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    Thread: Hi guys :)

    1. #1
      Koibeginner's Avatar
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      Hi guys :)

      I am brand new to this Koi hobby. I just had a back hoe dig a 16x16x4ft deep hole in my yard. Lined it and put a Aquascape pump and filter in it. I treated the water with declorinator and stuff to remove the other bad stuff from tap water. I let it sit for a week and then stocked it with 25 3-1/2 - 4-1/2 inch domestic koi today. The fish seem very healthy and very happy at this point and some are eating a little. They are actively browsing the bottom sucking with their mouths looking like they are searching for food.

      My question is how long does it take before the Koi start actively feeding after being introduced into a new environment?

      Being new as I am to this hobby I half expected them to be gorging themselves on pellets right out of my hand.

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    2. #2
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      So, based on rough dimensions, and figuring based on a water depth of 3.75', and accounting for some "slope" to the walls, but not including loss of volume for rock within the pond, I'd guess you have somewhere roughly around 6000gal! That's a decent size pond, but your filtration is seriously lacking. I would guess there's no bottom drain in this pond, just a skimmer "filter" with submersible pump feeding a waterfall "filter" with lava rock in bags, and a couple of whitish looking fibrous mats. Am I close to describing your new pond further? Being new, I would strongly urge you to read some/many/all of the filtration stickies here on the forum. Koi can grow rather quickly, and as such, can outsize the capacity of the filtration rather quickly. Making sure you have enough of the correct type of mechanical and bio filtration is paramount to keeping koi. Bottom drains are really a pre-requisite and required for koi keeping. Just some food for thought here. I'm not bashing you/your enthusiasm, rather I'm welcoming you to be cautious and totally aware of certain issues that I GUARANTEE will crop up over the next year so you can be well prepared to deal with them as they begin to happen. I'd rather you ask questions after you've read the stickies but BEFORE you start to see problems arise. There are countless members here, who too have seen the light, after first starting out and realizing that the hard earned money they've already spent on what they thought was this beautiful addition to their landscape was really a ticking time bomb that they would be dealing with in the near future.

      Most all of us here LOVE pictures and if you wouldn't mind sharing a few of your pond/setup, and add any questions you may have, we'd be more than happy to help! That's what this forum is here for. Glad you found us sooner rather than later!
      Mike

      check out our website at: http://www.pond-life.net




      "Our goal is to assist with emergency and Koi health issues, as well as educate on best practices. Please help us gain a clear picture by giving the original poster time to answer our questions before offering opinions and suggested treatments."

    3. #3
      cindy's Avatar
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      Welcome.

      Get some water test kits. Your new pond will go thru a cycle. Ammonia to nitrite to nitrate. What kinda filter do you have? You'll need a bio filter for the good bacteria to grow in and a mechanical filter for the big stuff removal.

      A good booklet koi 101 Free www.koiorganisationinternational.org

      You'll want to watch the ammonia as the pond cycles. Feeding will raise it.

    4. #4
      JamesK is offline Senior Member
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      Mike is right on. I inherited a pond when I bought my house and had to find Koiphen because my lack of knowledge was literally killing the fish in the pond.

      James

    5. #5
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      Quote Originally Posted by koiman1950 View Post
      So, based on rough dimensions, and figuring based on a water depth of 3.75', and accounting for some "slope" to the walls, but not including loss of volume for rock within the pond, I'd guess you have somewhere roughly around 6000gal! That's a decent size pond, but your filtration is seriously lacking. I would guess there's no bottom drain in this pond, just a skimmer "filter" with submersible pump feeding a waterfall "filter" with lava rock in bags, and a couple of whitish looking fibrous mats. Am I close to describing your new pond further? Being new, I would strongly urge you to read some/many/all of the filtration stickies here on the forum. Koi can grow rather quickly, and as such, can outsize the capacity of the filtration rather quickly. Making sure you have enough of the correct type of mechanical and bio filtration is paramount to keeping koi. Bottom drains are really a pre-requisite and required for koi keeping. Just some food for thought here. I'm not bashing you/your enthusiasm, rather I'm welcoming you to be cautious and totally aware of certain issues that I GUARANTEE will crop up over the next year so you can be well prepared to deal with them as they begin to happen. I'd rather you ask questions after you've read the stickies but BEFORE you start to see problems arise. There are countless members here, who too have seen the light, after first starting out and realizing that the hard earned money they've already spent on what they thought was this beautiful addition to their landscape was really a ticking time bomb that they would be dealing with in the near future.

