia and nitrates were great......then love took over my pond and suddenly I have 55 babies......they grew and we stupid enough to get a couple more fish that we came across......but even at that during all that time water chemistry was great......we ended up giving away 47 4" long Koi......so things were great still good water.....then right before the first frost I took in three more Koi that I called "Rescue fish".....because I felt sorry for them.......but even then I still had good water chemistry......but when the water cooled off and the plants died.....the bacteria died off......my pond "Crashed"......At the time of the crash I am ashamed to say I had 17 Koi a lot of them very big...... They died from a parasite...... Out of all of them only four surviving over the winter......two of them this spring I relocated to a friends farm pond that has lots of Koi in it......so right now I have 9 Koi in 3000 gallons.....two of them are going to a new home when I can catch them (nothing wrong with them just don't look like I want )..... So this winter I am going to have seven......so what I have learned is that I have an awesome bio filtration system as long as the water is warm and plenty of plants.....so I am trying to learn from my mistakes...... Less Koi means better Koi

Oh @Jimmy Gibson I'm so sorry!
Thank you for sharing this, your experience will help many members (me for one)
not to make the same mistakes!
More than a bio shortage, could this have been due to inadequate oxygen level?
Do you shut down your system in the winter? Do you have a pond aerator (not just a bubbler)
Not criticizing, I'm just trying to figure out the many factors that could have contribute to this tragedy

Wow that is tragic sorry for your loss. You mentioned so.ethi g I had not thought of being that my primary filtration is a bog filter. I would like to ask the group would it make since to run a mechanical filtration of sorts in the late fall till the fish go into a non feeding state? I anticipate a lot of my plant life will die off for the winter before the fish go dormant

I run my entire system (aside from UV ) non stop!
I do it to keep the water circulating, and because I'm convinced that if bacteria (perhaps not all) can live in the freezing Arctic, there's got to be some alive in ponds, in the winter...unless of course one turns off the pump and blocks oxygen supply