waterco prefilter maintenance

Posted on February 25, 2012 by esearing

I seem to clean the Waterco pre-filter about 3-4 times per year. Algae grows on the sides of the clear bottom and some sludge seems to stick to it. So I unscrew the treaded clamp that holds the top and bottom together. This usually takes a little persuasion with a rubber hammer to get it started. Then I tap gently on the clear plastic at the joint of the two halves while lifting up at the same time, until it comes apart. I then hose out as much as gunk as I can then scrub out any remaining algae on the sides.

Prefilter before cleaning:
waterco prefilter algae and sludge

Over the winter I had a few freezing days and the plastic valve that lets you drain the prefilter must have expanded with ice. It now leaks a little when the valve is open. I need to replace that.

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February 2012 Pond Conditions

2/12/2012
It has been a warm February but turned very cold very quickly the last couple of days. Pond temp went from 54* down to 42*. It was too cold to clean the filter so I drained it and topped up the pond which helped raise the temperature to 45*. With all the sunshine this week there has been an algae bloom in the veggie filter. I also threw what was left of the hyacinth in there so if we get some warm temps again it may grow on its own. pH has been around 8.0-8.2. Other parameters not checked since I am not feeding the fish.

12/13/2012
Water temp 42-45*, air 20-55*, pH 8.1
Major fluctuations in temperatures this week. Should warmup later in the week. I finally cleaned the filter pads after 9 days.

12/17/2012
Water Temp 52*, Air 45-60*, pH 7.8 (calibrated)
Took the cover off since we are expecting a few nice warm days. Moved the air diffuser to the veggie filter so I could see into the pond the next couple of days. Cleaned some of the rocks and mortar bits off the floor of the pond by sweeping them into the bottom drain. Water is clear and fish look healthy.
Also turned jets opposite direction for a few days to see if fish swim other way and straighten out their tail fins. Fed the fish but they took a while to eat it. reduced flow over the falls.

12/22/2012
Water temp 52*, air temp 50*, pH 8.1
expecting warm weather in 70’s tomorrow then cooler through the weekend. Fish are more active but still hovering near bottom when approached.

2/25/2012
Water temp 52* (reached 60* this week), air temp 35-45*(reached high of 72*)
pH 8.2, Ammonia 0, Nitrates 0, Nitrites 0, GH/KH barely reading.
Weekly water change and filter clean but doubled to give the filter a good clean out. Disassembled the Waterco pre-filter and cleaned the algae stuck to the sides. Replaced the crushed coral ($12 for 15lb bag) to prevent pH crash in the coming summer months. I think it also is what helps with the nitrification since it has a bunch of holes and rough surface area. Moved the air pump to the bio filter as an experiment.while I have no nitrates/nitrites I think it may help push the heavier algae and debris to the bottom of the filter and let the bacteria that fight algae work on it there.

2/29/2012 Leap day
Water temp 58*, Air temp 50-70*, pH 8.3, Ammonia 0, Nitrates 0, Nitrites 0, GH and KH beginning to register.
Finally getting some warmer weather. The crushed coral seems to be adding to the water hardness but only slightly. The tree above the pond is blooming so I will need to keep the skimmer running 24×7 since it tends to drop a lot of debris as the flowers bloom and spread seed. Started feeding with Saki Hikari multiseason diet today. Will monitor Ammonia and Nitrates carefully over next few weeks to insure I have adequate bio filtration.

BUDGET Water $13.86, Food $54, test strips $12, crushed corral $12, 2 Mugo pines $30, Dirt $12, New UV bulb $24.
Note for 2012 forward I plan to keep the cost of running the pond on the conditions calendar posts.

Posted on February 12, 2012 by esearing | Comments Off on February Pond Conditions

A little winter maintenance

Posted on February 3, 2012 by esearing

It was a nice warm but breezy day and a good day to do a few chores around the pond. I did my usual weekly filter cleaning, changed the bulb in the UV, and did a little planting. I now have a small leak in a ball valve for some reason but was getting too tired to fix it.

I built a 3×3 stack stone planter for a dwarf mugo pine shrub near the front left side of the pond. I added a second mugo pine near the back of the bio filter. That used up the remainder of my stones so I was able to chop up the pallet they had been sitting on and burn it. One less thing cluttering my yard. I still need to sell my old preform pond and filters.

I took the cover off for a few days while the weather is mild to let the fish benefit from the sunshine. All look well except the yamabuki ogon is a little pale.

Pond budget – 2 Mugo pines $30, Dirt $12, New UV bulb $24

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Visitor Map 2012

Posted on January 24, 2012 by esearing

Interesting look at the world of people who have found my blog searching various pond related topics. Notice it is mostly people in free countries and developed countries that are researching pond issues. I guess it could be related to English speaking too. What do you see?



Click on the image to view larger.

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My box filter

Posted on January 22, 2012 by esearing

Here are a few shots of my main filter showing the dirt buildup. It acts as a mechanical and biological filter.

