Pond life.

[phil24_7]

I have just bought a house with a couple of large ponds (2500 litres and 1500 litres at a rough guess) in the garden. I know nothing about fish or ponds so am seeking some advice about how to look after them as well as some good/reliable on-line resources.

There is a strong possibility that there are some Koi in the larger pond, as well as some other similar fish. There's also some black fish too!

The smaller pond has a pump/filter and a water feature that fills a small top pond (with no fish) that then water falls into the main part of the pond. The large has no pump/filter as the previous owner took it, along with his Koi (or most of). He originally had a large pump, with a UV light in it.

How do I not kill them?!

Any help, gratefully accepted.

P.S. I have also inherited a couple of white doves... How do I look after them???:confused:

[Milky Bar Kid]

If there is a pump and the water "falls" from one pond down into the other, then hopefully that should be enough to suitably oxygenate the water.

We have a large pond. The size of what used to be 3 large silage pits. It is 10ft at its deepest and is now filled with some goldfish but mainly Koi Carp. Apart from making sure the water is oxygenated, all we do is buy specialist fish food.

[phil24_7]

Sorry. Water flows from a small feeder pond, into the small fish pond. The large pond has no pump or water flow into it. :(

What's the best/easiest/cheapest way to oxygenate the water, and what food do I need to get?

Do I need to feed them in the winter?

Regards
Phil

[Milky Bar Kid]

No, I don't think they get fed in winter. We have a pump and also, a small solar powered fountain to oxygenate the water. Anything that makes bubbles in the water will be oxygenating it.

For a while our puump was broken so all we did was get the garden hose and sit it so that the water was "bubbling" as it went into the pond, if you know what I mean?

As for food, if you go into any fish food shop and tell them you are looking for foor for koi carp they will sort you.

[phil24_7]

Cheers hun.

[Sally]

Do some fishing ;)

[Milky Bar Kid]

No probs Phil. I will speak to Dad tomorrow when I get home from work and PM you with any further details

[Jayneflakes]

At this time of year, deep ponds can stratify into to two distinct layers of water. Oxygen rich and oxygen depleted. If this occurs you can get anaerobic bacteria in the sediments at the bottom which will cause the pond to give off hydrogen Sulphide, which stinks. As the bacteria build up they reduce O2 levels even more and the pond will effectively become stagnant and you can lose fish. To avoid this, get some oxygen in there ether by using pond plants or a pump. I studied this for my degree in 1996, is it sad that I can still remember the details?

[Bluefish]

+ 1 on the pond plants, they produce oxygen

[Richie]

Cold temp freezes water... So I was learn't in Physic at Skoll

By simply placing some ramdonly scattered tennis balls into the water before it freezes one might add, one can remove them and get below the ice layer to feed fish if required.

every fancyed going to the local refuse collection tip/dump to retreave an old discarded fridge...
If the Bad cfc's have been removed then simply rip out that old compressor, (the majority of fridges / freezers are discarded due to cosmetics looks and not functionalaty) the compressor will pump air into you pond via some rubber hoses easy gained from an iron mongers or other suitable retail outlet.
they will also inflate tyres too.

hth's if not then Meh.

[xXBADGERXx]

First thing to check is the Plant life in there , the Plants will happily Oxygenate the Water . If you are going to fit a pump then I would be inclined to spend the money on a good pump that filters well and provides UV filtration too for that larger Pond . These MAY not be necessary though . I`ve seen many ponds that had a nice balance to them because they did not have too many Fish in them and the Plant life could cope with it quite nicely . As the temperatures fall , the Fish will be inclined to eat less so I wouldn`t be too worried about going down there everyday and bunging food in there . When the temperature drops to around 8 degrees the Fish will stop feeding , it may even happen around 10 degrees . As the temperature drops even more the Fish will head for the bottom of the pond and for all intents and purposes , will hibernate for want of a better word . They will move around , but they wont patrol as much . If they do get hungry then they will rummage about for morsels . The danger you have with bunging food in there is that it doesn`t get eaten and stagnates and starts to produce Ammonia .

Ooh just remembered , you may be better off adding small amounts of Trace Elements over the Winter . Now is the time to learn your art Phil , as the problems will certainly arise more in the warmer months . Get yourself a Water testing kit as well to test for Nitrates and Nitrites , Ammonia and Ph .

