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12-12-2018, 12:09 AM #1
Real life capacity of K1/moving bed media
Hi all,
Have seen many systems with huge volumes of k1/equivalent (hundreds of litres). Going by the stated figures of 250grams of food per 50L of K1 or 170g per 25L of Hel-x 13 this would in many cases seem a huge overkill.
I currently have 125L of the above media's (75L Hel-x 13 and 50L of K1 (giving me a stated max of 760g of food per day). At present I have undetectable ammonia and nitrites so this volume appears sufficient for my stock at present.
What have people found to be the true capacity of these media in moving bed systems?
Obviously type of food, amount of aeration, water temperature, etc will play a part but what can I realistically expect this to be able to handle in the height of summer?
Cheers,
James.
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12-12-2018, 01:24 AM #2
It depends on your fish stocks, water volume and overall filtration including turnover rate and aeration. No 2 ponds are exactly the same in this respect. the hardest thing is estimating fish load, because inches of fish does not equate metabolic mass. Between 70 and 80cm fish can almost double in body weight for example.
2016 new 6000 gallon pond
https://www.koiforum.uk/pond-construc...ghlight=feline
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12-12-2018, 06:12 PM #3
imo what e.a quote k1 as capable of bio filtering is stretching every parameter to absolute perfection, and that in the real world you wont achieve it.....like car manufacturers that say their car will do 50 mpg, but in reality it wont?
this is why id always go for a bigger bio chamber than you think you will need, so its got room to grow if needed.
David
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12-12-2018, 08:52 PM #4
Hi James
Feed amount and stock level is a rather better measure, it is still pretty coarse as there are other variables, but it provides a snapshot.
What are your pond details and stock levels and how much were you feeding in the season?
Personally I have never been able to get anywhere close to EA's figures for feed / K1 rates, experience being that in very rough terms at a third to a quarter of the "claimed" feed the parameters are tolerable, but not exceptional.
Dave
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13-12-2018, 09:57 AM #5
In addition to all this media..... Filter bugs are unlikely to be exclusive to just your media.
Surface area on your pond floor and walls, inside all your pipework, on the filter walls etc is likely to be vast in itself and bugs are likely to make these places home.
Look at this thread, he has a huge amount of media, a trickle in/out system, 7500 gallons and feeding half of your quoted food weight, yet nitrites are becoming a problem:
https://www.koiforum.uk/water-treatm...rite-wall.html
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13-12-2018, 11:50 PM #6
Hi all,
Thanks for your thoughts - I understand that turn over, stock, etc. would play a part. I assumed that the quoted figure would be under ideal/lab conditions but was wondering how far off they were.
I've set up the moving bed after a drum on a 12,000L pond, turned over every hour and 50L/min air pump moving the media. Currently has 15 koi in it - 5 at 12 inches, remainder at approx 6 inches, the intention is to thin them out to 10 as they grow.
James..
Every day feeding container?
Good shout, I'll have a look at Takazumi :)