Elizabeth,
I have been following this thread and I cannot help but to wonder...... a lot of the problems you seem to be having remind me very much of the spring start up cycling. I am wondering if you seeded your filters with a little bit of beneficial bacteria when you first started. I know you have recently set everything up and with the higher temps of the water, your fish will be more active and eating more, but the beneficial bacteria will not have kicked in yet. This will contribute to ammonia spikes and the symptoms you indicated with your fish sound quite similar to those in this article. Also, anytime you have spikes in ammonia, the oxygen will be sucked right out of the water. I googled the start up cycles so you could see what I am talking about. http://www.pondkoi.com/nitrogen.htm
When you go to the pond store - ask him about spring cycling in the pond and how long it typically takes the good bacteria to kick in and spring start up.
Also, I don't think it would be a bad idea to get some type of plant material into your pond. I know the time of year to do that isn't the best, but perhaps you can either pick something up when you go to the pond store or check out your local pet store to see what type of water plants they have - make sure you get something that will not clog your filter. Before you put the plants into your pond, I'd definitely treat the plants so nothing is transferred to your pond. http://home.netcom.com/~larry_l/intro_to_koi.htm
Carolyn
High Drama and Heartache in the Baby Koi Pond
Sure sure, so leaving Monday for Ohio...and today saw my one koi pond drained down to the remaining 8 inches of water. Mind you, a couple of my fish are in the 18-24 inch range. Not only am I SO far behind in getting ready to leave, this was added to the agenda. Uhg....
So, my darling daughter made it back to Orlando, helped me catch all fish, re-line the pond, and re-fill...just before dark hit...
But....as dark was sneaking in, I didn't see the one capper block I have around the top of the liner, fell over it, INTO the other pond, and gashed my ankle open.
Merry Christmas? ho ho ho,lol....sheesh.....
Oh Mary sorry to hear you hurt yourself. Are you saying that you sprung a leak and had to replace the liner? Oh Goodness! I think I would just panic if that happened after last summer. How old was the liner?
The liner is about 4 years old...so I have no clue what happened. They have always been very industrial and forgiving. On my smaller pond I DID get a small hole once, because of a heron statue I have at the edge, which was knocked in, pointy beak side down, by the pug.
Today, while packing and finishing cookies, I'll also be re-edging the rocks along the top. My daughter helped me scoop, finish draining, and re-lining. We worked fast! I left the old liner in (kind of as a 2nd layer of protection) and put the new liner on top.
What mil liner was it, if you remember? You're not the only one to have something pointy get into the pond. Our neighbor's 100+ lb. black lab got loose and trounced my small goldfish pond. I held my breath utill we fished him out. Jumping down and in was way easier than jumping up and out and he tore up nearly everything, but thankfully the liner held.
That's why Im not sure where the hole actually was, I just knew I had to act quickly (leaving in a day or so) It is 40 mil....on a sand bed *that's all we have in Florida anyway* I have sharp cement blocks in it....a few large rocks here and there....and pug with very sharp toenails falling in it all the time....bronze 36" heron statues with sharp beaks getting knocked in....even broken pottery.....and thusfar...nada....
But.... I checked all lines, tubes, filters and pumps...and everything was bone dry, so I knew the hole was somewhere in the liner....
I even took everything off, and just submersed a pump with a return hose for oxygen to see if the draining would stop, and it didn't, which confirmed it was a hole.
I re-lined with a 20 mil OVER the top of the 40 mil...just to add a 2nd layer of protection. Should I ever get another hole, it will be a very very slow leak that I will be able to buy some time with.
Well, the important thing is that you got the pond back together. But, wow 40mil. It's not supposed to do that except in extreme circumstances. It doesn't sound like you subjected it to anything more than what I would call normal wear and tear. Have a safe trip.
File that pug's nails : ) Our corgis get very sharp nails as well.
Could it just have been weakened from all the sun you get in Florida? I know, the newer liners are supposed to have 20 year guarantees against that sort of thing, but still?
OMG....you'll never believe this....
SO.....we get home from our Ohio Christmas trip, and more sad news...
A) well, you all know about the leak, the emergency repair and refill, etc.....well of course I tried to leave as many things covered with natural pond gunk in there as possible (algae covered rocks, returned plants, etc) added salt (yep, I'm a huge salt fan) but had to leave the very next morning with all of my larger fish and overly sterile water...
B) I return home...to see my overly special fish ....dead.... It was a larger 20 inch pure white gin rin butterfly with AMAZING draping fins, and a bright yellow head plate. Just gorgeous. I had been offered a great deal of money for her through the years, but she was one of my first ones and I've never seen anything like her before. (I guess which is why so many breeders wanted her) She was getting huge with eggs, so I have been especially excited to know I may have anything close to her for the future. I have been hand picking intense colored yellow males over the past year, to really hope for great babies. Sadness ....I'm SO bummed...
C) My daughter called from her house, and the black pug, who finally left my house...is gone. A 3 year old without his puppy...sad sad sad....
D) I'm out of my favorite wine... 'nuff said....
-----> :( me
Oh I'm sorry Mary. Do you have any pictures of this beautiful fish to post in her honor?
Mary,
I think you need something harder than wine.
I am so sorry for everything.
Carolyn
Mary, what a lousy way to return home!!!!
I am so sorry to hear all this sadness - best wishes for less heartache and drama in 2009!
Elizabeth
I'm going to look for pictures ( I have them, but have been using an old camera with a floppy disc, and now I dont have a computer with a disc slot) I think I have one on my iphone I can email myself.
That's an awful loss. I'm so truly sorry.