      Most all of us here LOVE pictures and if you wouldn't mind sharing a few of your pond/setup, and add any questions you may have, we'd be more than happy to help! That's what this forum is here for. Glad you found us sooner rather than later!
      Quote Originally Posted by cindy View Post
      Welcome.

      Get some water test kits. Your new pond will go thru a cycle. Ammonia to nitrite to nitrate. What kinda filter do you have? You'll need a bio filter for the good bacteria to grow in and a mechanical filter for the big stuff removal.

      A good booklet koi 101 Free www.koiorganisationinternational.org

      You'll want to watch the ammonia as the pond cycles. Feeding will raise it.
      Quote Originally Posted by JamesK View Post
      Mike is right on. I inherited a pond when I bought my house and had to find Koiphen because my lack of knowledge was literally killing the fish in the pond.

      James

      Thanks for responding guys. Yeah I imagine after reading and gaining further knowledge on this hobby I will definitely need to upgrade my filtration in the near future. But I am learning a lot as i progress. I will post some pictures of the set-up and I am sure I will be scorned thoroughly after doing so for my complete lack of knowledge on the subject.

      I am still curious as to how long before my fish start feeding aggressively after being newly introduced into a new pond?

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    6. #6
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      How long before moderators stop approving all my posts? I am impatient and I like to chat.

    7. #7
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      Quote Originally Posted by Koibeginner View Post
      Why can't I post anything?
      All new user posts are moderated for a bit to ensure they are not spammers and such. You will come off after a short bit. Until then, please be patient as we approve them as soon as we can.



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      Just because its not a Great Koi doesn't mean its not a Great Koi...Me circa 2013

    8. #8
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      Quote Originally Posted by jimfish98 View Post
      All new user posts are moderated for a bit to ensure they are not spammers and such. You will come off after a short bit. Until then, please be patient as we approve them as soon as we can.
      Roger that. Thank you Sir.

    9. #9
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      Different varieties and different sizes warm up to being hand fed at different times. Your fish are small, and small fish have a heightened flight response that will reduce with size, but if you will spend time pond side daily, putting food out and waiting for them to eat it, they will figure out that you equal food, and will start to warm up to you. Varieties like the Chagoi are notoriously friendly and will be the first to come to the hand to eat and by doing so, will show the others that if they want to get any chow, they will need to overcome their fear. Only one of my fish has been that small in the recent past, born in my pond last year, and it still tends to be evasive, while many of the large fish will come over to be played with and eat from the hand.

      As was mentioned, get the test kits for ammonia, nitrite,nitrate, pH and KH as you will need them, particularly during startup.

      Welcome to Koiphen.
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      Richard

    10. #10
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      Welcome to the addiction. It will take 6 to 10 weeks to cycle the pond. During this time the fish will be tested for their durability. They will go through ammonia cycles as well at nitrite cycles. In 2 years your pond will start to be overcrowded. A 6000 gallon pond with huge filtration (about 300+ gallons in filtration) and pumps putting out over 8000gph can hold about 15 to 18 large koi. With your filtration that number is less than 10. Feed sparingly as the more food you put in the more poop is produced. Hungry fish are healthy fish. Do not put rocks in the bottom of the pond and look into a retro bottom drain. Increase your filtration as you go and think water movement. The more the better (to a point). Sometime in the next 3 to 4 weeks your pond should go green and this is normal for most start up ponds. Monofilament algae's will start to grow and the water will turn green. Using a UV light can fix it but big filtration and water movement will also help.
      Last edited by davidjensen; 08-01-2014 at 10:55 PM.
      Need more Koi

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    11. #11
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      Don't aggressively feed until you cycle your pond. Watching fish suffer from ammonia and nitrites is not pretty at all.

