I recently received the following email from a newsletter subscriber of mine based in Canada. Verne Gilkes is the owner of Mountain View Koi Club and wanted to know my views about feeding koi food to trout.
"Hi Sean
I just noticed you are located in Wigan.
Several years ago I had the opportunity to visit the Nexus plant not long after the Nexus Filter was introduced to the USA at the Mid Atlantic Koi Show held at Quality Koi which was their Grand Opening as a Koi Farm.
Sean Your article on Koi Food is pretty straight forward for a koi keeper who knows how to treat his fish.
do Not know if you have people in England who feed trout food to their koi?
We have several here in our Koi Club and no matter what I tell them they think it is the greatest food going. Of course the koi will eat it, they will eat anything that has a flavor to it however it is very bad for them. It can lead to all sorts of problems down the road i.e. bladder problems as it is an animal based protein and fat food.
We visited one of our club members ponds for the first time two weeks ago. His ponds were impeccable however he had several fish that were in dyer straights. One we had to put to sleep as its gut was about to blow out because of a 3 inch ulcer and an Aka Bekko 16 inches had 12 ulcers 1 to 11/2 inch all over it's body. A third shiro utsuri 18-20 inches was so fat it could hardly turn around.
My personal feelings the problems were from feeding the trout food.
What do you think of feeding trout food to koi?
He has and sells frys. A couple of our members bought some of the frys. As I was examining the little guys they also had a fattish appearance to them. They were not the slender appearance of normal young frys.
One of the hurdles we have to clear is trout food is less than half the price of koi food.
What could you advise to convince these koi owners who are great water keepers and love their koi a lot to switch to some Quality Koi Food?
Happy Koi Keeping
Mountain View Koi Club, Vankleek Hill , Ontario, Canada - Contact Verne Gilkes mailto:gilkes@hawk.igs.net
To see my response go to http://www.garden-pond-filters.com/Newsletters/FeedKoi_TroutFood.htm
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August 19, 2010
Fish Ponds Don't Like Rain
Rain a much needed commodity throughout the world unfortunately is not always great for your garden pond and its inhabitants, including fish and aquatic plant life.
Water Lilies are not much of a fan of moving water and hate being splashed with a real passion. Unfortunately rain does both to these beautiful plants.
The best quick fix is to move your Water Lilies to a protected area, perhaps under a hanging tree or shrub. Fertilize them and they will be back with a vengeance once the weather improves and the rain subsides.
Water Hyacinths hate high pH and rain often increases the pH in the Pond i.e. the pond water become more alkaline. Test pond pH and make any necessary adjustments. A few warm days and the Water Hyacinths will come right back to their glory.
There may be a sudden increase in the amount of string algae, including blanketweed because string algae loves a high pH.
This is not necessarily a good thing however as string algae is much harder to remove than floating algae also known as green water algae.
There is now however a fantastic British product that will eradicate your pond of this slimy pest. The product known as Viresco has been tested extensively, is low cost and is available for shipping world wide.
See the full article at ... http://www.garden-pond-filters.com/Newsletters/Rain_A_Pain.htm
Learn how to choose the right pond keeping equipment to save money, Guaranteed! Go to http://www.garden-pond-filters.com/ to learn everything you need to know NOW!
Water Lilies are not much of a fan of moving water and hate being splashed with a real passion. Unfortunately rain does both to these beautiful plants.
The best quick fix is to move your Water Lilies to a protected area, perhaps under a hanging tree or shrub. Fertilize them and they will be back with a vengeance once the weather improves and the rain subsides.
Water Hyacinths hate high pH and rain often increases the pH in the Pond i.e. the pond water become more alkaline. Test pond pH and make any necessary adjustments. A few warm days and the Water Hyacinths will come right back to their glory.
There may be a sudden increase in the amount of string algae, including blanketweed because string algae loves a high pH.
This is not necessarily a good thing however as string algae is much harder to remove than floating algae also known as green water algae.
There is now however a fantastic British product that will eradicate your pond of this slimy pest. The product known as Viresco has been tested extensively, is low cost and is available for shipping world wide.