[phil24_7]

At this time of year, deep ponds can stratify into to two distinct layers of water. Oxygen rich and oxygen depleted. If this occurs you can get anaerobic bacteria in the sediments at the bottom which will cause the pond to give off hydrogen Sulphide, which stinks. As the bacteria build up they reduce O2 levels even more and the pond will effectively become stagnant and you can lose fish. To avoid this, get some oxygen in there ether by using pond plants or a pump. I studied this for my degree in 1996, is it sad that I can still remember the details?

+ 1 on the pond plants, they produce oxygen

There are some plants in the ponds, thought there seems to be more in the smaller ponds that has the pump and filter!

[phil24_7]

Cold temp freezes water... So I was learn't in Physic at Skoll

By simply placing some ramdonly scattered tennis balls into the water before it freezes one might add, one can remove them and get below the ice layer to feed fish if required.

every fancyed going to the local refuse collection tip/dump to retreave an old discarded fridge...
If the Bad cfc's have been removed then simply rip out that old compressor, (the majority of fridges / freezers are discarded due to cosmetics looks and not functionalaty) the compressor will pump air into you pond via some rubber hoses easy gained from an iron mongers or other suitable retail outlet.
they will also inflate tyres too.

hth's if not then Meh.

You are indeed wise, as my mum mentioned the tennis ball trick last night!

Not sure on the fridge pump idea, as it won't be waterproof and I'm not a fan of being electrocuted!

[phil24_7]

First thing to check is the Plant life in there , the Plants will happily Oxygenate the Water . If you are going to fit a pump then I would be inclined to spend the money on a good pump that filters well and provides UV filtration too for that larger Pond . These MAY not be necessary though . I`ve seen many ponds that had a nice balance to them because they did not have too many Fish in them and the Plant life could cope with it quite nicely . As the temperatures fall , the Fish will be inclined to eat less so I wouldn`t be too worried about going down there everyday and bunging food in there . When the temperature drops to around 8 degrees the Fish will stop feeding , it may even happen around 10 degrees . As the temperature drops even more the Fish will head for the bottom of the pond and for all intents and purposes , will hibernate for want of a better word . They will move around , but they wont patrol as much . If they do get hungry then they will rummage about for morsels . The danger you have with bunging food in there is that it doesn`t get eaten and stagnates and starts to produce Ammonia .

Ooh just remembered , you may be better off adding small amounts of Trace Elements over the Winter . Now is the time to learn your art Phil , as the problems will certainly arise more in the warmer months . Get yourself a Water testing kit as well to test for Nitrates and Nitrites , Ammonia and Ph .

Cheers bud, my dad mentioned the feeding stuff and oxygenation stuff last night.

What the hell are trace elements though?:confused:

How much am I looking at for a decent pump/filter/UV system, and what brands should I be looking at?

How often should I have the pumps on over winter and summer?

I will try to find a water testing kit this week.

Cheers for everybody's help.

[phil24_7]

Oh, I've just remembered.

I have a couple of waterproof switches outside, with wires coming out the bottom. One operates the pump/filter (I forget the name, but I will go and check) and the other doesn't appear to do a lot. I have traced the wire, and it appears to go under the water in the top pond. What the hell is this for???

[xXBADGERXx]

Cheers bud, my dad mentioned the feeding stuff and oxygenation stuff last night.

What the hell are trace elements though?:confused:

How much am I looking at for a decent pump/filter/UV system, and what brands should I be looking at?

How often should I have the pumps on over winter and summer?

I will try to find a water testing kit this week.

Cheers for everybody's help.

http://www.swelluk.com/pond/pond-filters-24/pressurised-pond-filters-335/fish-mate-pressurised-uvc-pond-filters-600.html

That is a very good price on a UV clarifier and filter system . It doesn`t matter about filtration so much over the winter . You really need a hassle free pump to be honest . If it gets clogged you can actually run them dry and knacker them . A pressurised system like the one in the link will provide good movement of Water . In the summer months you will need to provide more filtration than in the winter .

Ok , Trace Elements . These are measured in teeny weeny amounts and are little essential minerals that your plants will need to replace in the water , happy plants , happy fish . In the wild , Koi will get all their trace elements from the snow melt that happens in Japan . The snow returns back to a liquid form and picks up all sorts of stuff on it`s way down through the soil and clay of the hillsides and it then runs into the Koi ponds . We have no such facility here and our water companies will remove a lot of these in their process . Some pond fertiliser tablets may have these in by the way so it is always worth asking your supplier when you get one .