Rectangular black polyethelene upflow filter with lid. It is a liquid shipping tote.
Measurements: 44” long x 29” wide x 29” tall. Holds about 100 gallons. Bottom is narrower than top. Has 1 – 2” bottom inlet, 2 – 3” outlets, bottom grate and 3 – 2” thick horizontal layers of filter matting. I added a layer of window screening between the grate and the mats. Maximum recommended flow rate: 2400 GPH. I put about 1500-1800GPH through it.







Upon observation the water flows quickly on the outlet side of the filter, but moves slowly
on the opposite corners. A little clay tossed on top cleared after a few minutes from the back corners. I may try to improve this by moving the outlet openings closer to the center.

UPDATE: I have moved my airpump into the filter box to see if the extra aeration helps with nitrification in the spring months as I begin to feed. I will need to find a method to check overall water disolved oxygen in the pond once summer hits.

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More reading for you koi enthusiasts out there

Posted on January 20, 2012 by esearing

I have added a few new links to the right under More Blogs for those of you who are seeking more resources on ponds and koi.

ThemThereKoyas is a great forum and resource offering many different view points on Pond building, filtration, koi keeping, and other general knowledge. Like all forums it has its main contributors who tend to spar with one another. In this forum they keep it less personal as they try to influence and educate others about their points.

My3Ponds Blog is a look into one pond keepers adventures and insights as he has developed 3 different ponds in South East Asia.

And last but not least is Koi Blog – Discusses Koi keeping and has some amusing articles.

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Reading – The World of Koi – Mini encyclopedia

Posted on January 9, 2012 by esearing

I spent a rainy Sunday afternoon at the library and quickly read though a copy of “The World of Koi” written by Nick Fletcher, Tony Pitham, and Keith Holmes. Though the book was written in 2005, most of the information was very good. Some of the filters they mention have had their short comings revealed and some of the newer technologies were not listed. The first part of the book deals with pond building and all the related parts and theories and why they work. It strongly encourages gravity filled filtration vs pump fed systems. It shows a couple of different building styles from Liner to concrete. Like an encyclopedia it covers all stages of filtration including mechanical and biological filters, UV sterilizers, heating, aeration, Reverse Osmosis, Ozone, water replacement, and maintenance schedules. I was surprised that the water dumps for vortex filters were encouraged daily and major mat cleanings weekly. This falls in-line with high end koi keeping guidelines to maintain the best water quality possible.

The second part of the book deals with Koi and the standard definitions of each type. It touches on some common illnesses, parasites, and pond condition ailments, but is not much more than what can readily be found on the internet today. It lightly discusses koi shows as well. The book is filled with pictures and diagrams of all the topics covered. It is a good resource to have around for planning your first or next pond. However do read up on more modern filter methods like RDF and ERIC. You can purchase this book used at amazon by clicking the link at the right.

If you have read this book and have any feedback please feel free to leave a comment below.

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January 2012 Pond Conditions

1/3/2012
Water Temp 42-44*, Airtemp 21-45*
The water temp hit a low of 42 degrees with air temps below freezing temps overnight. The cover is fogging up and may need more plastic layers to hold in the heat. I am considering adding a heater. Elecro heaters are now hitting the US Market at $559 for a 2KW model. Fish seem ok but are hovering at bottom. Pump is off, but I will turn it back on this weekend when air temps hit 60’s again. PH measured 8.7 but I think I need to recalibrate the meter. Coldness will prevent any issues related to high PH.

1/7/2012
Water temp 48*, airtemp 55*,
Removed two inch rocks that were blocking the bottom drain. They got sucked in and made it as far as the first elbow and lodged themselves in very well. I had to disassemble the pipe works in the pond which was very cold messy work. The no-kink pipe was covered with algae and the threaded joints were basically glued together with crud.

1/11/2012
Water Temp 56*, airtemp 50-65*
Rainy but warm the last few days. Water temp has climbed slowly and fish have become a little more active. Colder weather expected next few days. Minimal maintenance required since cover is keeping out most of the leaves and falling debris from the trees.

1/15/2012
Water Temp 46-48*, Airtemp 38-55* sunny, PH 7.8, Ammonia 0, Nitrites/Nitrates 0, water is very clear.
Recalibrated PH meter, it was off by .4. Tap water pH is 7.3. Pond PH seems a little lower than usual, likely because I have not been running water over the falls which contains mortar. Started pumps again since we are above freezing temps and getting good sunlight. Did not restart UV incase it was damaged by freezing. Have water slowly running through upper filter/falls to reduce cold air exposure. Replaced plastic on the cover with 6Mil and added more width and length to help keep wind from getting under the frame.

1/22/2012
Water temp 50*, Airtemp 50*, PH 7.9
It has been raining and warm last few days. Water temp has stayed right at 50*.

1/25/2012
Water temp 50*, Airtemp 40-60*, PH 8.4
Sunny for a couple of days finally. I may need to find a grid material to support the plastic on my cover better when it rains. Over the last couple of rains I have developed small wells between the frame cross beams and lifting the frame to dump the water is very difficult. Still needs to allow sunlight to pass. Clear polycarb panels would do it but they are $20 each at my local hardware store. Perhaps changing the angle would help too.
Not sure why I am getting a PH spike.

