Re: large submersed pond pump 30 Jun 2005
Hi,
thanks for the reply, my big pump is submersed, it's a med.-large one, I'm
still not sure of the gallons it pumps.  My water is clear, not crystal, but I can see to the bottom good.  I think I will add a homemade filter box and
put my pump in the box to pull the water in.  And I'll get an ammonia tester
kit and do the water changes.  I have one question, do I have to do the
"de-chlorinator" when I add 10-20% new water, or will it just "mix" in with
the already de-chlorinated water and not be a problem?
<I'd likely risk not adding anything... I do this myself... all the time... though there are cases when water suppliers "pulse" more disinfectant in to supplies...>
   Thanks for your
help.  You guys do a great job.
Denise
<Welcome. Bob Fenner>

Very Large Pond Question, WetWebMedia
Hello Bob,
Let me start by saying that I am a huge fan of the "conscientious marine aquarist" book for my 90 gal marine aquarium at home, and of the WetWebMedia website. I thank you very, very much for all the advice you give us there.
<A great pleasure my friend>
We are real estate developers in central Mexico (city Leon, moderately warm climate), and in one development we have a sort of a small "river" with about 300 koi carps in there. The "river" or pond, measures some 400 feet long, one foot deep and about 6 feet wide, with some variations in with up to 15 feet. I estimate it holds some 30,000 gallons of water. It is mostly under the shade of many trees, which also means it gets a lot of leafs and grass in it.
<Yes>
Along the 400 feet, the water starts out coming out of 2 waterfalls, each about 4 feet tall. and then finds another 3 falls of about 1.5 feet along the way. The water currently flows some 10 hours a day, the rest of the time the pumps are shut off. We take out about 5,000 gallons of water every day from this river for watering the gardens, and add the same 5,000 gallons of fresh water (plus evaporation top-off) from a water well we have.
<Good plan, practice>
Every month, we take out about half the water volume and replace it with fresh water, and have a beautiful looking river. for about 2 days. Then the water turns a cloudy brown-greenish. until you can't see the fish anymore. This despite the daily water change.
<Yes...>
We are currently not feeding the koi, as my LFS guy told me they would simply eat mosquitoes, bugs, or algae that grew there.
<To some degree this is so... the fish won't be as robust, colorful...>
I don't have plants in it yet, but I've now read we could use quite a few.
<Yes, definitely worthwhile adding here>
The question is regarding filtration: What sort of biological filter should we use? (an open one, I read. but size? Materials?), mechanical? and, would a UV help, or is it simply too large for one?
<In this size, type system, the plants and ozone would be all I would use... all else are impractical... too expensive to install, operate...>
How many watts would I need?
<Again, I would look into corona discharge type (not UV lamps) from a larger company here. There are a few that make these for industrial applications...>
Can I buy something that large at a reasonable price?
<Would have to define "reasonable"... Again, the plants... lilies, some hyacinths (keep these corralled)... will get you likely 80-90 percent of where you want to be, at low cost...>
I greatly appreciate any advice,
Eduardo
<Glad to offer it. Bob Fenner>

Pond, algae, illiteracy
i have a 1,000 gallon outdoor pond it inhabits koi, goldfish, 1/2(fish got a little despite i guess) lilies, cat tales, and unfortunately in the season frogs mating in the plants. the problem is i have about 4" (maybe) of algae. i have used algae killer
<Not smart>
and something gets rid of the muck that i put in to the waterfall to circulate through the water. it's made a big difference but there is all the algae that not floating around laying on the bottom. WHAT DO I DO?
thank you
Christa
<Read: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/PondSubWebIndex/pdalgcontrol.htm.  Learn to use your spellchecker... Bob Fenner> 

Vegetable Oil... In a Pond?
Here's one for ya,
<Ho boy>
My step-son, in an attempt to prime a non-submersible pump went and poured a half of a bottle of vegetable oil in the hose per the manufacturer's instructions,
<What the?>
which is now in the pond. It's @ 500 gallon, 4" deep. I tried to skim off what I could with a pool skimmer net (which is now like paste) but it has coagulated into white clumps which is now on the bottom and covering the liner. Is there anyway short of draining and scrubbing with Dawn to get this out? Such as a natural biodegradable neutralizer or an 
aggressively large cooking oil eating fish?
James
<Thank goodness you have a sense of humor. For this size system, I would drain all (including plumbing, filter...) and use a detergent as you mention. Do take a read through our Pond subweb re plumbing, check-valves... arrange for this conduit to stay primed when the pump is off, out... and no more vegetable oil! Bob Fenner>

