increasing dissolved oxygen level in pond
- Thread starter dudefish82
- Start date
try to build a DIY overhead waterfall, it's cascading effect will give you extra dissolve oxygen, plus it's a form of filter. Pretty much you don't have to spend over 100$ or so, maybe 50-70$ could do it.
You need constant constant movement to maintain a high level of dissolved oxygen, so a water fall or fountain is the easiest way.
I have a solar pump in my tiniest pond, and it does help a little bit in the sunny part of the day, but is off about 75% of the time, its effect is at best marginal.
Getting rid of the stuff that creates biological oxygen demand also goes along way.
BOD is created by any form of metabolism/breakdown of dissolved organic carbon.
I use a DIY foam fractionator to do that, but it also requires a constantly running pump to accomplish its end result. It removes the stuff that creates Biological Oxygen demand before is gets a chance to metabolize, but also provides media for beneficial bacteria to do its job. The pond below is small, only 500 gallons, and could not support the large bioload for its size it has, in a healthy way, without fractionation or some other manner of filtration. It contains 4 goldfish and 1 medium koi (and their fry).
click on the pic to start the video
I have a solar pump in my tiniest pond, and it does help a little bit in the sunny part of the day, but is off about 75% of the time, its effect is at best marginal.
Getting rid of the stuff that creates biological oxygen demand also goes along way.
BOD is created by any form of metabolism/breakdown of dissolved organic carbon.
I use a DIY foam fractionator to do that, but it also requires a constantly running pump to accomplish its end result. It removes the stuff that creates Biological Oxygen demand before is gets a chance to metabolize, but also provides media for beneficial bacteria to do its job. The pond below is small, only 500 gallons, and could not support the large bioload for its size it has, in a healthy way, without fractionation or some other manner of filtration. It contains 4 goldfish and 1 medium koi (and their fry).
click on the pic to start the video
wow thanks alot ill try making one similar to that whats that foam stuff coming out of the pipe. i need your help on one bit my pond is built upwards like its raised how do you build a waterfall to support it if it is like that.[video=youtube;2qqxbI0-zns]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2qqxbI0-zns[/video]
The foam is a combination of waste products, everything from dissolved organic carbon (fish waste, decaying plant matter, etc), to free floating algae and inorganic particulate. The point of foam fractionation is to remove those things before they get a chance to break down into nitrate. It will also remove medication, so if there is occasion to treat for disease, the fractionation process should be turned off. Although one of the side benefits to the fractionation process is the removal of some harmful micro and macro-organisms.
The plans to make one are in the DIY section of koiphen.com, under a thread called making a phoam phractionator. My versions are scaled down in size a bit.
The plans to make one are in the DIY section of koiphen.com, under a thread called making a phoam phractionator. My versions are scaled down in size a bit.
The foam fractionator is hung on a fence above the pond, and does not require the water fall, the water can fall from the fractionator directly to the pond, as in the one below.
I use the same kind inside for aquariums, emptying into a sump.
I use the same kind inside for aquariums, emptying into a sump.
If you follow the plans on koiphen, it's really simple. i just scaled it down and used parts I had laying around.
I believe they use 8" PVC, I scaled it back to 4", because I'm using a smaller pump, the Mag Drive pump running the fractionator in my video is only rated at 950 gph.
and I use garden center lava rock in the vertical tube, it is inexpensive, and works great to break up falling water, and as bio-media. The metal piece is a hardware store bathtub drain, and i raised the lava rock off it a bit with a piece from a marineland filter I cut to fit.
I believe they use 8" PVC, I scaled it back to 4", because I'm using a smaller pump, the Mag Drive pump running the fractionator in my video is only rated at 950 gph.
and I use garden center lava rock in the vertical tube, it is inexpensive, and works great to break up falling water, and as bio-media. The metal piece is a hardware store bathtub drain, and i raised the lava rock off it a bit with a piece from a marineland filter I cut to fit.
