Nitrate in Koi Pond

Nitrate is produced by aerobic oxidation of nitrite by chemoautotrophic bacteria. The nitrifying bacteria oxidize the nitrite to nitrate to produce energy, unlike photosyntesis, this can occur even in the dark, as long as oxygen is present.

Nitrate is relative nontoxic, and koi can survive at levels up to  200 mg/L, but do the best if nitrate is kept below 20 mg/L.  The accumulation of nitrate will reduce the buffering capacity (alkalinity) of the water over time, wich will allow the pH to decrease (become acidic). Nitrate acts as fertilizer for algae, and high levels will stimulate alga blooms. Also high nitrate levels will interfere with salicylate method  ammonia testing. Keep the level low by periodic water changes and removal of dead plant material from pond.

Some water test kits give the results of nitrate test as nitrate-nitrogen, wich is the measure of only the nitrogen component of the nitrate molecule. To obtain the total nitrate level with these test kits, multiply the value of nitrate-nitrogen (in mg/L, or PPM) by 4.4 to equal the total nitrate level.

Nitrite in Koi pond

The aerobic oxidation of ammonia in water by chemoautrophic bacteria produces nitrite.
High levels of nitrite in water will be absorbed by the fish's gills. In the blood, it oxidizes the iron on hemoglobin producing methemoglobin that prevents the red blood cells from carying oxygen. Methemoglobinemia causes the blood and gills to turn brown. Death in the fish occurs from hypoxia. Toxic conditions occur when the nitrite level is above 0.10 mg/L in soft water or 0.20 mg/L in hard water.
Some kits used fro water analysis test for nitrite-oxigen, rather than total nitrite. With these test kits, multiply the nitrite-nitrogen value 9in mg/L or PPM) by 3.3 to get the total value of nitrite present.

Treat nitrite toxicity by partial water changes, increasing the oxigen concentration in the water, increasing the aerobic biological filtration, and by adding salt to the water. The chloride ions from sodium chloride complete with nitrite ions for absorption by the gilld, reducing the toxicity. There should be 6mg/L of chloride ion present for every 1 mg/L of nitrite ion to prevent toxicity. Add salt at a rate of one teaspoon per gallon of water, or one pond per one hunderd gallons, to achieve 0.12%  salinity (1200mg/L). This dose is very safe for koi and enough to reduce nitrite toxicity. Salinity tests are available to monitor salt levels in pond water. Chloride test kits can also be used, with 1mg/L of chloride ion equivalent to 1.67 mg/L of sodium chloride.

Need help with your pond testing call Chuck 770 359 9927 for  a Consultation
or visit Splendor Koi and Pond and let us help you!

Ammonia in Koi Pond

Ammonia is the end product of microbial descomposition of nitrogenous organic material (amino acids) in dacaying plant and animal tissues, or uneaten fish food. Is also excreted by fish via kidney waste and throught the gills.
Increased ammonia in water irritates the gill tissues causing hyperplasis, wish reduces the oxigen absortion and waste excretion ability.
Depending on water pH and temperature, some ammonia is ionized into ammonium, wish is nontoxic.  Low pH and low temperature, as well as increases in salinity, will increase the ionization to ammonium.
When toxic levels of un-ionized ammonia are encountered, rapid mesures must be taken to lower the ammonia level. Make water changes of 25-50% an s daily basis until levels are normal. Add salt to the water at the rate of 1 pound for 100 Galloons (0.1%) to increase ionization of ammonia. Slowly decrease the water temperature and pH if possible, also. Increasing biological filtration will gradually lower ammonia, but this may not be rapid enough without other measures. Decrease feeding to reduce added protein and fish waste. Remove any decaying organic material in the pond. Ensure adequate oxygenation of the water is present because ammonia irritates the gill epithelicum causing hyperplasia that reduces oxygen absorption, and it also reduces the hemoglobin's oxigen-carrying capacity in the blood. The breakdown of ammonia by bacteria also requires oxygen. There are also commercial water treatments available (e. g., AmQuel, AmmoLock) that can be added to the pond water and will bind ammonia in to a nontoxic form.

