Brown water.....please help

[fishin4cars]

As long as the water can flow freely plants in the waterfalls and streams do great! Even in the top of the filterfalls they will do a great job, I do weekly water changes, yes, I back flush weekly to keep any settling debris in the filter to a minimum so the bacteria can clean the water not the gunk, also I change out aprox. 10% weekly to help keep nitrates and pheromones levels lowered. The more plants you have the less the nitrates will be there but the only way to reduce pheromones is by water changes, If they are too high you can cause your fish not to breed, there are some skin problems that can occur and there is no way to test so doing water changes helps keep them in check. they are put off by fish in their slime coating and although not harmful in low levels can be related to high stress level skin problems.

 

[koiguy1969]

just a touch more elaboration on Fishin's post....excessive pheromones can cause health, and even behavioral changes in your fish. they can shut down a kois immune system leaving them wide open to internal and external infections, both bacterial and viral. it weakens their slime or stress coat making parasitic problems more likely. when levels get high it can also cause antisocial or even aggressive behavior as well.

 

[fishin4cars]

Thank you for elaborating more on this, I didn't know the first thing about this until I joined the forum and since have read several threads on different forums where it is discussed. Usually it comes up either in health issues, or water change topics. :regular_waving_emot

 

[bobsox]

fishin4cars
Moderator
How do you get the layer of White Matala out of bio filter to clean it with 2500 bio balls sandwiched between it and the top layer of Green Matala pad?


I run 1 layer of white matala, then 2500 bio-balls, then another layer of green matala in the filter falls and works great even on a fairly heavy stocked koi pond.

 

[bobsox]

fishin4cars

Can you just stack the different layers of Matala poads on top of each other in the bio filter and not have to have bio balls in between? Thanks a lot..


Moderatorow do you get the layer of White Matala out of bio filter to clean it with 2500 bio balls sandwiched between it and the top layer of Green Matala pad?


I run 1 layer of white matala, then 2500 bio-balls, then another layer of green matala in the filter falls and works great even on a fairly heavy stocked koi pond.

 

[fishin4cars]

When I have to clean I have a extra large ice chest I fill with pond water. I just drop and lift them up and and down a few times to clean them out some. I never clean them during the actual pond season, I only back flush and maybe pour some pond water in reverse through the system to back wash some of the stuff out. Keep in mind my Matala prefilters catch probably 80% of of the trash before it ever gets to the bio-filter. I clean those twice a day right now. As soon as the pump starts sucking air I'll take them out and wash with a strong jet of garden hose water. I don't care about it killing the bacteria as those are used for full mechanical filtration only, the filter falls is the primary Bio-filter. But also my bog filter is also a pretty large bio-filter as well.

 

[mikeinpgh]

fishin4cars
Moderator
How do you get the layer of White Matala out of bio filter to clean it with 2500 bio balls sandwiched between it and the top layer of Green Matala pad?


I run 1 layer of white matala, then 2500 bio-balls, then another layer of green matala in the filter falls and works great even on a fairly heavy stocked koi pond.

You keep your bio balls in a bio "ball sack":lol: right? Seriously, in a mesh bag.
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I did a 20% water change and backflushed my filter falls yesterday. I also added a dose of Pondzyme. The brown crud that came out was unbelievable. I put the backflush rig on there this spring and never did a full backflush. I hope this makes a difference.

 

[fishin4cars]

I do use the filter bags to keep mine in. Lot easier to clean and not disrupt all the bio-film on the balls.

 

[bobsox]

Thanks Fishin4cars for the info. my present setup right now is the Aquadyne Bead filter with blower at the pump. At the bio filter (just before waterfall) I have an egg crate on bottom then filled with Strapping (about 3 feet) then another egg crate and on top of that I have two Filter Pads (one tine and one course) just before the top of waterfall. I back wash about every three days as the flow slows down to a slow trickle. That is with my two speed pump on hi. Also at that time the two filter pads are saturated with the green & black slime or algea I guess. I really thought the Aquadyne filter would solve my water clarity problems this year but it is still green and murky below two feet down. I also have a 40Watt UV lamp hooked after the Aquadyne filter and before the Bio Filter at the waterfall. I thought of pulling the egg crates - strapping & the filter pads out and going with the Matala filters ( two of them) and the bio balls like you mention. What do you think?

 

[fishin4cars]

What are you using to pre-filter the water before it goes into the bead filter and bio-chamber? This is where you really want to remove as much debris as possible. Also another trick that garden ponders have been doing is filtering water through batting material, It doesn't have to be part of the filter system. I use a aquatic planter pot, one that has all the holes in it, Place a few layers of batting material ( available at walmart in the crafts department) and run straight water through it, I have to clean this at least twice a week but it takes all of 5 minutes and I already clean my pre-filters twice a day so I just do it when I'm cleaning the pre-filters.This will serve as a fine mechnical filter, Mine is below the water fall. Some just run a small pump and place the batting material in a bucket with holes in the bottom and feed it with a simple hose.
IMO, the key to getting the best results out of a bio filter is to remove as much debris as possible completely out of the water column before it gets to the bio-filters,

 

[koiguy1969]

I'm with Fishin' 100% on this...theres no better way to make your bio filter more efficient than to pump debris free water thru it!... the cleaner the water the easier the bacteria can do its thing. the cleaner the water the more oxygen the bacteria can draw from it as well...the cleaner the water the less chance (by far) the water has of channeling and basically lessing or completely missing the contact with the bacterial colony. i run a 10gal under water prefilter theres 5 pads in it including a activated carbon pad i clean them when i see a reduction in flow from my waterfall. the more their built up with matter the finer the particles they will trap, but within reason, in the pond, in the mechanical filter, or in the bottom of the biofilter..theyre still in the system...removing them just makes the whole filtration system's job easier....thats just my 2 cents.

 

[bobsox]

I have the Aquadyne Bead Filter after the pump and from there the water goes through the UV Lamp and then out to the bio filter (at the back of the pond) with the strapping and two filter pads on top and then to the waterfall.

 

[fishin4cars]

what is pre-filtering before the bead filter. If nothing I hate to say it but your system could use some tweaking. IMO, your system should be, Pre-filter, pump, bead filter, Bio-filter (those two could be switched or just one used) then UV light then fine particle filter back to pond.

 

[bobsox]

Thanks - I have nothing before the bead filter. That is first from the pump then the UV lamp. Gonna have to reevaluate system and make some changes accordingly. Thanks for all the good info and ideas.

 

[steve s]

Your ponds super clean. Looks like a nice set up.