My goldfish pond

[CometKeith]

Sorry you lost your pear tree, but your new plantings sound nice. I have a UV light and use it on occasion. I'm interested to hear more about your new filter and pump

Hi Tula. So I have been researching filters and pumps for about 6 months. I really didn't want to spend the money, but feel a this time I really needed to do something as I go from goldfish to Koi. I think one of the best filters are the large ones with lots of pads similar to a skippy filter but I really don't have the space. Most of my research was on bead filters. From what I understand the biggest problem with bead filters is the media clumps together so you need a blower. I ended up getting a aquadyne 4000 with a blower and an external pump that's about 4000 gph. I had to calculate my head and this size was recommended to me. My main two sources I considered were AZ ponds and webbs. They were pretty competitive with each other. I ended up going with az because I have bought from them before and they were always nice if there was a problem. This is what i bought https://www.azponds.com/product/aquadyne-filter-and-azflo-pump-combo-kits-up-to-4000-gallons/ It has all the reducers as part of the kit as I didn't want to get it and have to buy more parts.
I moved my current filter from the corner and plan to put the new equipment a new cedar box to match our new fence to cover the pump and filter.

Ah I know how much you loved your pear tree and sorry it is lost. Happy to hear your fish are all doing well. My water is green also but I have too many fish. Not going to get a Uv tho. I'll just have to part w/some of the orange fish.
JW Thank you. It was really fun getting pears last year from it. When we did construction it was cut down to the stump when the cleaned the backyard of all the stuff growing and it came back to life so that was nice. Your pond looks great!

@CometKeith - have you had green water in this pond in the past? I'm not a fan of UV filtration - I know it works, but to me it works like an aspirin works to lower a fever. You're addressing the symptom, but the cause is still there. Once the "medication" wears off, the problem still remains. And I do wonder what else is getting UVd in the process.

We're seeing algae this year that we've never seen before and seeing some string algae in places we don't generally get it - I wonder if it's a combination of our hard winter plus the fact our pump was off for three months. The pond is working to regain some balance.

I haven't had green water since the first year but we did two no nos. My wife felt the sedges were too large so we got rid of a huge clump and I disconnected my biofilter and had to dump all the water out to move it. I typically have not used a uv light much in the past and agree the green water is a symptom and not a cause so I feel better about my decision not to get one for now.
Cas. Yes we probably removed 50% of the plants so that could definitely be the cause. My wife is very involved in our backyard pond design and she felt it was too much.
Here is a pic I took this morning. You can see some of the new plantings we did behind the pond including arbor vitae and succulents and
it is sans the pear tree in front. I planted some grasses there. Our yard definitely feel larger now without it. Also we are getting more sun without it but the new fence is blocking the morning sun so it's hard to know how things are affecting the pond when there are so many variables!

 

[Tula]

I love your new fence, looks fantastic !! I hide some of my pond equipment is what I call the pond shack.....I actually trash picked it some years ago. It's a little house, complete with roofing shingles and my electric etc is in it. I painted it a dark green and hung a wooden fish on it My 55 gallon barrels is mostly hidden in a lumber box, also painted a dark green.

Can you run electric near to the cedar box you're planning?

 

[CometKeith]

I love your new fence, looks fantastic !! I hide some of my pond equipment is what I call the pond shack.....I actually trash picked it some years ago. It's a little house, complete with roofing shingles and my electric etc is in it. I painted it a dark green and hung a wooden fish on it My 55 gallon barrels is mostly hidden in a lumber box, also painted a dark green.

Can you run electric near to the cedar box you're planning?

Thanks Tula. I don't see why I can't as long as there are no exposed wires but i'll run the setup by the electrician that works for me to verify everything will be good. Thanks for pointing that out. Also I have a plumber ready to help me out with the pvc pipe. He asked if I need to use pressure resistant pipe or if I could just use regular pvc drain pipe.

 

[CometKeith]

This a picture I recently took of my pond. I installed a new pump and filter a month ago. I put them in the garage so they are out of sight. Eventually I'll get rid of my old filter you can see in the picture. I'm still working with the new filter and pump to get the pond water looking better. All my fish are doing well!

 

[Lisak1]

I was just thinking about you @CometKeith ! Pond looks great - what an awesome view!

 

[j.w]

Nice to see you @CometKeith and your pond is looking lovely! Fits in that spot perfectly.

 

[Tula]

I'd clean and hang onto your old filter....you never know when you might need it. Mines' been off line for almost a week, waiting for the proper pump to arrive.

Your pond is maturing beautifully

 

[CometKeith]

I was just thinking about you @CometKeith ! Pond looks great - what an awesome view!

Lisa Thank you. That's from about halfway up our back porch off one of the stair landings. The main seating area is a little higher and to the left. The plantings and pots are doing well. I was watering a lot when it was dry for a while.

 

[CometKeith]

Thanks JW the pond is still a work in progress but it's slowly getting there!

Nice to see you @CometKeith and your pond is looking lovely! Fits in that spot perfectly.

 

[CometKeith]

I'd clean and hang onto your old filter....you never know when you might need it. Mines' been off line for almost a week, waiting for the proper pump to arrive.

Your pond is maturing beautifully

Thanks Tula. so I actually pulled out the smaller filter today. I was wondering what to do with it so maybe I'll take your advice and keep it. I was waiting for the larger pump to acclimate and it's been over a month so it's probably time to pull out the old one. The old one had a small leak so I'm hoping I don't have to keep filling the pond with water all the time now that I'm taking it out. I installed a AquaDyne 4000 with a blower attachment. I was hoping it would clean up the water right away but it didn't. I didn't backwash the filter for the first month so bb would build up. I have backwashed it twice now and every time I do it the pond clears a little. I wonder how many times I'll have to do it to clean up the pond all the way! Here is a closeup right after I fed them. You can see them a little but I wish it was a little better!

 

[BarbO]

Your pond looks great Keith, and here I thought that was a drone shot!
Barb

 

[callingcolleen1]

Awesome Keith! Your plants are mature now and that pond is sure bigger than your old pond. Enjoy the rest of the summer. Getting chilly here in the morning's now. Frost will be here soon. Only a bit above freezing this morning here in Canada. Oh where does the time go...

 

[Gemma]

Looking good!

 

[Tula]

If you make any additional filtration improvements, a shower is supposed to help water quality quite a bit. I had a nice one, that was crushed under a tree a few years ago....it had to be used with a pressurized filter and I now have gravity fed.

Give it time, especially with all your lovely plants I keep thinking about a small bog, but need hubby's help.

 

[addy1]

I keep thinking about a small bog, but need hubby's help.

nah just dig.............. lol