What is SSA (Specific Surface Area)?

[KoiCop]

a stunning photo, to be sure, and I well remember your pond build thread there at Mystic Koi.

Would you care to elaborate on what you might have learned about managing stocking levels and water changes in your pond so as to be able to maintain the remarkable level of clarity? Thanks,

[MysticKoi]

Don,

Not much really to tell. As you may know, we have a large facility with many raised "holding" ponds (tanks?) for our koi. These tanks are roughly 3,000 gallons each, with 3 foot depths. These relatively shallow tanks, however, are not suitable for larger koi, especially at high stocking densities (at least for any length of time). So, we built this Nexus filtered pond to house our larger koi. I can’t give you specific performance data as it relates to this pond, as the stocking rates are constantly changing (we retail koi out of it, and restock as required). However, I can tell you that regardless of the stocking and feed rates, the water quality has been rock solid and amazingly clear.

Basically, we flush the vortexes at least once per week and let the main drains run to flush any heavy solids (of which there if very little). This accounts for a weekly water change of around 5%. This is done primarily as a function of proper husbandry, as opposed to any system requirement (the units do not demand maintenance). We also perform a 25% water change once a month.

Our feed rates are controlled via an auto-feeder. Interesting… we placed a nice 31" Chagoi in earlier this year. She grew a total of 2 additional inches over the summer, but more importantly, she has put on tremendous girth. Our goal has been to provide a proper environment for the showcasing our larger koi, while at the same time highlighting the performance advantages of the Nexus system.

As we all know, growth rates are determinate on several factors, including genetics, feed rates and nutritional content, water quality, water temperature, pond volume, and stocking density. I attribute the growth rates we’ve seen in this pond to a combination of these factors, coupled with regular routine maintenance of the system.

Here is a picture I just took of our Chagoi (note the smaller nisai koi swimming just under her nose).



Kind Regards,
Bill

[dizzyfish]

Very nice Bill.

[SDKoilady]

Ok found this on other forum would like it clarified by John:

Quote: Coinandkoi quote: Say you have a pond 15x10x5= 5625 gals....ok now you have 2 dolphin's ..one skimmer and HD-6000. You have no bottom drains no tpr's no Uv no pre-filter and NO rocks at all.......and a load of 10 Koi around 14". Would you feel that your system would be a stand alone filter system? One that would provide proper water quality? Based on this description?

Quote: John's answer: In answer to your question about the pond you described. As you know, we rate our filters (based on the total SSA) to how much fish waste they can metabolize in a 24 hour period. This tells us how much fish, by weight, the filter can support. If you look at our Hydro Vortex Dolphin's ratings http://www.russellwatergardens.com/hydrovortexdolphin.htm you'll see that the Dolphin is rated for 812.40 grams of total fish weight. Two Dolphins would be double that at 1,624.80 grams of fish weight. If you look at our "Fish Weights" chart here: http://www.russellwatergardens.com/hydrovortexdolphin.htm You'll see that a single 14" fish weighs an average 754.38 grams. Ten of them equals 7,543.80 grams. Two Dolphins are rated to handle 1,624.80 grams of total fish weight. Your application has a fish load of 7,543.80 grams of total fish weight. So no, I don't think that the two Dolphins by themselves are enough filtration for the fish load in this pond.

Quote: coinandkoi question: Ok so we use a: HBV-36 36"x40" 2" 3" 11.5 ft.³ 5,199.84 7,900 20,000 1,560 g But by your charts we could only have 16" a 12" a 8" Koi based on your weight charts........and this filter is rated up 20,000 gals?? So this is not such a great way to go then if your were to have say 10-15 Koi.... I would say that your filters are either rated to low or something needs to change. So from your reply then you would need to have 10 Dolphines and say around 3 skimmers with 3 12000 gph pumps to keep a balance with the Hydro-Vortex system Well it still sounds like the Ol' Vault filter is still the best old school along with Ultima's. Sac Koi filters being the top of the chart for bead filters period at this time.

I believe there was a post back aways that had used the sq ft of media......what I have heard and have read (Norm Meck) that 150 gph per sq ft media( foam/bio-bale/gravel) etc. The vaults I saw were based on this formula.

Ok so we have a 6700 gal pond we divide by 150=44.666666666666666666666666666667 of retangalent foam or other media....or a upflow bog with gravel or barrals.

Reading your charts and fish weight charts and based on your spec's you can not have many Koi at all in pond! And looking at your filter spec's and what they can convert you would always have to have 3-4" Koi and no bigger or use what 5-6 filters??

I have to agree with this poster that vaults and or some other filtration would be better...........maybe am missing something here please clarify!

[Nancy M.]

Quote: Originally Posted by SDKoilady Ok found this on other forum would like it clarified by John: I believe there was a post back aways that had used the sq ft of media......what I have heard and have read (Norm Meck) that 150 gph per sq ft media( foam/bio-bale/gravel) etc. The vaults I saw were based on this formula. Ok so we have a 6700 gal pond we divide by 150=44.666666666666666666666666666667 of retangalent foam or other media....or a upflow bog with gravel or barrals. Reading your charts and fish weight charts and based on your spec's you can not have many Koi at all in pond! And looking at your filter spec's and what they can convert you would always have to have 3-4" Koi and no bigger or use what 5-6 filters?? I have to agree with this poster that vaults and or some other filtration would be better...........maybe am missing something here please clarify!

3 or 4 koi, would still be to many in that type of water garden design.

[KoiCop]

Quote: Originally Posted by SDKoilady Ok found this on other forum would like it clarified by John.

I would humbly suggest that since you've lifted those quotes in toto from a recent thread on the IPPCA board, then it would be most appropriate for you to request that clarification which you seek 'over there.'

Jim North (our moderator) just closed one RWG marketing thread -- and I, personally, know I don't want to suffer through another 200 pages of him hawking his pond schlock.

[bekko]

SDKoilady, as noted above, his formula for sizing filters based on the surface area of the media is all screwed up and he needs to do some more homework. You would be best served by starting a new thread and describing your system in as much detail as possible. Someone here could then help you determine fish loads, etc.

-s t e veho

[jnorth]

SDKoilady,

Thanks for your interest in RWG's math. However as I stated in the other thread please email John your questions that specifically relate to his products. I would not and could not in clear conscience recommend that you post anything relating to koi at a watergarden forum such as IPPCA. If you are trying to determine the optimum fishload please do as Bekko(Steve) suggests and start a new thread. Thanks for your support!

Jim