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n8ozzy
07-20-2017, 12:26 AM
So I have a lined reservoir that is a little bit over half an acre in size. It is used to prevent frost on grapes in winter and year round a pump is used to irrigate some pasture. It is about 15 feet deep in the middle and rises gradually to the sides. It is about 25 years old. Well water is pumped in once a week with a 12in pipe. Am I stupid to think that Koi could survive in there?
A few years ago we let a few little goldfish in there and a mud hen swam over and plucked them all out.
There is lots of vegetation in there as well. Reeds on some parts of the bank, two large areas of lilies and quite a bit of growth under the water.
Lots of bullfrogs, a few turtles and tons of little mosquito fish or something like that.
I am in no way experienced with koi.

Id be more that happy to throw up a few pis if people think it would help.

richtoybox
07-20-2017, 08:10 PM
I see at least three issues, and they may not be issues, but worth mentioning. Depending on the amount of well water, percentage wise, used to fill the pond, could significantly affect the temperature as well water is generally much colder than surface water. Well water is also generally low in dissolved oxygen, and can have a high carbon dioxide content making it acidic. Shooting the water into the air can release much of the carbon dioxide and increase the oxygen, but it can, in low humidity areas add to the cooling effect, like swamp coolers. The other that comes to mind is the exit pump, which needs some form of screen with low enough suction to prevent the fish from being sucked in and pressures damaging the fish.

n8ozzy
07-21-2017, 12:04 AM
I see at least three issues, and they may not be issues, but worth mentioning. Depending on the amount of well water, percentage wise, used to fill the pond, could significantly affect the temperature as well water is generally much colder than surface water. Well water is also generally low in dissolved oxygen, and can have a high carbon dioxide content making it acidic. Shooting the water into the air can release much of the carbon dioxide and increase the oxygen, but it can, in low humidity areas add to the cooling effect, like swamp coolers. The other that comes to mind is the exit pump, which needs some form of screen with low enough suction to prevent the fish from being sucked in and pressures damaging the fish.

The water does shoot up vertically out of a pipe that sticks about 4 feet out of the water. The water splashes down and I think this would give lots of oxygen. I thought about the fish getting sucked in the exit pipe as well. Im sure there is some type of screen but will see what I can find out about that. What water temps do koi need? The well water is cold but not crazy cold...

richtoybox
07-21-2017, 07:59 PM
The ideal temperature for koi is about room temperature. They slow down some when the temperatures get much over 80, and really start to slow when the temperature falls below 60, with them going into stasis at temperatures much under 50.

koi4u2c
07-21-2017, 08:28 PM
I have well water at about 53 degrees running into my 17,000 gallon pond all summer. It probably runs 3000 - 5000 gallons a day when it gets really hot here (water from our geotherm). My koi stay very active and seem to be unaffected by the cool well water. I say cool, but the water temperature in the pond is usually about 70 - 75 degrees when the outside temperature is 95 degrees.