Papa's Pond

[Steve H.]

I helped my father build a pretty extensive koi pond. And by helped I mean I was basically the manual labor. I dug the dirt, helped with the plumbing, carried all stone, and basically did everything that required getting dirty.
I didn't know what the heck the skimmer did, or why we were installing a huge 200 gallon Rubber Maid tub dividing it into chambers that we were filling with lava rock, sponges, and bits of broken pvc. But, when it was done it really was beautiful with a huge waterfall, and even a foot bridge to cross a small portion to get to a viewing patio. The grandchildren named it "Papa's Pond".

I recently inherited "Papa's Pond". I would like to keep it going in his memory. Luckily I know how to get it up and running, and do most of the basic maintenance work to keep it running.

However, I never learned hogw to shut it down for the season. I don't think I did everything I should have. I didn't drain the filter, remove the pump and store in the garage, and I'm pretty sure therer is filter media and net frozen solid in the skimmer.

I did remember to get in the air bubbler to keep a hole in the ice open during the winter.

2 questions:
Is this pond going to make it until spring???
And
String algae was always a huge problem that I would like to avoid next summer. I live 40 min. Away and can't dedicate the time to rake it out every week. It also clogs the filter media in the skimmer constantly which stops the flow of water getting to the pump.
Any steps I can take to rid the pond of this???

Any help would be appreciated!
I am hoping to find a go to person with the many questions that I'm sure I will have.

Thanks!!

 

[Steve H.]

We have had a pretty favorable winter, and got over to inspect the pond.

It looks like I might have to start from scratch. There are a ton of leaves in there breaking down. The water is foul smelling, and I just don't see the koi being able to make it. I would assume with all the organics breaking down the ammonia level is insane.

 

[Sam-Baker]

Warning although aerators are good for holes depending on how deep the pond is you are proabably just going to chill the water as you pump cold air though it. This could kill the koi I would just leave it and if it sfreezes over a little salt in some areas will do the trick but never crack the ice as the sound and shock can stress and kill the fish! I

We have had a pretty favorable winter, and got over to inspect the pond. Why your turning the setup off over winter I do not know?? how deep is the pond what is your average winter temp and how many fish and at roughly what size are they.

Any other questions id be happy to answer, Ive had a koi pond for 3 years havent turned anything off for more than a couple of hours ever, I run a nexus eazy pod from evoultion aqua and i keep 17 koi so...


It looks like I might have to start from scratch. There are a ton of leaves in there breaking down. The water is foul smelling, and I just don't see the koi being able to make it. I would assume with all the organics breaking down the ammonia level is insane.

 

[Steve H.]

Warning although aerators are good for holes depending on how deep the pond is you are proabably just going to chill the water as you pump cold air though it. This could kill the koi I would just leave it and if it sfreezes over a little salt in some areas will do the trick but never crack the ice as the sound and shock can stress and kill the fish! I

We have had a pretty favorable winter, and got over to inspect the pond. Why your turning the setup off over winter I do not know?? how deep is the pond what is your average winter temp and how many fish and at roughly what size are they.

Any other questions id be happy to answer, Ive had a koi pond for 3 years havent turned anything off for more than a couple of hours ever, I run a nexus eazy pod from evoultion aqua and i keep 17 koi so...


It looks like I might have to start from scratch. There are a ton of leaves in there breaking down. The water is foul smelling, and I just don't see the koi being able to make it. I would assume with all the organics breaking down the ammonia level is insane.

Thanks Sam! I am keeping a journal in the pond photo section if you could peek and maybe give some pointers.

I put an airstone in only because that's what my Dad used to do. Also, he would shut it down for the really bad winter months. He'd run it until about mid December, and restart about April.
I think its because of the way its set up. The waterfall is the return water. I think this would eventually freeze up, and water would be directed off areas with the liner and he'd end up losing all sorts of water level.