1/27/2012
Water temp 54* Airtemp 38-60*, PH 8.1
Checked Ph meter and it is accurate. PH spike reduced. Cleaned filters and swept out bottom of filter to get rid of extra algae. Uncovered pond and looked at fish, all seem healthy. The Butterfly koi’s fins are very long and thicker than before. The showa is getting a nice torpedo shape. It was a lovely warm day to fiddle with the pond.

BUDGET: Water $12, plastic $10

Posted on January 5, 2012 by esearing | Comments Off on January Pond Conditions

winter pond cover

Posted on December 31, 2011 by esearing

Today I built a winter pond cover to help hold in the warmth and reduce air to surface cooling due to wind. Sub freezing weather is expected this week so it will be interesting to see how low the water temp gets. I also painted all my above ground pipes a dark green which makes them less noticeable than the white PVC and they may absorb more heat on those sunny winter days.

I built the wooden frame cover using pine 2x4s and 2x2s and designed it to sit on the edges of my pond. I used untreated pine. Ten foot 2x4s span the long side (9 feet) and the 2x2s are notched into the 2x4s on the short side (8 feet). The finished frame is 10′ x 8′ and sits a few inches from the back wall/waterfall while the pump is running. The cross of the wood beams forms rectangles 28″ x 22″. The edges of the frame are joined using hanging bolts with wing nuts so I can disassemble it in the summer months, or I may use it as bird net frame to keep herons out.

I stretched 9’x12′ 2 mil plastic sheeting over the frame and used the wingnuts to hold down the plastic. The frame is raised at one end due to the height of the skimmer cover, but that also allows water to run off during rain. If it snows I will cover the frame with a tarp since I doubt the thin plastic will support the weight.

Total cost of frame materials, bolts and wing nuts, plastic, and paint was just under $50. It took about 4 hours to build mainly due to the notching of the 2x2s into the 2x4s.

Pond Cover - wooden frame with 6 mil plastic

UPDATE: Overnight temps reached 21*F with a howling wind, but the pond stayed around 48*F.
1/14/2012: upgraded plastic to 6mil and added duct tape to reinforce connection points. Increased size of plastic to about 10’x15′ which gives more overlap for wind resistance. Cost + $10.

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December Pond Conditions
12/04/2011
Water Temp 45-50*, Air Temp range 35-60*, PH 8.3, Ammonia 0, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 0.
Weekly filter cleaning was fairly easy since there was not much debris. Algae still grows in the filter box for some odd reason on the screen below the mats. Water is clear since adding the UV Sterilizer.
I cut back the Iris leaves and other surviving water plants in my plastic container. I have a couple of hyacinth in there also to see if they will make it through the winter. Hyacinth in pond is starting to turn brown on the leaves so may pull it out in next couple of weeks.

12/10/2011
Water temp 50-52*, Air temp 38-62*, PH 8.2
Usual weekly bio filter pad clean out and I removed all the hyacinth because it was turning brown. I also removed a pile of leaves that were accumulating along a crease near the bottom. I found a small tear in the rubber liner in the veggie filter near the waterline with root coming through it. I imagine on rainy days it would be a source of leakage since water level would be slightly higher. Patched that. I am wondering if my Asagi (Blue) is having some issues. His tail area thins the bloats again and is a little red. I added some anti-bacterial medication to the pond today so hopefully that will straighten him out if that is the issue.

12/15/2011
Water Temp 52-56*m, Air temp 48-70*, ph 8.1, Ammonia 0, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 0.
This has been an unusual warm week for December, last year it snowed on Christmas day. I have a stress fracture in my foot so it will be interesting cleaning the filters this week in my plastic boot. I did a partial dump of the filters yesterday to keep things a little cleaner. Leaves are still sneaking into the pond but seem to be breaking down really fast. All leaks seem to have stopped. No change to overall conditions since removing the hyacinth.

12/24/2011 – Christmas eve
Water temp 52*, air temp 40*
Weekly filter cleaning. It is hard to clean those mats while so cold but the needed it. I found two frogs in the leaf basket this week. One lived, one didn’t. Fish are looking very healthy and have put on their best color of the season. The butterfly has changed his head color to darker orange almost red while his body color is a sparkling orange and white. The kujaku’s orange has migrated down his body as he has grown. The Asagi is developing more red on the bottom. The yamabuki ogon is a lovely light yellow. THe Sanke and Showa are sporting their best reds and black against gleaming white skin. Water temp has varied between 50 and 60* with the constantly changing weather this week. Almost no algae growing on the rocks but the sides of the pond have a nice green sheen.

12/28/2011
Water Temp 45*, Airtemp 35*F
Cold wet weather has set in this week. High today will only reach around 50* but is very windy so feels colder. I turned off the pump and have just left the air pump running. I will build a cover this weekend to help hold in ground heat.

12/31/2011
Water temp 49-52*, Air temp 45-60*
Added cover since colder air is expected later this week.

Posted on December 14, 2011 by esearing | Comments Off on December pond conditions