September Pond Pictures and Maintenance

Posted on September 10, 2011 by esearing

The pond is still unfinished but here is a shot of its current state. You can see the rebuilt waterfall, veggie filter, black box bio filter (in back), and the waterco prefilter (on the left). You can see how the upper plants are still small but have grown about 50% this summer. With the cooler temperatures I should be able to finish the stonework as soon as my foot heals.

PondJournals.com Koi pond

Fall cleaning for the filters
I disassembled the Waterco Multicyclone-50 Prefilter today and gave it a good cleaning inside. To remove the outer ring took a few light whacks with a rubber hammer to loosen it. I broke one of the ring tabs earlier in the year using a regular hammer. Once the ring was off, I gave the plastic housing a few taps to loosen the seal. I was then able to twist and lift the top grey section off of the clear housing. I did not disassemble the grey part. I rinsed the inside of the clear housing with a hose sprayer to remove most of the buildup that has solidified on the bottom. Then used a bit of elbow grease and paper towels to remove the caked on algae. Surprisingly there was no algae build up on the holes that make the vortex assembly work. Reassembled and tightened all down again. No noticeable leaks yet, but I will keep an eye on it for the next couple of days.

I also performed the weekly cleaning of the big box filter and removed almost all of the dead algae and debris from below the mat area. The screen on top of the lower shelf, below the J-Mats is doing a good job keeping large debris below the mats. Only the bottom mat had a layer of sludge at the edges.

I cleaned the small filter that runs to the jets by disassembling it, rinsing off its sponge filters, and hosing it out completely.

Refilled the pond and performed a watertest. All is good. Added more bacteria to help fight the algae and continue to maintain the 0 nitrates. Threw a couple of the overgrown hyacinth into the pond for the fish to nibble on.

Posted in Pond Building, Pond News | Tagged , | Comments Off on September Pond Pictures and Maintenance

Fall Preparations for a koi pond

Posted on September 9, 2011 by esearing

Since the temperatures are beginning to drop here in north Georgia I have started to research and think about how my koi and pond will survive the coming winter. Fall is not the time to ignore the pond and is a great time to enjoy the fish since they look their best. Fall is also a great time for planting evergreens and doing maintenance on landscaping around the pond. Last winter we had several days of snow and sub-freezing temperatures, so preparation is warranted.

Falling Leaves
The beauty and shade of the bradford pear tree quickly turns to an ugly mess of leaves all over my yard and in my pond. I have a net to keep the leaves from falling in the main pond but some will likely fall into the upper pond so need to cover it. My skimmer should take care of any debris or leaf parts that manage to get through the net. I am thinking I may put on a second net loosely over the main net so I can pull off the leaves easily.

Bacteria
Microbe Lift makes a fall bacteria strain that continues to provide sustained biological activity even in water temperatures under 40 degrees. I should go ahead and get some now since I do not know when that will occur.

Sub Freezing Air Temperature
Fortunately here in the south we get few days below 32, and even fewer with snow. I need to research water heaters vs use of a thermal tent made of plastic. I will keep my pumps running until water temp drops below 38. My aerator should prevent water freezing over completely , supply oxygen needed, and circulate water to increase overall warmth. I am concerned about the koi dying at water temps below 34 degrees since ice may form on their gills. I have a water thermometer to monitor.

Aeronomas Alley
There are some bad bacteria that thrive in the temperatures between 45 and 55 degrees while the koi are usually dormant and their immune systems are depressed. I need to learn more about prevention and how to spot problems. I have removed my bog and will try to keep the pond free of debris where these bacteria can thrive.

Algae control
I have placed a barley bale in my filter to see if it will help fight algae now that the temps are getting cooler. I will update effectiveness later on. Currently I have clear water due to use of Algaefix.

If you have any Fall or Winter pond tips, please share them with me. Use the comments below or send me an email on the contact page.

Posted in Fish Health and Medications, Pond Building, Troubleshooting | Comments Off on Fall Preparations for a koi pond

Pond in a wooden box

Posted on September 9, 2011 by esearing

wooden box water garden or pondThis is a neat idea for a small patio pond/water garden. While you can certainly use any container this one appeals to the woodworker.
Diyideas.com has complete step by step instructions here. This box could be any shape or size as long as you can make it retain water.

Posted in Pond Building, Resources | Tagged | Comments Off on Pond in a wooden box

The color migrations of Koi

Posted on September 2, 2011 by esearing

After clearing up the green water this week I noticed my koi had different colors than previously. The asagi looked a paler blue while his reds have diminished. The kujaku’s reds and oranges have spread, but his blacks have almost disappeared. The Sanke’s blacks have intensified. The yamabuki ogon is a nice light yellow. The red on my Showa is very intense, but his black is diminishing. The gin rin butterfly looks a little pink rather than sparkly white, but his red/orange tones are well developed.