See the full article at ... http://www.garden-pond-filters.com/Newsletters/Rain_A_Pain.htm
Learn how to choose the right pond keeping equipment to save money, Guaranteed! Go to http://www.garden-pond-filters.com/ to learn everything you need to know NOW!
Transporting Koi The Safe Way
What challenges Does Moving Koi Fish present?
Moving Koi fish can be a relatively straight forward procedure, including moving large Koi as long as you make the relevant plans beforehand.
Koi are ravenous creature that consume vast amounts of food and pollute their home with significant amounts of ammonia and solid waste. For this reason starve the Koi for at least 5 days before you intend to move them.
What Dangers Do Koi Carp Face When Moved To A New Pond?
As mentioned above primarily toxic poisoning if they are not starved beforehand. If they are not bagged securely and packaged correctly there is a chance that the bags may leak causing suffocation. The transportation method will need to ensure that the ride is as smooth as possible to prevent disturbing the Koi and causing shock.
What are the right and wrong ways/techniques to move Koi Carp?
You need to use heavy duty polythene bags and double bag each. Inflate the inner bag with oxygen and then using water from the existing pond fill the polythene bag to roughly 1/5 of the bags volume. Once each of the required number of bags is ready, place it in a secure box with the neck rolled down.
The full article can be read at http://www.garden-pond-filters.com/Newsletters/Moving_Koi_The_Right_Way.htm
Learn how to choose the right pond keeping equipment to save money, Guaranteed! Go to http://www.garden-pond-filters.com/ to learn everything you need to know NOW!
Moving Koi fish can be a relatively straight forward procedure, including moving large Koi as long as you make the relevant plans beforehand.
Koi are ravenous creature that consume vast amounts of food and pollute their home with significant amounts of ammonia and solid waste. For this reason starve the Koi for at least 5 days before you intend to move them.
What Dangers Do Koi Carp Face When Moved To A New Pond?
As mentioned above primarily toxic poisoning if they are not starved beforehand. If they are not bagged securely and packaged correctly there is a chance that the bags may leak causing suffocation. The transportation method will need to ensure that the ride is as smooth as possible to prevent disturbing the Koi and causing shock.
What are the right and wrong ways/techniques to move Koi Carp?
You need to use heavy duty polythene bags and double bag each. Inflate the inner bag with oxygen and then using water from the existing pond fill the polythene bag to roughly 1/5 of the bags volume. Once each of the required number of bags is ready, place it in a secure box with the neck rolled down.
The full article can be read at http://www.garden-pond-filters.com/Newsletters/Moving_Koi_The_Right_Way.htm
Learn how to choose the right pond keeping equipment to save money, Guaranteed! Go to http://www.garden-pond-filters.com/ to learn everything you need to know NOW!
Pond Fish Health FAQ's
Why Have My Pond Fish Got White Spots On Their Body?
This is probably a fungal disease and immediate expert advice should be sought. Fungal infections are often spread amongst the fish population at a rapid rate.
My Pond Fish are Gasping for Air at The Pond Surface
This is particularly common in hot sunny weather when the water temperature is higher. Warm water is physically not able to hold as much oxygen as cold water.
I'm Sure I Had More Pond Fish Yesterday Than Today!
Your pond has probably become a favorite haunt of a predator of some description, targeting an easy meal. Herons and other birds such as king fishers are the usual suspects but snakes and other animals have been known to take fish.
My Pond Fish Are Chasing Each Other
Love is in the air hey!. For your water garden fish anyway! This is normal behavior in spring and is the courtship behavior of fish.
The full article can be read at http://www.garden-pond-filters.com/Newsletters/PondkeepingFAQpart6.htm
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This is probably a fungal disease and immediate expert advice should be sought. Fungal infections are often spread amongst the fish population at a rapid rate.
My Pond Fish are Gasping for Air at The Pond Surface
This is particularly common in hot sunny weather when the water temperature is higher. Warm water is physically not able to hold as much oxygen as cold water.
I'm Sure I Had More Pond Fish Yesterday Than Today!