[xXBADGERXx]

Oh, I've just remembered.

I have a couple of waterproof switches outside, with wires coming out the bottom. One operates the pump/filter (I forget the name, but I will go and check) and the other doesn't appear to do a lot. I have traced the wire, and it appears to go under the water in the top pond. What the hell is this for???

That could be for a seperate UV cleaner , you will switch it on and notice naff all happening . The cleaner is basically a UV bulb under water in a box with a coil of clear tubing around it . The pond water is fed through this coil and the water travels around the UV light , killing off certain bacteria . It is in a coil as this provides a longer time in the presence of UV light rather than just running past it in a straight line . I could be wrong though and it may not be attached to anything like that at all , so don`t take my word for it . Usually you can get into the pond and find something near the bottom of the deepest part that these will be wired to . SWITCH them OFF and UNPLUG them first , if your not sure then kill the power to the WHOLE house with the big OFF switch ...... even then I have heard stories of some pillock having wired things accidentally into a neighbours supply :rolleyes: . Other things to check for are little patches of gravel next to ponds or even the obligatory gnome or potted plant , something electrical could be hidden underneath them for easy access .

[phil24_7]

I'll pop to a pond supplier this week and have a chat and purchase supplies.

The pump I have in the small pond at the mo is a Fish Mate, pressurised filter, 2500UV. The inlet tube comes from the bottom of the pond and the outlet goes to the underside of the water feature, this then trickles down back into the pond.

I guess I'll have to jump in the pond to find out what the heck I have in there already... That's gonna be cold!

I'll post up some pictures soon so you can see what your helping me with!

[phil24_7]

Ha, ha. The link you posted is for the filter I have in my small pond!

This surely means the power wire that goes into my pond, is not a UV filter, as that is built into the pump?!?

Could it be for oxygenating the water?

[xXBADGERXx]

Ha, ha. The link you posted is for the filter I have in my small pond!

This surely means the power wire that goes into my pond, is not a UV filter, as that is built into the pump?!?

Could it be for oxygenating the water?

Well there you go , that is a bit of a coincidence as I thought "He`s gonna have a fair amount to do so let`s see what would suit him best for the money" ..... lo and behold . The one I was gonna recommend was the one in the link but nearer the bottom as it shifts more water per hour . Not all Pumps come with a UV clarifier built in , that lead may have been for a waterfall pump or indeed it may have been for a UV filter and seperate pump and the original owner put a Fish Mate in or something . It could even have been for underwater lighting , the possibilities are long and boggling as to what that lead could have been for or IS being used for right now .

[kwak zzr]

my uv box was a fishmate combined with a hoselock pump, its strange that the seller just left his fish their as it sounds like he's left you a pretty decent set up.

[phil24_7]

Well there you go , that is a bit of a coincidence as I thought "He`s gonna have a fair amount to do so let`s see what would suit him best for the money" ..... lo and behold . The one I was gonna recommend was the one in the link but nearer the bottom as it shifts more water per hour . Not all Pumps come with a UV clarifier built in , that lead may have been for a waterfall pump or indeed it may have been for a UV filter and seperate pump and the original owner put a Fish Mate in or something . It could even have been for underwater lighting , the possibilities are long and boggling as to what that lead could have been for or IS being used for right now .

I shall investimagate, as soon as I get a set of waders!

Will the second pump in the link be ok for keeping Koi happy?

[phil24_7]

my uv box was a fishmate combined with a hoselock pump, its strange that the seller just left his fish their as it sounds like he's left you a pretty decent set up.

He was only really interested in his BIG Pump/UV filter and his Koi. He dind't get all the Koi I don't think, and there may also be some infant Koi, that are masquerading as some other fish that are also in there!

Anyway, this is all new to me, and i'm glad it looks like it should be fairly straight forward to get this up and running properly in time for the spring.

Cheers everyone for your help so far.

[xXBADGERXx]

I shall investimagate, as soon as I get a set of waders!

Will the second pump in the link be ok for keeping Koi happy?