I know I changed from a color enhancing food to a growth food a few weeks ago so I’m sure that has some impact. Growth and age would obviously be another. So I did a little digging and found this artcle on the color and pattern of koi.

Here are the primary reducers/enhancers of koi color:

  • Breeding and Age – good breeding better colors with age
  • Water Quality & Conditions, Algae, pollutants – bad water poorer colors
  • Diet – Color enhancing food brings out the colors
  • Temperature – warmer temperatures diminish color
  • Sunlight exposure – can intensify color
  • Salt and medications – may reduce color vibrance
Posted in Fish Health and Medications, Resources, Troubleshooting, Wandering | Tagged , , | Comments Off on The color migrations of Koi

September Pond Conditions
9/5/2011
Water temps down to 66 degrees thanks to a recent cold front and rain. Evening temperatures are high 60s, daytime up around 80.
PH is hovering around 7 since recalibrating ph meter.
Plants are still thriving in the veggie filter.
Algae is gone since application of Algaefix. Added a barley bale to filter to help fight algae until cooler temps set in.

9/10/2011
Water temp 70*, Air temp 75*, Ammonia 0, nitrates 0, nitrates 0, PH 7.5.
All seems to be in balance, water is still mostly clear. but I added some koi clay.
Performed major cleaning of the waterco prefilter and other filters today.

9/14/2011
Water temp 67*, air temp 60-75*, PH 8.2
Some algae starting to come back. Barley bale not working even at lower temps.

09/17/2011
Water temp 68*, air temp 60-85*, PH 8.2, Ammonia 0, nitrates 0, nitrates 0
Pond losing water again, I wonder if there is a hole that gets blocked by algae sometimes or if it is just the plant expiration on the last few hot and windy days.

09/22/2011
Water temp 71*, air temp 76-80*, PH 7.9
Major rainstorm last night.
Pulled the hyacinth back about 5 inches from the top edge of the falls and the water loss is minimized. Having it at the edge may be backing up the water in the veggie filter and causing it to overflow.

9/25/2011
Water temp 72*, air temp – 70-85*, PH 8.3, Amonia 0, Nitrites 0, nitrates 0.
Reworked pipes back to jets/returns and buried pipe. Put ball valve on filter side so I can shut it down in winter if needed but keep water flowing to the jets.

Posted on September 1, 2011 by esearing | Comments Off on September Pond Conditions

PH Meter Calibration Solution

Posted on August 31, 2011 by esearing

My Pond PH seems to be creeping up lately, so I am wondering if it is truly rising or is my meter out of calibration. So this weeks purchase was $20 of calibration solutions PH 4, 7, and 10 so I can calibrate my meter. The calibration solution is a lab controlled liquid that is buffered from ph swings so it stays at the PH level you are trying to calibrate to. The solution will vary by batch, age, and by temperature, so it is a good practice to use a couple of them to test with initially. PH 7 is the most commonly purchased but some meters require 2 solutions to calibrate a high and low range properly.

To use the solutions, put a small amount in a container deep enough to insert your meter’s probe. 1 or 2 ounces is all that is required. Some meters have a calibration mode which must be activated while others merely have a set screw to turn. Read your manual for actual calibration procedures. If using two solutions to calibrate be sure to clean the probe between tests to avoid cross contamination of the calibrations solutions.

Do shop around on EBAY and Amazon if you need the solution. It varies in price widely by volume and source. I would avoid buying used solution.

Note: I used Algaefix in my pond this week to reduce the green water. It seemed to lower the PH once most of the algae was cleared. So I still have the question; Does Algae increase PH or does high PH cause more Algae.

UPDATE: After receiving my calibration solutions I found that my meter was off by .5 so my ph reading has been within reasonable limits. Now that the night time temps have cooled off so has my PH. It is only 7.0 in the morning.

Posted in Pond Building, Resources, Troubleshooting | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on PH Meter Calibration Solution

Hose timer prevents pond overflow and potential harm

Posted on August 25, 2011 by esearing

How often do we walk away from our pond with the hose running to refill the pond. We sometimes get distracted by phone calls, visiting neighbors, spousal demands, or other interruptions. Letting the hose continue to fill the pond is not only wasteful and costly, but potentially deadly to our fish due to excessive chlorine. A simple solution is to use a timer. You can use a personal timer which counts down and beeps to remind you to turn off the hose, or use a hose timer like the one at right to automatically shut off the hose after a specified time. Other timers are designed to come on at certain times of day and run the hose for a specific period. If using the auto type make sure you keep water conditioner on hand and in the pond in case of issues.

