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Home: KOI Talk: Pond Construction & Water Filtering System:
New Pond may need Help

 





 


acuygongco
Koi Lover


Feb 3, 2007, 4:08 PM

Post #1 of 15 (1430 views)
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New Pond may need Help Can't Post
Hello to All,

Its my first time to have ever joined any forum online, but i have read tons of topics and informations from forums and other sights, before i decided to build my first ever koi pond. and just after i introduced my kois, they began spawning in the pond, my 42cm doitsu, filled the whole pond with its eggs, and as a novice in koi rearing, I was really taken by surprise!!! Then after two or three days after spawning, my water turned green. It has been 3 weeks after that incident and my water has a little bit cleared but still could not see the bottom.

I have a 1.8m x 2.4m x 1.4m depth pond and a 4 chamber filter system, first chamber has a foam buffer just to trap the floating debris coming from the bottom drain, and a DIY micro screen filter with filter matts inside for clarifying purpose, before it goes to the 2 biofilter chambers, which has 40mtrs of fish nets each, the last chamber is the pump chamber, which now has been filled with water lettuce on top.

is my filter setup ample enough for my pond? I'm planning to have 7 kois all in all in the future(now i only have 4 of them, 1 42cm, 1 35cm and 2 30cm.

what to do with the green water? its clearing up since then, but just last jan. 30, they spawned again? what to do?

I covered the whole pond with tarpolin by the way, for three days now, it might have worked because my pond water has turned from pea soup green, to clear water with a little green tint. but still can't see the bottom! (unlike in the pics where the kois are almost at the bottom playing)

thank you in advance and hope to hear your expert advices soon! Happy Ponding!!!


Canovas
New User


Feb 4, 2007, 5:56 PM

Post #2 of 15 (1413 views)
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Re: [acuygongco] New Pond may need Help [In reply to] Can't Post
Your problem has a easy solution. You only need to buy a UVC lamp. You can find it in your usual pond shop.

Wink


acuygongco
Koi Lover


Feb 4, 2007, 11:51 PM

Post #3 of 15 (1406 views)
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Re: [Canovas] New Pond may need Help [In reply to] Can't Post
Thanx for the advice Canovas. i'll try to find one here. but would you know how much wattage ill need? ive computed my pond volume at 1,430gal plus filter volume of 470 gal. thanks again!


Koi38
Senior Member


Feb 5, 2007, 7:29 AM

Post #4 of 15 (1400 views)
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Re: [acuygongco] New Pond may need Help [In reply to] Can't Post
I have a 1.8m x 2.4m x 1.4m depth pond and a 4 chamber filter system, first chamber has a foam buffer just to trap the floating debris coming from the bottom drain, and a DIY micro screen filter with filter matts inside for clarifying purpose, before it goes to the 2 biofilter chambers, which has 40mtrs of fish nets each, the last chamber is the pump chamber, which now has been filled with water lettuce on top.

From your description of your filter, sound like you don't have enough surface area for the beneficial bacteria to thrive on also you didn't mention you water turn over rateTongue Contact Mr Mike Hernandez, he should be able to help regarding filter materials available in the PhilsWink You have a DIY micro screen with filter mattsCrazy how do you clean this??? Have you seen mineCool Try to use the last chamber as well, remember the biofilter the better for your koiSmile

Btw, UV Clarifiers will help with green water but without ample or more biofilters it will struggle and you can use 35watts.

rgds,
Jon


"DuKu Friendly"
_____________________________________
"No one is ever too old to know better"

http://s3.photobucket.com/albums/y63/Koi38/


acuygongco
Koi Lover


Feb 5, 2007, 11:58 AM

Post #5 of 15 (1389 views)
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Re: [Koi38] New Pond may need Help [In reply to] Can't Post
Thanks for the post Jon,


here's my modest pond, water turnover rate is roughly once every 1.5hrs, not so sure with it thoughAngelic, im using a 90L/min Showfou Submersible. i think im using full eficiency from the pump because it returns mid pond fro the last chamber, and only 2 40mm elbows restricting its flow.

About the filter matts, i think its not the right name for it Crazy, its the white, fibrous material that we usually see in TT for aquariums, that i have to clean daily for now by washing, to free up the sludge that has accumulated in it for the whole day, no solids just the greenish and brownish sludge trapped in it, i think its the algae. I would really appreciate it if you could let me see your Set Up. i think it would enlighten me a lot. email ac.uygongco@gmail.com

the choice of filter media (fish Nets) has really been affected by my friends here who are somehow successful with their ponds. but i would be trying to contact mr. hernandez for some new filter media available that i could incorporate in my system.

would a DIY Plastic Crate TT benifit me? and what to put in it? bio balls are just too expensive, they sell it here at P18.00 ($.40) per piece.