 

[Sam-Baker]

Hey steve,

Ye ermm unless your waterfall runs at a considerable rate then it will freeze but the bonus to a powerful waterfall is that is stops water from freezing! so...
Checked out your pond diary and it's all lokking good a couple of quick pointers though -

1- Gravel and sponges in a bio filter is a no no unless your using the sponges for mechanical filtration. Lava rock is good but gravel harbours harmful bacteria and so i would recommend either lava rock or crystal bio a rock made of glass fibres which i used in a trickle tower and its brilliant stuff!
2- Ammonia is the first stage of the nitrification cycle and so in a mature pond you would expect a low level but as you can see from your test results the second and third stages of your cycle are rather slow shwoing high levels of nitrate and nitrite. This will be down to your biological filter ( i will link you to a reply i made in another topic so you can read all the ins and outs of bio filtration and mechanical) but the key is in the bacteria which digest ammonia and then nitrate and nitrite.
3-In terms or herons you can spend hundreds of pounds or dollars on fancy electronic equipemtn that claims to do just about everything you can think of but its pointless, tried a motion sensor squirting dettereant and it squirted me every monring when i went to feed the fish and so i ended up dressing in waterproofs and running at it so i could rip it out the ground! stupid high powered continuos action ye i thought that was a good idea at the start. The best thing you can do is either get a large cover net to peg down over the pond in clear or black or zig zag fishing line over the pond surface about 10 cms apart and that should do the trick! I wouldnt recommend anything else!
4-Your skimmer is good, I would use your aerator in the summer to avoid dead spots ( specify your complete filtrationa and pump settings if you will as i think i can come up with a good bio filter if you combine those units)
5-Aquatic Plants are a no no with koi really, Lilly's last if your lucky but as koi grow large they usually uproot them, and oncee theyve eaten the roots of your aquatic plants the rest rots on the bottom until you vacuum it out! However i hope your lucky with those lilly's because they really do look nice!
6- The plants wont compete with algae if the sun is strong enough it will grow, a uv clarifier will destroy free moving algal spores before they attach themselves to a surface so... or manual labour im affraid using a pond brush and dontput barley straw in your bio filter because it could affect the bacteria colonies to be honest you are better of with a UV unit as I have never seen barley straw work or its electronic counter parts (another waste of money mate)

* depending on your setup I think from what ive seen you could create a very successful bio filter at no extra cost but i would need pictures and specs of your entire filtration setup including pumps and specs if i was to design something! The others there if your looking for a bit of improvement

Hear if you have any more questions or stuff you want a second opinion as im sure the rest of TFF are!

- Link to more info - http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/391747-a-question-i-have-been-wondering-for-a-while/page__p__3291082__fromsearch__1#entry3291082

Warning although aerators are good for holes depending on how deep the pond is you are proabably just going to chill the water as you pump cold air though it. This could kill the koi I would just leave it and if it sfreezes over a little salt in some areas will do the trick but never crack the ice as the sound and shock can stress and kill the fish! I

We have had a pretty favorable winter, and got over to inspect the pond. Why your turning the setup off over winter I do not know?? how deep is the pond what is your average winter temp and how many fish and at roughly what size are they.

Any other questions id be happy to answer, Ive had a koi pond for 3 years havent turned anything off for more than a couple of hours ever, I run a nexus eazy pod from evoultion aqua and i keep 17 koi so...


It looks like I might have to start from scratch. There are a ton of leaves in there breaking down. The water is foul smelling, and I just don't see the koi being able to make it. I would assume with all the organics breaking down the ammonia level is insane.

Thanks Sam! I am keeping a journal in the pond photo section if you could peek and maybe give some pointers.

I put an airstone in only because that's what my Dad used to do. Also, he would shut it down for the really bad winter months. He'd run it until about mid December, and restart about April.
I think its because of the way its set up. The waterfall is the return water. I think this would eventually freeze up, and water would be directed off areas with the liner and he'd end up losing all sorts of water level.

 

[Steve H.]

Hi Sam.

I'm not to concerned about the lilly's...they've been in there 11 years with no trouble from the fish.

I know my Dad tried the fishing line one year. That didn't work either. The bird actually would perch on the corner of the Chanel and then just pluck out fish as they went swimming by. A guy at my local lfs told me about someone who used piano wire and electrified it!
I was thinking that was a great idea until I remembered my mom has 2 small dogs.

Not sure when I will be out there next. I'm working on a tank project here at home that interests me a bit more.

But I'll take more pictures and get the size of the pump.