All-in-one!!

[Paul_MTS]

First off all I'ved put some more pictures up but this time of the bottom pond with some mighty fine sized goldfish and if you look closely i think you can spot a grass carp in one, oh and my goldfish fry

Also I noticed these pumps in our garage looking rather big and heafty for say a large koi pond!!?? pic in there aswell...what do you reckon?

My bottom pond has grown alot of stringy weed on the sides, i'm pretty sure it's not blanket weed though...might see it a bit in the pics i'ved put up

After treating with single dose bacteria chemicals ho long should the ponds be left before replacement koi are added?

whats the best time of year to dredge the ponds?

and what are gudgeon useful for in a pond?

Pics

 

[ryan]

Anything else about these large pumps, any filter media etc?

I would wait two weeks before introducing any new fish to the treated pond. Gudgeon are a nice small, peaceful, shoaling fish that will endlessly scavenge the bottom for larve and other aquatic creatures etc, they make quite a good scavenging team for picking up left over food although your Tench may already do this. What do you mean by dredge? Take out sediment? Take out water and sediment?.........

 

[Paul_MTS]

Nope just the pumps... after a tad of searching I found them here- http/www.koicarp.net/pumps/nocchi/VIP_pumps.html looks like there good for anything!!

Yeh, all sediment and water. Well thats what I did last year, getting a lot of sediment just before the waterfall I noticed and under/around the pump.

Hmmm think I'll stick with me tench then, don't think our LFS has them anyways!!

 

[ryan]

Nope just the pumps... after a tad of searching I found them here- http/www.koicarp.net/pumps/nocchi/VIP_pumps.html looks like there good for anything!!

Yeh, all sediment and water. Well thats what I did last year, getting a lot of sediment just before the waterfall I noticed and under/around the pump.

Hmmm think I'll stick with me tench then, don't think our LFS has them anyways!!

Pumps look quite good if you can hook them up to a filter system. You should never remove all the water and sediment, the sediment can be removed with a pond vacum or just syphoning it out with a tube like you would in a tank. The sediment contains young pond life that the fish will feed on. I do 25% water weekly water changes on my ponds, but I have bottom drains so there is no sediment, it may be worht considering them in your new pond.

 

[Paul_MTS]

I have a dredging net which is like a few layers of fine netting and a strong rod round it where I normally use but last year I decided to do the whole lot.

are the bottom drains hard to plumb in? and what do you hook them up to?

oh what do you think to that green stuff on my pond sides?

 

[ryan]

I have a dredging net which is like a few layers of fine netting and a strong rod round it where I normally use but last year I decided to do the whole lot.

are the bottom drains hard to plumb in? and what do you hook them up to?

oh what do you think to that green stuff on my pond sides?

I couldn't see any green stuff except what looks like Blanket Weed, but I don't think thats what you are talking about?

Bottom Drains are easy to hook up, but it depends on you pond and filter design. When designing your pond, unless you can draw an accurate plan it may be better to consult a good lfs man near you, have you tried Amwell Aquatics yet, they will be able to help in that department.

 

[Paul_MTS]

u can see it best in this pic- http/us.f2.yahoofs.com/bc/4096b433_183b6...f1P.oAB2DG3pgJn

nah had a look at there site but didn't have anything on really!!

I take it you would been to angle the floor down into the drains....how are they made water tight?

 

[ryan]

u can see it best in this pic- http/us.f2.yahoofs.com/bc/4096b433_183b6...f1P.oAB2DG3pgJn

nah had a look at there site but didn't have anything on really!!

I take it you would been to angle the floor down into the drains....how are they made water tight?

You visited the shop? They're website was re set-up two weeks ago so it has hardly anything on it, very good place, well my branch is.

The number of bottom drains required will depend on the size and shape of the pond, and also the preferences of the owner (you). With a rectangular pond say 12ft x 10ft then two bottom drains would normally be used, and with a pond say 18ft x 12ft then three bottom drains are usually used. Each drain should have its own pipe direct to the Vortex or filter system. This pipework should be as straight as possible with only one bend at right angles up to the stand pipe so that a maximum flow rate is obtained without too much friction in the pipe. If you intend to install one, or more bottom drains, into your new pond then please bear in mind that they must figure early in your pond construction program - as the sump and the 4" or 110mm pipe which transfers the pond water, and debris, into the mechanical filter, probably a Vortex unit, and bench your floor towards each bottom drain and round off any corners to give a good water flow and circulation round the pond which will then move any debris on the pond floor towards the bottom drain.

The pipe work from the bottom drain to the Vortex can be done in solvent weld household waste pipe if you wish - but I strongly recommend that the sections that are under your pond base are done in Solvent Weld Pressure pipe although more expensive - believe me it is worth it and you will certainly have peace of mind when is comes to trying to find that leak somewhere in your pond as surely can happen in many cases of D.I.Y. pond construction so please don't take the risk.

 

[Paul_MTS]

Oh right, lots of fun complecated stuff

The essex amwell aquatics isn't really near to me.

I reckon I'll screw my brain about a bit when it gets closer to getting the pond.....

 

[ryan]

Oh right, lots of fun complecated stuff

The essex amwell aquatics isn't really near to me.

I reckon I'll screw my brain about a bit when it gets closer to getting the pond.....

You understand it soon enough.

 

[Paul_MTS]

oh poo...that green crap on the side of the pond was blanket weed, now i have bits of floating stuff, must be because it killed off some goodies when i added the bacteria treatment.

anyways whens best to remove some of the sediment. i usually let the sediment settle in a wheel barrel to pick out shrimps and other goodies to feed them to my tank and put them back into the pond!!

 

[ryan]

Spring or Autumn is normally best time to a major change.

 

[Paul_MTS]

when does summer begin then?

 

[ryan]

when does summer begin then?

If you did it in the next few weeks it should be fine providing you put most of the water back and make sure the pond has fully recovered from the disease the Koi got.

 

[Paul_MTS]

ah good, i think i'ved decided to do it next weekend.

all the same water gets put back in, i just wack it all in tubs and barrels!!

take the bloodworm out the filter and feed them to the fish (Y)

i'm pretty sure the koi are fine now, the others are fine still, i checked the shiro utsuri which travelled down today and it's fine.

hopefully the grass carp wil be!! netted the koi with a grass carp as well and the carp jumped out of the water to the side of the poond where some lumps of concrete were manged to get it back into water pretty quick though and seemed fine.