paulexige

HI there just wondering if anyone can help me , i noticed in my filters about 6 weeks ago alot of dirty foam forming and then also in the pond itself i thought nothing of this as the pond is 2000 gallons and has 2 nexus filters and a foam filter with 2 large air pumps which is more than enough for the pond size , i have now lost about 5 fish but dont know why this should have happend i have changed half the pond water i think the water has released all of its undissolved organic compounds any ideas thanks

Carl

Foam in the filter or in the pond is usually caused by pollution from high Protein levels in the water by the use of high protein diets or dissolved organic compounds building up through the metabolism of koi, or the turning of waste products into solution. These organic compounds are not broken down by the bacteria that removes the ammonia, nitrites and nitrates, but by oxygen consuming heterotrophic bacteria These arnt able to completely breakdown the organic compounds therefore pollution levels in the pond will rise and poison the fish.

Test the water perimeters as you may find they are at high levels especially this time of year where your filter is not functioning due to the die back of the bacteria, stop feeding immediately if you are still feeding, and carry out water changes to dissolve any poisons, if your pond isn't heated then you wont get the bacteria back until the water warms up in the spring. Foam can occur with new pond syndrome too due to lack of bacteria in the new filter. You could also fit a protein skimmer to remove the organic compounds from the water before they break down into nitrogenous waste. As a protein skimmer will physically remove organic compounds before they begin to decompose, so lightening the load on the biological filter.

paulexige

Hi thanks for your answers

ph is 7.5

Ammonia is 2.00 mg /litre pond is not heated though

nitrite is 01. - 0.25 mg / litre

nitrate is 15-20 mg litre

thats is after i had changed half the water in the pond so they would have been higher , dont think there to bad by the test results on the packaging .
think what annoys me more is having a pond that isnt heavy stocked thousands of pounds worth of filters to which i added new bacteria to all though the summer and still problems

thankyou for your help

koimaster

the cold weather we have had would of killed and bac in the filters im the same as you very winter this happens and bang very spring i get these little problems with filter start up

i'm looking into heating even if it does cost abit

paulexige

Thats just what i thought might have happened all the bacteria in the filters has died off i did heat the pond for a few winters but the heater kept melting the plug where it was using so much power think im going to get a load of goldfish

koimaster

lol no man should be without his koi

nishikiboy

What size was the heater ?
In theory a 2 kw Elecro heater should heat 2,000 gallons, but a 4kw would be better, the Elecro Titanium with digital thermostat in my opinion is the best of the electric heaters. NOT with time switch, just rely on the thermostat,
a time clock will create horendous problems with fluctuating temperature resulting in white spot etc.
As you already know ! you MUST have the correct wire and on/off switch box and trip switch on the Consumer Unit to cope with the load, or it will melt and could potentially combust !!!

To solve the immediate problem , STOP feeding,
KUSURI SUPER C or better still Envirex,
also Bactapur Sludgebusters,
you can't really overdose with these, so I would use a full dose am and another pm on the first day. ( Envirex is the best BUT £50 for a 2kg tub !!! Super C is almost as good and is £32 for 3 kg bag )
mix up as per instructions and put some in both Nexus and the rest in the pond. This will almost instantly neutralise decomposing sludge / solids / leaves etc. and any ammonia and nitrite,
continue water changes 10 % at a time.
Re-dose with kUSURI Super c or Envirex. the next day, then once per week.
They biologically clean filter media etc with natural enzymes, helping the good nitrifying and de-nitrifying bacteria to flourish and reproduce, but the cold will cause it to die back !!!
Keep Sludgebusters and any bacteria you buy in a warm place, and it will grow in the container. ( my pond is heated, but I still keep Sludgebusters next to the central heating boiler in winter ( keep safely away from kids !!! )
I'm suspecting no bottom drain (s) in the pond, am I right ?
as 1 Nexus can play with 2000 gallons, let alone 2 !!!
If NO bottom drains, you need a pond vacuum QUICK !!! to get the sludge out of the bottom of the pond. £99 for a decent one, £200 for a good one.
Any ice on the pond MUST NOT be broken by any hitting with anything, the shock wave can kill the Koi !!! Use a bucket of hot water ! This will allow the toxic gases to exit the pond water much more quickly.
If the top up water does not go through a proper in date filter, then de-chlorinator MUST be used or you will burn the gills with the chlorine in the tap water.
Don't worry about not feeding, you should NOT be feeding at all, if not heated
they can NOT digest any food at these low temperatures and as well as polluting the water, any food they do swallow will decompose inside a Koi's gut and cause bacterial problems inside the gut ! ( quite literally the food will rot inside the koi !!! ) their stomach is not a stomach at all, it's just a tube like our colon.

Don't give up on Koi, just get the fine tuning right !
You have 2 Nexus filters you say, which models ?
you have done the expensive bit and got the best filters in the world,
all you need to do is the little things now, and you'll be addicted to Koi !
There is something not right, either no bottom drain, or feeding in a cold pond, or the pump is not producing enough flow through the pair of Nexus,
you just need to diagnose the cause then problem fixed and enjoy your Koi.
A protein skimmer will remove the protein and the froth / brown water,
so will a bottle of anti-foam, BUT it is the CAUSE that needs fixing, THEN there will be no foam !
Peter.

paulexige

the pond is not heated so i have not been feeding i bought some sludgebuster but didnt know if it was worth putting it in with the water being so cold wether it would even work , shall i put it in any way and do you think i should change any more of the water thanks for your help

nishikiboy

You MUST get the Ammonia and Nitrite to ZERO !!! BY ANY MEANS YOU CAN !
and QUICKLY TOO !!!
Your poor Koi's immune systems can NOT cope with that in low temperatures for very long at all ! Besides which they are in agony !!!
It's not the water you need out,
it's the solids / sludge / decaying leaves you need out from where ever it is ..... pond bottom ...... bottom drain lines ........ skimmer line ........ Nexus ..... everywhere and NOW !
PURGE 1 bottom drain at a time / and hoover the pond if you can see anything...... I can not stress how important it is to get those readings to Zero ....... but it is the CAUSE you need to remove.
Yes most of the Sludgebusters will be wasted in cold water BUT surely that's better than hurting your Koi !
To hell with the cost, you have a duty to look after those Koi !
Make sure ALL Chlorine (and Chloramine if used in your area ) is removed from top - up water, or you will burn their gills !
Watch the ph doesn't suddenly drop, or you will likely lose them,
I would be putting some KH up in there even if you have Lithaqua or Oyster shells, to ensure the ph can not drop.
Good luck mate.
Peter.