The number in the title of the pump probably eqauted to litres per hour that the unit can shift , I am no expert on Koi or any other fish but understand the filtration etc of a body of water and how it is kept is the key to keeping ANY fish happy . It would be best to ask the company if the pump would do the job for the size of pond you have . As far as the basics go I understand that swings in your Ph are what affect the fish the worst . Small inclines either way are ok but big increases/reduction are what stress the fish out . Now the fish , like us , like to have a pooh once in a while and this sits in the water , as it breaks down it releases Ammonia and this needs to be dealt with . Insects dying in the water release Ammonia , uneaten food releases Ammonia , plants decaying release Ammonia ...... getting the picture now aren`t we , stuff in water releases Ammonia . Ammonia gets into the gills of the fish and decreases their efficiency to breathe ....... a bit like trying to breathe with a hanky over your face .

Now , from what I can remember , and this isn`t fact or canon by the way , when Ammonia breaks down and oxidises it produces Nitrates , not as harmful to fish as Ammonia is but is a good indication that your body of water is in poor condition and in need of treatment .

Now when these Nitrates break down themselves , they produce Nitrites which can be harmful to fish . Now all this To`ing and Fro`ing of chemicals can cause stress in the fish and also stop your plant life from working correctly , Oxygen levels can rise and fall as well as CO2 levels and all of this has a detrimental effect on the well-being of the fish . I am trying to explain this so that it is easier to understand for you Phil without battering your head with the science bit and frightening you off . Another point to bear in mind is don`t overdo things and don`t expect immediate results . A new filter in a pond needs to mature and develop its own bacteria .... a small idea is maybe to take some of the Ceramic balls or medium out of your other filter in the smaller pond and drop them into your new filter , this will help local bacteria establish a lot quicker in your new filter ;) ..... oh and another thing , when cleaning filters , DO NOT rinse them out under your tap , take a small bit of the pond water in a bucket and clean them in that , this way you don`t eradicate a lot of the local bacteria to that filter . We shall get you there eventually Phil :)

[phil24_7]

The number in the title of the pump probably eqauted to litres per hour that the unit can shift , I am no expert on Koi or any other fish but understand the filtration etc of a body of water and how it is kept is the key to keeping ANY fish happy . It would be best to ask the company if the pump would do the job for the size of pond you have . As far as the basics go I understand that swings in your Ph are what affect the fish the worst . Small inclines either way are ok but big increases/reduction are what stress the fish out . Now the fish , like us , like to have a pooh once in a while and this sits in the water , as it breaks down it releases Ammonia and this needs to be dealt with . Insects dying in the water release Ammonia , uneaten food releases Ammonia , plants decaying release Ammonia ...... getting the picture now aren`t we , stuff in water releases Ammonia . Ammonia gets into the gills of the fish and decreases their efficiency to breathe ....... a bit like trying to breathe with a hanky over your face .

Now , from what I can remember , and this isn`t fact or canon by the way , when Ammonia breaks down and oxidises it produces Nitrates , not as harmful to fish as Ammonia is but is a good indication that your body of water is in poor condition and in need of treatment .

Now when these Nitrates break down themselves , they produce Nitrites which can be harmful to fish . Now all this To`ing and Fro`ing of chemicals can cause stress in the fish and also stop your plant life from working correctly , Oxygen levels can rise and fall as well as CO2 levels and all of this has a detrimental effect on the well-being of the fish . I am trying to explain this so that it is easier to understand for you Phil without battering your head with the science bit and frightening you off . Another point to bear in mind is don`t overdo things and don`t expect immediate results . A new filter in a pond needs to mature and develop its own bacteria .... a small idea is maybe to take some of the Ceramic balls or medium out of your other filter in the smaller pond and drop them into your new filter , this will help local bacteria establish a lot quicker in your new filter ;) ..... oh and another thing , when cleaning filters , DO NOT rinse them out under your tap , take a small bit of the pond water in a bucket and clean them in that , this way you don`t eradicate a lot of the local bacteria to that filter . We shall get you there eventually Phil :)

Some extremely useful info there, and putting it in laymans terms has helped me understand the principles, without the need for too many facts (If I need them, I'll track them down in future!). Thanks for taking the time to write all this out, and help me through the initial stages of not murdering my fish!

Incidentally. When filling my ponds from half empty, is tap water ok??? I hope so, else I may have condemned them to death last night! I didn't think about it, just put the hose in them, :(

[xXBADGERXx]

Tap water is not the best resource to be honest , but you certainly won`t kill them doing that as you already have a half filled Pond . It would be better to set up a couple of Water Butts at this time of year , and to be honest , with the weather we have had this year I am surprised it has a low level of water in it .

