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Aquatic Gardens
Ponds, Streams, Waterfalls & Fountains:
Volume 1. Design & Construction
Volume 2. Maintenance, Stocking, Examples
V. 1
Print and
eBook on Amazon
V. 2
Print and
eBook on Amazon
by Robert (Bob) Fenner |
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Re: Koi pond no filter? Thanks Bob. I searched for open bio
pond filter and didn't see it. <Please see the pond articles and
FAQs files here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/PondSubWebIndex/Pond%20Sub%20Web.htm
... "filters for biological ponds...> Can my pressurized filter
be switched to an open filter? <No> Or... this pond in question
has a separate pond (higher elevation) of about 300 gallons that spills
in to the main pond. What about turning this 300 gallon into a
bio filter? <Can be done> If I filled it with rock and
planted heavily? <Yes> Or if I filled it with bio media? There
has to be a way to eliminate the sand filter and run naturally I would
think. Again it is clear and healthy as it is now (6 years old) and
that's running the sand filter only 9 hours a day. Thoughts? Thanks
Gregg <Many. Bob Fenner>
Re: Koi pond no filter? One final follow up question please.
I am taking your advice and using the upper pool to create a bio filter
for the main pond and getting rid of the pool sand filter. I'll be
dividing the upper pool in half with bricks to create an area like the
La Jolla guy did (rock and bio balls on top of a mesh screen) Question:
do I need to seal the bricks and mortar to stop lime leeching? <Mmm,
probably not. Just use "plastic" cement in your mortar mix,
rinse, let it go covered over for a day with tapwater, drain... or add
a bit of acid to the water (not the lower basin of course) during the
day to leach the alkalinity...> this will be a small wall maybe 2ft
high by 3ft across. If I use "old" bricks will they be lime
free enough? If I have to seal what should I use? Thanks again. Gregg
<No sealer needed. Bob Fenner>
| An undergravel filter for a water
feature? Dear Bob: I am having some fun in my retirement. I
live in So California, and it's dry and hot (Riverside County).
To alleviate some of the fire hazard in my canyon Vie put in
gardens, and for an aside, a pond/waterfall (perhaps 250 gallons) .
<We live in San Diego about half the time> The pump that
drives the waterfall is solar powered, about 10 gallons a minute
with a 2 foot fall. <Neat> It occurred to me that instead of
installing expensive filtration I might use an under gravel filter
just like my fifty gallon aquarium. It works. Kinda. The solar pump
is like a sump pump, drawing water from the bottom but on top of a
stainless steel screen with a gravel overlay, (about 4 inches of
gravel, fairly coarse gravel) To keep mosquitoes at bay I put in
some guppies. Some guppies now number a hundred! <Do look into
Mosquitofish instead... available from "County
Operations" for free... better at keeping aquatic insect
larvae controlled, relatives of the Guppy (livebearers also)>
The pond is in all day sun, and so I expect the water to be green,(
the water temperature runs around 80 degrees). everything is fine
but I would prefer the water somewhat more clear: the depth is
about a foot and a half, and I cannot see the bottom. It might just
be a seasonal 'bloom,' I don't know as this is just the
first year. Maybe some finer sand on top, ( it's like pea
gravel), Any help you may offer will be appreciated, because I had
so much fun the first time that I'm building another. But this
time it's 1,000 gallons with a 14 foot fall off a giant
boulder! <Ahh, much better> Thank you, Paul Hoppe PS Found
your site under Thoroseal. <Worked on and built systems with
in-place UG filters... they do work, but a pain to service... and
yours being exposed outright to the sun, being small... will likely
continue to suffer seasonal algae blooms. Do continue to read
through WetWebMedia.com re seasonal pond maintenance and algae
control... Adding some floating and submersed/non-rooted plants,
adjusting water chemistry (preventing nutrient availability through
using filtered water mainly and pH adjustment...), possibly the
addition of a small in-line ultraviolet sterilizer, are all
appropriate methods for reducing the severity, likelihood of algal
blooms. Bob Fenner> |
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WetWebMedia question/ Pond Substrate, yes or no? Bob,
<Nicole> I am in the process of pulling out my 50g pre-formed
pond on my patio and going to about a 150g PVC lined pond. Although my
goldfish are fat and healthy, the pond cannot quite keep up with their
biofiltration needs; I really didn't expect them to grow THIS fast!
This time, I hope to do a more thorough job. <Me too> In the old
pond, I used a layer of pea gravel as the biofilter along with copious
amounts of plants and the inevitable hitchhiker snails. Not
surprisingly, the gravel collected a lot of junk and the plants grow
like crazy. As I sit here and look at an in-pond filter for "up to
300 gallons," I am skeptical that it can really handle the
bioload. I plan to add some crayfish and maybe a few fathead minnows,
but no more goldfish since I expect these have more growing to do. As
much as I accept the superiority of external filters, I'm quite
cramped for room and it's just not feasible. <Okay> Will this
300g in-pond filter really do the job? If not, should I rinse and reuse
the pea gravel despite it's drawbacks? Or is there a better choice
for a more or less permanent substrate? <Depending on "other
factors", the types and amount of food, exposure to "the
elements", your maintenance habits (particularly frequent partial
water changes during the warm months)... could do> Thanks for any
info you might have. My fish are relocated and the renovation starts
tomorrow (although I have a couple of weeks before the fishies get into
their new home)... I'm just having last minute doubts. Thanks.
Nicole <Do place a good part of their "old water" in with
the new... and let go a few days before moving them just the same...
and use some/all of the "old gravel" if you go that route.
Bob Fenner>
RE: WetWebMedia question/ Pond Substrate, yes or no? Wow,
thanks for the quick reply! I see you are as enthusiastic about the
filter as I am :) It's warm pretty much all year here and never
gets cold enough to stop feeding altogether, so water changes are
regular chore. Despite the lack of hard evidence, I suspect myself to
be a notorious over feeder, as all six fat orange tummies attest.
<Hee hee> Thanks for the input. Maybe I'll scatter a thin
layer of gravel and try to sit the fence on this one... easier to clean
up but as a backup biofilter in case of filter problems. Nicole
<Yes, a good idea. Bob Fenner>
Hello, Sabrina - Pond stuff and filter recommendation <Hi
again, Patricia!> Thank you for re-assuring me about my little red
creatures. I have had aquariums or ponds all of my life
(retired now) and these creatures are totally new to me. I
will do some more checking. I think I can send some of the
creatures to a local Univ. or government agency. I'll
check the web for insect larvae. I think you are
right. Again, Thank you for responding...Oh, yes, I need a
new Pond Filter for 2,000 to 5,000 gallons, any expert advise on a good
one. Thank you, Patricia in Seattle <Well,
the only filters for large ponds that I've had much experience are
the Tetra Clearchoice filters. They seem to work well, but I
have only small ponds. I know one of the Clearchoice filters
is good for up to 2600 gallons.
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Aquatic Gardens
Ponds, Streams, Waterfalls & Fountains:
Volume 1. Design & Construction
Volume 2. Maintenance, Stocking, Examples
V. 1
Print and
eBook on Amazon
V. 2
Print and
eBook on Amazon
by Robert (Bob) Fenner |
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