Chlorine, chloramine, formalin and certain other medications such as the ammonia binders that are added to the pond can interfere with accurate ammonia testing when using the Nessler method ammonia test. In these case, use the salicylate method ammonia test, however nitrite, nitrate, phosphate, and sulfate at high levels will interfere with the accuracy of this test mathod. Check the nitrite and nitrate levels fisrt, then the ammonia level. In ponds with low levels of nitrite and nitrate, the salicylate method ammonia test will be accurate.
Call or text Chuck 770 359 9927 for more information.

Water pH ( Acid/Base Balance)

The pH (power of Hydrogen) of a neutral solution is 7. An acid solution has a pH less than 7, and a basic solution has a pH above 7 up to 14. Because the pH is a logarithmic, a change of 0.3 units approximately doubles the Hydrogen or hydroxyl activity! This is why pH changes should be made slowly in a pond or aquiarium.

Koi are relatively tolerant of pH changes as long as they are gradual. They will survive in pH ranges from 6 to 10, although the optimum is about 7-7.5. The use of chemicals to adjust the pH is not recomended because the resulting pH changes are usually temporary, so the koi become subjected to frequent fluctuations of the pH. It is safer for a koi to adjust to a pH of the local water of 8.2, for example, than to be constantly stressed from the pond owner's changing of the pH with chemical treatments to get it to the 7-7.5 range.

 Be aware that the higher the pH, the more toxic any ammonia in the water becomes. Hard water tends to be more basic and resists changes in pH, whereas soft water is usually acidic and the pH will fluctuate more easily.

Sings of low pH toxicity includes increased mucus and chronic stress. Treat by doing a partial water change with water of appropiate pH, and removing organic debris from the pond that can lower the pH as it decays. Buffers (calcium carbonate) can be added to soft water to prevent pH changes. Do not raise pH in water with elevated ammonia nitrogen levels, as increasing the pH will convert ionized ammonium into toxic ammonia. Any changes in pH should be made slowly if possible, not more than about 0.3-o.5 units per day.
For more information call Chuck 770 359 997 or email him at chuck@splendorkoi.com

www.splendorkoi.com

Water Temperature for Koi

Koi will survive in water temperatures from 35-95ºF / 2-35ºC, although they prefer cool water temperatures of 65-77º / 18-25ºC. Gradual changes in water temperature within a fish's optimun range seldom cause healt problems. Ideally, water temperature differences should be no more than 5ºF / 3ºC change per day.

Temperature shock can occur with rapid changes, especially from warmer water to cooler water.

Increasing the water temperature will lower the saturation point of dissolved oxigen ( warmer water holds less oxigen than cooler water). It will also increase the toxicity of disolved substances such as amonia, chlorine, and heavy metals. Most pathogens' activity will increase as the water warms as well.

Do you have a question in regard moving koi to a new envioroment you can call Chuck at 770-359-9927
or visit our Pond Store in Marietta. click on logo below to visit our web-site.

Water Quality In The Koi Pond

It is difficult to control or prevent infectious and parasitic diseases of koi fish without considering the quality of the pond water in which they live.
Many diseases are fatal to fish populations only when water quality is less than optimun.

By improving water quality, stress on the fish is reduced and its immune system can keep many other diseases in check.

Water quality can be mesured with test kits.

The most important parameters to measure are:

• Temperature
• PH
• Ammonia
• Nitrite
• Nitrate
• and Dissolved Oxigen.

Other elements that can be tested are:

• Hardness
• Alkalinity
• Carbon Dioxide
• Chloride
• Chlorine
• Salinity
• and other heavy metals (e.g., copper, iron).

If you have questions about water quality contact;
Chuck Crisp at (770) 359 9927 for a Koi pond consultation.

Pond Seminars - 1st Sat of Each Month - 10 am!