[phil24_7]

Here's some pics:

http://i194.photobucket.com/albums/z282/phil24_7/Pond/IMG_4158.jpg (http://forums.sv650.org/%5BIMG%5Dhttp://i194.photobucket.com/albums/z282/phil24_7/Pond/IMG_4158.jpg%5B/IMG%5D)

http://i194.photobucket.com/albums/z282/phil24_7/Pond/IMG_4149.jpg (http://forums.sv650.org/%5BIMG%5Dhttp://i194.photobucket.com/albums/z282/phil24_7/Pond/IMG_4149.jpg%5B/IMG%5D)

http://i194.photobucket.com/albums/z282/phil24_7/Pond/IMG_4150.jpg (http://forums.sv650.org/%5BIMG%5Dhttp://i194.photobucket.com/albums/z282/phil24_7/Pond/IMG_4150.jpg%5B/IMG%5D)

http://i194.photobucket.com/albums/z282/phil24_7/Pond/IMG_4151.jpg (http://forums.sv650.org/%5BIMG%5Dhttp://i194.photobucket.com/albums/z282/phil24_7/Pond/IMG_4151.jpg%5B/IMG%5D)

http://i194.photobucket.com/albums/z282/phil24_7/Pond/IMG_4152.jpg (http://forums.sv650.org/%5BIMG%5Dhttp://i194.photobucket.com/albums/z282/phil24_7/Pond/IMG_4152.jpg%5B/IMG%5D)

http://i194.photobucket.com/albums/z282/phil24_7/Pond/IMG_4153.jpg (http://forums.sv650.org/%5BIMG%5Dhttp://i194.photobucket.com/albums/z282/phil24_7/Pond/IMG_4153.jpg%5B/IMG%5D)

http://i194.photobucket.com/albums/z282/phil24_7/Pond/IMG_4154.jpg (http://forums.sv650.org/%5BIMG%5Dhttp://i194.photobucket.com/albums/z282/phil24_7/Pond/IMG_4154.jpg%5B/IMG%5D)

http://i194.photobucket.com/albums/z282/phil24_7/Pond/IMG_4155.jpg (http://forums.sv650.org/%5BIMG%5Dhttp://i194.photobucket.com/albums/z282/phil24_7/Pond/IMG_4155.jpg%5B/IMG%5D)

[xXBADGERXx]

I would be more concerned with testing the water quality more than anything else , sounds to me like you are itching to do some good with this pond , that would be your first port of call as far as I am concerned . Ph/Ammonia/Nitrate/Nitrite kit .

[phil24_7]

Will buy a kit tomorrow. Cheers.

[xXBADGERXx]

AHA ...... spotted a problem right away , that Black pond liner has slipped so any water going above that will just leak away . Nice pics by the way .

[xXBADGERXx]

Water looks pretty clear as well but the flash will change the way the water looks and so will the rain drops but not too bad looking , just remember to keep dead brown leaves out of the water over winter , and I am on about ones that have blown off trees , make sure there are no dead Hedgehogs in there . Anything that can or is decaying in there needs to be removed . The actual pond plants that have turned a bit off colour due to the Winter may not necessarily need this but anything that you deem as not being from the very near vicinity of the pond should be removed . Oh and watch out when fertilising that lawn in the summer , some fertiliser may seep into the pond area and cause water issues .

[phil24_7]

The liner hasn't, the wood pond outer has split/given way, causing the pond and liner to bow out. It's been reinforced on the outside now (though I will do a proper job in the summer) so isn't likely to move.

The only reason the water is that high, is because it was half empty when I moved in, so last night, I left the hose trickling water into the pond. That along with the torrential rain we had last night sent it over the top! I filled the other pond up this morning.

[phil24_7]

Water looks pretty clear as well but the flash will change the way the water looks and so will the rain drops but not too bad looking , just remember to keep dead brown leaves out of the water over winter , and I am on about ones that have blown off trees , make sure there are no dead Hedgehogs in there . Anything that can or is decaying in there needs to be removed . The actual pond plants that have turned a bit off colour due to the Winter may not necessarily need this but anything that you deem as not being from the very near vicinity of the pond should be removed . Oh and watch out when fertilising that lawn in the summer , some fertiliser may seep into the pond area and cause water issues .

