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Thread: starting a new filter
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14-11-2018, 07:49 PM #41
Sounds like a big hole Steve,would it be a good idea to slope the bottom to the drain like a saucer so all the muck can collect towards the drain.
In my opinion 1.5 mtr depth would be the ideal and 12x10 mtr for the pond you may have problems if you ever have to catch them,maybe a small boat would help.John
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14-11-2018, 07:50 PM #42
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14-11-2018, 07:59 PM #43
LOL The liner is 12x10 so at 1.5m deep it will be about 8x6m surface area.
Didn’t you read my last post, I am a scuba diver, I will slip into a dry suit, stick a tank on my back and go in and get em,🤣
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14-11-2018, 08:18 PM #44
I am thinking your 3% salt is a typo and I hope you mean 0.3%. Koi do not do well in sea water ....
If you heat to good growth temps of 24C then you should find you can mature your filter in a few weeks. Fortunately your fish load will grow as the filter does. It would have been ideal to try and fishless cycle the system prior to the fry arriving, but if you keep on top of testing and are prepared to do some serious water changing then you should be able to get them through it.
Do you have any mature pond media you could 'borrow' for the new tank for now? It doesn't completely prevent NPS but really helps shorten it if you have.2016 new 6000 gallon pond
https://www.koiforum.uk/pond-construc...ghlight=feline
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14-11-2018, 08:35 PM #45
Hi Feline
Yes a typo, it was 0.3 now 0.1 lol.
My ammonia went up to 1 but has dropped to 0.6 and my Nitrogen has gone from 0 gradually up to 25 ish now.
So I’m thinking the filter is working,
Thing about moving water temp up to 24, which I would like to do is it makes the ammonia worse for the fish. I think that’s what I read the other day.
I don’t have any other tank of mature filter medium I’m afraid.
Oh also I noticed my water hardness has changed over the last two days, it’s been a constant 15 drops to turn to from dark pink to blue, two days ago it was 14 drops, and yesterday 13. Not tested today yet. So it looks like the water is getting softer.
I think that’s a good thing?
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15-11-2018, 12:55 AM #46
Well it looks like your little fishies are crapping like they've been out for a curry so it might be that you need more media in the filter or faster through put because the ammonia eating bacteria is usually the quickest to mature and they arnt coping.
If you mean nitrates not nitrite , god I hope you do are rising you will need more frequent water changes. I know they are not dangerous but they create a bit of a, what I can only describe, as a bad smell in the water.
Oh and if your hardness is changing I believe it may effect your Ph so keep an eye on that too.
Well that's how I understand it, anyway
John
Sent from my SM-G950F using TapatalkLast edited by JohnS; 15-11-2018 at 12:59 AM.
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15-11-2018, 01:21 AM #47
Ok yes I understand, gotta think of the future size of the koi.
In an average unheated British pond, not feeding anything special, what size would you expect them to reach.
10 of my koi are around 16 inch and my 3 golden orfes are about 20 inch but I inherited all those and don't know there age. My others are recent buys and are 6 to 10 inch
Already considering a second pond in a few years for the 4 sturgeon my missus loved so much. 2 Siberian and 2 diamond back.
Thanks John
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15-11-2018, 10:06 AM #48
Morning John,It is a big debate when you ask what size to expect from a koi but a lot say it depends on their genes,the food and water quality.
I have had very good growth this year as i changed my food so i put it down to that and my 17yr old is still growing and must be 30ins.
I dont heat and never have except in the grow on and that is because of the expence.
Like you i buy around 5-6ins and grow on and spend around £25 each but the most i have spent on a 7ins koi was £70 earlier on this yr as when i saw her i had to have it and she is show quality and growing on in the tank over winter.
Golden orfe are lovely fish i had some many yrs ago but you have to be carefull if you treat the pond with a chemical as they react differently than koi.John
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15-11-2018, 10:13 AM #49
Morning Steve,Good to hear the ammonia has dropped a bit but i would get the tricle going easy to do and doesnt have to be fast.
They say 24 deg is the best temp but i usually keep it at around 20 and they are active enough at that,but i have larger ones in the tank at the moment around 10 ins and they are at 18.5 deg and eating well,i dont need massive growth rate just enough to get them through the winter and i would expect them to put on a couple of ins.John
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15-11-2018, 11:14 AM #50
Hi John
I can easily set up a pipe off the mains to trickle feed with an overflow on the tank, but how do I add de-clorinator without an in line de-clorinator?
At the moment I have a water butt, so know the water volume and add chemical to that. Does one estimate the trickle feed quantity and add chemical directly to fish tank?
