My Skippy Filter

[sissy]

I was with you thinking run off or pollen because it has been bad here everything is green it lands on

 

[mew5280]

I tried a UV clarifier a few years ago but no longer have it. So no need to check the bulb.

I rarely take my plants out unless I'm cleaning the pond, which was done two years ago. I think I have 3 or 4 pots of plants that are dirt with rocks on the top, and a couple of water lilies, don't remember what they are planted in, I have used aquatic planting media in some of them. Since I can't see anything in the pond, it's hard to remove the plants and return them. Most are sitting on bricks off the bottom. I also let some plants float in the pond but was thinking maybe I should clean all that up, it looks messy but I think it probably is healthy for the pond.

BTW, the pond is really healthy, the fish seem to be doing great, I have about 6-8 fry that are an inch long so from last year. I have a bullfrog that's been in our pond for a good 8 years I think. The koi are both 10 years old and I test the water for ammonia levels and ph and it's always in the idea range. I just can't SEE anything. So, I want to be careful with everything I do to treat the problem.

Question: I have read that killing the algae with a UV isn't good for the pond but I'm assuming that from what everyone said here, it should just be used temporarily to get the water clear?

Second question on a UV, my current setup is a Tetra DHP in the pond that pumps water out and up into the skippy filter. I can put a UV between the pump and the filter but I have read that the UV should use filtered was so how would I do that using a skippy OR I could set up the tetra bio filter and I have another smaller pump.

I try not to feed the fish much but it's the only way I can see them so I feed them a small amount in the AM and evening, like a half a handful for 2 koi and 6 big goldfish and about 6-8 of the new babies that I see swimming around.

There is stuff that falls in the pond, but not much. But if I reach in and touch the bottom of the pond, there is nothing there but the liner, no gunk or dirt or anything.

Birds do come and drink from the pond but not a huge amount. I have a dog that keeps them away if she's out there.

 

[sissy]

have you tried my quilt batting idea to pick up all the fine stuff ,you may have clean it a lot but should pick up all the fine stuff that produces algae .Algae has to feed on something in your pond like wastes from your fish .Do you have some oyster shells in there and do you test water .I use barley liquid and barley pads with the lavender in them .Not sure but the lavender I think helps as much as the barley does .I use all natural barley also ,but seems the barley pads with lavender seem to work better

 

[koiguy1969]

you can absoluetly run a U.V before a skippy..I do, and always have...my water clarity speaks for itself!! and I might add my U.V has never needed much for cleaning inside either.
** when installing or replacing a bulb a U.V bulb be careful not to touch the bulb with your hands the oils from your skin will shorten its lifespan.
** ebay is a real cheap place to get your replacement bulbs ...i pay $12.00 for 2 bulbs for my Tetrapond 9 watter....i dont run mine long.. 8 months use is the norm before they start to lose their effectiveness..11 months useless. my bulb lasted 4 years, i'm replacing and i dont know that it even needs it.

 

[mew5280]

sissy: I did the quilt batting last year and changed it every other day or so. Didn't clear the pond but that was before I put in this bigger filter. I am so tired I have to wait for more energy to set that up but I think it might be a good idea if I get another UV.

When I tried barley bales, I just anchored them to the bottom with a weight and let them float in the pond underwater. Is that what you do? Or someone mentioned putting them in the filter or does it matter? I also tried the barley liquid and used as the bottle directed, again this was maybe 2 years ago, not recently.

I think I will try a UV again, just have to go find someplace to buy or order it.

Koiguy: how long do you run the UV in the Spring? A few weeks? Or do you let it run all the time through the warm months?