Your pond has probably become a favorite haunt of a predator of some description, targeting an easy meal. Herons and other birds such as king fishers are the usual suspects but snakes and other animals have been known to take fish.
My Pond Fish Are Chasing Each Other
Love is in the air hey!. For your water garden fish anyway! This is normal behavior in spring and is the courtship behavior of fish.
The full article can be read at http://www.garden-pond-filters.com/Newsletters/PondkeepingFAQpart6.htm
Learn how to choose the right pond keeping equipment to save money, Guaranteed! Go to http://www.garden-pond-filters.com/ to learn everything you need to know NOW!
Prevent Fish Disease Outbreaks
The majority of ponds with excellent biological filtration and where good pond keeping practices are maintained seldom have fish diseases that cause problems.
By keeping the bottom of a pond clean and by making sure the biofilter container is cleared of sludge build-ups before the start of spring the chances of disease are dramatically reduced.
By far one of the easiest and best ways to remove excess sludge and debris from the pond floor is to use a Pond Vacuum Cleaner.
If fish pond disease strikes it is often at the end of winter and beginning of spring. The reason for this is that in very cold climates the fish have essentially hibernated and have run down their immune systems.
This means as the pond water warms up and disease pathogens become more active then the chances of a fish becoming infected increase significantly.
As much as it's not advisable to feed koi and goldfish below about 50 degree F or 8 degrees C it is still important on those days when the water warms somewhat and the fish start moving to feed a small amount of highly digestible fish food.
How To Prevent Ulcer Disease In Fish
A particularly serious disease that often strikes at the beginning of a new season is ulcer disease. This is a serious bacterial infection resulting in open sores or ulcers on the fish's body.
The disease is more often than not fatal and should be avoided at all costs.
The offending bacteria (aeromonas and pseudomonas) bacteria are naturally present in all ponds. When these virulent bacteria get out of control and when this coincides with a fish perhaps damaging its skin tissue then ulcers become a real possibility.
See the full article at http://www.garden-pond-filters.com/Newsletters/preventfishponddiseases.htm
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By keeping the bottom of a pond clean and by making sure the biofilter container is cleared of sludge build-ups before the start of spring the chances of disease are dramatically reduced.
By far one of the easiest and best ways to remove excess sludge and debris from the pond floor is to use a Pond Vacuum Cleaner.
If fish pond disease strikes it is often at the end of winter and beginning of spring. The reason for this is that in very cold climates the fish have essentially hibernated and have run down their immune systems.
This means as the pond water warms up and disease pathogens become more active then the chances of a fish becoming infected increase significantly.
As much as it's not advisable to feed koi and goldfish below about 50 degree F or 8 degrees C it is still important on those days when the water warms somewhat and the fish start moving to feed a small amount of highly digestible fish food.
How To Prevent Ulcer Disease In Fish
A particularly serious disease that often strikes at the beginning of a new season is ulcer disease. This is a serious bacterial infection resulting in open sores or ulcers on the fish's body.
The disease is more often than not fatal and should be avoided at all costs.
The offending bacteria (aeromonas and pseudomonas) bacteria are naturally present in all ponds. When these virulent bacteria get out of control and when this coincides with a fish perhaps damaging its skin tissue then ulcers become a real possibility.
See the full article at http://www.garden-pond-filters.com/Newsletters/preventfishponddiseases.htm
Learn how to choose the right pond keeping equipment to save money, Guaranteed! Go to http://www.garden-pond-filters.com to learn everything you need to know NOW!
Don't Let Predators Eat Your Pond Fish
How To Prevent Predators From Eating Your Pond Fish?
In the USA a major culprit is the Raccoon, a vivacious scavenger. Your typical Raccoon loves nothing better than to root around in garden ponds for a free morsel to eat. Poor Goldie the goldfish and his fellow pond members were on the menu.
Even ponds as deep as 2 feet are not always safe from these pesky critters.
Other common predators of backyard fish are members of the heron family and king fisher families. Domestic cats have also been known to kill and eat Koi and goldfish. Even certain species of diving waterfowl might find your pond fish to be an easy meal.
So How Do You Keep Your Pond Fish Safe From Predators?
