Doing water changes

[Fishfinder]

OK, how?

Water changes are sometimes mentioned here. You folks who do water changes, how is it done? Do I get a pump or something like that? Sorry for what may be an obvious, but I don't know!

The guy who was taking care of the pond never told us about changing water, ever.

 

[Meyer Jordan]

Many on this forum and in the pond keepers community in general advocate water changes. I think that this is, in most cases, completely unnecessary in all but dedicated Koi ponds. It places avoidable stress on the fish (and other pond inhabitants) and really accomplishes little.

 

[addy1]

Mine only gets added water via a timer since so much evaporates and gets used up by the bog plants.

If it rains it gets a good flush of fresh water, ow no scheduled water changes.

 

[mrsclem]

I flush out my filters by opening the bottom drains on them and then add water to bring levels back up.

 

[Lisak1]

I agree with @Meyer Jordan on this one. We have never done a water change on our pond. Like @addy1 , water gets added if the level drops due to evaporation, or when it rains. Otherwise we leave it be. We focus on maintaining water quality by keeping our fish load low and controlling how much we feed our fish. Lots of plants and a big bog filter work great on our garden pond.

As Meyer said - a dedicated koi pond is a different story.

 

[bettasngoldfish]

I open the bottom drain in my filter keeping the pump running to drain water from the pond. Once I drop the water level to where I want it I close the drain.

Then I net out anything that managed to get past the net over the pond. And pull and or cut excess plant growth.

Next I add water conditioner (Aquasafe) then add water to the pond from the garden hose.

I have a smaller pond (500 gallons) and feel it is necessary for the health of my fish to do regular water changes.

 

[cas]

About once a month I use a pond vacuum and vacuum out the bottom of the pond, removing about 5% of the water and any debris that has settled on the bottom, then I refill.

 

[Fishfinder]

I guess my pond could be a dedicated pond, since there are only 6 koi and an enormous catfish, or does the catfish make it not a dedicated pond? That's Jaws in the avatar.

Also, I was wondering if poor water quality has anything to do with the poor reproduction of my water lettuce and water hyacinth. The first two years that the pond was rebuilt in earnest, there were dozens and dozens of both types that reproduced. Now, it's very little. I have to keep buying them, and the water lettuce in the garden centers is pitiful. There is not enough decent lettuce to provide a good covering for the fish. Fortunately, the pond is shaded by trees and bushes and there is a fish tunnel, too.

 

[Lisak1]

I can't grow hyacinths or water lettuce in my pond. They do great in my pondless waterfall, which is filled with the water from the big pond. I have no answer as to why they don't do well - I've often suspected it was my fish that were the culprits, eating off all the roots before the plants had a chance. Check out the picture @Troutredds posted the other day - the hyacinths do great in the rocky shallow area. So it's a mystery, but I don't think it's your pond water. Do you have other plants that do well?

Also the term "dedicated koi pond" means, yes, all koi. But it also means the pond is built to showcase koi - so no plants, no rocks, no shelves, straight sides, and a high level of filtration. You can have a garden pond that is home to only koi but that's not a dedicated koi pond. Does that make sense?

 

[addy1]

I can't grow hyacinths or water lettuce in my pond.

I can't either, I think the bog sucks to all the excess nutrients right out. I was able to get hyacinths to grow in my stream pond, one year, timer ran water flow, warm crowded, fishless. They grew great. In the big pond........yunk long roots, yellow plants, no flowers, never did them again, not worth it to me to baby them

 

[HARO]

I guess my pond could be a dedicated pond, since there are only 6 koi and an enormous catfish, or does the catfish make it not a dedicated pond? That's Jaws in the avatar.

Also, I was wondering if poor water quality has anything to do with the poor reproduction of my water lettuce and water hyacinth. The first two years that the pond was rebuilt in earnest, there were dozens and dozens of both types that reproduced. Now, it's very little. I have to keep buying them, and the water lettuce in the garden centers is pitiful. There is not enough decent lettuce to provide a good covering for the fish. Fortunately, the pond is shaded by trees and bushes and there is a fish tunnel, too.

Six koi? There's the reason why your WHs aren't growing. Koi think they're SALAD!
John

 

[DoDad]

good info here http://www.koihealth.info/

 

[Tula]

I do water changes. Weekly, I'll add water from the hose and over flow the pond, on a timer. Less often, perhaps three or four times per year, I'll pump out water and do a big water change. I use this as an opportunity to catch and rehome koi fry and take a close look at the pond.

I only keep koi, have straight sides.....but keep plants in floating baskets and water lilies encased in deer fencing, zip tied shut!

 

[Meyer Jordan]

good info here http://www.koihealth.info/

Some questionable information there also.

 

[Dave 54]

I guess my pond could be a dedicated pond, since there are only 6 koi and an enormous catfish, or does the catfish make it not a dedicated pond? That's Jaws in the avatar.

Also, I was wondering if poor water quality has anything to do with the poor reproduction of my water lettuce and water hyacinth. The first two years that the pond was rebuilt in earnest, there were dozens and dozens of both types that reproduced. Now, it's very little. I have to keep buying them, and the water lettuce in the garden centers is pitiful. There is not enough decent lettuce to provide a good covering for the fish. Fortunately, the pond is shaded by trees and bushes and there is a fish tunnel, too.

Does your pond have a bottom drain Like our own or @bettasngoldfish ?
Our own pond has four huge filters from its life as a QT pond the first is a vortex where all the detrius from the pond ends up .
This I clear on a regular basis removing about 40% water or until the water from the bottom drain runs clear again.
We own a water filter prefilter which removes cholorine/chloromines prior to their entry into the pond making it safe for our koi :-

http://www.vyair.com/scripts/prodView.asp?idproduct=67

Then all we do is trickle the water back into the pond at our lesure .


Dave