Hope to hear from you soon Jon. thanks and happy ponding!Cool

my Doitsu, showa and Yellow Ogon, playin' around just before she spawned and turned my once clear water to green! Unsure



Koi38
Senior Member


Feb 5, 2007, 5:16 PM

Post #6 of 15 (1379 views)
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Re: [acuygongco] New Pond may need Help [In reply to] Can't Post
I know which filter you were talking about. It wool like fiber. Do you have any pics of the filter itself like your micro screen set up? You can also ask Mr. Mike Romero about filter media, he just won the 1ST FILIPINO TO WIN THE KOKUGYO AWARD IN THE ALL JAPAN SHOW!!! How cool is thatCoolCoolCool

TT will benefit you. You can use Lava rocks, it's way cheaper than bio balls but then again I wouldn't know if you can get them there and how muchCrazy Some koi keepers here uses onion bags as filter media and they work tooWink

Water keepers will tell you that minimum water turn over should be at least once per hr, the higher the better meaning will remove waste quicker out. Mine is 1.5 times per hrWink

You can check my pond, under my signature is the linkSmile

rgds,
Jon



"DuKu Friendly"
_____________________________________
"No one is ever too old to know better"

http://s3.photobucket.com/albums/y63/Koi38/


acuygongco
Koi Lover


Feb 5, 2007, 11:55 PM

Post #7 of 15 (1369 views)
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Re: [Koi38] New Pond may need Help [In reply to] Can't Post
Hi Jon,

I will dare post my DIY Microscreen, with Fiber Mats, i'm not so proud of it thoughBlush, just had to make it out of necessity after they spawned and turned everything green. i just thought keeping more solids out of the bio filter would give my bacteria time to react on the overload of spawning. Crazy but hey, as they say, if it works don't bother bout the looks!Cool i used a polyester type clothing screen, and glued it all over the plastic hamper. (stop laughing please.Unimpressed)

I might add a new pump though, solely for the water supply of the TT Project ill be working on soon. and yes i might just be using the net again for it. until i can go to Manila and get Lava rock there. straight from the source, the newly erupted and subsided Mayon Volcano.

thanks for the sound advices Jon, hope someday i could do the same to others while learning some more.


Notice the better (not so Green) water at the second chamber, and all the green and brown colored sludged trapped by the fiber mat!!! hahaha successSly sorry, its just that after 1.5weeks of green water, and for the first time, just tonight, i saw my koi's again, playin around and enjoying themselves! hopefully it's not the spawning ritual again!Crazy


acuygongco
Koi Lover


Feb 6, 2007, 12:48 PM

Post #8 of 15 (1355 views)
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Re: [Koi38] New Pond may need Help [In reply to] Can't Post
Hi Jon,

just visited your site. wow awsome piece of DIY workWink. can i copy the design from you? how long did it take you to complete it? hopefully in my next post i could show you something like dat!Laugh

thanks again!

Water is a bit cleaner now! but it smells fishy sometimes, but be doing water change this weekend. so hopefully everything would be clean and clear by then.Angelic


Koi38
Senior Member


Feb 6, 2007, 6:12 PM

Post #9 of 15 (1346 views)
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Re: [acuygongco] New Pond may need Help [In reply to] Can't Post
Hey please do not copy mine.............make better onesWink

It took me about 3 months to build my pondPirate, mind you I had me, myself and I who did all the workLaughTongue

Regular filter cleaning will help not prevent green water. A lot of thing can contribute green water. By adding more filters, providing shades, filter cleaning, reducing stocking level will all help. Your last resort like the most of us will be UV Clarifiers.

If yuor filter smells foul, it means you have a lot of unwanted stuff in there and needs cleaning asapSmile


rgds,
Jon

"DuKu Friendly"
_____________________________________
"No one is ever too old to know better"

http://s3.photobucket.com/albums/y63/Koi38/


acuygongco
Koi Lover


Feb 6, 2007, 10:57 PM

Post #10 of 15 (1344 views)
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Re: [Koi38] New Pond may need Help [In reply to] Can't Post
Thanks Jon.