Starting April 6th, Chuck will be giving Pond Seminars on the first Saturday of each month at 10 am!

If you want some extra tips or information about being a better pond and Koi owner, come to Splendor Koi on the first Saturday of each month at 10am!

Chuck will personally give helpful classes on different topics that will benefit the every day pond owner.

What better way to touch up your pond skills by getting free advice from the expert!

There will also be a light breakfast for everyone who attends.

Don’t miss out on this great opportunity!

We’ll see you there!

Aeration in a Pond

Why is aeration necessary in my pond?

Fish, snails, and tadpoles all need oxygen to survive underwater. The invisible life, like bacteria, that keep the water clean also require oxygen to keep the pond healthy. Oxygen enters the pond by diffusing into the water from the atmosphere. Submerged aquatic plants also produce oxygen during the day. Decomposing algae and fish waste, plus the normal respiration of aquatic life, use up the oxygen faster than it can diffuse back into the water. This is especially true during hot summer months. The warmer the water is, the less oxygen it can hold. You must run an aeration device like a fountain or waterfall 24-hours a day, especially in summer. Do not turn off the pump at night. The pond will continue to use up the oxygen. You could wake up to dead fish floating on the surface.

What is the best way to aerate my pond?

The best way to get oxygen into the water is through vigorous surface agitation. Agitating the water surface with a waterfall or fountain will drive oxygen into the water. A slow trickle however, will not sufficiently aerate the pond. An air pump and air diffuser will also agitate the surface and add oxygen to the water. Keeping the pond clean also

helps increase the oxygen-holding capacity of the water. Decomposing algae, plant leaves, uneaten fish food, and fish waste use up oxygen. By reducing the “oxygen demand” caused by decomposing organic matter, the oxygen level will naturally increase. Clean your pond filter at least once a month. Remove dead plant leaves before they begin to rot.

Do I need to aerate in winter?

If your winter season is mild (the fish still feed), you should keep the pump and filter running. Although the fish are eating less food, they still produce waste that consumes oxygen. If your pond normally freezes, turn off the pump and filter, but keep some type aeration on. Dormant fish still need oxygen under the ice. When a pond is frozen, naturally occurring gases (hydrogen sulfide and methane) cannot escape. Keep a small section of the pond open with a fountain or air pump and diffuser. This allows toxic gases to escape and adds oxygen to the water.

Koi Farms

Providing a consistent supply of Koi, Butterfly Koi and Goldfish to businesses across the U.S. requires a large amount of land and ponds. The following is an overview of the farms and facilities that we utilize as we strive to provide you with top quality Koi and Goldfish.

Patrick County Farm

Our flagship production facility, this is home base for our Production Team. Comprised of 64 ponds and more than 50 surface acres of water, this is ground zero for spawning and raising of koi. The majority of ponds on this farm are standard fin koi, with a few ponds of butterfly fin koi and goldfish spread throughout.

Kernersville Farm

Home to our Shipping and Customer Service Team. This farm, consisting of 14 ponds, 5 greenhouses and 4 storage facilities, is where all of our koi and goldfish are quarantined and monitored for health issues. All shipments are packaged here, then transported to one of three local airports, or picked up by UPS.

Big Dan

24 ponds and 6 surface acres of water. Big Dan is comprised of approximately half butterfly koi and half goldfish.

Locust Grove

Ground zero for spawning and production of our butterfly koi. The 34 ponds and 16 surface acres of water here are stocked almost exclusively with butterfly koi, with a few ponds of goldfish.

Berry Farm

Our main goldfish production facility. The 40 ponds on this farm are stocked exclusively with comets, fantails and shubunkins.

River Valley

Stocked exclusively with standard fin koi, River Valley consists of 26 surface acres of water spread across 44 ponds.

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Why Splendor Koi & Pond?

