Davej

Hiya

I am guessing that the barrells should be fish safe? do you know what they are made of and if they are second hand what was in them

To be belt and braces I would leave some PP at a dose rate of 1gm per 100gallons in tap water in them for a couple of days.

Not an ideal time to mess around with filters, what you dont wanna do is mess up the bio you have in the existing.

Before doing any alterations and after cleaning the barrells I would fill them with pond water and add the media you have. Throw in 10ml of household ammonia (9.5% strength) (fromHomebase) and see if there is an ammonia or Nitrite reading 24 hours later. If there is, the media isn't anywhere near mature and it may be an idea to spend a little time getting some bacteria on it before adding it.

Let us know, we will help if we can

Dave

joanne2002

Hi Dave....the barrells had lime juice in them. We have had them about 4 weeks they were full with virasure and water for about 5 days then rinsed and dried. They are in place with pipework now and again washed and dried with virasure today and the jap mat has been cut and the smaller pieces are now in the filter . The alfragog has been in onion bags suspended in pond for weeks and 1 bag in filter. I assume the ammonia bit is not much use as they are obviously un mature ?..Had to get this up and running as had bacterial disease lots of problems and the main problem ends at the filter not being big enough .Fingers are crossed i can tell you as we have only had this new pond running a year .
Thanks ..Jo

Davej

Hi Jo

Yes time is short and well done for cracking on with things.

Lime Juice, that sounds like food stuff so cant see any reasons why the the barrells will be Ok..

It sounds like you will have nuked things with the virasure.

How much grog have you got?

Dave

joanne2002

Hi Dave......4 bags of grog at the moment and jap mat cut into circles with lots of off cuts that will be chucked in as well. Have got ( from original Kockney koi filter) loads of the black cut pipe so might just use that as well.Have Ki in kk filter in last chamber at the mo with air ( so much contradidtions on the forums with K1.. so dont know if want any more in new barrels)
Jo

Davej

Hiya Jo

Looks like you have things under control, shout if there's anything we can do to help.

K1 some love it some dont, beauty of it when fluidised is it doesnt trap dirt.

Dave

AlanK

Hi Dave, do you ever look at your media under a scope to so what is on it? This is something I want to do as part of evaluating the RDF. I can use bio chips as they are flat and I can see what is on there. K1 is more difficult.

Davej

Hi Alan

Something to do when you are a bit bored

It's a bit too scarey for me, I hide behind a cushion when Dr Who is on - seeing all those strange looking monsters in close up gives me bad dreams.

Dave