Something re ponds
Hello,
<Hi there>
We have a small pond at our plant, what do you guys sell that is non-metallic? We cannot buy anything with copper sulfate.
<What? For algae control I take it... Please read re on WWM. Bob Fenner... we sell nothing but books that we write, publish.>

Re: Indoor Koi Pond Question/Problem
Thanks for the quick response Bob. Your website was the only one I could find where there were actual people on the job and could contact someone with my question. Way to go! If I could ask you, would freshwater sponges be harmful to the pond, if in fact that is what they are, or would it be wise to try and get rid of them, and if so, how would I do that?
<These very interesting organisms are not a problem in any sense as far as I'm aware... I once spent a day with a friend in the service side of our industry, in a cold pond stream... under a bridge, trying to get some decent pix of these... they "come and go"... Bob Fenner> 

Re: pond liner in tank
http://wetwebmedia.com/PondSubWebIndex/pdmaintwint.htm
Just to clarify
Given my situation, RO going cloudy is normal after a couple of days even if
there is no substrate?
<Yes, normal. Very likely the opacity is due to biological goings on, not simple physical or chemical reactions... microbes are populating the water to such an extent that they're making the water cloudy>
(just water and the tank).  If this is normal this I'll begin cycling the
tank.
Again Thanks for the help!
<A pleasure to serve. Bob Fenner>

Unknown pink substance on rocks near pond
I have a fish pond in my backyard.  I have noticed a pink substance on the
rocks around the pond.  This has a consistency of bubblegum when touched.
When it dries it dries to a white powder-like substance.  Can you identify
this for me?
Thanks, Donna
<Maybe... most likely a type of algae... but could be a combination of other organisms, mosses, lichens and such... You could tell if you either took a look under a microscope at a bit, or had someone else do this. Bob Fenner>

Question on toxicity of pond liner repair
I have a question. I have a 100 gallon pond set up in my remodeled  attic
with some of the smaller fish I bring in for the winter from my  outdoor pond. I
had to fix a minor hole near the top of the plastic liner.  I was wondering if
the epoxy glue that I used can affect my fish in any  way. Thank you for your
time.  
Len
<Should be fine, non-toxic once the epoxy is set-up/cured. Bob Fenner>

Worms in a garden pond
I have an outdoor garden pond which was activated within the last 3 months.  
I do not have fish or plants in the water yet, as i was hoping for it to clear
prior to purchasing; however, when i cleaned the filter, i noticed small tiny
live red worms.  The largest i saw was nearly 1/2 an inch.  There appeared to
be hundreds of worms stuck to the filter.  What are these, i would assume
they are a parasite of some sort but i am not sure and most importantly how can i
rid them from the pond?
Thank You
<Ahh, no need to worry or rid your filter of these worms. They are indeed completely beneficial and you are fortunate to have them aiding your systems filtration. They are likely some species of oligochaete... earthworm relatives, and not parasitic. Bob Fenner>

Re: yellow growth in stagnant water - no sunlight
Hello,
Do you guys have any idea what type of algae or growth (it's yellow BTW) we could have in a concrete pit that is filled with rainwater and no sunlight. 
< It could be algae or a fungus feeding off the carbonates leaching from the concrete.>
If you do, do you know how to kill the stuff?
< Get some chlorine from a pool supply place and follow the directions on the bottle. This will kill everything. Then change all the water or vacuum all the crud from the bottom. If you have fish in there then obviously this won't work. You probably have some dust and organic matter that has accumulated in this pit and is feeding this yellow growth. The sediment needs to be vacuumed out to remove the food source for the algae. This will help but will not fix it for good . Only a filter and regular water changes can do that.-Chuck>
Thanks, Winnie 

Acid washing?
I've seen wetwebmedia refer to 'acid washing' several times.  What do you mean by this - is it simply using bleach (sodium hypochlorite) - or something else.  If its something else, could you give me the name/type/brand of 'washing' agent you are referring to?  
Thanks!
<Please delve a bit more into the articles posted on WWM here... you are correct in that this is a cleaning technique involving acid (usually dilute HCl, aka at 3 molar as Muriatic)... for ponds, fountains and such. Bleach as sodium hypochlorite is indeed a conjugate acid/base... but is not intended to be used as an acid in this regard... and NEVER together with an acid. Bob Fenner>