In answer to "how to stop herons eating your fish" there are a myriad of products for sale aimed at protecting your pond fish from herons and other potential predators, including...
1) Pond netting ... a nets to stop herons eating fish is a great idea.
2) Electronic animal scarers including a blue heron repellent.
3) Animal scarers that spray the intruder with water ... a great way of protecting baby fish
4) Animal Decoys ... another way of protecting baby koi from predators.
5 Pond design - A good idea is to design the pond so as to allow the pond fish hiding places, both from larger fish and predators such as the Great Blue Heron.
See the full article at http://www.garden-pond-filters.com/Newsletters/Keepfishsafe.htm
Learn how to choose the right pond keeping equipment online, to save money, Guaranteed! Go to http://www.garden-pond-filters.com to learn everything you need to know NOW!
In the USA a major culprit is the Raccoon, a vivacious scavenger. Your typical Raccoon loves nothing better than to root around in garden ponds for a free morsel to eat. Poor Goldie the goldfish and his fellow pond members were on the menu.
Even ponds as deep as 2 feet are not always safe from these pesky critters.
Other common predators of backyard fish are members of the heron family and king fisher families. Domestic cats have also been known to kill and eat Koi and goldfish. Even certain species of diving waterfowl might find your pond fish to be an easy meal.
So How Do You Keep Your Pond Fish Safe From Predators?
In answer to "how to stop herons eating your fish" there are a myriad of products for sale aimed at protecting your pond fish from herons and other potential predators, including...
1) Pond netting ... a nets to stop herons eating fish is a great idea.
2) Electronic animal scarers including a blue heron repellent.
3) Animal scarers that spray the intruder with water ... a great way of protecting baby fish
4) Animal Decoys ... another way of protecting baby koi from predators.
5 Pond design - A good idea is to design the pond so as to allow the pond fish hiding places, both from larger fish and predators such as the Great Blue Heron.
See the full article at http://www.garden-pond-filters.com/Newsletters/Keepfishsafe.htm
Learn how to choose the right pond keeping equipment online, to save money, Guaranteed! Go to http://www.garden-pond-filters.com to learn everything you need to know NOW!
August 10, 2010
Which Pond Pump And Filter Should I Choose
I received a very nice email from a lady by the name of Marjory Harris who lives in California in the USA.
Marjory was looking for some advice regarding which pond keeping equipment she should buy for her ponds.
"Sean, I bought the pond book (The Complete Pond Solver) from you and greatly value your advice. I am unsure what to buy for my two ponds, both of which have goldfish, some bullfrog tadpoles, and lots of plants.
I live in Southern California, it gets hot, but with low humidity. My concern is quality equipment and ease of cleaning and servicing.
For my 530-gallon pond ("large pond"), I have heard that Fishmate Gravity Filters + UV are a good choice. Which pump would work with it?
Currently there is no pump or waterfall in this pond, just lots of plants and goldfish (the photo is from some months ago before 4 water lilies and other plants were added).
The small pond has a pump and a small waterfall coming out of a cowbell at the top of a big rock. There is no place to put an external filter so I need something to submerse in the pond. The small pond is less than half the size of the large pond , probably around 175 gallons.
Would you agree that Fishmate Gravity Filters are a good choice and have you any ideas on what to purchase? It should be easy to take care of and last a long time.
Many thanks!
Marjory Harris"
"Hi Marjory,
Hope you are well and thanks for your email and for buying the book. Your choice of biofilter is a very good one. Fishmate Gravity Filters come as standard with Fishmate Supra pond filter media. The best in my opinion.
Choice of Pond Pump...
The first thing to look for when choosing a pump is the gph (gallons per hour) and the electricity consumption.
A pump needs to turn the volume of the pond over at once every 2 hours so in your case you would need a pump that has a gallon per hour throughput of 260gph - 270gph.
So if you see a pump that says 400gph then it has been designed for use in a pond that is approx 800 gallons in volume.
The initial price of the pump falls into insignificance if you choose a pump that costs a lot to run. Remember that a pond pump needs to run 24/7/365 days so that the bacteria living in your pond filter convert ammonia and nitrite into harmless nitrate. These bacteria need lots of oxygen to do there job properly.
