Arapaima Pond Build
- Thread starter Luc
- Start date
Wow, this morning I came in and the water has cleared up tremendously. Can see the bottom again, 1 dome clearly visible...did not change any water or anything, it's just improving on it's own.
mr. T loves it, he is snooping around the pond, gulping down his pellets. Lots of smaller fish I can see shooting around.
Can only think of the first bog kicking into gear, let's hope so, because if that first one can indeed clear so much of it, then I am getting very confident on tap-water quality once the second one is up and running. Will sure send some water samples for testing, just to see how good it really is.
Nice start of the week...hehee
Luc
mr. T loves it, he is snooping around the pond, gulping down his pellets. Lots of smaller fish I can see shooting around.
Can only think of the first bog kicking into gear, let's hope so, because if that first one can indeed clear so much of it, then I am getting very confident on tap-water quality once the second one is up and running. Will sure send some water samples for testing, just to see how good it really is.
Nice start of the week...hehee
Luc
It's fun with water so clear. There's really quite some fish at 2-3 inches and bigger... All I ever put in there except the 4 Tilapia was less than 2 inch, so growth of live-stock is no problem at all.
Good thing is, all these small fish are schooling around the bottom like crazy, making sure all rubbish gets kicked up all the time.
Cleans the liner pretty good, there's hardly any spot that looks dirty or 'grown over' with algae or anything.
With the first bog almost 4 weeks running now, it does make sense, bacteria spreading and cycling finished, should have taken control of fish-waste by now. The gravel is a huge amount of surface for them, so that should make for filtering-capacity I need, not even counting in the plants growing in there.
So lets wait and see how this week evolves. Might get that crystal clear sprinkling water earlier than expected.
If so, there's some wiggle-room to play with the second bog...
Good thing is, all these small fish are schooling around the bottom like crazy, making sure all rubbish gets kicked up all the time.
Cleans the liner pretty good, there's hardly any spot that looks dirty or 'grown over' with algae or anything.
With the first bog almost 4 weeks running now, it does make sense, bacteria spreading and cycling finished, should have taken control of fish-waste by now. The gravel is a huge amount of surface for them, so that should make for filtering-capacity I need, not even counting in the plants growing in there.
So lets wait and see how this week evolves. Might get that crystal clear sprinkling water earlier than expected.
If so, there's some wiggle-room to play with the second bog...
Maybe need to start a new thread on that...lol
Will make some pictures at the end of the week again.
Hope it continues like this, will be a major victory in this build.
Busy week ahead again but Saturday normal people in the factory so enough hands to do the heavy lifting and getting those stones in.
Concrete hopefully earlier and then filling up the grow-out again to test it.
Also some work to be done on the 'water-fall' back into the pond.
Should be ok for Saturday finish and bringing it online.
Will take another 2 - 4 weeks to have it populated with bacteria and plants, but if water keeps clearing, then I don't have any pressure to do it fast.
Gives me time to look around for nice plants to put in.
Luc
Will make some pictures at the end of the week again.
Hope it continues like this, will be a major victory in this build.
Busy week ahead again but Saturday normal people in the factory so enough hands to do the heavy lifting and getting those stones in.
Concrete hopefully earlier and then filling up the grow-out again to test it.
Also some work to be done on the 'water-fall' back into the pond.
Should be ok for Saturday finish and bringing it online.
Will take another 2 - 4 weeks to have it populated with bacteria and plants, but if water keeps clearing, then I don't have any pressure to do it fast.
Gives me time to look around for nice plants to put in.
Luc
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Had some stiff rain, pond filled up another centimeter, free water. Mr. T loves it, he was darting around with the rain.
Curious for tomorrow's water quality. What's in there now is very fine solids so it might take quite some time with improvements coming over longer time spans. No problem for me, water smells fresh and looks good already.
The water hyacinth is really worth it. They develop very big roots, shaped like a carrot, with thousands of very fine hairs catching out the small stuff in the water. Only needs time for the solids to break down further.
What would be really funny is that if the bogs really do well, I might outperform some of the most expensive koi filters on the market. Wouldn't that be hilarious?
Dreams for now, will keep you guys posted on it.
End of July ceremony and barbeque planned, that's 3 more Saturdays to finish things...
Cheers,
Luc
Sent from my iPad using MonsterAquariaNetwork app
Curious for tomorrow's water quality. What's in there now is very fine solids so it might take quite some time with improvements coming over longer time spans. No problem for me, water smells fresh and looks good already.
The water hyacinth is really worth it. They develop very big roots, shaped like a carrot, with thousands of very fine hairs catching out the small stuff in the water. Only needs time for the solids to break down further.
What would be really funny is that if the bogs really do well, I might outperform some of the most expensive koi filters on the market. Wouldn't that be hilarious?
Dreams for now, will keep you guys posted on it.
End of July ceremony and barbeque planned, that's 3 more Saturdays to finish things...
Cheers,
Luc
Sent from my iPad using MonsterAquariaNetwork app
Cool, I was in Florida on vacation and it started storming. The pool was about to overflow, but they have a system that prevents that.
3 more full days doesnt sound like much, but with a few guys you can get a lot done.
Sent from my LG-LS840 using MonsterAquariaNetwork App
3 more full days doesnt sound like much, but with a few guys you can get a lot done.