Overheated ponds (evaporative cooling arrangement)
I thought the following may be of some help to you. I sent it to a friend who has resolved a problem with his fish pond overheating...
Regards
Peter
<Thank you for sending this along. Will post. Bob Fenner>
With regards to your fish pond overheating. If you wanted to you could make up the following system that I invented to keep my marine tank cool.
I used half inch diameter black plastic hose, an assortment of joiners and elbows, some electrical tape and a small powerhead (only six litres per minute) so reasonably cheap.
I dug a shallow trench 40 ft long under the house. I cut six 40 ft lengths of pipe. These I connected with elbows so the water would have to run along some 240 ft of pipe.
The small powerhead is placed in the sump of my trickle filter or in your case the fish pool. The secret of the system is the fact that the pipe is only half inch black plastic it causes line drag on the water and so this has a coolant effect. The other great thing is that the small pump sucks in the water from your pool and only has to push it through the pipe up and over the upper edge of the pool.
As soon as the water flows over the edge it runs down the pipe system, along the pipe and due to gravity and the siphon created it finds its way and climbs back up to the upper level of the pool. This means in theory you could have an aquarium up on the top floor of a ten story block of units and the system would still run with only the use of the six litre per minute power head.
The return flow to your pool will only be about three litres per minute but this will be quite cool ( about 15 degrees or less ).
If you really want to get sophisticated you can use an aquarium heater in the pool connected to a relay. This means when the heater switches off and cuts power to the relay the relay will then switch power to your cooling system. Then when the pool cools the heater will switch the on and cause the relay to switch on the cooling system.
As you are only working with a few litres of water per minute this is a very slow process and when the weather is hot the heater may never switch on which means your cooling system will run continually.
The service room for my marine aquarium when I was running it as a reef tank with 2 metal halite lights on all day, the room temp used to reach 34 degrees. However with the cooling system running the tank could be run at a steady 22 degrees.
Another system a friend in Melbourne runs is he bought a second hand refrigerator and simply ran a plastic hose to the fridge from his aquarium and coiled the hose up inside it.
Another I have done is use a small powerhead to a half inch pipe to 30 drippers suspended a metre over my 2000 litre freshwater aquarium. A timer switches this on three times each day giving the effect of rain on the surface and the cooling system can also be used on this aquarium, however it very rarely overheats.
Along with the dripper system I use a air vented skylights above both marine and freshwater aquariums. Also for effect green and blue night spotlights. So at night with moonlight or coloured lights shining on the surface of the freshwater tropical aquarium and the raindrops falling on the surface of the water the overall effect makes great night viewing.
Hope this may be of some help
Regards
Peter

Water Loss in a Pond, and Winter
Hi, I was wondering if you could help me out, I have an outdoor fish pond.  
<Uhm, not sure if I can help with that - I'm addicted to ponds, myself....  maybe a support group?  ;)  j/k>
The fish are comets, the pond is approximately 460 gallons, 11 fish.  During the summer months I loose about 1 inch(5-10 gallons) of water every couple of days.  
<Reasonable>
I live on Long Island, NY and the weather is getting colder with some snow.  Lately I am losing about 2 inches of water every 48 hours.  Any suggestions as to why, I checked this summer and the liner has no leaks.  
<Well, could be something's caused a leak in the liner recently, but I'd be more inclined to think there's a poor connection somewhere with the filtration/hoses/etc.>
I run my filter all year round which sends a small stream up to the top of the pond and a small water fall on one end.  
<Check everything doing with the waterfall, all hoses, every inch - hopefully it's just something loose somewhere.>
I keep hearing mixed reports about whether to run the filter year round.  
<A great article to help you with this:  http://www.wetwebmedia.com/PondSubWebIndex/pdwintmaint.htm .  Unless the equipment is going to freeze and malfunction, I'd keep it running.  If any way possible, do not let your pond freeze over, or at least not fully.  Within that article are suggestions to help you with this.>
Any help you can give me regarding this would be greatly appreciated.  
<And further reading galore:  http://www.wetwebmedia.com/PondSubWebIndex/Pond%20Sub%20Web.htm .  Lots and lots of good stuff here, I'm sure you'll find some interesting fuel for your pond habit!  Not an addiction I'd want to cure, for certain.  Wishing you well,  -Sabrina>
Jeff

Pond aliens
I have noticed a proliferation of 2-4mm shrimp-like creatures (copepods, as I have learned) in my pond in the filter net and such areas.  I have not examined my fish.  They don't look like fish lice and don't have a Y shape. They swim around inverted frequently.
<Could very well be a copepod of some sort, like Cyclops, or perhaps water fleas (Daphnia), or one of many, many other tiny critters that show up in ponds.>
Are they bad news?
<Unlikely.>
I am worried that they are parasitic.
<Although there are parasitic copepods, and other parasitic tiny forms of life that will appear in ponds, chances are good that what you're seeing isn't parasitic.  Of course, it would definitely be a good idea to net out a couple of fish just to check on them, make sure nothing's amiss.  Also, while trying to identify pond organisms, I ran across this page/site that may be of use to you to identify what you've got:  http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/index.html?http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/pond/insects.html .  Play around with the links and other pages in the site, and you'll probably be running out to your pond for a cup of goo to stick under a microscope.  Lots of fun.>
Thanks for any comments,  Roger
<No problem, Roger.  Have fun with your tiny pond life,  -Sabrina>

