New Member Seeking New Pond Advice

[Minto Flats]

I expect there are several brands. The blue ones we had definitely were laced with something soaplike.

Regarding fry and drains. When really small the fry spend all their time hiding. A noodle strainer aka colander can be used but it will limit the size of stuff that goes down the drain and may even plug.

Yeah, I hear you on the colander--although it looks to be better than a fine-mesh strainer (like nylon stockings). I'd really prefer to going without a strainer now, because I sure do not want to restrict flow in any way.

On the fry issue, I take it they wouldn't be likely to hide down deep, close to the drain? I surmise this, as I haven't seen any posts in here where fry being sucked down the drain as an issue. So, do they hide in the more shallow areas of the pond--like on a ledge, behind a rock or something?

Also, I don't plan to have any larger rocks or gravel at the bottom of the pond--just liner.

Back to the evap cooler pads, I will perform a test to ensure that there is no soaplike substance involved. I did do a simple test already. I placed a scrap of the material over an empty glass, then emptied a glassful of water into it. The flow-thru was great, and the water in the transferred glass was crystal clear.

 

[Minto Flats]

welcome why lurk we don't bite (well most of us don't ) :cheerful:
I use them all the time

Well, guess I've moved past the "lurking" stage by now! :blush: And thanks.

I take it that the cooler pads you show are partially responsible for that nice clear water. Beautiful pond and fish, btw.

At this early stage, I'm still looking at filtration ideas. Do you have anything previously posted that shows/describes your filter setup?

Phil

 

[addy1]

The fry tend to hide in plants, algae etc around the sides of the pond. I had one pond with a bottom drain, never did suck in any fish. I didn't put one in this pond, just net the bottom off and on, maybe twice a year.

 

[Dave 54]

I can see anumber of problems with this one is how are you going to drain our filters below ground for mantenanc of your filters.
Filters develope are nasty soup of sludge in which lurking and just waiting to attack your fish are areomonas bacteria which can cause ulceration of your fishes bodies.
Filters should be drained and fiter medium cleaned depending on the amount if detritus twice a year once in the spirng readying them for summer (spring is one where most areomonas attacks happen ), they should also be cleaned in the fall as you call it in the US prior to winter giving your fish the optimum protection throughout that period.
We have a 4" bottom drain under a free standing pond which is pumped through using an oase 3500 in line pump returning to the pond via a 2" pipe incorporating the in line pump and the Aqua Pond double bulbed 36 watt UVC.
The other problem I could forsee is you frost table and how deep it is ,
Idealy filters should be protected against the cold ours are in a double glazed filter housing with 22mm polystyrene insulation rather than adding an inline heater we use a small 800 watt oill heated radiator hich keeps the air at a contant warm temperture of between 11-14c throughout (allowng for both colder or warmer winters days).
Many people make th emistake of turning everything off in the winter months when in reality they should be kept runing throughout..
Temperatures are monitered by a remote swimming pool thermometer ( I first saw a thread about on this site) it works perfectly add to that our weather stationand we know the outside air temperature plus the pond temperature. under its protective Polycarbonate sheeting which keeps our koi snug as bugs in a rug .
So you infect have alott to take on board before siting your filters pond etc .
Many people use ponds in the US of around 3.5 ft when in reality it should be 4 or 5 ft as aother protection against the winter .

rgrds

Dave

 

[Minto Flats]

The fry tend to hide in plants, algae etc around the sides of the pond. I had one pond with a bottom drain, never did suck in any fish. I didn't put one in this pond, just net the bottom off and on, maybe twice a year.

Thank you--this is reassuring to know!

 

[sissy]

I have no drain in my filters .I just use a mini sump pump I got and have it set in the bottom of the filter and just plug it in and pump out the nasty stuff .Been doing that for 4 years now .So far all the plants in my filter seem to suck up the nasty stuff before it gets down there .Thats why I like my filters .The other filter I just have a hose in the bottom and it just comes up and out .I just hook the pump up to the hose and suck out any of the gunk .