Personally however I would go for a slightly more powerful pump because then you have some power in reserve should you want to power water up to a waterfall or fountain etc.
I would recommend that you buy a Laguna Powerjet 600 GPH 32 Watt Submersible Fountain Pump.
Another good pump is the Oase Nautilus Pump. These pumps are more powerful and have been designed to power water to the top of a waterfall. They have higher running costs but come with an excellent 5 year warranty. They do a 400gph model.
Choice of Pond Filter for Small Pond ...
The choice of biofilter model is not as important as the choice of biofilter media. A small filter with a great pond filter media such as Fishmate Supra Pond Filter Media media will easily out perform a larger filter using plastic coils as the pond filter media.
Without trying to get to technical it is all about the Specific Surface Area (SSA) i.e. the amount of space for nitrifying bacteria to live on that determines how effective the filter will be.
The Danner Pondmaster 190 Submersible Pond Filter Kit is probably the best choice. It includes a pump along with a biological filter and mechanical filter.
Regards
Sean"
Read the full article at...
http://www.garden-pond-filters.com/Newsletters/pondequiment_marjory.htm
Learn how to choose the right pond keeping equipment to save money, Guaranteed! Go to http://www.garden-pond-filters.com to learn everything you need to know NOW!
Marjory was looking for some advice regarding which pond keeping equipment she should buy for her ponds.
"Sean, I bought the pond book (The Complete Pond Solver) from you and greatly value your advice. I am unsure what to buy for my two ponds, both of which have goldfish, some bullfrog tadpoles, and lots of plants.
I live in Southern California, it gets hot, but with low humidity. My concern is quality equipment and ease of cleaning and servicing.
For my 530-gallon pond ("large pond"), I have heard that Fishmate Gravity Filters + UV are a good choice. Which pump would work with it?
Currently there is no pump or waterfall in this pond, just lots of plants and goldfish (the photo is from some months ago before 4 water lilies and other plants were added).
The small pond has a pump and a small waterfall coming out of a cowbell at the top of a big rock. There is no place to put an external filter so I need something to submerse in the pond. The small pond is less than half the size of the large pond , probably around 175 gallons.
Would you agree that Fishmate Gravity Filters are a good choice and have you any ideas on what to purchase? It should be easy to take care of and last a long time.
Many thanks!
Marjory Harris"
"Hi Marjory,
Hope you are well and thanks for your email and for buying the book. Your choice of biofilter is a very good one. Fishmate Gravity Filters come as standard with Fishmate Supra pond filter media. The best in my opinion.
Choice of Pond Pump...
The first thing to look for when choosing a pump is the gph (gallons per hour) and the electricity consumption.
A pump needs to turn the volume of the pond over at once every 2 hours so in your case you would need a pump that has a gallon per hour throughput of 260gph - 270gph.
So if you see a pump that says 400gph then it has been designed for use in a pond that is approx 800 gallons in volume.
The initial price of the pump falls into insignificance if you choose a pump that costs a lot to run. Remember that a pond pump needs to run 24/7/365 days so that the bacteria living in your pond filter convert ammonia and nitrite into harmless nitrate. These bacteria need lots of oxygen to do there job properly.
Personally however I would go for a slightly more powerful pump because then you have some power in reserve should you want to power water up to a waterfall or fountain etc.
I would recommend that you buy a Laguna Powerjet 600 GPH 32 Watt Submersible Fountain Pump.
Another good pump is the Oase Nautilus Pump. These pumps are more powerful and have been designed to power water to the top of a waterfall. They have higher running costs but come with an excellent 5 year warranty. They do a 400gph model.
Choice of Pond Filter for Small Pond ...
The choice of biofilter model is not as important as the choice of biofilter media. A small filter with a great pond filter media such as Fishmate Supra Pond Filter Media media will easily out perform a larger filter using plastic coils as the pond filter media.
Without trying to get to technical it is all about the Specific Surface Area (SSA) i.e. the amount of space for nitrifying bacteria to live on that determines how effective the filter will be.
