Pond construction begins

[bekko]

Pumping water to aerate water is pretty inefficient with respect to electrical consumption. A much more efficient appraoch is to get an air blower. The aeration piping does not need to be buried and you can just lay it on the surface. Since it is not full of water there is no concern about freezing and it will be covered up with weeds eventually.

-steve

[koifishgirl]

Yep, my electric bill is jump in leaps and bounds, I have got to do something or I will have to much money in the koi and wont make any. Right now my utlities are running me almost 200.00 a month, and that is only one pond. I guess I need to go ahead a get the airblower, if it will save me some money in the long run. I wish I made more money, being a low paid factory worker does not help a hole lot. I have to just go in spurts, but Im happy with the progress so far, just broke, Im sure it will pay off for me one day, and I am just waiting for that day. I just want to have something fun to do when I leave my hard job.


How would I need to hook it up since I wont have the pipe work in the ground, should I just lay the pipework for that pond on top of the ground.

[bekko]

yep, just lay it on the ground.

[Valarc]

I'm a little confused about that drawing... are you suggesting putting lead weights in the water? This sounds like a very bad idea to me... am I crazy?

[D@z]

Quote: Originally Posted by Valarc I'm a little confused about that drawing... are you suggesting putting lead weights in the water? This sounds like a very bad idea to me... am I crazy?

It appears thats the idea yes. If you are crazy then I'm crazy too as I too wouldn't ever consider putting lead in my water. Stainless steal in some form is the only metal I would consider for that job.

[jacovors]

Used lead weights for years without any problems.

[bekko]

Lead weights are not a problem. The jury is still out on whether an air stone/diffuser should be used in shallow ponds.


-steve

[D@z]

Quote: Originally Posted by bekko Lead weights are not a problem. The jury is still out on whether an air stone/diffuser should be used in shallow ponds. -steve

Lead weights poison fish, simple as that. If you think thats not a problem then fair enough but it certainly is for me. Lead weights were banned for anglers in my country completely several years ago due to the numbers of fish and wildlife that were dying from them. It is also banned from water carrying pipework due to its toxicity.

Why would you take the chance when you can use stainless steal instead?

[bekko]

Yes, I would and do choose to use lead weights on every one of my 250 airlines in tanks and ponds ranging from 2-gallon to 20,000 gallon. It is much easier to wrap a strip of sheet lead around the end of the air line than gripe with tying or crimping on a piece of stainless.

Lead shot and lead fishing weights were banned because they are picked up off the bottom by waterfowl and eaten. The lead is ground up by the bird's gizzard as if it were a seed or other food item and is machanically and chemically converted into soluble lead salts which are toxic.

Lead toxicity in fish is confined to fish exposed to runoff from smelters, refineries (where lead gasoline additives are used) and lead battery recycling facilities. These processes create the toxic soluble lead compounds. Lead fishing weights do not kill fish.

A solid piece of lead is stable in water almost forever. The fact that it does not degrade in water is part of the reason that they had to ban lead shot and lead fishing weights. A surface oxidation layer protects the material from further degradation. The toxic soluble compounds are not created until the lead is eaten, macerated and chemically attacked. Koi do not eat lead weights.

-steve hopkins

[koifishgirl]

Do I need five air lines to each pond? I was thinking only one line to each pond, your drawing shows 5 lines to each pond, would this be what I need for the size ponds I have? Or is this just to show me how to lay the pipe work. I can see why you would put the pipework all the way around the ponds, if I build more ponds the pipe work is there for the next pond, but do I need to do this if I dont plan to build more ponds. I have got to see how well these ponds are going to work for me first.

I have stopped feeding the koi and have extra o2 in the pond, and I quess its time to start the pipework, and put in the blower. I dont want a major fish kill.

How big are these lead weights? Are these weights what hold the flex pipe down or what?