Sent from my LG-LS840 using MonsterAquariaNetwork App
Heheee... Came in this morning, and the water improved tremendously again compared to yesterday.
Big nice surprise, it's really clearing like crazy. I can see all the fish shooting around again and Mr. T. looks fantastic gliding around.
I'm rethinking my plans on the second bog a bit in the sense that I might leave some open water there. Gives me room to put in submerged plants with floating leaves like lotus. Only 1x2 meters full with large growers, rest with smaller stuff.
2 diffusers but only one connected for now.
Got a big grin on my face, just seeing that water improve so fast.
The verdict is still out until everything is up and running, but what I'll do is get some screenshots from under-water videos I've made over the last few months and compare them to give you guys an idea. The target is to get water as clear as in the very first underwater pictures in his temporary pond, where I could shoot from 2 meter distance and get clear pictures.
And, to anybody ever thinking to build a pond...bog..bog...bog... Getting more and more confident that those 2 bogs will beat any and all of the best filters you can buy on the market. Grow-out starts to look more and more like the perfect Koi-Pond for me. Might make some money raising and selling those.
Back to work...
Cheers,
Luc
Big nice surprise, it's really clearing like crazy. I can see all the fish shooting around again and Mr. T. looks fantastic gliding around.
I'm rethinking my plans on the second bog a bit in the sense that I might leave some open water there. Gives me room to put in submerged plants with floating leaves like lotus. Only 1x2 meters full with large growers, rest with smaller stuff.
2 diffusers but only one connected for now.
Got a big grin on my face, just seeing that water improve so fast.
The verdict is still out until everything is up and running, but what I'll do is get some screenshots from under-water videos I've made over the last few months and compare them to give you guys an idea. The target is to get water as clear as in the very first underwater pictures in his temporary pond, where I could shoot from 2 meter distance and get clear pictures.
And, to anybody ever thinking to build a pond...bog..bog...bog... Getting more and more confident that those 2 bogs will beat any and all of the best filters you can buy on the market. Grow-out starts to look more and more like the perfect Koi-Pond for me. Might make some money raising and selling those.
Back to work...
Cheers,
Luc
Great, my contractor came in today...some stuff for the factory, and at the same time finished the cement support.
That will be perfectly dry by Saturday, so we're good to go for saturday's bringing it all online.
Need to get some PVC fittings and pipes for the diffuser, then start filling up the bog with stones.
From there, start the pump and get it running.
Will try to get some leaves of the first bog's Thalia's growing for starters. They should catch on pretty fast since it's a weed all over the place here in Thailand. Lotus flowers for the lower ring and tons of guppies to keep it all clean.
Pond keeps up nicely. It's almost addictive to get to the factory in the morning and check if there's any improvements in the water.
With no large particles collecting in the settling-tanks, I really look forward to see the end of this week. Let's hope for no setbacks.
Cheers,
Luc
That will be perfectly dry by Saturday, so we're good to go for saturday's bringing it all online.
Need to get some PVC fittings and pipes for the diffuser, then start filling up the bog with stones.
From there, start the pump and get it running.
Will try to get some leaves of the first bog's Thalia's growing for starters. They should catch on pretty fast since it's a weed all over the place here in Thailand. Lotus flowers for the lower ring and tons of guppies to keep it all clean.
Pond keeps up nicely. It's almost addictive to get to the factory in the morning and check if there's any improvements in the water.
With no large particles collecting in the settling-tanks, I really look forward to see the end of this week. Let's hope for no setbacks.
Cheers,
Luc
The big cleaning continues....heheee...
Couldn't wait till Saturday...shot a couple of video's, now uploading...
It is really stunning....from last week dark grey/green with lots of solids, it now has come to a very light yellowish tinted but clear water.
You can see from the underwater video that it's not 100% yet, but lets just wait how far it gets over the coming days.
Mr. T. can be seen in all his beauty throughout the pond, and that's what it is all about.
Can only imagine large koi in there as well.
Amazing...I read through the whole thread again yesterday night and it's nice to see the initial plans, the 'learning and gambling' by taking different routes, one-line suggestions from people that took me in almost opposite directions for the better of it.
Now with the bog kicking in, cleaning the water to what it is now, I'm just a plain happy guy here.
The video links:
http://youtu.be/2iyM0DusKeM
http://youtu.be/Uprq1Inz8rM
http://youtu.be/QinZFlfVr3U
Be patient for a couple of minutes, they're still uploading and verifying...
Enjoy...
Couldn't wait till Saturday...shot a couple of video's, now uploading...
It is really stunning....from last week dark grey/green with lots of solids, it now has come to a very light yellowish tinted but clear water.
You can see from the underwater video that it's not 100% yet, but lets just wait how far it gets over the coming days.
Mr. T. can be seen in all his beauty throughout the pond, and that's what it is all about.
Can only imagine large koi in there as well.
Amazing...I read through the whole thread again yesterday night and it's nice to see the initial plans, the 'learning and gambling' by taking different routes, one-line suggestions from people that took me in almost opposite directions for the better of it.
Now with the bog kicking in, cleaning the water to what it is now, I'm just a plain happy guy here.
The video links:
http://youtu.be/2iyM0DusKeM
http://youtu.be/Uprq1Inz8rM
http://youtu.be/QinZFlfVr3U
Be patient for a couple of minutes, they're still uploading and verifying...
Enjoy...