PONDS

 

"Let us work with you to create your very own place of Splendor"

SPLENDOR KOI & POND
1552 ROSEWOOD CIRCLE MARIETTA, GA 30067

770 321 FISH (3474)

770 321 3472 FAX

CHUCK@SPLENDORKOI.COM

BOOKKEEPER@SPLENDORKOI.COM

KOI & SPRING

Spring is one of the worst times of the year for Koi,

 there are so many things to deal with.

There's the water temperatures that have more ups and downs

than a roller coaster.  Then there's the large amount of predators

that are probably really hungry and are
looking for a nice fresh meal after a long winter.                     
Don't forget Aeromonas Alley, the danger zone of 40°F - 50°F where your Koi's immune system is shut down, but harmful bacteria are still active. Your Koi are also have to deal with those life draining organisms, parasites.

But don't let all that get you down.  The best thing that you can do for your Koi are supplying them with adequate Oxygen and making sure they have as little stress as possible. If you are lucky enough to have a pond heating system, you should get through that 40°F - 50°F zone as quick as possible. 
You can also use it to keep those
temperature fluctuations in check.

Keep a close eye on your Koi.  Look for any signs of distress,

like an ulcer or if your Koi isn't swimming right.  If you do have an emergency,

get in contact with a veterinarian that is knowledgeable in Koi health.

Start feeding your Koi when the water temperature is constantly above 50°F. 

A good rule of thumb is: 

If your Koi are begging for food at the surface of the water,

their probably hungry and have decided for themselves

that it is time to start eating.  It is a good idea to use a

Koi food that is high in wheat germ, it is easy to digest.

BY http://www.nishikigoi-info.com/

How is MICROBE-LIFT/PL different from other biological products for ponds? There are a number of important differences that make MICROBE-LIFT/PL far superior to other bacterial products.



Here are just a few:



1. MICROBE-LIFT/PL contains photosynthetic bacteria which can be very beneficial in balancing the ecology of a pond. These bacteria can use sunlight as a source of energy, taking some of the load off of the aerobic heterotrophs. This is why MICROBE-LIFT/PL has it's characteristic purple/red color. We do not add food coloring or other types of pigments to our product! Like all photosynthetic organisms, photosynthetic bacteria needs a pigmented material to absorb the sunlight. Chlorophyll is responsible for the green hues in plants. Carotenoids gives photosynthetic bacteria its purple/red hue. Initially, when we start to grow our product, the medium is clear. But after a few days of exposure to sunlight-as if by magic-the bacteria synthesize this natural pigment and it turns purple/red.



Since photosynthetic bacteria are so very beneficial to ponds, other products claim to contain these bacteria too. However, a product that is CLEAR CANNOT contain photosynthetic bacteria because light passes through clear liquid...so it is simply impossible!!!
 

2. Ecological Laboratories, Inc. is the basic manufacturer of MICROBE-LIFT/PL. Many other companies do not produce their own bacteria. Their products are stock products: mass produced by large culture manufacturers, sold for any number of applications and packaged under a variety of labels. Most of these products contain only aerobic heterotrophs and facultative anaerobes.  While these may provide some benefit in a pond environment, they cannot balance the pond's ecosystem the way MICROBE-LIFT/PL's consortium of aerobic heterotrophs, facultative anaerobes plus photosynthetic, anaerobic and chemosynthetic organisms can.
 

3. MICROBE-LIFT/PL is a virtual ecosystem in a bottle!  It is grown in the container in which it is sold because the organisms grow synergistically-the way they have to work in your pond-together.  Most products from mass producers of bacteria are grown as individual strains in large tanks or, if they are a dry product, in tray fermentors.  Then they are blended before packaging with very little knowledge of how they will interact in the pond environment or any environment for that matter.
 

4. A single box of MICROBE-LIFT/PL is so versatile that you would have to purchase three or four of another company's individual products to achieve the same results! So while the price of MICROBE-LIFT/PL may be a little higher than some of our competition, you can end up saving three to four times what you might have spent!
 

