Water changes, was "best price for koi food on the net??"
BenignVanilla wrote:
"~ jan JJsPond.us" wrote in message You give in so easy. Btw, did I read in one thread you weren't doing "weekly partial water changes" so how spendy is water in your area? ;o) ~ jan Ahhh...now here is a topic I can argue with...I am still living in the school of thought, that water changes are not neccessary and potentially dangerous. Of course, I lose about an inch or so a week, and it rains every 37 seconds here, so I am replacing an inch or so of water every week ... My two cents on water changes: If I recall, the reasoning is that dumping water from the pond and refilling it is to dilute unwanted minerals and byproducts, and replace wanted minerals and byproducts. So you'd be getting rid of extra nitrates and metals, pesticide and herbicide residues etc. brought in by rainfall, and replacing it with usable minerals in the fresh water. [i think I just repeated myself -- not enuf sleep last night.] That said, I tend to do monthly or biweekly water "exchanges" as long as I don't have a chemical problem in the pond (pH, KH, ammonia, etc.) or I'm limiting water changes to cure "green pond syndrome." -- Zk (sig compliments of BV) 3500gal pond, 13 pond piggies Oregon, Zone 6 |
Water changes, was "best price for koi food on the net??"
I overflow the pond every other week or so. The fish enjoy this as the raised water level allows them to get into the overhanging grasses and nose out insects. They also get to trim more watercress from the waterfall. k30a and the watergardening labradors http://www.geocities.com/watergarden...dors/home.html |
Water changes, was "best price for koi food on the net??"
"K30a" wrote in message ... I overflow the pond every other week or so. The fish enjoy this as the raised water level allows them to get into the overhanging grasses and nose out insects. They also get to trim more watercress from the waterfall. I have been known from time to time...to use my small 300gph splash pump to water the plants around the pond...so maybe I just need to do that more. BV. |
Water changes, was "best price for koi food on the net??"
"K30a" wrote in message ... I overflow the pond every other week or so. The fish enjoy this as the raised water level allows them to get into the overhanging grasses and nose out insects. They also get to trim more watercress from the waterfall. OK, I give in...water changes sound like a good idea. You convinced me. Now on to the real debate... Should I remove water from the bottom of the pond? the top? just overflow? What is best? Where does the bad stuff hang out? BV. |
Water changes, was "best price for koi food on the net??"
Bottom of pond has most bad stuff.
Not sure if you have a filter, but backwashing them and flushing the water to a holding tank (to water plants later) is both "environment friendly" (ugh, did I say that ???) and healthy for your pond. I do a 1 % waterchange a day (more with the hot weather) by just opening the filter drains. Plants will love it, fish will love it. Win-win etc ;-) Theo "BenignVanilla" schreef in bericht ... "K30a" wrote in message ... I overflow the pond every other week or so. The fish enjoy this as the raised water level allows them to get into the overhanging grasses and nose out insects. They also get to trim more watercress from the waterfall. OK, I give in...water changes sound like a good idea. You convinced me. Now on to the real debate... Should I remove water from the bottom of the pond? the top? just overflow? What is best? Where does the bad stuff hang out? BV. |
Water changes, was "best price for koi food on the net??"
"Theo van Daele" wrote in message
... Bottom of pond has most bad stuff. snip I have a bottom drain, so is it safe to assume I am circulating the bad stuff? Can I just drain from the top? BV. |
Water changes, was "best price for koi food on the net??"
The bad stuff hangs out on the bottom. Why your bottom
drain works! To remove water from the bottom, just put a smallish (270 gph used at my house) submersible pump on the bottom, attach at hose to drain, throw the hose over the side of pond and time the outflow! Can't have you emptying the pond..... Nedra http://community.webshots.com/user/nedra118 "BenignVanilla" wrote in message ... "K30a" wrote in message ... I overflow the pond every other week or so. The fish enjoy this as the raised water level allows them to get into the overhanging grasses and nose out insects. They also get to trim more watercress from the waterfall. OK, I give in...water changes sound like a good idea. You convinced me. Now on to the real debate... Should I remove water from the bottom of the pond? the top? just overflow? What is best? Where does the bad stuff hang out? BV. |
Water changes, was "best price for koi food on the net??"
BV,
Your bottom drain is doing a good job of mixing all of the water, so it really doesn't matter whether you pump it off the bottom or run it over the top. -- RichToyBox http://www.geocities.com/richtoybox/pondintro.html "BenignVanilla" wrote in message ... "Theo van Daele" wrote in message ... Bottom of pond has most bad stuff. snip I have a bottom drain, so is it safe to assume I am circulating the bad stuff? Can I just drain from the top? BV. |
Water changes, was "best price for koi food on the net??"
BV,
Your bottom drain is doing a good job of mixing all of the water, so it really doesn't matter whether you pump it off the bottom or run it over the top. -- RichToyBox http://www.geocities.com/richtoybox/pondintro.html "BenignVanilla" wrote in message ... "Theo van Daele" wrote in message ... Bottom of pond has most bad stuff. snip I have a bottom drain, so is it safe to assume I am circulating the bad stuff? Can I just drain from the top? BV. |
Water changes, was "best price for koi food on the net??"
BV,
Your bottom drain is doing a good job of mixing all of the water, so it really doesn't matter whether you pump it off the bottom or run it over the top. -- RichToyBox http://www.geocities.com/richtoybox/pondintro.html "BenignVanilla" wrote in message ... "Theo van Daele" wrote in message ... Bottom of pond has most bad stuff. snip I have a bottom drain, so is it safe to assume I am circulating the bad stuff? Can I just drain from the top? BV. |
Water changes, was "best price for koi food on the net??"
"RichToyBox" wrote in message news:UYW_a.147379$YN5.96764@sccrnsc01... BV, Your bottom drain is doing a good job of mixing all of the water, so it really doesn't matter whether you pump it off the bottom or run it over the top. snip That's what I figured. Right now, I have a second pump sitting in about 10 inches of water, that I use to splash water in the VF for aeration. At some point it will be waterfall pump. I've started using that to water plants. BV. |
Water changes, was "best price for koi food on the net??"
"K30a" wrote I overflow the pond every other week or so. Here in New Orleans, it rains nearly every day. Sometime between 11AM and 5PM it clouds up, gets dark, the lightening flashes, and pours for about an hour. Then the sun comes out and we're back to humidity and sunshine. The pond overflows and the fishies love it. I haven't done a water change in months. Michael Fermanis (Remove the RICE to reply) ================================================== =========== |
Water changes, was "best price for koi food on the net??"
I hope you're checking your pH & KH. pH crashes are notorious in areas
with high rainfall. ~ jan Here in New Orleans, it rains nearly every day. Sometime between 11AM and 5PM it clouds up, gets dark, the lightening flashes, and pours for about an hour. Then the sun comes out and we're back to humidity and sunshine. The pond overflows and the fishies love it. I haven't done a water change in months. Michael Fermanis See my ponds and filter design: http://users.owt.com/jjspond/ ~Keep 'em Wet!~ Tri-Cities WA Zone 7a To e-mail see website |
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