Koi Carp Forums

[The Bear]

Hi

I'm after a recommendation for a forum as there seems to be loads of them on the net. Suitable for a novice who has a small koi pond, just need to ask (or search - don't want a newbie upsetting the old guard's patience ) about recommendations for a couple of bits of equipment.

Cheers

Mark

 

[jasonB]

I find a lot of them don't really cater for the beginner and if you have not got koi from a known breeder thay are not interested.

Have a look at Select Koi's forum, not that active but OK

http://club-nishikigoi.phpbb3pro.com/

Anything I can help with I've had dedicated koi ponds for over 20yrs now.

Jason

 

[The Bear]

Jason

Had a look at that, they seem a bit pro for me.

I'm basically after a recommendation for a pond vac

My pond is a top end goldfish pond converted into a low end Koi pond Concrete construction, rendered. Just drilled new holes for larger pipework and connected up much bigger filter and UV. Its been running for about 2 1/2 weeks now and only has 4 tiny koi. Already have a layer of dead algae on the bottom i want to hoover out.
It has no bottom drain, the filter is pump fed, gravity return (the sign of an ameteur I know)

As a goldfish pond it suffered from green water so I have a hatred of algae, dead or alive.

Also, just seen Robs thread on blanket weed. Mrs Bear doesn't want plants and we get a fair bit of sun so thats something I have been thinking about. Have you any idea if the magnetic blanket weed busters work? Or indeed the ones that add copper ions to the water?

Mark

 

[Steve Jones]

Mark,

In the past I've had major blanket weed problems, virtually to the point of filling in the pond because I'd had enough. I tried virtually everything on the market at the time and the only thing that's worked for me is Cloverleaf Blanket Answer.
Obviously everybody's set up is different and what works for one may not work for others.

As regards a pond vac I use a Oase Pond vac and find it really good

Steve

 

[jasonB]

Blanket weed, Whats blanket weed :?: Absolutly nothing in my pond just a fine carpet on the walls maybe 1/4" max and not a chemical or gizmo in sight.

In the past I have tried the magnets that clamp round the pipes, electronic boxes with wires that wind around the pipes and have nor noticed any real difference. Never tried chemicals as the last few years blanket weed growth has been negligable and this years the best yet. When I did have it I just used a stick twisted aroun dlike you wood with candyfloss

As said above what will work on one pond will not on another but whatever you try definatly DO NOT go for anything with copper in it. As soon as you add filters and UVs to get clear water the blanket weed is the next higher life form and thrives on the Nitrate which is a biproduct of the filtration cycle.

The simplest vac is just a syphon if you are able to get the required falls and the water change will do no harm, Well you should treat new water with a conditioner if you don't have a purifier plumbed into the pond top-up. The Oase stuff is usually good but having had bottom drains for over 20yrs I'm out of touch with vacuums.

Place your pump at the lowest point of the pond so it will move as much waste as possible into the filter and keep that regularly cleaned. Also try to site the return pipe to give a flow that will avoid still water where the debris will settle but not at the risk of reducing the splashing effect whioch adds much needed oxygen and helps gas of toxins

Few pics of my pond here built around 1996

Jason

 

[stevebuk]

very nice jason, looks very tranquil indeed..

 

[The Bear]

Jason

Why not the copper, you seem quite firm in that opinion?

This
http://www.pond-products.co.uk/Velda_I_Tronic_Range.htm

and this
http://www.pond-products.co.uk/Blanket_ ... inator.htm

both add copper ions. Now don't get me wrong I think they are mega expensive but, like anything else if its worth the money. They might also be a gimmic, but UV clarifiers would have once been called that.

As I said, I haven't got blanket weed, but I want to have a plan in my head should I see the first signs of it. That might turn out to be a stick, a bottle of clover leaf, a load of lillies or maybe something else. I'm just trying to assess the options and the whys/why nots

You clearly know what you are doing so all advice/info welcomed

Mark

 

[jasonB]

Under certain conditions the copper in these treatments can become far more toxic to koi. Try googleing "copper koi" but this one gives a reasonable explaination

http://www.chilternkoi.baxx.net/Copper%20and%20koi.htm

Jason

 

[matt]

You could try the organic option if you have a way of growing plants without the Koi feeding on them (or digging them up). Some people do this by growing plants in another container through which the water (or some) passes. Floating plants or those with emergent foliage are the best as they do not need to compete for CO2 in the water to thrive (i.e. they take it straight for the atmosphere - just like terrestrial plants). Meanwhile they should out-compete the blanketweed for nutrients.