5. Upon being asked why he recommends MICROBE-LIFT/PL and what it can do for a pond, the most successful salesman from one of our best dealers simply replied: "MICROBE-LIFT/PL cuts your maintenance in half!"  Simple...very effective...and true!
By MICROBE-LIFT

POND FILTER MEDIA

Pond Ecology and Matala® Filter Media

Within the last five years, the water garden and koi pond hobby has seen some major advances in understanding of system designs and pond ecology. This evolution of understanding has progressed from an era based on simple techniques and filter systems and has evolved to the current "high tech" era based on gadgets and accessories.
Sorting through this progressive development we have advanced even further by putting both of these eras into perspective, extracting the best of both worlds. This article is given to increase the general understanding of pond system ecology and to introduce the new filter media known as Matala.

Water Stability vs. Water Quality.

A swimming pool owner wants to achieve filtration that guarantees clean and nearly sterilized water.
A pond keeper’s goal must be to create "Clean, healthy, living water". This can only be achieved in a pond ecosystem where water stability is equally important as water quality. Living water is actually full of microorganisms of all types that forma basic food chain, which in essence create the type of healthy water where our koi and goldfish thrive.
Most of us are informed or aware of the "Pond chemistry" and try to be the alchemist that controls typical water quality parameters like oxygen saturation, ammonia and nitrite levels, pH and alkalinity, dissolved and solid waste levels and of course, temperature.
These "Parameters" simultaneously constitute the nutrients and living conditions of many microorganisms that influence the ponds’ ecosystem. A dynamic and balanced ecosystem is created when these ingredients are kept at stable levels where the microorganisms, algae, plants and fish can find a synergistic state of homeostasis. Synergy is the interaction of the water’s chemistry and all organism’s lives working together. Homeostasis is the movement of these organisms within their chemical world towards an equilibrium where they are healthy. All ponds want to find a balance. Ponds that are stable usually create water of good quality. What the pond owner provides or not will determine how soon and to what degree this balance is achieved.

Stable Filter Systems

Why do some filters work and others you have to do all the work?
Basically, proper size filter tanks and type of media with regards to flow rate, fish density and cleaning routine are the tools that can help you to create pond stability. Simply put, ponds with inadequate filter systems tend to require "disruptive cleaning".
The process or the frequency of cleaning disrupts the ponds stability. Some filters use a lot of water to clean them properly. Big water changes adversely affect the pond micro-ecology and the fish themselves. Some filters require aggressive or frequent cleaning.
This disrupts the stability of bacteria populations. Small filters will not sufficiently contribute to good pond ecology. The pond will be greatly limited by the number of fish you can keep. Plants or algae will have to be the dominant consumer of fish waste. Improper filter systems will require large ultraviolet sterilizers, ozone or chemicals to control algae in koi ponds. A good biofilter is very large and takes months to become fully established.

Many diverse species of microorganisms exist in a truly balanced biofilter, not just nitrifying bacteria. Did you know that the very act of cleaning your filter potentially releases sludge, enzymes, bacteria and noxious gases back onto the fish? Certain medias clog quickly and require "disruptive cleaning" to work at all. Stability is not established when your pond bounces between clean and dirty, clean and dirty. Water gardens and ponds with gravel in the bottom tend to require disruptive cleaning if you want to keep koi. A proper pond design coupled with a good filter and media will promote consistent easy maintenance and drastically reduce this list of potential problems. A good filter system and media promote pond stability.

Matala® Filter Media

Over the course of time hobbyists have tried an endless variety of medias to use in pond filters. Actually, many of them work quite well. Each filter media has distinct advantages and disadvantages.
Usually the best approach is to use various medias to complement each other's weakness. Gravel is a good biofilter and can extract solid waste but it can be difficult to clean and much of the volume of the media is dead unused space within the rock itself.
Filter brushes are denser close to the wires than at the outside. They can remove solids but if installed properly, without leaving open channels, these can be expensive and may leave a little lacking in biofiltration.
Open cell foam certainly has a tremendous surface area for biological growth but tends to plug and becomes anaerobic very quickly. Japanese matting has good biological qualities but it also tends to plug up and does not let go of solids easily. Lately we have seen medias like Japanese matting and open cell foam that is placed in a chamber with open passage ways or holes through the media. This is done to prevent solids from plugging the media. However, we end up with less filter media in the tank and less actual flow through the media.
This open "honey comb" design works well on gravity fed systems where all the solids have settled out first or on systems where a prefilter has extracted the solids. When solids are trapped within the bio-media we are forced to aggressively wash it and thus lose the established balance of microorganisms.
There is no one perfect filter media. Each media will also require certain filter tank accomodations in order to work properly. Like the computer industry we are always looking for better and faster ways to manage our ponds.

