Pond water counter experience (or?)

[tugo]

Hi to all.

Has been more than 7 months w/o aeration,water circulatin and filtering.

The water did become some blurry as seen from the photo. Nitrate and ammonia tests show all ok. The detritus is still there, waiting for some warmer days. Koi seems ok. Now adays temperature is around 46 F.

Let's see what happens as the temperature goes up.

Just wanted to update.

 

[hankn]

For most of the winter my pond stays clear. It gets crystal clear in late Feb thru April when water temps range from 10-15c. I too shut off my pump and UV during the rainy winter months and the water stays clear. But once the sun comes out, watch out. By May your water will be green unless you restart your filter and UV.

 

[Muske]

Is the black stuff on the bottom from leaves off nearby trees?

If so, that will definately give you that discolored water. In my area, Maple and Oak leaves left in ponds over the winter cause the water to turn a stained brown color.

Hope you get rain soon....

 

[tugo]

Is the black stuff on the bottom from leaves off nearby trees?

If so, that will definately give you that discolored water. In my area, Maple and Oak leaves left in ponds over the winter cause the water to turn a stained brown color.

Hope you get rain soon....

Have quite little amount of leaves falling on the pond (some rose leaves from my garden and pine needles from the neighbor). I really cannot describe the black stuff, allmost no particals in it, just goes away between the fingers.
Some fish rest and rotten leaves and mostly flying objects like all kinds of pollens from the neighboring.

Rain, we have allmost everyday since the end of the last summer. Temperature is coming up slowly slowly, that may be one reason for the colour of the water. As mentioned before, till now did not have any string alg.

So, will wait and see what comes next, as long as the koi behave normal.

 

[Muske]

What's your water temp.?

Mine is right around 50F. Just starting to get some algae.

 

[tugo]

What's your water temp.?

Mine is right around 50F. Just starting to get some algae.

Muske, mine is also 50-55 F.
Is it too early for spawning? Because today fish are following others and disturbing, now the water surface bacame so dirty with some stuff that I can't explain. Have read much from the net but still I do not know how to recognize the fish spawn. Any pratctical hint? Thanks

 

[Muske]

Goldfish?....

Females will appear much fuller and fat. Males, if you can catch one, will have some nodes on the side of the face. Temps. seem a little on the low side for spawning.
What you are describing sounds like it, that chasing is a sign. The female will be pursuded by one or more males. I'm sure it will happen soon enough as temps. continue to rise.

 

[Yanbbrox]

I think the heavy rainfall is saving the day here. It's aerating the pond for you and also giving new nitrate free water. Koi keepers can be a funny bunch, some people go daft and upgrade everything yearly when THE latest thing come out, regardless of cost every searching for that perfect water.

Now then there is you who simply now does nothing will no problems, very interesting I can only go by my experience. My Dad has a pond it's about 1200 gallon and over the years when I was living there I tried various (poor) filters(I run better filters on my tanks) to keep things going, only losing fish when it was extended and all the fish were moved into a small temp pond and some died through lack of oxygen.

I moved out and am working on my own pond semi high tech, but the tech is 15 years old and cannot report any results yet.

Anyway back to my dads pond, naturally it got dirty in the summer and once the frost hit it went crystal clear and the cycle continued only running an inadequate pressurized internal UV filter. This has still continued to this day with no losses so anything is possible.

I think the fact that you are getting lots of rain plus the fact the pond is fairly large is working. IMO the only reason koi keeper go crazy on filters is so they can feed more so the fish getting bigger quicker. It sounds like your on top and testing which is the results are fine and your happy then why not continue. I would run some air, just MO

 

[tugo]

Thanks Muske. So nothing else special and more practical, like a public announcement etc)
In any way, I wouldn't take any extra steps to keep the babies safe and would leave them to the balance of the nature. Last year (first year of the pond) I believe fish had 4 times spawned, that I can guess, because I have 6 new comers where the 2 of them have the same size with each other. So a very low percentage of survivors. So is life.
Thanks

 

[tugo]

Dear Yanbbrox, yes as you said, I have read lots of ways about how to keep a pond, everybody has his own way and some people are too much kneen on the details. But I know very old abandoned houses with a small pond and kois in them, they help them selves)
I also got the necessary equipment but first I am more interested to see how it goes on according to the rules of the nature so if I could find the right way.

But the rains are going to stop in short and the temp will rise. Will be in alert.
Thanks