    12. #12
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      That doesn't look like 6000 gal
      Since the landscape isn't finished I would add a real bottom drain now even if you don't use it which I would but get it in look for addition filters and when you fill your pond back up with water meter it to know your exact water volume

    13. #13
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      As mentioned, the fish will eventually start to feed agressively soon enough. Perhaps after a while, you may notice that they're sometimes not so hungry: it's most likely because the water quality is going down. I tested nearly every day during the cycling process. It helped me get through cycling.

      By the way, I was one of those guys that had a goldfish pond for 13 years and didn't think I needed a bottom drain when I got my first young koi. One year: that's basically how long it took me to realize that the pond was about to hit a wall. I finally installed a bottom drain and by then I was convinced enough about the benefits that I also built a filter pit to upgrade the filtration at the same time. I basically triple-sized my filters and they seem to be just keeping up...just.

      The great part is you started with a decent sized pond. That will help as the fish grow. Welcome to the hobby and good luck!

    14. #14
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      Welcome to the forum. Here's a helpful thread worth reading.
      https://www.koiphen.com/forums/showth...tration-Basics

      We have all started out at some point, and most of us have made several up grades as we went along. Enjoy your pond, but think about additions such as BDs and better filtration as you get more bitten. (we all do)

    15. #15
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      Quote Originally Posted by RichToyBox View Post
      Different varieties and different sizes warm up to being hand fed at different times. Your fish are small, and small fish have a heightened flight response that will reduce with size, but if you will spend time pond side daily, putting food out and waiting for them to eat it, they will figure out that you equal food, and will start to warm up to you. Varieties like the Chagoi are notoriously friendly and will be the first to come to the hand to eat and by doing so, will show the others that if they want to get any chow, they will need to overcome their fear. Only one of my fish has been that small in the recent past, born in my pond last year, and it still tends to be evasive, while many of the large fish will come over to be played with and eat from the hand.

      As was mentioned, get the test kits for ammonia, nitrite,nitrate, pH and KH as you will need them, particularly during startup.

      Welcome to Koiphen.
      Quote Originally Posted by davidjensen View Post
      Welcome to the addiction. It will take 6 to 10 weeks to cycle the pond. During this time the fish will be tested for their durability. They will go through ammonia cycles as well at nitrite cycles. In 2 years your pond will start to be overcrowded. A 6000 gallon pond with huge filtration (about 300+ gallons in filtration) and pumps putting out over 8000gph can hold about 15 to 18 large koi. With your filtration that number is less than 10. Feed sparingly as the more food you put in the more poop is produced. Hungry fish are healthy fish. Do not put rocks in the bottom of the pond and look into a retro bottom drain. Increase your filtration as you go and think water movement. The more the better (to a point). Sometime in the next 3 to 4 weeks your pond should go green and this is normal for most start up ponds. Monofilament algae's will start to grow and the water will turn green. Using a UV light can fix it but big filtration and water movement will also help.
      Quote Originally Posted by JamesK View Post
      Don't aggressively feed until you cycle your pond. Watching fish suffer from ammonia and nitrites is not pretty at all.
      Quote Originally Posted by ponyboy2442 View Post
      That doesn't look like 6000 gal
      Since the landscape isn't finished I would add a real bottom drain now even if you don't use it which I would but get it in look for addition filters and when you fill your pond back up with water meter it to know your exact water volume
      Quote Originally Posted by sandthemall View Post
      As mentioned, the fish will eventually start to feed agressively soon enough. Perhaps after a while, you may notice that they're sometimes not so hungry: it's most likely because the water quality is going down. I tested nearly every day during the cycling process. It helped me get through cycling.

      By the way, I was one of those guys that had a goldfish pond for 13 years and didn't think I needed a bottom drain when I got my first young koi. One year: that's basically how long it took me to realize that the pond was about to hit a wall. I finally installed a bottom drain and by then I was convinced enough about the benefits that I also built a filter pit to upgrade the filtration at the same time. I basically triple-sized my filters and they seem to be just keeping up...just.

