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  1. #1

    Controlling Nitrates in a Plant-less pond

    Hi All

    I have had my 7000l pond set up for a few months now with a few small koi in it. On a few occasions I have experienced minor spikes in Amonia which I have treated with 20% water changes and the addition of bacteria balls to my filter. It seems stable again. However I have a plant-less pond and am unsure how Nitrates are dealt with when no plants are present....

    Correct me if I am wrong but Ammonia is broken down by bacteria A which produces Nitrites, which are broken down by bacteria B, which produces Nitrates. I understand its usually plants and Algae which then remove this last element.

    If I have a plantless pond and I want to keep it clear and algae free, is my only option to do regular water changes? If so, how much water should I change and how often? Are there any other options for me ?

    Many thanks in advance



  2. #2
    Senior Member Rank = Supreme Champion freddyboy's Avatar
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    it took my pond . built 20 months ago. until now to mature. your pond plus filters need to mature. i added 4 drums of bacteria ball s. i don t know if these are as good as people make out.
    but i put them in all the same. same as your self. just takes time mate, i was spiking a lot with nitrite. i do test s every other day. and i am there now. just keep doing the water changes. then in time all of a sudden it will mature enough and stop spiking. even better is to trickle in and out of the pond. and add ST. this may help you. you would need ST and DP4 tablets as well.to test the chlorine. i test for chlorine once a week. looking on the positive side at least it is spiking. which means the cycle is working . so water change and ease feeding down. when spiking is to high. all the best fred

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  4. #3
    Well said Fred.
    You can add all the chemicals in the world but often the thing the filters often need most is a healthy dose of patience.

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  6. #4
    Senior Member Rank = Supreme Champion freddyboy's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Toffee View Post
    Well said Fred.
    You can add all the chemicals in the world but often the thing the filters often need most is a healthy dose of patience.
    Yeah toffee. Your spot on there mate. Lots and lots of patience.

    Sent from my SM-G925F using Tapatalk

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  8. #5
    Thanks for the responses! I will just monitor it and wait however I am still unsure about how to control Nitrate levels as the biological filter will not break this down... So I wondered how I can control this without having to use thousands of litres of water per month doing changes.

    I have read that BOG filters can help massively. Seems to make sense...a shallow container packed with fast growing plants should draw Nitrates out of the water? Any of you have one of these as part of your filtration process?

    Thanks!

  9. #6
    Senior Member Rank = Supreme Champion freddyboy's Avatar
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    here is mine upper pond with plants. never had problem with PH or nitrate manifold in the bottom



    with plants parameters all spot on. had to be paitient though.




    all the best fred

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    Senior Member Rank = Nanasai Handy Kenny's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by willshill View Post
    Thanks for the responses! I will just monitor it and wait however I am still unsure about how to control Nitrate levels as the biological filter will not break this down... So I wondered how I can control this without having to use thousands of litres of water per month doing changes.

    I have read that BOG filters can help massively. Seems to make sense...a shallow container packed with fast growing plants should draw Nitrates out of the water? Any of you have one of these as part of your filtration process?

    Thanks!
    Learn about Anoxic Filtration. See Manky Sankes web site.

    Kenny

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  15. #9
    Wow looks awesome Freddy!, Good to hear the bog filter has been a success for you, I will look into this.

    Thanks also manky and Kenny, I will be sure to read up fully.

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    Extreme Koi Member Rank = Supreme Champion john1's Avatar
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    All right Fred hope your well,those gunnera if thats what they are,are doing very well think i need to get some,i like to see some plants round the pond.
    John

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  18. #11
    Senior Member Rank = Supreme Champion freddyboy's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by john1 View Post
    All right Fred hope your well,those gunnera if thats what they are,are doing very well think i need to get some,i like to see some plants round the pond.
    ok john hope yor well and i hope the wife has made a speedy recovery. yes john they don t half come on fast. and thats no soil. just stones in baskets. feeding of the pond water. all have come on good. lilly s as well.

