Bio balls and starting beneficial bacteria

[soneil241]

Good morning all I just started a 150gal backyard pond. I have a pressurized bio filter with UV light and 750gpm pump feeding a 1' high waterfall(basic black model from amazon). I also have 4 small fish mostly for the kids and helping with mosquito larva. My question is about getting beneficial bacterial started in my pond. I bought some bio balls put a small bag submerged in my waterfall container and was wondering where should i place the other bag of balls at? Does water need to be running over or around them? Can I just sink a bag of them in the pond not by running water? Will the water coming out of the UV biofilter through the waterfall produce the bacteria or would it be "sterile"?

Thanks in advance

 

[JamieB]

You want the water running through the media. It doesn't produce the bacteria, it just provides a place for the natural bacteria that nature places in the pond to live. What kind of fish do you have? If the 4 are goldfish, you will need a bigger pond, especially when they are full sized and have babies! This is a great place to learn about all things pond, and it has folks who know what all you will need. The number one thing we teach is patience. If you just set up the pond, filled it, added fish, you water hasn't "matured" where the natural bacteria colonize it to be ready for fish to break down their waste. If that is the case, then you can expect the water quality to be less than ideal, possibly killing the fish. If these are just little fish, guppies, mosquito fish, etc, you stand a better chance.
So, give us more information. When did you set up your pond, what kind of fish, and add pictures of it. The other thing I see is that your pump is on the small side. Ideally, you want 1 1/2- 2 times the volume of your pond turned over every hour. For a 150 gal pond, you want close to 300gph pump.

 

[soneil241]

Understood about the Bioballs, I know its just a home for bacteria to colonize I think I'm more concerned about placement. I have a bag in my waterfall that returns back to the pond which from what you said should be ok. If I sunk a bag at the bottom of the pond would this still provided a proper environment? Could they be place by the pump intake?

My pump is 750gph which should turn over around 5 times an hour. I know the name of the game is patients from everything I've seen. I just want to get a good jump on the Nitrogen cycle and to work on getting the pond to live as it should...I'm sure this is easier said then done. Really I'm looking for any information at all to make this new hobby a success.

Thank you!

 

[addy1]

Welcome to our forum.

Put the bio balls somewhere they get some decent water flow. The bacteria will grow and the water flowing through it will get cleaned to a certain degree.

 

[j.w]

@soneil241

 

[JamieB]

Understood about the Bioballs, I know its just a home for bacteria to colonize I think I'm more concerned about placement. I have a bag in my waterfall that returns back to the pond which from what you said should be ok. If I sunk a bag at the bottom of the pond would this still provided a proper environment? Could they be place by the pump intake?

My pump is 750gph which should turn over around 5 times an hour. I know the name of the game is patients from everything I've seen. I just want to get a good jump on the Nitrogen cycle and to work on getting the pond to live as it should...I'm sure this is easier said then done. Really I'm looking for any information at all to make this new hobby a success.

Thank you!

Ah, I'd misread your pump size/ pond size. Over filtration is better than under filtration, except on bogs. That's what happens when my guys keep interupting my forum time! It sounds like you've got a good start on things.