Posts Tagged ‘Biological Filtration’

Koi Pond Algae

Posted in Koi care, Koi Garden, Koi pond on 07/11/2010 06:53 pm by Karla

Get Rid Of Koi Pond Algae!

With all the hot weather coming so early this year lots of us are experiencing some problems with algae in our ponds.

The best thing to do is to not let things get out of control. Like most problems, nipping koi pond algae in the bud is much easier than trying to deal with it when it starts to take over your pond!
Koi Pond Algae

String Algae

The biggest causes of algae are too many koi (thus producing too much fish waste…algae’s favorite food) and overfeeding your koi (once again producing too much fish waste, as well as decomposing organic matter, another favorite food for algae).

Some of the best ways to minimize algae, since a little algae is actually beneficial to your pond are:
  • Keep your pond well aerated, especially down near the bottom where debris tends to collect, by using some air stones.
  • Make sure the size of your filter is adequate for the size of your pond and that it offers both mechanical and biological filtration.
  • Using a UV light during the warmer months helps to keep your pond water clear and control algae.
  • Pond plants, a big favorite of mine, can provide shade (many experts recommend 50-75% of your pond being covered with floating plants such as water hyacinth, water lilies or water lettuce) and submerged plants help oxygenate the pond as well as competing with the algae for nutrients.
  • Adding beneficial bacteria to your pond also helps keep algae at bay. Most suppliers sell microbial bacteria that you can add to your pond.
One thing I recommend staying away from are algaecides (chemical algae killers) unless you don’t have fish or plants in your pond….these products can kill off your beautiful pond life!
You can learn more about proper koi pond care in my manual “Koi Care Basics”.
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Koi Water: What Is Healthy Koi Water?

Posted in Koi care, Koi pond on 08/04/2009 06:37 am by Karla

What is healthy Koi water? This is an extremely important question because the water quality in your Koi pond is the most important factor affecting the health of your fish.

You can determine if the quality of your pond water is sufficient for your koi if the following criteria are met:Koi water

1) The water in your pond is free of chlorine and other chemicals such as pesticides, heavy metals, organophosphates, etc.

2) There are undetectable levels of ammonia and nitrite in your pond.

3) Water hardness, pH level, and temperature are correct.

4) There are low levels of particulate organic compounds (POC) and dissolved organic compounds (DOC) in your pond and…

5) Your Koi water stays consistent in it’s stability.

If you use tap water in your pond it has probably been treated with chlorine. Chlorine can be fatal to your Koi. One way to make it safe is by “aging” chlorinated water before placing your Koi in it. How long is long enough? Make sure you wait AT LEAST 24 hours before placing your Koi in tap water.

If you use subsequent additions of tap water in your pond make sure that the amount is a small percentage of the total volume of pond water. Also be sure to test for chlorine levels after each addition.

The next deadliest contaminant in your Koi water would be ammonia. You always have to be careful of ammonia because the main source of the ammonia in your pond is your Koi themselves! Fortunately ammonia can be broken down into it’s less harmful components through the process of biological filtration.

Since certain types of beneficial bacteria break down the ammonia, the highest risk for ammonia contamination is in newer ponds. This is due to the fact that they haven’t yet developed large enough colonies to neutralize the ammonia.

Since the danger from ammonia in new ponds is so serious I recommend that you check ammonia levels every day until they stabilize and make frequent Koi water changes, even daily if necessary. Once your ammonia readings stabilize you will be able to relax a bit!

An acceptable level of ammonia in your pond is actually ZERO!

Even very low ammonia levels (<.1mg./liter) are extremely irritating to Koi fish, especially to their gills, and higher levels can lead to skin and gill hyperplasia. In gill hyperplasia the secondary gill lamellae become swollen leading to breathing difficulties. Serious gill disease and death occur when high levels of ammonia contamination are reached.

As you can see, even in the case of just these two factors of  water quality it is essential that you monitor and maintain your pond so that your fish have healthy Koi water!

Alan Deacon
KoiCareBasics.com

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