Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Yes they are on constantly. I was advised on the forum that they might kill the bacteria but I was advised by the koi people that I need to have them on constantly. This is a pic of their system and they seem to know what they're talking about.

Which brings me to an important question. A couple of posts on the forum are contradictory ( ) do the majority of the beneficial bacteria live in the water or on the surface of media/walls/plants etc?

The bacteria are every where.

Yes you will kill a bunch but they mostly live attached to the surfaces. If you do kill a few in the filtered water it won't make a difference once the system is fully cycled.

Many AP systems go through a green pea soup stage. As the colonies of bacteria become established in the media beds more bacteria and other micro organisms in addition to the nitrifying bacteria begin to colonize the media beds. These include heterotrophic bacteria among others and these beasties eat among other things algae. If the media beds are big enough and if the flow rate is fast enough then the algae will get eaten faster than they can reproduce. After a time the water will clear as the algae get eaten almost to extinction.

I wish you luck, and I believe you will need lots of it, trying to control the algae without a lot more filtration. Exporting 1000L/week is stuff all and won't do much to dilute the nutrient concentrations.

I think you either need to increase the water replacement rate and/or add gravel beds or solids removal filtration system components (robot pool vac?).

I was going to skim the surface with the pool scoop and invest in a vacuum. I could probably use the existing pool pump turned to waste to vacuum using the pole thingo.

I'm a bit perplexed at how the koi farm manages to keep the koi that they do in a pond probably 1/4 the volume of mine with the filter they recommended.

So you think my biggest problem will be my nitrates? If so what sort of volume would I need to remove to control the system containing 75 fish. I could always put in some more floating rafts and engineer them to be taken out when the kids wAnt a swim.

My biggest prob at the mo is algae. When I have conquered that I will worry about the fish. I could always just keep enough SP in the system to eat the filamentous algae and put the rest in my AP system. I want the koi cause they're pretty to swim with

I have had a pretty impressive thought. My fruit orchard is further downhill from the pool than the veg patch. I currently drip irrigate it using dam water which I pump up the hill. With a plumbing modification, what I could do is gravity feed the whole orchard using pool water and pump dam water directly into pool.

My husbands gunna LOVE you guys (not).. That's brilliant!!! Fertigation and effortless at that. The only prob is the dam has tannins in it so the water will be a little brown.


Wow I could stock so many more fish

Anyone know how to remove tannins?

Indeed, evaporation in summer would be higher than that from an open pool.

Nope.

I reckon biochar might work. I think it may also be the ultimate biofilter media. I may need hubby to build me a biochar maker too on his Xmas break. Will need to supply beer.

activated charcoal.

I want the koi cause they're pretty to swim with [/quote]

I hope you realise you will never be able to swim with your koi,hand taming them to feed times is one thing,getting in the water with them is something else,the stress involved for the fish is well unbelievable…...

Even if I tip a cup of concrete in to harden them up a bit? Seriously I thought koi were hard core? Information that would have been useful about 8 hours ago... Ho hum.

Seems I really effed up with this one from every angle. Maybe I will just delete the thread and hang my head in shame.

Honestly as you slipped into the water you would feel them thud into the walls,those fish that would suck your fingers as you fed them,dive in and they might end up in the next county,i am talking from experience…..

But as your pic of Koi splashing on the surface in cystral clear water will you sip your glass of wine on a warm summer evening,maybe your toes brushing the water…..

Colours no….just rethink,positives from negatives….

Dasboot I have 3 kids...

i have 4….so yes totally understand believe me,it was my kids that went swimming in my 5000gal Koi pond that i learnt the hard way