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Old 22-06-2007, 02:30 AM posted to rec.ponds.moderated
Reel McKoi[_11_] Reel McKoi[_11_] is offline
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First recorded activity by GardenBanter: Apr 2007
Posts: 111
Default Question about irises


"~ jan" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 20 Jun 2007 13:45:09 CST, "Reel McKoi"
wrote:

Put in a bottom drain to filter and you won't ever have to drain the
pond
to clean, it will all get sucked out continuously to the filter. ~ jan

====================
This is true but it doesn't remove what a total water change will.


You're also removing the eco-balance. Not everyone has access to good
water
and often a total water change will cause new-pond-syndrome (pea soup) for
some. I believe you have UV to combat this?


Jan, I seldom get pea soup just because I did a total water change. I
sometimes get pea soup with no obvious cause. Yes I have UV lights but
seldom actually need them. I only use them when the water fails to clear
on it's own.

Many filters will clog quickly with the plant matter and other grunge that
settles to the bottom. Grunge also settles on the plants and their pots.
This is hosed off during the spring change. My filter intake is on the
bottom and catches much of the particles but not all land near the intake.
It lands on the shelves and all other serfaces. My pump has only one
intake.


Once one's koi are big enough, they continually move sediments towards the
bottom drain.


I would need bottom drains all over the bottom and on the shelves. The
bottom is not rounded like a bowl but flat. The shelves are level and not
tipped inward to dump the mulm to the bottom. My koi are all adults in the
front ponds and do stir the sediment which then lands everywhere on the
bottom and the shelves and plant pots. The darn stuff is everwhere.

Since this is continual the pond stays clean and the filter
doesn't need extra cleaning. Most people who have researched or discovered
the ease of using a bottom drain also have gotten the message regarding
proper filter size so they aren't cleaning them all that often.


I could probably use a larger filter. The ones we made ourselves are better
than the Tetra Filters we bought years ago. Now with only 10 koi in the
2000g pond and 5 in the 800g pond the filters don't need cleaning as often.

Once every
6 weeks, pre-filter only. That's why, IMHO, when someone who is just in
the
thinking stage of building a pond should be steered towards bottom drains
&
skimmers. And if they have the money, a vortex filter system. I'm all
about
ease on the back, and time.


I agree. Get the best system money can buy right at the start and don't
make the mistake of flat bottom ponds like we did.


A 24/7 flow thru system takes care of a lot water chemistry problems (if
one has a good water source). ~ jan


Or if one has their own well. :-)


--

RM....
Frugal ponding since 1995.
rec.ponder since late 1996.
My Pond & Aquarium Pages:
http://tinyurl.com/9do58
Zone 6. Middle TN USA
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