[MWG] Today's Pond Q&A
------------------------------- Today's Pond Q&A In this issue: - WATER CHANGE - OVERHAULING DIRTY POND? - NEW POND - CAN I INSTALL A WATERFALL THIS LATE IN SEASON? ----------------------------- Question> My 14000 gallon pond has gotten very dirty this summer I changed the water twice so far. Is it OK to change it again just before winter so my koi have clean water to winter in? I plan on getting a different filtering system for next summer. I have 2 very large Green Machine biological filters that are not doing the job they were sold to me for. I also use 2 ultra violet lights and do not have any algae just dirty water. There are only 20 fish in the pond now and they winter very well as the pond is 4 1/2 feet deep. What chemical do you suggest I use to take the chlorine out of the water when I fill the pond again? Thank You - Joe PS- One other reason for my water change is a suggesting from one of Brett's previous tips that there should not be and stones rocks or anything on the bottom of the pond. Well, when I had my pond built 3 years ago they dumped in about 3 ton of gravel and dirt and not the cobble stones they said they would. I now want to take it all out. I will take my koi out of the pond and put them in a holding tank with a very good oxygen supply and clean the pond to the very bottom. I also will power wash the sides. Then refill with clean water. With a couple of men this job will take one day to clean and 12 hours to refill. I lost all my big koi last winter as they were eaten by a otter that went through the large air hole in the ice. The koi I have now are the fingerlings that hatched during last winter. They are now 8 inches long already and come to the top to eat when they see me walk to the edge of the pond. As I said before the pond is so dirty that I can't see the fish 6 inches from the top. Thanks again ========== @SK Carolyn ============= Have a pond question? Just send it in to: Carolyn@macarthurwatergardens.com and our own in-house pond expert will try and answer it for you! Write "POND" in the subject line for immediate attention! ==================================== Answer> Hi, Joe, The suggestion here is to do partial water changes at 10% weekly throughout the spring/summer/fall and 10% monthly during the winter. The primary reason for these water changes is not to clean the pond, but to remove built-up phosphates. Filters do not remove phosphates in the pond. Filters should remove debris and chemicals such as ammonia, nitrites and nitrates. Rather than doing drastic water changes, I recommend using another tactic- why not try Microbe-Lift Autumn/Winter Prep? It contains enzymes and bacteria that are cold-weather strains and will keep working on dirty water through the winter months. For dechlorination, most de-chlor products on the market would work, or you can use a spray (above the pond) to refill it, and let the air take out the chlorine. I had occasion to set this up for a friend this week and it works great. In this case, the friend was away and the pond had an ammonia spike. I did the water change by leaving the water spray for two days. I call this a gentle, gradual water change. It won't work if there is chloramine in the water, so find out what you have first. It is so sad that people who bill themselves as koi pond builders do not have a clue as to what is required! But as to the otter, I would see about installing low-voltage wiring. Nothing else will stop it from returning for the rest of the fish. I wouldn't power wash the sides or bottom. It's okay to remove all the rocks and rinse it, but to power wash it would remove all the bacterial slime layer which is part of the ponds "maturity". It is part of your biological filtration. Everytime you do that you set back the whole thing. Clean the water, not the liner. Whatever bacteria has become established already you will want to keep. If you scrape a fingernail on the side you will come up with some black stuff, which is the important slime layer of which I am speaking. And any algae that exists in the pond is needed through the winter for the fish to nibble when they are not being fed. - Carolyn == Question> I have just put my first pond in the ground. It's very small -100 gallon, hard liner. The shelf around the pond is about 8" deep & the center of the pond is about 18" deep. I intend to have a small waterfall coming off natural rocks (about 3 feet high) on one side. I have purchased a pump & tubing for this. I guess I'll have to wait til spring to add plants but I'd like to enjoy the water now. I'm anxious to get the thing up & running as the weather here (north Alabama) is getting really nice in the evenings. I can't wait to be able to sit relax (there's a nice sitting area around the pond) by my little pond & listen to the water sounds! I am ready to place rocks to hide the lip of the pond which rises about 2" above the ground & to stack the rocks for the waterfall (OK, maybe it will be more of a large trickle than a waterfall). Anyway, will I need to add anything to the water to keep it clean & clear? Any suggestions and/or comments would be greatly appreciated! I have enjoyed reading the Q&A's about other ponds. Mine seems like a tiny project compared to all the others I've read about. Guess you have to start with your little piece of Heaven somewhere though! Thanks - Susan == Answer> Hi, Susan, Congratulations on your new pond! I see no reason why you can't enjoy a waterfall this year. When building up a waterfall be sure there is a liner under all the rocks or the water will leak out. A waterfall probably would have to be shut off for the winter if your temperatures go below 32F, otherwise the hosing might freeze and break but you should have plenty of time to enjoy it this year before it freezes. Plants can go in now, if they are hardy varieties. Are you putting fish in there? Although fish are not a necessity in a water garden, some people want to add a goldfish or two. I would hold off until next season for fish. - Carolyn == Happy Pondkeeping! Brett Fogle MacArthur Water Gardens www.macarthurwatergardens.com © MacArthur Water Gardens 1698 SW 16th ST Boca Raton, FL 33486 -=-=-=-=-=-=-=- This email is never sent without permission. 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Message Added: October 6th, 2005 at 1:00 pm
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