Bird poop in small goldfish pond II 8/27/03
Dear Anthony, Since I wrote you last week about what I though were bird droppings in my 44 gal in-ground pond with two comet goldfish and a sponge filter pump, I've now lost one of the fish. The "stuff" I'm seeing is bluish/green shreds or matter in the water attaching to the plants.
<have you tested your water chemistry or had your local fish store do it. Its helpful to know where you stand in this regard. As far as the matter... we unfortunately cannot explain it from such a general description>
In your responses you indicated a good bio filtration system. What could I add to the pond to create this?
<there are many wonderful filters on the market... Supreme makes a nice submersible "Pondmaster" tray filter... and Tetra makes some nice external green barrel filters>
Also, do I clean the sponge filter?
<yes... but rinse in some aged pond water in a bucket during water changes... never tap water>
I have been doing that (and that may be the problem) therefore washing away good bacteria.
<no worries as long as you avoided tap water (even then not that big of a deal). Nitrifiers are stuck firm to the substrate and don't wash away easily. Water tests will indicate if you have enough filtration... or too much feeding/load>
Oh boy. Please any help much appreciated. Marty
<pond keeping can be fun and very easy... but it sounds to me like you really need to read up on the basics my friend. Did you follow the links in our archives I mentioned last time to you? Do consider if you did not have a chance:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/PondSubWebIndex/Pond%20Sub%20Web.htm
there are some excellent pond books too:
Water In the Garden, by Allison... and Book of Water Gardens by Dawes (TFH). Best regards, Anthony>

Bird poop in small goldfish pond III 8/27/03
Thanks Anthony. Perhaps I'm a bit daft (I think that's a word) but I have read, and read. Everything seems to talk about a 1500 gal. pond or greater. I'm talking 44 gal., 2 little fish (now 1) and he's no more than 3-3-1/2", pond has constant circulation and lots of oxygenating plants.  Water levels read in the good to safe range, this has been constant. There is not a lot more room in this little container for bio filter but I am looking into it.
<ahhh... I see. Indeed... understood and agreed. These "patio" ponds/barrels really are quite handsome, but alas subject to a volatile existence for fishes (even the day night temperature swing of 4+ degrees is enough to weaken many fishes). Such ponds really work best fish-only... but do enjoy the plants. Some snails too>
(I have a water lily and papyrus that hog the deep part of the pond. The "outside" filters seem pretty expensive, I know, whine whine. Anyway, obviously I'm doing something wrong or my other fish would still be with me.
<no worries... tis the nature of the beast. The small volume of water is simply too unstable for many fishes outside>
I'm working on it which includes reading. I know you are being very patient with me but I'm not getting something!! Marty
<in part, you have been a victim of misleading marketing, I suspect. In this case, its all about size. My advice is to simply enjoy a handsomely planted pool instead. Anthony>

High pH pond 7/9/03
I put two layers of 10 mil visqueen in my concrete pond five years ago when a tree root broke the concrete. This year I am having trouble controlling the rise of pH in the pond. I have never had this problem before and am wondering if it is the visqueen causing the problem.
<very unlikely. High pH is so common in the summer due to massive photosynthesis from unicellular algae (greenwater) instead>
I have a 6600 gallon pond with a filter (bacteria) and two waterfalls and a creek that runs the filtered water over ten feet of river rock before returning it to the pond. I have searched the pond for any bare concrete or metals, etc. and have come up with nada. If you have any knowledge that would help me I would appreciate.
<test to see how temporary your high pH is... leave a sample of water in the dark for a day or two then test it. If the pH is lower... then it is not a chemical increase>
I only keep twelve Koi but would like to control the pH enough to introduce a few new ones. If I do a large water exchange the pH steadily climbs back up--when it gets to 7.9 or so, I do another large water exchange. Help!! Thanks, Maggie
<greenwater is the likely cause... advise us if no. Best regards, Anthony>