  19. #12
    Senior Member Rank = Supreme Champion freddyboy's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by willshill View Post
    Wow looks awesome Freddy!, Good to hear the bog filter has been a success for you, I will look into this.

    Thanks also manky and Kenny, I will be sure to read up fully.
    hi mate it is not a bog filter. it is just an upper pond with baskets full of plants. which work just as good. i was going the bog filter way. but decided on baskets full of pebbles and for the plants to live of the water neut-rants .
    its worked great.

    reason i did not go for a bog filter is . you cannot see any bad stuff that might build up. so what i dd was put a manifold in the bottom. and as above put plants in baskets with pebbles. easy to clean out. and east to spot crud build up. no high PH no nitrate spikes and ammonia is great. and i feed a lot during the spring and summer. not all koi. 20 altogether and tench rudd and grass carp. comes to over 40 fish. not a problem.
    obviously my filteration can handle it.

    the manky sanky way is good as well. anoxic there is a few on here who do it that way. and they swear by it. but this works for me. if it had nt.
    i would have gone anoxic way good luck fred

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    Senior Member Rank = Grand Champion voodoo_15_uk's Avatar
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    Just a thought..... gave you tested your tap water? Ours is 100+ for nitrates, it’s less in the pond around 16-20 as I think showers and it’s bacteria help break it down


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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  23. #14
    Senior Member Rank = Hassai dc197's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by voodoo_15_uk View Post
    Just a thought..... gave you tested your tap water? Ours is 100+ for nitrates, it’s less in the pond around 16-20 as I think showers and it’s bacteria help break it down


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    Agree.
    Changing water is only a good way to reduce if your tap water is lower than your pond. Mine is a similar story to Voodoo but with 50 tap and 5-10 pond.

    Don't worry too much about nitrates, especially if you're new to the hobby. Concentrate on ammonia and nitrite.

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  25. #15
    I have used floating planters for my pond as i had a similar problem that lead to a lot of blanketweed. I thought they were going to look rubbish at 1st but once mature and 3 tied together they are great!

    https://www.bradshawsdirect.co.uk/ve...planter-island

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  27. #16
    Quote Originally Posted by willshill View Post
    Hi All

    I have had my 7000l pond set up for a few months now with a few small koi in it. On a few occasions I have experienced minor spikes in Amonia which I have treated with 20% water changes and the addition of bacteria balls to my filter. It seems stable again. However I have a plant-less pond and am unsure how Nitrates are dealt with when no plants are present....

    Correct me if I am wrong but Ammonia is broken down by bacteria A which produces Nitrites, which are broken down by bacteria B, which produces Nitrates. I understand its usually plants and Algae which then remove this last element.

    If I have a plantless pond and I want to keep it clear and algae free, is my only option to do regular water changes? If so, how much water should I change and how often? Are there any other options for me ?

    Many thanks in advance
    You have basically three ways how to reduce nitrates in your plant-less pond - other than chemicals added / frequent water changes:

    1. As Manky and others pointed you to Anoxic filtration - can be planted or unplanted - based on Manky's great inside I have built my space saving version of it - my experience covered here - if interested - https://www.koiforum.uk/pond-constru...-outdoors.html

    2. You can add De-nitrifying Trickle tower - great insight can be found also on Manky's web site here - Good water guide: pt 16
    I have used his design with slight modification when building my version - if interested my experience can be found here - https://www.koiforum.uk/water-treatm...wer-combo.html

    3. Using Bakki shower filter - with highly porous media - like BHM, Ogata Crystal Bio or alfagrog - Manky has covered it very well on his web site here - Good water guide: pt 17
    If interested my experience with DIY version can be found here - https://www.koiforum.uk/water-treatm...wer-combo.html

    Hope it helps you.

    Milaz
    You get what you pay for - or better - what you make yourself.

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