I think so too!!! have drained all 4 chambers earlier, a lot of sludge came out, and also cleaned out the filter foam in the 1st chamber, man it was dirty!Mad can't see my hands while washing it!

finished mine in 1.5 months, of course with hired help, a lot of cement mix was poured into it! but i did the paint job myself and the brick aesthetic along the pond.

ill try to do dat... hopefully it would be the same as yours (DIY MS)! cause i know it'll get worst dan yours.Sly btw, should the MS be sliding up and down the outlet pipe?

here they are swimming around the pond this pm! they did appreciate the much clearer water. Smile



Koi38
Senior Member


Feb 7, 2007, 12:35 AM

Post #11 of 15 (1339 views)
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Re: [acuygongco] New Pond may need Help [In reply to] Can't Post
btw, should the MS be sliding up and down the outlet pipe?
That's how I made mine. It floats as per water level but can only go so low and it will stop spinning so I'm thinking of modifying the MS sometime this yearWink

Do you air in your pond and biofilter??? Its good for your koi and good bugs specially in warmer weather/climateSmile

rgds,
Jon

"DuKu Friendly"
_____________________________________
"No one is ever too old to know better"

http://s3.photobucket.com/albums/y63/Koi38/


acuygongco
Koi Lover


Feb 7, 2007, 2:10 AM

Post #12 of 15 (1337 views)
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Re: [Koi38] New Pond may need Help [In reply to] Can't Post
-Do you air in your pond and biofilter??? Its good for your koi and good bugs specially in warmer weather/climateSmile

Yes Sir, but, i think, i have to upgrade my three puny aeratorBlush, into one BIG one. currently i have one unit with two airstones in the pond and the rest (2) are in CH2 and CH3 powering two airstones in each chamber. but for now hope it suffice. usually what i do is, i turn off the venturi return, at around 5pm each day, and start my overhead pipe return to the pond, (not really concerned with looks right nowFrown, just too busy with workPirate) that way im airing the water naturally back to the pond, this ill do until i'm finish with the TT Project, hopefully soon.

and yup, its very hot here! Crazy hopefully my carpenter would be done with the structure and support for my trellis type roof, which i plan to cover up with tarpolin, to really provide cover over the pond the whole day! my pond is at full sunlight.Blush

what mods are you trying out for your MS?

thanks Jon


Koi38
Senior Member


Feb 7, 2007, 7:03 AM

Post #13 of 15 (1332 views)
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Re: [acuygongco] New Pond may need Help [In reply to] Can't Post
Not sure what to do with my MS, I just want something diff. I will be remodeling my SC this coming winter and adding more biofilter and maybe shower or TT. Will see how the budget permit my planTongue With your air pump, I run 2 air pumps(60Lpm & 100Lpm) I like it this just in case one failed I still have the other to provide O2Smile

rgds,
Jon

"DuKu Friendly"
_____________________________________
"No one is ever too old to know better"

http://s3.photobucket.com/albums/y63/Koi38/


acuygongco
Koi Lover


Feb 7, 2007, 11:48 AM

Post #14 of 15 (1321 views)
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Re: [Koi38] New Pond may need Help [In reply to] Can't Post
I really have to redo my Filter set up first, maybe something more like yours on your page, but of course ill be trying different medias, cause its much too expensive buying here specially the once that are really used for ponds. Unsure like japanese matting, bio balls and all. Budget Constraints vs. Happy Koi vs. Happy me... can't have it all Wink

Update! Pond water today... Clean and Clear with a little debris here and there, but most importantly, i can see the bottom of my pond now!
thanks Jon for all the sound advices, and cool pictures at your sight, it has truly helped me out.

by the way have you read Mr. Chong's article about Ponds, Filter Media purely for debris collection (mechanical use).

till next post.


Koi38
Senior Member


Feb 7, 2007, 8:35 PM

Post #15 of 15 (1303 views)
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Re: [acuygongco] New Pond may need Help [In reply to] Can't Post
Yep, I've read Mr Chong's post. From what I've gathered so far, there are 2 types of filtration:
Mechanical filter - like SC, MS, static media, etc - dealing with solids.
Biological filter - like jmatts , K1, HSA or Bioflow9, BH, bioballs, etc, pretty much any non toxic material that biological bacteria can colonize. This will deal you water chemistry like PH, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, kH & gH.

The last one not sure where it belongs to but something to polish the water. Now I've never use/seen this type of filter so can't comment much about it.Smile

My 2 cents onlyAngelic

rgds,
Jon

"DuKu Friendly"
_____________________________________
"No one is ever too old to know better"

http://s3.photobucket.com/albums/y63/Koi38/

 
 
 



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