Or should I set up a header tank, fill it, turn off supply, add chemical, allow to trickle feed, and when empty re fill?
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15-11-2018, 11:17 AM #51
Sorry I should think before I write. 🤪
Yes John I meant Nitrate not Nitrogen.
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15-11-2018, 11:34 AM #52
What sort of dechlorinator do you have Steve?
Most on here use sodium thiosulphate which is cheap and de-chlorinates for a couple of days,so if you had a slow inlet and mix about 1/2 T spoonfull of s/t in some warm boiled water and throw it in every couple of days you should be ok.
You can get dpd4 tablets as per mankys site to check for chlorine and very effective.
Or, as you say a header tank drip feeding in allready de-chlorinated would be fine.
Would definately get some s/t did i give you a link?John
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15-11-2018, 12:02 PM #53
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15-11-2018, 01:53 PM #54
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16-11-2018, 12:02 AM #55
Thank you. It’s purchaced.
But on the trickle feed idea, I am looking at setting it up. Going to do it mostly with whatever I have on the farm, but regarding the flow rate! What sort of rate of water changed do you think I should aim for with 129 little koi in say 26 gal. At the moment there is tonnes of room, if I’m lucky and dont have too many die then I know I will have to cull out and re tank etc, but for the next 4 months say, what sort of water turnover?
I have been doing around 100L change a day.
Thanks Steve
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16-11-2018, 12:27 AM #56
100 l a day sounds about right in a 700 l tank. But if your nitrates stay high I would change more until you bring it down. So set your trickle accordingly.
Just my opinion, others might have a better idea.
John
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16-11-2018, 09:04 AM #57
A 100 ltrs a day in a 1000 ltr ibc is ok at 10% when you have some ammonia.
If your ammonia drops i would be only doing a fast drip in,if you use a water butt it could be guaged with the little tap on it,depends on your ammonia level really and adjusting the water inlet flow accordingly.
As they get bigger you may have to up the flow a bit more.
Is that a miss type " 126 little koi in say 26 gal "
With you heating it will drop the temps a bit with big water changes thats why you would benefit with a slow tricle.John
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16-11-2018, 10:42 AM #58
Yeah, depending on how much water I take out and put back its around 600-800 L so around average of 184 Gal. That's a good thing about the IBC, having volume markings up the sides. I siphon out twice a day, as I have no bottom drain, and the siphon suck picks up all the muck of the bottom.
My stored water, at the moment is in the same room as the fish IBC, and as I am heating the room as apposed to the tank, water is all at the same temperature. But when I set up a trickle feed it wont be, but as you say, a fast drip wont change the the tank temperature much. As it gets colder I will heat the tank directly and just keep the chill off the room with a heater on a thermostat.
I am away from Sunday until Wednesday, I have had my apprentice enthralled in this fish keeping since they arrived, even had to set up a feeding chart on the wall, as sometimes I go in there and can tell they have been fed, so now feeding is regulated. But that's not the ammonia prob, they haven't been that over fed. Anyway, he is going to look after them for me. So if I go quiet for a bit you know why, its not because I have killed them all.
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16-11-2018, 09:28 PM #59
Sounds good Steve,doesnt the ibc have a drain tap at the bottom around 2ins?
Someone on here used to have one and said it took all the crap out when he opened it up.
Good to hear you have trained your apprentice well as long as he doesnt over feed.John
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17-11-2018, 12:55 AM #60
Yes it does, but I didn't mesh it over and without a screen it would drag the fish out as well. The siphon works really well though and I can pass it across the entire tank bottom and pick up any floating bits. .
I invested in a digital pH tester. Only £9.95 incl postage. There are cheaper but this was free post and next day. It arrived today, I calibrated it and then tested my tap water which was 6.9. I then tested the tank, that's 8.2. The test tube and drops type test works ok but its hard to accurately match the colour, as you will know. I tested the tank with the test tube and drops kit at he same time as the digital instrument and I would have said its an 8 going by colour and the digital says 8.2. Historically I have been recording my pH as an 8, so I think it that's my true pH is a tad over. The thing is I also tested my tank after doing a 100L change and because of the tap water pH variation to my tank, it drops my pH from 8.2 to 7.6. I am thinking this is probably why I see random fish flashing, and why I notice the even more flash after a water change.
So the sooner I get a drip set up the better, because if it is the water change that's irritating them, its in my control so I feel like I am being cruel.Last edited by Dudley; 17-11-2018 at 02:21 AM.
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