 

[sissy]

With the quilt batting if you fold it neat and put it in you can take it out hose it off and put it back in .I buy the barley pads with lavender in them besides smelling good I think the lavender helps more .The regular barley I put in a bag under my waterfall .Having 2 filters this year and 2 waterfalls I think helped a lot

 

[mew5280]

With the quilt batting if you fold it neat and put it in you can take it out hose it off and put it back in .I buy the barley pads with lavender in them besides smelling good I think the lavender helps more .The regular barley I put in a bag under my waterfall .Having 2 filters this year and 2 waterfalls I think helped a lot

Silly question. I actually quilt and have quilt batting in a roll but it's 100% cotton. What I used in the filter was polyfil, not cotton at all. Does either one work? Or is one better than the other? I have some bags of the polyfil I was going to use up first, then try batting. Had no idea I could rinse and reuse it, thanks!

 

[koiguy1969]

Koiguy: how long do you run the UV in the Spring? A few weeks? Or do you let it run all the time through the warm months?

i run my U.V 10 days tops; each year

 

[sissy]

100% cotton is better .I use polyfil but the 100% cotton I have to admit works better but is more expensive to buy .The polyfil works fine as long as you fold it nice and neat and keep taking it out and hosing it off .I am a quilter too thats why I tried it in my pond lol .Was looking at it and thought it really was like the stuff they use in fish tanks so what the heck ,gave it a try it worked .Now I have friends who have fish tanks that are now using it in there fish tanks instead of the expensive stuff from the pet stores .They owe me big time:lol::lol::lol::regular_waving_emot if they are looking at this WELL

 

[sissy]

I have never tried a uv as they are expensive and the replacement bulbs are not cheap I have 2 almost brand new pressurized filters in my basement with uv and never used them .I got them for this new pond 5 years ago clearanced out intending on using them on this pond but ended up building my own filter

 

[koiguy1969]

U.V s are not that expensive...tetrapond 9 watter is s under $100.00, and you can find less expensive brands on eBay... bulbs are 2 for $12.00 on eBay cost of running if you run full time is minimal. mine only draws 9.75 watts....a few dollars a month if i ran it 24/7. and they work wonders in a pond where green water is a constant struggle. i used the same bulb for 4 years, its probably still fine but i have the extras. so $6.00 every 4 years is a cost i can live with.needed or not!!

 

[vertigo72]

i run my U.V 10 days tops; each year

I assume you are talking about your cellar pond? The one which doesnt get sunlight, like ever?

 

[koiguy1969]

no... my outdoor pond....no need for a U.V or any type of alge control in the basement!
and yes it is in full sun all day!

 

[biggoldie]

I've been reading this thread with interest, because I am in just the same boat- pea soup water and a new skippy filter, which hasn't yet developed enough good bacteria to address the problem.
Rank beginner though I am, I think I can say with some confidence that you just need to hang in there a bit. You had clear water before, and it was because you had a great many plants. I can well imagine your frustration, thinking about all of those iris, which cost so much at the nursery to replace. What you need is something cheap and cheery to suck up the nutrients in the water and also helps with shading, and something that grows fast so that you don't have to wait forever.... One of the DIY threads I saw here illustrated how somebody made floating rings to hold water hyacinths so that their koi couldn't eat the roots... that sounds like a really great idea. They grow like crazy, and their roots are right in the water, going directly to work.
This is a little vid that I have found very inspiring. This guys set up is not so different from yours (or mine, though mine is much smaller), but look at how much water lettuce he has going here! That's what makes this work:
[ame]

 

[vertigo72]

One of the DIY threads I saw here illustrated how somebody made floating rings to hold water hyacinths so that their koi couldn't eat the roots... that sounds like a really great idea.

Definitely worth trying, but I tried, and failed. For some reason water hyacinths dont like my pond. I bought 4 or so to give it a try, and they go all slimy, the leaves look as if they are burnt by the sun, and they fade away. Even the ones my Koi had no access to (I put 2 in my biofilter).

Not sure what it is they like that my pond doesnt provide. I have a ph of 7.5, GH and KH are both around 8. (nitrates, nitrite and ammonia all unmeasurable). I think its temperature? My pond was still pretty cold when I introduced them (8-10C), but neither the ones I put in direct sunshine, nor the ones that are protected by shade do well. My iris' grow like crazy though, as do most of my other plants.

Shame, as they are pretty plants, and apparently excellent "filters" too