The Danner Pondmaster 190 Submersible Pond Filter Kit is probably the best choice. It includes a pump along with a biological filter and mechanical filter.
Regards
Sean"
Read the full article at...
http://www.garden-pond-filters.com/Newsletters/pondequiment_marjory.htm
Learn how to choose the right pond keeping equipment to save money, Guaranteed! Go to http://www.garden-pond-filters.com to learn everything you need to know NOW!
How To Improve Your Pond Pump System
If you've got a pond pump which is not performing as well as you would like there are a few things you can do to get better performance without buying a new pump.
Main source of energy loss...
Energy of a pump is wasted in a pond circulating system mainly in the pipe work between the pump and the discharge point of the pipe.
If the pipe is small in diameter then a lot of energy will be lost due to friction... i.e. the resistance to flow caused by the pipe walls.
The relationship between energy lost this way is such that in any pipe system the amount of energy wasted for a specific flow rate is a function of the pipe diameter.
In simple and approximate terms if a pipe diameter is doubled then the friction loss will be only one quarter of that in the smaller diameter pipe.
The practical implication of this is that changing the hose to a larger diameter pipe will allow more water to be pumped through the system.
The amount of energy lost in any pipe is also a function of 5 other things:
1) The length of pipe
2) Fittings in the pipe work such as valves or flow controllers
3) Kinks in the hose pipe
4) The condition of the internal surface of the pipe... e.g. a pipe with algae on the sides will result in energy wastage because friction will be increased.
5) A further cause of energy loss is a blocked or restricted inlet.
For example a pump with a sponge that is partially blocked with algae will result in a much lower flow rate. In this case the energy loss is due to to the fact that every rotation of the impellor is less efficient in moving water.
How to Save Money on pond pump running costs - Conclusions...
1) Use the widest diameter pipe you can
2) Reduce the length of pipe ... i.e. move the pump closer to the outlet point and remove unnecessary length.
3) Remove any kind of restriction in the pipe work and make sure there are no kinks in the pipe. Ideally use non-kink hose instead of clear tubing which will kink when bent.
4) Periodically change the pipe for new pipe since the inside surfaces will become rough.
The full article can be read at
http://www.garden-pond-filters.com/Newsletters/Improve_Pond_Pump_System.htm
Learn how to choose the right pond keeping equipment to save money, Guaranteed! Go to http://www.garden-pond-filters.com/ to learn everything you need to know NOW!
Why Garden Ponds Need Biofilters But Lakes Don't
I received the following email from Jeff, a newsletter subscriber who has a very interesting point to make.
"I have been reading your emails when I can and enjoy the knowledge you share. I do have a question on this topic though.
Our local shop swears these aren't needed and manages 15 ponds without a filtration system. I decided not to buy one and for 4 months haven't had an issue. His theory is that with moving water, the proper number of plants, and fish, biological filtration can be a natural process.
He explained that there aren't filters in ponds and lakes and that there hasn't been for centuries, so why change what works. With proper setup and controls the pond should take care of itself.
If it wasn't working I would agree I need a filter but I am not sold. Have you any additional thoughts on that topic?"
"Hi Jeff,
Thanks for your email. This is my take on things!
First of all you do not mention how big the 15 ponds are. If they are very large and have a relatively low fish loading then it is perfectly feasible that the fish and other pond inhabitants are doing just fine simply because of the large volume of water.
A large lake for example will take care of itself naturally. Due to the volume of water and small number of fish the levels of ammonia will remain low.
In addition the large surface area makes it easy for atmospheric oxygen to dissolve into the lake with very little effort, especially if there is wind present which helps to break the water service and allow oxygen in.
The oxygen is critically important to the fish life and the nitrifying bacteria responsible for the breaking down of ammonia and nitrite into nitrate.
This is not always the case in smaller garden ponds where there is a smaller volume of water, larger fish load and subsequently higher levels of ammonia. The problem with these smaller ponds is how to remove ammonia.
Where your friend mentions "with moving water, the proper number of plants and fish, biological filtration can be a natural process" I would first of all like to talk about the moving water.