Gonna get all the crap and toys out when I get some waders, will the fish mind me being in there too much, or is it better to do it all with a net from the outside?

Fertiliser??? Just cuz I'm from the west country, doesn't mean I'm a farmer! I shall be mowing the lawn, and chopping down trees and bushes this year, not growing potatoes!! lol

[xXBADGERXx]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v605/xXBADGERXx/IMG_4154.jpg

See the leaves , they will decay , just whip em out with a net mate , no need to get in there . You will disturb the bottom of the pond which will release a lot of pent up gasses that are normally sorted out by nature . With regards to fertiliser , anything like Fisons Levigrow , Green lawn Care products and any such lawn boosters can have a bad effect .... I`m not on about tipping a huge pile of horse Manure on there and forking it around with a peg on yer nose :)

[xXBADGERXx]

The liner hasn't, the wood pond outer has split/given way, causing the pond and liner to bow out. It's been reinforced on the outside now (though I will do a proper job in the summer) so isn't likely to move.

The only reason the water is that high, is because it was half empty when I moved in, so last night, I left the hose trickling water into the pond. That along with the torrential rain we had last night sent it over the top! I filled the other pond up this morning.


Yeah , definately a summer job when the water is lower , you could help matters by using the pond pump to pump out some of the water into water butts . Do the required work and then pump the water back into your pond ;)

By the way , these pics are of the smaller pond yes ?

[phil24_7]

The pics were of both the ponds, they are all around the decking area. The pic taken from above shows them, and if you start from 6 o'clock, working your way anti-clockwise, you have the water feature, then the tiny pond with no fish, then the smaller of the populated ponds and then finally, the big pond. The one with the leaves on is the smaller pond, fed by the water feature, and the clear one is the larger pond. The large pond is about 5ft deep!

I shall remove the leaves today, buy a water test kit and some trace elements.

[phil24_7]

Test kit bought, I shall post the results here once I have completed them. Leaves removed, but there are quite a few sitting on the bottom of the ponds. :( Trace elements and a net will be bought tomorrow.

[Berlin]

No one (that I've read has mentioned blanket weed. in the Spring your pond will start to fill with a green filamenous algae which can cause problems if left unchecked. But don't remove it. treat with with a blanket weed treatment or put some bundles of barley straw or even more effective, bundles of lavender stalks in there. these will reduct the nutrients the algae needs to grow.

Also, the koi will breed on the algae so leave some in there. The smaller black fish are likely the next generation of koi and these will change colour at about 1 year old.

Watch out for Herrons during the winter as they'll be able to clear out your pond in a night. Herrons won't visit a pond where another herron is already fishing so a model herron is a good investment. Won't stop the mink getting them though.

On warmer winter days you can feed the fish but just a small amount. you don't want excess food contaminating the pond.

Take the coins out (it looks like there are coins in one of the photos) the copper dissolves and the fish suffer from heavy metal poisoning (Motorhead, AC-DC etc)

And most importatly, don't mess with it too much. Ponds find their own balance quite quickly and yours looks to be in excellent balance. additions of large amounts of tap water casues algae blooms and other unwanted occurences. Always let tap water stand in buckets for 24 hours before adding tot he pond so the chlorine has a chance to evapourate.

and buy are you going to have some frogspawn to watch in the spring! :)

C

[phil24_7]

No one (that I've read has mentioned blanket weed. in the Spring your pond will start to fill with a green filamenous algae which can cause problems if left unchecked. But don't remove it. treat with with a blanket weed treatment or put some bundles of barley straw or even more effective, bundles of lavender stalks in there. these will reduct the nutrients the algae needs to grow.

Also, the koi will breed on the algae so leave some in there. The smaller black fish are likely the next generation of koi and these will change colour at about 1 year old.

Watch out for Herrons during the winter as they'll be able to clear out your pond in a night. Herrons won't visit a pond where another herron is already fishing so a model herron is a good investment. Won't stop the mink getting them though.

On warmer winter days you can feed the fish but just a small amount. you don't want excess food contaminating the pond.

