Yep, can see pictures good now.
Not for sure on your filters. If they work, then it's all good.
If ya start registering any ammonia levels, then this mean your bio-filter is failing. Bio-filter's job is to make ammonia disappear. It could be failing due to immature, small benefical bacteria colonies or filter needs to be improved or replaced. If your water is in the 72*F water temp range and 7.5~8.5pH range, then should only take 2~3 weeks for the bacteria colonies to be matured well enough to process a good ammonia load; otherwise, it will take longer for the bacteria to mature.
i tested my water last night and my nitrates are pretty high
High nitrates can mean one of two things ... :
1) bio-filter is working ... or ...
2) your tap water is high in nitrates
Plants will reduce the nitrates if your tap water is high in nitrates. If tap water is ok, then I would just do water changes if ammonia levels are ok.
Also, opinions will vary, but IMO, you ARE over populated for your pond size.
Water quality determine whether you are overpopulated, not the pond size. Hotel and restaurant aquariums are extremely overpopulated, but these aquariums have very quite extensive, compact bio-filtering and automatic dosing machines when KH falls too low. Ecosystem capacity for fish is determined by their water quality.
sorrry i dont have the exact numbers all i have is the test strips. the two things i bottom didnt give me any numbers just colors. man now i realize i dont know as much as i thought haha.
Test strips are simple, quick and easy way to figure out if everything is still ok. When test strips raise red flags, then best to use liquid test kits such as API freshwater test kit; this kit has everything in it and ya can find it in most pet stores like Petsmart.
is it possible to that he has too high of a flow going through the filter? With having two pumps?
The most efficient bio-filters involve high water flows since the flow helps to clean the bio-medium to prevent crud buildup. Crud buildup can get thick enough, killing beneficial bacteria. As long as there is no crud being pushed through his mechanical filters, no immense level of crud entering his bio-media during cleaning of the mechanical filters, then a high flow is no problem. If curious, so ya know, the wet/dry portion helps to provide constant O2 penetration to help bacteria do their job better; this way bacteria isn't taking any O2 away from the fish.
maybe add bubber to get more oxygen in water?
That'd be a very good idea to do as well. Put in a bubbler or aerator or something to cause some healthy water stirring, that is pushing the water from the pond's bottom to the top, will help improve oxygenation.
now im worried or happy that could be the problem. and yes there are alot of smilarities between an aquarium and a pond since they are both pretty much closed systems. the good thing about koi is that they are hardy and usually take alot but they grow fast and they produce alot of waste. so i would say thats the main difference but with both the filters have to mature in order for the water and fish to be healthy.