He mentions moving water because this helps to add oxygen to the pond because it makes it easier for atmospheric oxygen to dissolve into the pond. This is why many pond owners incorporate a waterfall or fountain system into their pond.
Where your friend mentions "the proper number of plants" I believe he is talking about using aquatic plant life to form a natural filter known as a Veggie Filter; sometimes known as a bog filter or plant filter.
A veggie filter (bog filter) consists of various species of plants which naturally use up the nitrogen based compounds excreted into the pond by your fish. This system can be effective but somewhat messy.
There are advantages to using a veggie filter such as zero electricity costs, a natural system working in the way nature intended as well as green water and blanket weed control.
The major disadvantage of using a bog filter however is when it comes to cleaning the pond. All plant life needs to be removed and the pond needs to be thoroughly cleaned at least once a year, usually in the fall (autumn).
The Question is one of How To Filter Ammonia Out?
The problem with not using a biological filter in a small to medium sized pond with a large fish load is the sudden increase in ammonia levels, particularly during hot weather.
In hot weather the high levels of ammonia combined with the ponds inability to hold as much oxygen as would be the case in cooler weather will lead to eventual poisoning of your pond fish.
As well as this the higher levels of ammonia (containing nitrogen) act as a food source for algae and blanket weed. These forms of plant life at night time use up oxygen in the pond water.
Whilst what your retailer friend states is true to some extent it is not always the case and in my opinion prevention is better than cure; particularly if you intend to keep expensive Koi or a high fish load in a small to medium sized pond.
I would advise you to take a look at the biological pond filter articles on my website. You may find them of some use.
Read the full article here ...
http://www.garden-pond-filters.com/Newsletters/Do_I_Need_A_Biofilter.htm
Learn how to choose the right pond keeping equipment to save money, Guaranteed! Go to http://www.garden-pond-filters.com to learn everything you need to know NOW!
"I have been reading your emails when I can and enjoy the knowledge you share. I do have a question on this topic though.
Our local shop swears these aren't needed and manages 15 ponds without a filtration system. I decided not to buy one and for 4 months haven't had an issue. His theory is that with moving water, the proper number of plants, and fish, biological filtration can be a natural process.
He explained that there aren't filters in ponds and lakes and that there hasn't been for centuries, so why change what works. With proper setup and controls the pond should take care of itself.
If it wasn't working I would agree I need a filter but I am not sold. Have you any additional thoughts on that topic?"
"Hi Jeff,
Thanks for your email. This is my take on things!
First of all you do not mention how big the 15 ponds are. If they are very large and have a relatively low fish loading then it is perfectly feasible that the fish and other pond inhabitants are doing just fine simply because of the large volume of water.
A large lake for example will take care of itself naturally. Due to the volume of water and small number of fish the levels of ammonia will remain low.
In addition the large surface area makes it easy for atmospheric oxygen to dissolve into the lake with very little effort, especially if there is wind present which helps to break the water service and allow oxygen in.
The oxygen is critically important to the fish life and the nitrifying bacteria responsible for the breaking down of ammonia and nitrite into nitrate.
This is not always the case in smaller garden ponds where there is a smaller volume of water, larger fish load and subsequently higher levels of ammonia. The problem with these smaller ponds is how to remove ammonia.
Where your friend mentions "with moving water, the proper number of plants and fish, biological filtration can be a natural process" I would first of all like to talk about the moving water.
He mentions moving water because this helps to add oxygen to the pond because it makes it easier for atmospheric oxygen to dissolve into the pond. This is why many pond owners incorporate a waterfall or fountain system into their pond.
Where your friend mentions "the proper number of plants" I believe he is talking about using aquatic plant life to form a natural filter known as a Veggie Filter; sometimes known as a bog filter or plant filter.
A veggie filter (bog filter) consists of various species of plants which naturally use up the nitrogen based compounds excreted into the pond by your fish. This system can be effective but somewhat messy.
There are advantages to using a veggie filter such as zero electricity costs, a natural system working in the way nature intended as well as green water and blanket weed control.