Hot pond in the summertime
Hi,
     I live in Phoenix, AZ and want to stock a pond with fish at my school. I need a fish that can survive in the heat out here in the summertime where the
temps. can go as high as 110 or higher. The would get the afternoon sun which is the hottest time of the day here. Hope you can help as this is supposed to
a class project.      
<You should look for ways to mediate the effects of the sun here. Likely some sort of shading mechanism (on poles, stretched above the pond) in the short term, perhaps trees or other structure in the longer time frame. Cooling by evaporation (as in water-sprayed-in-the-air destratifiers) or a bubbly waterfall will help a few degrees as well. Is the pond already built? If not, making it deeper (check with your local building codes for maximums here... perhaps having to put up a fence) to slow the effects of heating, diurnal fluctuation in temperature... do you intend to have plants? Some floating varieties like lilies or "grasses" (underwater) can add appreciable thermal insulation. Bob Fenner>
Thanks,                                                                          
Pat

Hot pond! I love it so
Hi Bob,
   The pond is one that was bought for the school a couple of years ago and is one of the plastic ones. It does have a  pipe that sprays water in the air and did have plants which we will replace. The pond will have a south facing wall and a fence that faces west. I was thinking of putting some of that screening on the west side of the fence to help keep the heat down.
<Sounds good>
We start back to school in July and need to raise some money for the plants and fish and would hopefully not stock the pond until November. I was hoping that starting after the heat would help the fish to acclimate to the climate before the heat starts again.
<This is likely the best time of the year to initiate stocking>
If you could let me know of any other plants and fish I can use I then can get an idea of how much money we have to raise.
<Many choices here. You need to decide on a general A or B grouping of tropicals that can handle the winter/variable conditions or temperate that can adjust to the Summer/hot weather... Please see the livestocking sections on the Pond subweb on www.WetWebMedia.com
Bob Fenner>                                                                       
Thanks,                                                                             
Pat

Temporary housing for pond fish
Hi Bob. I hope all is well with you and your family.
You have greatly assisted me in the past regarding my 92 gallon reef set-up, but I now have a question regarding my outdoor pond goldfish.
I currently have a 100 gallon preformed pond that I have had for about 5 years. In addition to various plants, I have around 5 shubunkin goldfish that average about 1 to 2 inches. We have decided to have a new 300 to 400 gallon pond installed in our backyard in conjunction with a custom landscape installation. What would be the best way to temporarily house my pond goldfish? Because of the amount of work that will take place in our yard that will include application of grass killer, I will need to house them either in my garage or house for up to 4 weeks.
Thank you. John Rowe
<A Rubbermaid container of sufficient volume with an airstone/small powerhead should work. Cover it temporarily even in the garage while applying any chemicals. Good luck!  Craig>

Housing fish while new pond is built
Thank you.
Should 100% of the water be water from the pond?  
Thank you again. John
<Depending on how long this will be, you may want to transfer some pond filter media to a filter running in the temp holding tank to provide bio-filtration.  If shorter term (days and the end home being a plastic pond) then water changes (no chlorine/chloramine, temperature matched) will suffice. Pond water is fine if it's testing free of ammonia/nitrite/nitrate.  Craig>

Pond Maintenance Questions   3/5/03
Hi Guys, <Hey Sam, Phil with ya this morning!>
One more time need your help and advice...<Lets crack this case!>
I've had salt water aquarium for years. Live rock and fish but not a reef tank.
Recently I moved into this house where they have a very nice Koi Pond with a waterfall. The previous owner told me that he really never did anything and that he only fed the fish once or twice a week and added some water once in a while.
Having dealt with Saltwater for so long, I assumed that fresh water would be much less challenging and that it's less work. But I disagreed with the guy a far as not doing anything and just feed the fish only. How about water changes and so forth... Water chemistry??<I have a small pond, it’s about 500 gallons.  I use a small external filter for filtration.  I don’t recommend an internal filter, algae always grows on them and makes cleaning them out a pain in the rear!  I top off any water loss as soon as I see it. I test my water chemistry every week or two.  All in all, no problems!>
I have not had any problems at all but I wanted to hear from you the care that I need to take for this pond. It's a decent size and has about 30 fishes. Would like to take my steps before things start to fall apart. <The key is not to overstock, an overstocked/overfeed pond will have out of control algae and will not have “clear” water.  Please note that because ponds water is not 100% clear does not mean it’s a dirty pond.  The visibility on my pond is between 75-95%, meaning I can see the bottom and the fish, I can’t see the liner very well.>
Thanks again<Hope this helps!  Phil>

Re: Pond Netting
SEASONAL SOLUTIONS, INC.
10,695 John Ayres Drive    Fairfax, Virginia 22032
703.691.8753     www.seasonalsolutions.net
Dear Sir or Madam,
Our company manufactures pond netting.
Our suggested retail price for a standard 14' x 20' net is $14.95.  We have many other sizes and mesh openings.
Our product includes turf staples, flag stakes, find-it button and cinches.
Two years ago we supplied Danner with it's Supreme netting, and have been an OEM for TetraPond.
<Both good companies>
We would like to be your vendor.
Thank you.
Neal O. Weigel
CEO
<Thank you for this. Will post on WetWebMedia.com. Bob Fenner>

