Posts Tagged ‘Organic Matter’

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 Pond Filtration: The Pros And Cons Of Different Types Of Filters

Posted in Koi care, Koi Garden, Koi pond, Koi supplies on 09/23/2009 04:35 am by Karla

For any pond over 1000 gallons it is wise to use a pressurized biological sand or bead filter that can be back washed. There are pros and cons with either sand or beads.

During the backwash portion of the operation, sand, since it is heavier than water, falls to the bottom of the tank instead of flowing out through the valve with the waste. Plastic beads, since they are lighter than water, float to the top. As they are smaller than the valve-strainer’s holes, they get washed out through the valve into the waste stream. More and more beads are lost during each backwash operation.

Koi Pond Bead FilterBead filters also have limited efficiency. Smaller beads have more surface area for good bacteria colonization, but tend to get flushed out during the backwash procedure. This doesn’t happen to the larger sized beads, but they have less surface area and thus are unable to filter as efficiently.

By under-loading the sand filters, and backwashing them more frequently with higher pressures and flow rates, you can take advantage of the greater food processing surface areas, while eliminating the chance of plugging, which can be their main fault. Many manufacturers recommendations for loading sand tend to be too high.

This causes the sand to plug the filter which is the main drawback of sand as a filtration medium.

Up-flow and gravity flow filters need to be cleaned regularly and it is a filthy job. The filter media is packed with rotting organic matter and foul odored fish waste .

As you clean and handle all the various parts of these filters you will find small, white feces-eating worms crawling on your hands and arms. Add to this the ambiance of the offensive odor described above and you don’t exactly have nirvana!

The up-flow and gravity flow filters, though inexpensive to make, cost a fortune to purchase. So, in addition to paying a premium price to buy one, you are also spending so much time and labor that you might as well have paid at least twice the price!

If you use a pressurized filter, all it takes is the turn of a handle for 2 to 3 minutes and the filter is clean. Almost like magic! This saves lots of time, inconvenience, labor, mess, and wear and tear on your Koi. It uses slightly more electricity to operate a pressurized pump, but the savings in labor more than make up for it in most pond owner’s eyes!

You can also use the waste water for your plants. It is packed with nitrogen and works even better than many of the fertilizers created especially for this purpose!

As you can see, to find the type that is right for you, you have several decisions to make about Koi pond filtration.
Discount Pond Supplies at ThatFishPlace.com

Alan Deacon
KoiCareBasics.com

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