The major disadvantage of using a bog filter however is when it comes to cleaning the pond. All plant life needs to be removed and the pond needs to be thoroughly cleaned at least once a year, usually in the fall (autumn).
The Question is one of How To Filter Ammonia Out?
The problem with not using a biological filter in a small to medium sized pond with a large fish load is the sudden increase in ammonia levels, particularly during hot weather.
In hot weather the high levels of ammonia combined with the ponds inability to hold as much oxygen as would be the case in cooler weather will lead to eventual poisoning of your pond fish.
As well as this the higher levels of ammonia (containing nitrogen) act as a food source for algae and blanket weed. These forms of plant life at night time use up oxygen in the pond water.
Whilst what your retailer friend states is true to some extent it is not always the case and in my opinion prevention is better than cure; particularly if you intend to keep expensive Koi or a high fish load in a small to medium sized pond.
I would advise you to take a look at the biological pond filter articles on my website. You may find them of some use.
Read the full article here ...
http://www.garden-pond-filters.com/Newsletters/Do_I_Need_A_Biofilter.htm
Learn how to choose the right pond keeping equipment to save money, Guaranteed! Go to http://www.garden-pond-filters.com to learn everything you need to know NOW!
Keep Pond Sludge Problems and Algae Bloom Away
Today I would like to discuss a very common pond keeping problem. One raised by Bill, a newsletter subscriber who lives in the UK …
“Hi Sean
Many thanks for all the useful emails. I can't always read them at once so I keep them and they are useful to refer to. Excellent service.
I do have a problem. I have a 2000 gallon pond (9000 litres). I have just started it again after a disastrous leak which killed off all my fish after 15 years of successful breeding so I am treating it as a new pond.
I have treated the tap water and recharged the filter bacteria. Then I added Viresco and have not seen blanket weed since.
I got the usual algal bloom but I can't get rid of it. The new pond is now over two months old. I have added Algorem which kills off the algae turning the water brown.
There is so much algae that when I kill it, I get sludge mats floating on the surface - enough to clog the skimmer. I remove these with a skim net.
I added digester to speed up the digestion of the dead algae but the pond just sits there - brown and after a time it turns green again and I repeat the cycle.
I did not have this problem last time I started the pond. Have you any idea what I am doing wrong?
Bill”
“Hi Bill,
There is only one really effective way of controlling the buildup of green water, caused by suspended algae and that is to destroy it using ultra violet light.
Chemical treatments only work for a short period of time and as you have discovered cause the formation of sludge.
See the full article here ...
http://www.garden-pond-filters.com/Newsletters/cleanpond_bills_letter.htm
Learn how to choose the right pond keeping equipment to save money, Guaranteed! Go to http://www.garden-pond-filters.com/ to learn everything you need to know NOW!
“Hi Sean
Many thanks for all the useful emails. I can't always read them at once so I keep them and they are useful to refer to. Excellent service.
I do have a problem. I have a 2000 gallon pond (9000 litres). I have just started it again after a disastrous leak which killed off all my fish after 15 years of successful breeding so I am treating it as a new pond.
I have treated the tap water and recharged the filter bacteria. Then I added Viresco and have not seen blanket weed since.
I got the usual algal bloom but I can't get rid of it. The new pond is now over two months old. I have added Algorem which kills off the algae turning the water brown.
There is so much algae that when I kill it, I get sludge mats floating on the surface - enough to clog the skimmer. I remove these with a skim net.
I added digester to speed up the digestion of the dead algae but the pond just sits there - brown and after a time it turns green again and I repeat the cycle.
I did not have this problem last time I started the pond. Have you any idea what I am doing wrong?
Bill”
“Hi Bill,
There is only one really effective way of controlling the buildup of green water, caused by suspended algae and that is to destroy it using ultra violet light.
Chemical treatments only work for a short period of time and as you have discovered cause the formation of sludge.
See the full article here ...
http://www.garden-pond-filters.com/Newsletters/cleanpond_bills_letter.htm
Learn how to choose the right pond keeping equipment to save money, Guaranteed! Go to http://www.garden-pond-filters.com/ to learn everything you need to know NOW!
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