      The great part is you started with a decent sized pond. That will help as the fish grow. Welcome to the hobby and good luck!
      Quote Originally Posted by birdman View Post
      Welcome to the forum. Here's a helpful thread worth reading.
      https://www.koiphen.com/forums/showth...tration-Basics

      We have all started out at some point, and most of us have made several up grades as we went along. Enjoy your pond, but think about additions such as BDs and better filtration as you get more bitten. (we all do)
      Thanks for all the good advice guys. I may have to get professional help with the filtration and all just to make sure I get it done right. I am really enjoying the Koi so far. I sit for an hour at a time and just watch the little guys swim around and eat. Loads of fun. /fingers crossed I don't screw up too badly until I can get everything running like it should.

    16. #16
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      Great start, be ready to open up your wallet in the near future. LOL.

    17. #17
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      Quote Originally Posted by Koibeginner View Post
      Thanks for all the good advice guys. I may have to get professional help with the filtration and all just to make sure I get it done right.
      Get your help right here on Koiphen ... or if you find local "professional" help, check their advice here before spending money.
      ________________________________________
      Cheers,
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    18. #18
      Koibeginner's Avatar
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      Quote Originally Posted by KoiAteMyHeron View Post
      Great start, be ready to open up your wallet in the near future. LOL.
      Uh oh, that sounds rather ominous.

      Quote Originally Posted by GoldieGirl View Post
      Get your help right here on Koiphen ... or if you find local "professional" help, check their advice here before spending money.
      I may just do that. I am honestly surprised I haven't been scolded for my complete ineptness yet.

    19. #19
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      Hey mine started just like yours hey at least you did a few things right, size and depth and did not add rocks INSIDE of the pond like I did. I have been paying for 10 years! Costing me more money than it would have if I did it right the first time! Haha but again I did not have Koiphen back in 2004 to help me spend my money wisely. Come Spring 2015 I will be calling all Koiphen pros to walk me through my critical choices.

      My advice is to get your self a QT pond up and running looks like you have plenty of space to add one close to the main pond area. You can go above ground or below or both. I did both 2' up 1.5 down. I would do 800 to 1500 QT with a "Birdman" 55 gal drum Sand and gravel filter with a 55 gal drum bio filter. You can get the plastic drums for around $25 on Craigslist. If your lucky like me I can get the white 55 drums for 10 bucks, and the blue ones for $20. We have a drum company in Norfolk Va. that sells used ones that cheap.

      Then you can move your fish to the QT and get that bottom drain(s) in. I would go with 2 aerated bottom drains for your pond. Divide your pond in half and center them on each half. While your at it add your mid level returns too. That way it is all plumbed and ready to start building up your filtration as your budget allows. Then you can use your BD for AIR the pond and your fish need that NOW.
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      Last edited by bonita69; 08-02-2014 at 12:29 PM.

    20. #20
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      Quote Originally Posted by bonita69 View Post
      Hey mine started just like yours hey at least you did a few things right, size and depth and did not add rocks INSIDE of the pond like I did. I have been paying for 10 years! Costing me more money than it would have if I did it right the first time! Haha but again I did not have Koiphen back in 2004 to help me spend my money wisely. Come Spring 2015 I will be calling all Koiphen pros to walk me through my critical choices.

      My advice is to get your self a QT pond up and running looks like you have plenty of space to add one close to the main pond area. You can go above ground or below or both. I did both 2' up 1.5 down. I would do 800 to 1500 QT with a "Birdman" 55 gal drum Sand and gravel filter with a 55 gal drum bio filter. You can get the plastic drums for around $25 on Craigslist. If your lucky like me I can get the white 55 drums for 10 bucks, and the blue ones for $20. We have a drum company in Norfolk Va. that sells used ones that cheap.

      Then you can move your fish to the QT and get that bottom drain(s) in. I would go with 2 aerated bottom drains for your pond. Divide your pond in half and center them on each half. While your at it add your mid level returns too. That way it is all plumbed and ready to start building up your filtration as your budget allows. Then you can use your BD for AIR the pond and your fish need that NOW.
      Thanks Bonita. That is some very good advice and some stuff I am going to have to get done very soon. Started this thing thinking all I need is a filter and a pump. Boy was I wrong. After a ton of research in the later stages of what should have been accomplished from the start I realize now I have a lot of work to do.

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