partial water changing?

[jugglingeek]

I have a 4000 gallon pond (filled 8th May 2005) with 12 koi about one
foot long each. I have not had any amonia or nitrite problems. What are
the pros and cons of partial water change? How will it affect water
clarity etc.?

My tap water is soft water at pH 7

Jugglingeek

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/jugglingeek

[~ janj JJsPond.us]

>I have a 4000 gallon pond (filled 8th May 2005) with 12 koi about one
>foot long each. I have not had any amonia or nitrite problems. What are
>the pros and cons of partial water change? How will it affect water
>clarity etc.?
>
>My tap water is soft water at pH 7
>
>Jugglingeek
>http://homepage.ntlworld.com/jugglingeek

The pros are that heavy metals, salts, hormones and such will build up over
time in a pond that doesn't have old water out, fresh water in. The mantra
of the koi world is "Frequent Partial Water Changes" 10%/week on average to
their specifications. Of course the water source has to be consider. Is
your tap water normally soft or going thru a water softener? If going thru
a water softener, the type that uses salt? If naturally soft you may have
to use baking soda or other material to keep the buffering up when you do a
water change.

The best stuff to read on water chemistry in a nutshell is here:
http://www.vcnet.com/koi_net/H2Oquality.html
Straight to Water Change Outs from same website:
http://www.vcnet.com/koi_net/finalnet.html#waterchange

Is that you juggling? If so, how's the neck? ;) ~ jan

See my ponds and filter design:
www.jjspond.us

~Keep 'em Wet!~
Tri-Cities WA Zone 7a
To e-mail see website

[Prometheus Xex]

That would be 400 gal/week. This would cost a lot. Is there no
alternative? Perhaps filtering with charcoal?

- Francis

"~ janj JJsPond.us" > wrote in message
...
> >I have a 4000 gallon pond (filled 8th May 2005) with 12 koi about one
>>foot long each. I have not had any amonia or nitrite problems. What are
>>the pros and cons of partial water change? How will it affect water
>>clarity etc.?
>>
>>My tap water is soft water at pH 7
>>
>>Jugglingeek
>>http://homepage.ntlworld.com/jugglingeek
>
> The pros are that heavy metals, salts, hormones and such will build up
> over
> time in a pond that doesn't have old water out, fresh water in. The mantra
> of the koi world is "Frequent Partial Water Changes" 10%/week on average
> to
> their specifications. Of course the water source has to be consider. Is
> your tap water normally soft or going thru a water softener? If going thru
> a water softener, the type that uses salt? If naturally soft you may have
> to use baking soda or other material to keep the buffering up when you do
> a
> water change.
>
> The best stuff to read on water chemistry in a nutshell is here:
> http://www.vcnet.com/koi_net/H2Oquality.html
> Straight to Water Change Outs from same website:
> http://www.vcnet.com/koi_net/finalnet.html#waterchange
>
> Is that you juggling? If so, how's the neck? ;) ~ jan
>
> See my ponds and filter design:
> www.jjspond.us
>
> ~Keep 'em Wet!~
> Tri-Cities WA Zone 7a
> To e-mail see website

[Reel Mckoi]

"Prometheus Xex" > wrote in message
...
> That would be 400 gal/week. This would cost a lot. Is there no
> alternative? Perhaps filtering with charcoal?
========================
My largest pond is 2000 gallons. It has a regular filter plus a settling
tank full of plants. There are also a lot of plants in the ponds themselves.
I only change perhaps 200 to 250 gallons a month when I clean the main
filter and flush it. My fish are thriving and reproducing like
rabbits.......
--
McKoi.... the frugal ponder...
EVERYONE: "Please check people's headers for forgeries
before flushing." NAMES ARE BEING FORGED.
Do not feed the trolls.
~~~ }<((((o> ~~~ }<{{{{o> ~~~ }<(((((o>

[~ janj JJsPond.us]

>That would be 400 gal/week. This would cost a lot. Is there no
>alternative? Perhaps filtering with charcoal?
>
>- Francis

Even if carbon would work, it is far more pricey than a water change.

Not knowing where you're located, I'm betting that 400 gallons wouldn't
cost more than $2-3 bucks or less, and you water the garden with it, so it
isn't wasted. ~ jan

~Power to the Porg, Flow On!~