Screening Material or Other Protection for Pond Fish
In searching your site, I see nothing that addresses what must be the most devastating danger to pond fish in my area.  At least it was devastating to me to find all five of my fish gone this morning after being attacked over night by raccoons.
<Sorry to read of your loss>
I am assuming the best (or perhaps only effective) protection would be a screen or mesh material either slightly submerged or placed over the pond and anchored down somehow.  I am leaning toward stretching a semi-rigid material with perhaps 1 to 2 inch openings across the pond and anchored by the large flat stone material I currently have surrounding the pond.  It's rather small (only 3 by 4 feet or so and 1 and a half to 2 feet deep).
Can you suggest a material safe for the fish?  I was thinking of a vinyl clad heavy gauge screen or welded screen.
<Some folks find that just having a light poly netting (like those sold/used to cover fruit trees to discount bird feeding) work well enough to discourage predators... others utilize an electric-shocking line strung up, around the pond edge... I have even seen light-activated alarm systems that triggered disco music and flashing spot lights! Bob Fenner>
Please help!
Thanks,
Barry Codron

Screening Material or Other Protection of Pond Fish from Raccoons
Bob.
Thanks for the rapid response.
I have read and heard that no amount of noise or light, whether triggered by movement or left on, are effective in neighborhoods such as ours where those little bastards are so brave!
<And smart>
As bold as they were one night when I forgot the dog bowl out on the lighted deck just inches away from me and my dog watching TV on the other side of a sliding glass window persuades me that's
correct.
<Yikes>
I am similarly convinced that the light poly material wouldn't be strong enough (they seem huge!), so I'm thinking of a vinyl clad welded sort of screen or grate that I would try and shape and/or lay beneath the
surrounding flat rock.  I had hoped I could find another idea to avoid the effort on installation and later upon removal for cleaning, etc.
Thanks again,
Barry
(Frankly, I'd rather use a baseball bat or poison, but I guess that's not
too environmentally sensitive of me...)
<There are have-a-heart traps, relocation possibilities. Check your property tax bill... it may be that you are paying for "pest control" or such... and that the county, city will come and help you out here. Bob Fenner>

Solar Koi pond heating
Bob,
I live in Mission Viejo and am considering using solar hot water
panels to heat/cool my koi pond. Is this an insanely stupid idea, or
what recommendations would you have?
<Not warranted... Nishikigoi need a "chilling period" every year... helps with health, color richness... THE reason cited by many as the cause of less-red "Hi" and "Sumi" (red and black) in "warm water" koi>
The "pond" is actually a 40,000
gallon swimming pool (about 13' x 32' x (3.5-8')D) and I would imagine
circulating pond water through the panels during the day in winter, and
at night during summer to moderate the pond temperature. This would involve
many hours the water would be stagnant in the panels, unless circulated
through an auxiliary loop for aeration.
<Yes to having valves on solenoids, timer for diverting water during the dark parts of everyday>
Otherwise, the panels would have to
be vented/reprimed every time flow through them was required, requiring
high pressure, electrically inefficient pumps and lower system reliability.
Any suggestions?
<This is a better choice than having the water "sit in them". Getting back to a/the basic question though, to do this or not... what is it you're trying to achieve? Faster growth? Not really a good idea... Of the four principal criteria by which most Koi are judged, body conformation ranks as number 1... you won't have proportioned koi by subjecting them to elevated temperature... especially during the winter... I would let the system cool down during the cold season. Bob Fenner>
Thank you for your attention in this matter.
Sincerely,
Bob Farley

Pond parasites?
Hello Bob,
I have a small pond (preformed 125 gal) containing 7 goldfish and 1 koi.
The biological filtration is good, water is clear, plants are flourishing and fish appear very healthy. No charcoal in the filtration.
Question #1
I find tiny red translucent worms in the filter material when I clean it. I assumed they were anchor worms,
<Not likely... adults of these crustaceans (they just look like worms) are not found on other than fish hosts>
although none are apparent ON the fish. I treated the pond according to directions (twice, six days apart) with a product from "Jungle Laboratories" called Anchors Away. Ingredients are sodium chloride and Diflubenzuron.
<Know the product>
I still find the worms in the filter material and don't know what they are and how dangerous this situation is for my fish.
Any info would be appreciated.
<Not dangerous at all... analogous to earthworms in your garden soil, these are very likely very beneficial organisms. Enjoy them as they are allies. Bob Fenner>
Lois L.
Arnold Mo.