 

[Minto Flats]

I can see anumber of problems with this one is how are you going to drain our filters below ground for mantenanc of your filters.
Filters develope are nasty soup of sludge in which lurking and just waiting to attack your fish are areomonas bacteria which can cause ulceration of your fishes bodies.
Filters should be drained and fiter medium cleaned depending on the amount if detritus twice a year once in the spirng readying them for summer (spring is one where most areomonas attacks happen ), they should also be cleaned in the fall as you call it in the US prior to winter giving your fish the optimum protection throughout that period.
We have a 4" bottom drain under a free standing pond which is pumped through using an oase 3500 in line pump returning to the pond via a 2" pipe incorporating the in line pump and the Aqua Pond double bulbed 36 watt UVC.
The other problem I could forsee is you frost table and how deep it is ,
Idealy filters should be protected against the cold ours are in a double glazed filter housing with 22mm polystyrene insulation rather than adding an inline heater we use a small 800 watt oill heated radiator hich keeps the air at a contant warm temperture of between 11-14c throughout (allowng for both colder or warmer winters days).
Many people make th emistake of turning everything off in the winter months when in reality they should be kept runing throughout..
Temperatures are monitered by a remote swimming pool thermometer ( I first saw a thread about on this site) it works perfectly add to that our weather stationand we know the outside air temperature plus the pond temperature. under its protective Polycarbonate sheeting which keeps our koi snug as bugs in a rug .
So you infect have alott to take on board before siting your filters pond etc .
Many people use ponds in the US of around 3.5 ft when in reality it should be 4 or 5 ft as aother protection against the winter .

rgrds

Dave

Thanks for the advice, Dave. You make some great points.

As for the bottom drains (on the filter tanks), I was originally planning to run them through perforated sewage lines (as in septic tanks), where the waste would be dispersed underground. However, I'm now leaning to the sump pump solution (as outlined by sissy).

Winter is indeed an issue with a lot of regions in the U.S. Here in the Denver area of Colorado, we definitely can get some below-zero temps, but they generally do not last for that long. Even so, I've considered some sort of pond heater for the occasional cold snaps. In that same vein, however, some have told me that one can simply ensure that the ice on the pond does not completely freeze over, and the dormant fish below will be none the worse for the wear.

I agree with the concept of "the deeper the better." I'm going with 4 ft. minimum.

In regard to shutting the system down during the winter months, I would definitely try not to maintain the waterfall (for water changes). What I'm thinking of instead is to employ an air pump--to not only provide added oxygen, but to assist in preventing surface freeze-over.

 

[Minto Flats]

I have no drain in my filters .I just use a mini sump pump I got and have it set in the bottom of the filter and just plug it in and pump out the nasty stuff .Been doing that for 4 years now .So far all the plants in my filter seem to suck up the nasty stuff before it gets down there .Thats why I like my filters .The other filter I just have a hose in the bottom and it just comes up and out .I just hook the pump up to the hose and suck out any of the gunk .

I like that concept, thanks. While the notion of a sump pump in lieu of a conventional drain had occurred to me in the past, I'm encouraged to hear that someone has already done this (you), and with apparently good success. I will go this route if I keep my proposed barrels mostly below ground.

BTW, are your filters above or below ground, sissy?

 

[Dave 54]

We run our own airstones all winter in our filters which are ok as they are undercover in a double glazed filter housing.
However the bottom drain areator is switch to very low so as not to mix the temperatures which can cause problems for your koi as the colder surface water is recyled downwards which can chill the pond drastically.
People make that mistake all to often, have you heard of a condition that effects koi at near freezing temperatures called sleeping sickness ?
With this if the temperatureis not raised the koi can die if not treated however its very rare to see this weve seen it only once in 27 years of koi keeping and that was a pond of my friend Lee who had a 14,750 gallon imperial which was far to big to heat effectively and spent prolonged periods of extreme cold.
I've since suggested down sizing his pond which he did cutting it by half at least now we can heat it.
I doubt however you'll see it but if you do the temperature of the pond would have to be raised a few degrees every day otherwise prolonged sleeping sickness can kill.

rgrds

Dave