Enter Matala®

First, a little history on Matala filter mats. Marc Talloen is an aquaculturist for over 25 years. He has grown food fish including carp and tilapia in Africa, Europe and Asia. His extensive knowledge of fish culture took him around the world consulting for various aquaculture companies. He eventually laid his eyes on nishikigoi and that was it, he fell in love. He opened his own Koi business in Belgium over 15 years ago. He searched a long time to find specialized filter media that could help solve many of the problems associated with other materials.
Being the energetic optimistic type he set forth to develop Matala. Matala is the first media which is actually made for the express purpose of filtering koi ponds. Matala had to have certain characteristics to give him the desired results. First of all it had to handle the high solid waste levels associated with koi. It had to be easy to clean. The media would also act as a substrate for biological filtering, a home for the good bacteria. A high surface area per cubic foot is necessary. However, the media could not plug up too quickly or the bacteria would go anaerobic. The media would have to provide good movement of highly oxygenated water throughout the entire filter in order to be efficient.
Furthermore, a good biofilter media requires what is called interstitial spaces. These are the small open spaces in between the media where bacteria can "fill up" in a safe and slimy bacterial matrix. Bacteria love interstitial spaces. The perfect media would let go of the dirt during cleaning but sustain the bacteria attached. He realized that many of these requirements are contradictory to one another. Marc, knew that water will always travel the path of least resistance; so his media would have to be positioned in a filter so the water does not go around it. This would require a somewhat rigid type material in order to be wedged in place. He found that another benefit to being rigid was that the media could be self supporting. Always thinking, he concluded that the material would actually be easier to work with if it had a very slight bouyancy. This way it would not end up at the bottom of the filter tank. After many trials and sleepless nights he came up with a series of 4 filter pads with progressive densities which could be used separately or together to complement one another. He gave them different colors so they would be easy to differentiate. Each pad has it’s own unique structure lending itself to a different job in filtration.

by MATALA®

The Benefits of Pond Plants Beyond

There are three types of pond plants that can be beneficial both for the appearance of your pond as well as the health of your pond.
The first types of pond plants are submerged plants. These plants grow beneath the surface of the water and add oxygen to the water. They also help to naturally filter the water to keep it clean and clear.

The second kinds of pond plants are floating plants. These plants also grow beneath the surface of the water, but they have leaves and flowers that float on the surface. Floating plants require calm water and a good amount of sunlight to thrive. These plants are also useful in ponds that hold Koi because they give fish shade and places to hide from predators.

Finally, there are marginal, or bog plants. These plants only require shallow water and thrive in muddy water. Usually, marginal plants are left in a container that is placed in water with the leaves and flowers growing above the surface of the water.

At Splendor Koi and Pond, we carry all of these variations of pond plants. Whether you are looking for plants that will enhance the appearance of your pond or if you are looking for a way to supplement your current aeration and filtering systems, pond plants are an allaround great purchase for your pond.

SPLENDOR KOI & POND VIDEOS APRIL 2012

PLEASE VISIT OUR STORE IN MARIETTA, GA

SPLENDOR KOI & POND
1552 ROSEWOOD CIRCLE MARIETTA, GA 30067
770 321 FISH (3474)
770 321 3472 FAX
CHUCK@SPLENDORKOI.COM
BOOKKEEPER@SPLENDORKOI.COM