..., c. 20 x 20 and 3 1/2 feet deep at the center. It is a joy to hear the water and watch the fish, but I am eager for our fish to thrive and be happy, so I feel I am still a pond-custodian-in-training.
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Hello Pond Friends,
QUESTION 1: So... My concern is that my four 3 year old koi seem to have NO interest in their summer food, i.e. Microbe-Lift Summer Staple. They ate it fine for the last two years. I threw out a small amount of pellets this afternoon (not for the first time) and they contentedly swam around under them but showed no interest at all. Could they be filling up on algae?! (There is plenty of THAT!) Should I be giving them blood worms or something else for protein? I have done a couple of rounds of Microbe Lift PL (friendly bacteria, I believe) last summer and this.
QUESTION 2: How can I keep my pond as healthy as possible? Should I replace a quarter of the water weekly?
Should I add a second aerator? What is your opinion on pond vacs? Should we add a pond skimmer? Is more filtration needed?
I have done my homework now and am herewith answering the list of pond-related questions asked and uploading photos of my water tests.
- Size (gallons and/or dimensions)?
around 20’ x 20’ with graded sides to a depth of 3 1/2 feet. I believe c. 9,000 gallons.
- Total number, size, and type of fish?
4 three year old koi. Just added 6 butterfly (I think) babies, 2-3 inches in length and am hoping they’re alive.
- What kind of filtration do you have and what kind of/size pump?
I have a Pond Max filter that feeds the water through a UV light (Tetra GreenFree UVC 36), up to the top of a waterfall.
The pump is a Laguna Next Generation Max-Flo 4280 Waterfall & Filter Pump
- Do you have any aeration such as an air pump or spitters to splash the surface?
There is a single aerator.
- Where do you live — what USDA zone? (This is helpful because it gives other members who live in a similar climate a chance to share and compare!)
Northern NY State. Very COLD winters. But the fish (mostly) have made it through. First winter, we used a pond de-icer. Second and third years the aerator kept a hole in the ice. However, we lost one koi during each of our second and third winters. The third (of seven) koi died, I am ashamed to say, during a pond cleaning this spring. It was a large fish, difficult to catch, and I believe the movement of the fish into a holding tub caused it excessive shock.
- How long has your pond been up and running?
3 years
- Do you test your water for ammonia, etc?
Starting TODAY (6-19-18)
- Are you on city water (treated), or well water?
well water
I recently wrote that I had added 6 small koi, I believe they must be 'butterfly koi', not fantail as I said earlier. In any event, I am hoping and praying that they are hanging out out-of-sight unharmed.