You might even consider a plumbed water line with an automated shutoff/refill valve when water reaches certain levels. This will allow you to refill the pond when doing water changes as well as top up the system frequently, compensating for evaporation and water loss. Do put a meter near the valve so you can monitor how much water is going into your pond.

Posted in Pond Building, Troubleshooting | Tagged | Comments Off on Hose timer prevents pond overflow and potential harm

Does your spouse love your fish but hate the pond

Posted on August 14, 2011 by esearing

I was called away on business for an extended period of time. Before I left I showed my daughter and wife how to operate the pond equipment. Starting and stopping the pump to clean out the leaf basket, weekly cleaning of the large bio filters, and general maintenance. It is not rocket science. Asking my daughter to clean the filters, to her, is equivalent to asking her to clean the restrooms at a rural highway gas station. However it seems the pump will not restart easily for my wife and a frog seems to be living in the spring check valve which causes the pump to have cavitation occasionally.

After an evening out at dinner, Mrs PJ came home to find the pump not working and was nearly in tears after several attempts to prime and restart. So of course it is my damn pond at this point so she calls me as I am walking back into the hotel after a very long day. Trouble shooting from 800 miles away requires a good working knowledge of every possible break point in the system. Instructions like turn this valve on, and this one off, and all the other things I would normally try is difficult to explain over the phone and only adds to her frustration. It didn’t help that she was using the smallest flashlight in the world, which of course died during the process. Turns out something was blocking the pipe near the bio filter and once that was cleared the water flowed.

I know the family loves the fish, but they are turning against the pond. Hopefully they won’t turn against me.
Note to self, install lighting for night time trouble.

Got a similar story? – Use the comments below to tell your travel pond/fish tales.

Posted in Pond News, Troubleshooting | Comments Off on Does your spouse love your fish but hate the pond

August Pond Conditions
8/3 Air Temp 90*+, Water Temp 80*, PH 8.5, Ammonia 0, Nitrite near 0, Nitrate 5
Pond water is green late in afternoon but nearly clear in mornings. PH is rising for some reason.
Using ph lower to try and reduce, added more bacteria, cleaning filters 2x per week.

8/5 good filter cleaning and 1″ rain – PH 8.3
Fish are growing faster now. Algae on falls is dying off for some reason.
Perhaps veggie filter is beginning to work, Hyacinth is blooming and growing.

8/24 Was away for 16 days on business travel. Hot days with little rain. 250+ Gallon water change and filter cleaning
Air temp 90*+, Water temp 78*, PH 8.5, Amonia 0, Nitrates/Nitrites 0.
Water is green but fish appear to be ok. Hyacinth are thriving but not enough to compete with the algae.
Adding PH Lower to try and reduce PH. Need to finish rock wall this weekend.

8/29 Added Algaefix to fight the green water. Took about 2.5 days to see bottom.
PH dropped to 8.0 and water temperature down to 76*. Will do major filter clean on 8/31.

Posted on August 7, 2011 by esearing | Comments Off on August Pond Conditions

Water Loss – Where does it go?

Posted on August 3, 2011 by esearing

All pond owners deal with loss of water that seem in explicable. Once we rule out gaping holes in our liner we begin to wonder just where all that water can go. So here are some issues you may or may not be aware of.

      Evaporation – In an open sunlight system with a black pond liner one can expect to loose about 1 inch per week due to evaporation. High temperatures and wind conditions may even raise it more.
      Plant transpiration – IF you have a veggie filter or floating pond plants like hyacinth you could be losing up to 3 more inches per week due to the effect of water use by plants. Floating plants generally have large leaves which allow the water to transpire into the air as part of the natural photosynthesis process. Here is an interesting study done on the affects of hyacinth transpiration in a controlled system. It found that tanks with hyacinth lost 3-4 times the water than just a tank with no plants.
      Siphon Action – The folds in your liner can act as a siphon. The folds form tubes for water to traverse either under pressure or because of overflow and waters innate stickiness which keeps it going. You can stop the siphon by folding liner back over itself or by placing a rock in the fold below the overflow point to widen the fold so the siphon is lost. You can also encounter a siphon by leaving a drainage tube in a pond after doing water changes and refilling. The static water pressure and air pressure changes may start the siphon process without your knowledge.
      Ground Water – The accumulation of water beneath your liner after a heavy rain can sometimes creates a water bubble under your liner. Once the ground water is reabsorbed the liner flattens again and your water level in the pond drops.
      Animals – If a herd of deer, racoons, and other critters visits your pond nightly they can drink a good bit of water in a week. Animals may also divert water in your streams such that the water does not return to the pond.

IF you have any other reasons for unexplained water loss feel free to share them in the comments section below.

UPDATE: An unusual solution that I found by accident … read more

Posted in Pond Building, Troubleshooting | Tagged , , | 1 Comment