Take the coins out (it looks like there are coins in one of the photos) the copper dissolves and the fish suffer from heavy metal poisoning (Motorhead, AC-DC etc)

And most importatly, don't mess with it too much. Ponds find their own balance quite quickly and yours looks to be in excellent balance. additions of large amounts of tap water casues algae blooms and other unwanted occurences. Always let tap water stand in buckets for 24 hours before adding tot he pond so the chlorine has a chance to evapourate.

and buy are you going to have some frogspawn to watch in the spring! :)

C

Cheers on the Algae info, I would have removed that ya know!

I've been told some are likely to be young Koi and others could be Ghost Koi, guess I'll just have to wait and see!

I've been warned about herrons by my dad, the previous owners never had a problem, but I might get model to be on the safe side. As a back up, I have a male British Blue, that is built like a tank! Never heard of Mink where I am, so should be safe.

I've heard anything under 8 degrees water temperature, and I shouldn't be feeding, others say under 4 and others say not between Oct and Feb!

I haven't seen any coins, but I will check this morning, and remove if I find any.

Wish you'd told me about the tao water before I added shed loads to each pond! Gonna have to get some water butts for the spring.

We have already been warned about the frog spawn, we were told there was ridiculous amounts this year!

I've been told by a friend of mine (who keeps Koi, and has done for 5 years) to get some more plants in the big pond, for the Koi to lay their eggs in, this also means that the baby Koi, will have somewhere to hide from the adults, until I have a chance to fish them out to the smaller pond. But then I've also been told not to bother as the adult Koi will eat the plants. What should I do? Also, at what size do I move fish from the small pond to the big pond?

[keith_d]

When I was young my friend's parents kept koi. They had one neat trick for keeping the water clean - a sand bed filter. Basically, a big box with fine sand on the bottom and sharp sand on the top. A small (unfiltered I assume) pump took water from the bottom of the pond to the top of the filter. The water passed through the filter and back into the pond.

Their view was that by removing most of the fine organic material (fish poo, decaying leaves etc) from the bottom of the pond they limited the scope for anerobic conditions to develop, and the algae in the sand bed did a fine job of mopping up the nitrates/ammonia.

I don't know if they were right, but the fish seemed to like it. Anyone else tried this??

Keith.

[gettin2dizzy]

RE: Pond Life.

Oh... I thought you meant this

http://img.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2008/03_02/shanfamilyDM1403_468x325.jpg

As for that kind. Fill it with saline water, catch a few weeny cod (an afternoons work), then feed them the scraps until they're 20lb jobbies :thumbsup: You wouldn't be the first ;)

[xXBADGERXx]

No one , that I've read has mentioned blanket weed.

The Blanket Weed is a good point . I didn`t want to mention anything like that yet as it is "One thing at a time" to deal with and Spring is not too far away in relation to Pond timing . The Algae will have a chance to get established if Phil`s Pond is out of balance so what I was trying to teach him was the basics of Water condition . As Berlin has mentioned , your Pond is already established and looks good . It`s a good time of the year to take over the reigns of Pond ownership with regards to Major problems coming along . Look after the Water and the Pond and in turn that will look after your Fish .

Keith_d , your point about the Sand filter is a very good one . The sludge at the bottom of the Pond can house all sorts of nasties and by running it through the type of filter you mention it can be a very good and natural way of removing them . A lot of villages in poor countries filter their water that way , they have it run through a series of buckets that start off with rocks , then into pebbles , into sand then fine sand and what comes out the other side is clean looking water with hardly any solids in them . Combined with a UV filter the water becomes drinkable compared to the Bacteria infested soup they were drinking beforehand .

[phil24_7]

Right, I did the water tests today, and these are my results:

Pond 1 (the smaller pond, that has a filter and uvc, a fair few plants)

pH 7.2
Nitrite 0 ppm
Nitrate 0 ppm
Ammonia 0 ppm

Pond 2 ( The large pond, with 20+ fish including some Koi, only a few plants and no filter/uvc for well over a week)

pH 6.6
Nitrite 0 ppm
Nitrate 0 ppm
Ammonia 0 ppm

Happily surprised that all the levels are 0ppm, especially seeing as the large pond has had no filtration/UVC/oxygenation for a while.

What pH should the pond be at? I read somewhere that goldfish like 7.5 and that different fish like different pH levels. What do Koi like? Is there a happy medium that goldfish, Koi and other popular pond fish like (I'm still not precisely sure what fish I have in the pond)?

Regards
Phil