Pond maintenance information
I live in a 55+ community, located in the high desert, that has 6 ponds
in it that are approximately 2-5000 square feet in size. We are all
amateur members of a coop that has poorly designed and maintained water
systems. 
<Well put>
The ponds are overwhelmed with growth and we are seeking
information on how to improve the situation. Can you steer us in an
appropriate direction?
<Yes... much of what I'll suggest is posted on the Pond Index part of our principal site: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/ponds.htm
and beyond this, I will help you along in what ways I can/may. First off, you'll all benefit from understanding general system design concepts... you might want to read through the "example pond" pieces... and consider some of my suggestions for those systems... 
Do you folks have livestock in these systems? What are they constructed of? What sorts of pumps, filters, plumbing, aeration...?
A few times going back and forth with information and I will be able to detail what your options are.>
Thank you so much for your interest.
<You're welcome. Bob Fenner>
Gordon Lewin

Re: Pond maintenance information
Just to answer your questions first. These ponds were designed to be water
catch basins for fire prevention when first designed, about 12 years ago. Most
did not hold the water and were lined with clay soil.
<Ah... likely with bentonite, older technology, mixed in to slow percolation>
All of them leach lots of
water and will need to be lined as soon as there are funds to do so.
<Good idea... expensive to pump up, lose water... and one never knows (until it's too late) where the water may be going to>
I got here
3 years ago and with the help of a few volunteers, got some material to line the
bottom of one of the basins that was dry. Today, it is the only pond that does
not lose water except for evaporation. There are Koi, catfish, and mosquito
fish in most of the ponds. The ponds are set up so that there is 2 sets of 3.
Each set fed by well water,
<Do you have analysis of the make-up of the well water? Need this>
recirculates water to a top pond, through a center
pond, to the bottom one. There are no filters in place except to keep sediment
out of the pumps (in each pond) that aerate or move water to the upper ponds.
There was obviously no planning originally to make there basins into attractive
water assets, rather for insurance purposes. 
<Well put... and all too common... "We made it, now we're outta here!"
Our facility is maturing now, and
the current residents want to correct the problems. I know that we have a long
way to go, but we need to understand what lies ahead.
<Yes... done systematically, with knowledge, not a huge, dangerous or frightening proposition>
Thank you so much for your prompt response. Our resource list for help has been
totally empty.
<We're soon to be good friends. Bob Fenner>

Re: Pond maintenance information
I should have provided this before, but you can see our facility by going to the
following address: http://www.jojobahills.com/
<Ah, thanks for sending this along... A concrete alligator? And can appreciate your work done to restore pond #5. Butyl rubber liners are best, but you folks might save some money, time from vinyl.. dimensions of the other five basins and the interconnecting runways (rock streams)? Did you get the #5 pond liner directly from Hecht? Do you want to start discussion in a general sense of "how to make, keep your water "clear"? What is the association's goal/s here, other than to stem water loss? Bob Fenner>
Thanks again.

Question about Koi and air pumps
Hello,
<Hello Emily, Lorenzo Gonzalez here replying for Bob, who is on fish-business in Asia for a couple weeks.>
I recently "adopted" a 20-gallon tank (18" deep) with three, 4-inch, animated Japanese Koi. (Their owner has to move to another country, and was going to flush the little guys!)
<Hmmm. Animated fish should be easier to keep, and ya gotta love that Japanese anime... Oh! sorry.>
I haven't a clue about taking care of fish, so I've been doing a lot of
reading. So far, the fish look happy and healthy, however I'm not getting a bit of sleep!
<Uh oh. Not good!>
I live in a studio apartment in Brooklyn, and the Tetra Deep Water Air Pump 24-2 is keeping me awake! Do I need all those bubbles? The tank also has a Biowheel 330 that seems to move the water around a lot. The owner has two 3" airstones at the bottom of the tank operated by the Tetra Pump. Are they necessary?
<Fold up a small towel and put it under the pump. Or better yet, get some plants in that tank, if there aren't any, and turn the pump off at night. Even get a cheap lamp-timer to run it only during the day, that would be fine.>
If so, maybe I need a new Tetra pump? The current one is approximately 9
months old. Also, are the Rena pumps quieter?
<No, if the little tetra is keeping you awake, almost any air pump is going to keep you awake! And air pumps last just about forever - they have a small replaceable diaphragm that costs a couple bucks at most pet stores - so don't replace it unless it doesn't do anything at all. Just unplug/turn it off at night. 
Yours, Lorenzo>

