Building Of My Platform Pond - A Dream Comes True

[ThomasLim]

Bro DragonFireSG, I stop using sodium carbonate as I put in oyster shell and coral chip as buffer... I think so far the pH is ok.

Bro Yifen, I am glad to know that you enjoy reading as well

Bro Adam, if 500L per fish, I guess I had over stock. It seems I really cannot add in more fish for now...

Bro Nutx, really thanks for the advise. May I know for your daily 15-20min top up, do you drain off the water before topping up the water? Or you just turn on the water and let it overflows? Or your water level will reduce so much that everyday you need 2-3 times 15-20min top up to bring the water upto the desire level? Can advise? Thanks. Btw, what is the nitrate level in your pond? Good?

As I grow plants on my filter compartment, it is quite hard for me to clear the foam 'collection point'. I dont feel like disturbing the pandan plants as they seem to only 'start' growing now... I dont know why they take so long to adapt to my fgt I will clean the foam again at the first compartment in a few weeks time.

Today I took a threesome pic of my aro. I guess is a male with 2 females? Right? He really siok to rub 2 at one go... Lol

[DragonFireSG]

Bro,

Always good to test KH (API test available) to see if your oyster shell/coral chips is working as planned.

Oyster shell and coral chips are good buffers - but take a very long time to react.

They do very well in an indoor pond or tank where water change is controlled, but not so good in an outdoor pond.

When there is heavy rain, these relatively insoluble carbonate sources cannot cope with the dilution due to the flood of 0 KH and usually low PH rainwater - this unless you have a huge amount packed away somewhere that most of the filtered water passes through.

Of course, if you shade your pond from most rainwater, you should be ok.

Last time sodium bicarbonate is hard to find in bulk in SG. Now NTUC Warehouse Club sells Arm and Hammer by the sack. Can't remember the weight - but it is as large as a small sack of rice.

[DragonFireSG]

BTW by my experience, oyster shells seem to be the better solid carbonate source. Coral chips don't seem to dissolve very much at all - which is the opposite of what you'd expect if the chips were providing carbonates to the water. Oyster shells on the other hand are eaten quite fast should be regularly replaced.

There is another type called lithaqua I've been checking up on. Supposed to be some really fine, sand-like buffer media based on calcified algae. Would be interesting to get a few sacks to try out in a shower or upflow filter.

[nutx]

Originally Posted by ThomasLim

Bro Nutx, really thanks for the advise. May I know for your daily 15-20min top up, do you drain off the water before topping up the water? Or you just turn on the water and let it overflows? Or your water level will reduce so much that everyday you need 2-3 times 15-20min top up to bring the water upto the desire level? Can advise? Thanks. Btw, what is the nitrate level in your pond? Good?

As I grow plants on my filter compartment, it is quite hard for me to clear the foam 'collection point'. I dont feel like disturbing the pandan plants as they seem to only 'start' growing now... I dont know why they take so long to adapt to my fgt I will clean the foam again at the first compartment in a few weeks time.

Bro....I didn't measure my pond on Nitrate. I expect to be in range of 100.
The top up is to overflow the surface ammonia level. I've a foam collection in the filter, and the top up will overflow these foam into drain.

The top up is mainly to drain off the ammonia foam at the surface of the water. And this is the reason I prefer the 15-20 min top up than 24/7 dripping, as I find that the overflow may not be that effective, vs the 15-20 min top-up.

I'll take a pic of the overflow later.

[nutx]

I've this overflow in my 1st chamber that goes straight to the drain.



All the floating dirt will trap here, and foam will be form here also.
It also control the level of the water level.

During top up, water will overflow from here...and the dirt and floating foam will be discharge together.

[DragonFireSG]

Bro,

This link might be of interest to you. It details a different type of filtration that is not commonly in use.

http://www.mankysanke.co.uk/html/anoxic_filtration.html

[ThomasLim]

Thks bro Nutx for the advise and the pic. I have similar but a smaller overflow drainage pipe at my first chamber too. I seldom use this overflow drain pipe as my water usually slightly below it. How does your water go into the first chamber from the pond? Overflow and underflow together? I dont see those dirty floating foams at my first chamber. Is it because that they are trapped in the lava rocks in my first chamber?

Bro DragonFireSG, the link is marvelous! Thanks for the link! It will be great if someone who has tried it out, could feedback on the effectiveness I do not know why... It seems to me that using Marine Pure block has somehow a similar effect as described... Will you be trying out this filtration yourself?

Cheers!

[DragonFireSG]

I have no plans at this time. The original plans for my pond had a 500 gallon secondary filter on one side that was intend to hold several biocenosis baskets and plants for nitrate control.

We had to scrap that as there were power, water and gas lines running in the ground under that area that would have been too troublesome to move.

I might still put in a shallow above ground FGT in that area if I see the need to add an auxiliary filter to my system. It will be a simple matter routing some water from the mechanical filter over to it. For now my nitrate control will be the RDF (keeping solid waste out of the water flow) and water changes.

I am actually quite worried about the lack of soluble carbonate sources for my pond as there are very limited areas I can stuff a decent volume of oyster shell. I was planning to stuff a nice supply of the stuff in that secondary filter...

[AndyDwyer]

Nice pond!! Its so great to be able to have a pond in your house
Hope someday i'll be able to own a pond for my fishes in the future haha

[nutx]

Originally Posted by ThomasLim

Thks bro Nutx for the advise and the pic. I have similar but a smaller overflow drainage pipe at my first chamber too. I seldom use this overflow drain pipe as my water usually slightly below it. How does your water go into the first chamber from the pond? Overflow and underflow together? I dont see those dirty floating foams at my first chamber. Is it because that they are trapped in the lava rocks in my first chamber?

Bro DragonFireSG, the link is marvelous! Thanks for the link! It will be great if someone who has tried it out, could feedback on the effectiveness I do not know why... It seems to me that using Marine Pure block has somehow a similar effect as described... Will you be trying out this filtration yourself?

Cheers!

Bro...

I have bottom drain and overflow skimmer from the main pond to the filter chamber.
The water level should be lower, and overflow when you I top up to flow out the flowing dirt and foam.

I think Koi is much more dirtier than others. But you should still have some foam forming, if the flow is put correctly.

Your lave rock could have trap them too. My first chamber is so-call the settlement chamber, with brushes to trap the physical dirt only.

Media start from 2nd chamber onwards. and it will be cleaner.