Introduction

[j.w]

Ouch to say the least! Maybe you could rig up a long pole w/ the toilet brush on the end so you could try to stay on the outer edge of the pond or the drier rocks to keep from falling. Or just wear padding

 

[Shelley]

Ouch to say the least! Maybe you could rig up a long pole w/ the toilet brush on the end so you could try to stay on the outer edge of the pond or the drier rocks to keep from falling. Or just wear padding

Yes, I definitely need padding! Say does anyone wear knee pads?

 

[Shelley]

Here is today's quickly 'harvested' crop from ONE day and only from the small upper pond. I pulled some off of the Barley hay bale. Disgusted!!

 

[j.w]

Not knee pads but I have one of those little mini gardening pads I lay on the pond edge rocks for my knees when I reach in to pull out lilies when grooming or when clearing the gunk of the pond spitters/bubblers etc. Knee pads would work tho, just don't have any.

 

[j.w]

Yucko on the algae but you are getting it out..............now the trick is to keep it at bay!

 

[Shelley]

I have attached a photo of just a few of my pond battle scars from just last week. I decided to spare you all from the worst one on me bum.

 

[JohnHuff]

Okaaay.
First things first, it might be a good idea to hold your camera the right side up when taking pics. Or you can use a program such as Microsoft Paint or any other program to rotate your pics before posting. It's giving me torticollis Secondly, on a totally unrelated note, what does your husband think about you taking pics of your legs and showing them to strangers on the internet (though I think we're all going to be much more intimate before this is over).

 

[JohnHuff]

Second of all, let's estimate the volume of your pond.
Let's say your pond is a 1/2 circle. The radius would be 4ft.
The surface area of this semi-circle would be (πr²)/2 or (π4²)/2.
That comes to 25ft².
The depth is 2ft approx.
The volume in ft³ = 25 x 2 = 50ft³.
Using a conversion app, 50ft³ = 374g.
That seems very small to me. Can anyone check this?

Though, I think it is probably correct since my pond is about 7ft plus x 7ft x 2ft and comes to about 800g.

 

[JohnHuff]

Next, food and fish.
You've actually got quite a lot of fish for a pond that size. I think we all overestimated the size of your pond based on the pics. The amount of water flowing down from the waterfall and pipes will add a bit of volume, but not much. You can probably keep all that fish, but don't add anymore.

Food. The pond is essentially a closed system. Any food you add to it will increase the amount of organic matter in it. And that is a lot of food you're adding per day. My pond is about double your size. I don't think I add more than 1/2 the amount of your koi pellets per day. So definitely, cut your food down to about 1/4 of what you're doing now. You can go down by 1/2, then 1/3. Your fish won't hate you. Some of us don't even add food. The fish can survive off creatures and vegetation in the pond.

 

[JohnHuff]

Next. When you open that valve, what comes out? Is it sludge, algae or clear water? That tells me whether it's a bottom drain type valve or just a water drain.

All the additives you add? 99% of us don't use that. In fact, stop using the barley. It doesn't do anything and probably adds decomposing matter to the pond. The only thing I would keep using is the water cleaner if it's a dechlorinator, something that neutralizes the chlorine in your tap water.

How often do you do water changes? And you should probably get a water test kit. Any fish store or Petco will have one.

Next, pipes that go up to the waterfall. Is there any box there or how does the water get to the waterfall?

I wouldn't worry too much about a biofilter right now. Your waterfall is acting as your biofilter and your water lettuce and water hyacinths will do a great job of detoxing your pond.

A short lesson. Fish eat. Fish poops toxins. Toxins are neutralized by bacteria. This bacteria occurs naturally. You need to bring the toxins and oxygen to the bacteria for it to work on the toxins. A biofilter is simply anything with a lot of surface area that exposes bacteria to flowing water and oxygen. And the waterfall is that thing. Bacteria already lives on the surface of the rocks on the waterfall.

I created one of my first biofilters by lining the surface of the waterfall rocks with hundreds of pebbles and stones. The pebbles and stones increased the surface area of that flat surface so that more bacteria could live on it. You could do the same.

 

[Dave 54]

Do I take it you have no filtration system at all shelly ?
Your first visit then should be to your local koi dealership , give them the size of the pond waterfall etc and ask them if they can supply you with a filter to fit your system , its no wonder you have problems with your pond agae wise at present because between you and the sun all your doing is feeding it .
Once your filter is in place then your going to have to mature it once this is done we can get down to your pond propper cleanng it all out bottopm wise with a pond vacuum cleaner or if you havent one doing it by hand .
Do you have any liquid drop test kits API do a complete one Ammonia Nitrite Ph and phososphate it may well be nitrates over in the US your going to have to keep an eagle eye out on your pond perameters especially whilst we are getting your filter up and running .
You also need to do regular partial water changes from now on bleach wont cut it as your finding out so you'll need pond dechlorinator/chlormines .
Water quality is the key to success for you your pond and its inhabitents there in .

Dave

 

[CometKeith]

Hi Shelley,Welcome! Very pretty pond. The key is to find a natural balance for your pond so it can sustain itself with minimal work from you. My string algae disappeared after my pond cycled. It sounds like there is an excess of nutrients (food) causing your problem. Fish can find their own food naturally in the pond. They don'y really need much from us. I would cut way back and see if your algae problem clears up.

 

[Shelley]

John

Been out of town. But when I got back I dragged my husband who is an engineer and entirely uninterested in the pond. Reluctantly, he carefully measured the pond dimensions and he got around 750 gallons and approx 50 in the upper pond and falls. So it appears your calculations were correct. Thanks. Also, I appreciated your information on bio filters and constructed one on each side of the upper pond. Today I bought bog plants and will turn the upper pond into a bog/bio filter. I will send pictures soon.

Of course, whilst at the pond store I had to get some sort of new fun thing...today's acquisition was three crawfish. Ha! I am so terrible addicted.

 

[mtpond]

Welcome Shelley! Love your pond.