Re: Question about Koi and air pumps
Hello Lorenzo,
Thanks so much for the timely response. I'll buy some plants and a timer, and turn the air pump off at night as you suggested.
Any suggestions about what plants to buy? And where can I get healthy
plants? I've seen plants in Petland stores, but they don't look so healthy.
<Yeah, you definitely want to find healthy ones. Try a smaller, more fish-focused store (sometimes "fish & birds", etc.), if you can find one. You'll get much better advice there, as well. In my experience the easiest plants to raise are the ones with broader, heavier leaves - like Amazon Sword, or certain Anubias - check Bob's plant articles on wetwebmedia.com for more information>
Also, will they live more than a few days, and will they require me to change the water more often?
<Actually, plants will greatly improve water conditions in most any system. By no means will you be changing water -more- often due to plants. If they get decent light (a fluorescent fixture is okay, a double tube is great, direct sun is very bad), they can live indefinitely.>
Lastly, will the Koi eat them and, if so, is it healthy for them?
<No, they won't eat them - but vegetables are good for everybody :-) >
Thanks again. It's really nice that you guys are willing to take the time to answer questions online.
<It's really a pleasure, actually. The last thing to note about your Koi is that they will eventually be much, MUCH too large for that little 20g tank... you'll probably want to start trading them in as they get big. Koi can get over 2 feet long and over 15 pounds. You could replace them with new, smaller ones, or different fish entirely as your interest directs... Yours, Lorenzo>

Re: Question about Koi and air pumps
Geez, there's no way in hell that I'll be able to fit a tank any larger than 20 gallons in my small studio apartment. (How did I get myself into this mess? hahaha) I figured that the fish would naturally limit their size according to the size of my tank, but I guess not.
<So when they get too big, trade them for little ones, or smaller sorts of fish! Obviously I'm biased, but I don't think I could live in a 'small studio apartment' in Brooklyn, without at least a small aquarium to bring a little 'wild' into my living space...>
I know it sounds weird, Lorenzo, but I want these little fish to have a good life! <grin> 
<How is that weird? Believe me, in this circle of people, that's not weird at all. Maybe in Brooklyn that's weird? :-) >
What if released them into a beautiful Koi pond at the Pepsi Corporate Headquarters in Purchase, New York? The pond is lake-size and
contains tons of large Koi.
<Yeah, you could do that.>
If this is a possibility, how large should I let my fish grow before I
release them into the pond? (They currently measure from 3 to 5 inches.)
<Any time is probably fine. They'll stand a better chance if you let them all get about 6 inches long, but they'll be REALLY crowding your tank by then! If they're different sizes, maybe you could release them individually as they're ready.>
Would the adult Koi in the pond eat my smaller Koi? 
<No. Koi definitely aren't cannibals.>
Also, would they know how to find food? The environs are wonderfully maintained and I've seen tons of wildlife in this private preserve, but I'm not sure if anyone actually feeds the Koi. However, I have visited the pond year-round, and the Koi look fat and healthy.
<Somebody is feeding them. No doubt about it.>
Thanks so much for your continuing advise.
<My pleasure. And I sincerely hope you don't abandon the hobby just because your first fish are destined to grow into giant living water garden ornaments...! -Lorenzo>

Request For Guidance
I have an existing waterscape at an apartment complex located in Southern
California (West Covina) and I'm trying to find experienced and reliable
sources who can help me understand what is required to restore and expand
it.
<Hmm, know the area... but not in touch for years with folks in "the trade" in the vicinity... Would do the following: read through the "Pond Index" on our website: www.WetWebMedia.com and goose me into adding sections on maintenance, repair, construction and/or graphics for what's there... till you understand about what can be done. Then, get out the local "Yellow Pages" and Internet equivalent and look under "WaterScapes", "Landscape" (the folks who specialize will list so)... and have a few of these companies come out and bid the job... say what they would do, and for how much, how long it would take...>
The water is always dirty looking, and the waterscape is suppose to be a
marketing feature which is suppose to be the focal point of for prospective
renters.
<I understand... and can help you with specifics going forward>
Do you know any sources which I can go to find the company or person I
need?
Please advise.
Scott Sternberg
Ph: 310-385-XXXX / Fax: 310-271-XXXX
<Will post your request in our FAQs as well... maybe someone will "come out of the woodwork"... Bob Fenner, who "did this work for twenty years", but not since more than a decade back>

Talking Trash... Pumps
Hi Bob can you tell me where I can find one of the pumps that takes 0ut the trash in the bottom of my pond? thanks Denise >>
>>
How big a system? How large materials to pump out? Gravity/siphoning won't work? Take a look at the Grainger catalog or on line for small gas-powered trash (centrifugal) or if it's a BIG job, diaphragm type pumps (and hoses!)
Bob Fenner