Major Electricity Problems!!!!! Urgent Please Help!!!

[Koicare]

Hi Everyone

We have a problem here in South Africa - something is wrong with one of the Power Stations which provide most of the country with electricity.
So as from this morning they have been switching sections of the country off for a couple of hours at a time - and then swapping it around. So at the moment - we have electricity for say 2 - 3 hours then nothing for about 3 - 4 hours - then back on again for say 2 - 3 hours and then nothing etc etc. They say that this will continue like this for the next 4 - 5 days!!!!

Luckily we have generators on all our ponds!!! But needless to say, I have been driving around everywhere the whole time to get more fuel! This is not easy as I have to drive out of the area - cos if the Petrol Stations do not have electricity - they can not pump fuel!

The generators can run for about 3 hours before I have to re-fuel them.
The ponds are all heavily stocked with koi - of course.......

Our temperatures here are very hot at the moment - we are in the middle of Summer +- 30 degrees celcius!

Question is: how long do you think should I leave the ponds off for before I switch to the generators? On a normal power failure I normally wait 1 hour and then switch to the generators. Do any of you think I could extend this to say a 2 or 3 hour period, without stressing the fish and destroying the filters?

What is the longest time your ponds have been down before everything turned to kucka?

I realise that this sounds like quiet a stupid question and the answer depends on many things - but I was hoping to get some advice here.

The fuel bill is also starting to kill me - about R 300 - R400 each time I fill the generators - today it has been 3 times already and it is only 8pm at the moment - so if we have to go another 4 or 5 days like this - it is really going be to be rough........

Any suitable suggestions?

[mitten]

I didn't know kucka was a koi word. We spell it kaka here.

My only real input is to use the power that you supply from generators or that is available intermittently from the power company for air pumping not water pumping. The air can be more helpful supplying oxygen to fish and bacteria than water pumping could be.

These are large concrete ponds, correct, Julie?

[Koicare]

Gosh - my life saver to my rescue!

Yip they are all concrete ponds!
Today I have fed the fish, but I am thinking I should not!!!!!! Do you agree with me????? I was worried cos the water temps are warm and the fish are naturally HUNGRY!!!!!

But maybe I should not feed at all for the next 4 - 5 days and just run oxygen!?!?!?!? Or just feed once a day (at the moment I feed 3 meals each day) This is a question.......

Is that what you would do?

I am just concerned that I will be killing my filters if I only run the air. At the moment I am running only essentials - ie: no UV's (not that they draw much current! - but I also do not want the generators spiking and blowing the tubes) So it is pumps and air pumps!

Argue this with me so I can make the right decision.

[PapaBear]

Mickey nailed it. Keep air running in your filter chambers and ponds during power outages to keep fish and nitrobacters healthy and pump little if any water. That should dramatically reduce your fuel consumption and keep everything in good shape at the same time. And of course there is the obvious "stop feeding completely" until normal operations can be resumed.

[mitten]

If you run only your air supplies it is possible you could stretch your fuel to cover all of the times in which the power is down. No harm done. The fish will be looking at you funny, "Where's the food, Lady", but happy.

[Koicare]

Ok - I will stop feeding - is this ok to do at such warm temps for the next 4 - 5 days? The koi will not suffer or deteriorate?

I normally only do not feed if the temps are cold or if I am treating a sick fish etc. Sorry I realise I am panicking a bit here........ never had this happen before...........

[dizzyfish]

There is definitely a possibility the nitrifiying bacteria will die in your filters if deprived of O2 for extended periods of time. I would turn the pumps on at least once an hour for 10-15 minutes if possible. What type of filters do you have?
Mitch
PS
I would stop feeding for sure.

[mitten]

Stop feeding.

Supply air only.

Move stone or pipes or diffusers to the filters if you haven't already. This is universal no matter what type filter you have built for these production farm ponds.

[Koicare]

Quote: Originally Posted by dizzyfish There is definitely a possibility the nitrifiying bacteria will die in your filters if deprived of O2 for extended periods of time. I would turn the pumps on at least once an hour for 10-15 minutes if possible. What type of filters do you have? Mitch PS I would stop feeding for sure.

Ok here are the rough details - I have left out non essentials like UV's / Heaters / Ozone etc

Pond 1
7500 Litres
1 x Sand Filter
2 x 25 Bio Filters filled with Bio Balls
1 x Brushes Chamber
1 x Air Pump (additional Aeration if needed)
1 x Venturi + Waterfall (only works if pumps are on)

Pond 2
9000 Litres
1 x Sand Filter
2 x 25 Bio Filters filled with Bio Balls
2 x Brushes Chambers
2 x Venturi's
1 x Air Pump (additional Aeration if needed)

Pond 3
60 000 Litres
Line 1- 2 x Sand Filters + 8 x 50lt Bio Filtersfilled with Bio Balls
Line 2 - Matala Filters (upflow system)
2 x Venturi's (only work if pump is on)
2 x Waterfalls (only work if pump is on)
1 x 450lt Air Pump - line with about 12 air stones on it (additional aeration if needed)

Pond 4
100 000 Litres
Line 1 - 1 x 1,5KW Pump - 1 x Sandfilter + 4 x 50lt Bio Filters filled with Bio Balls + 6 x 25lt Bio filters filled with Bio Balls
Line 2 - 1 x 1,5KW Pump - 2 x 1000 Litre Vortex's filled with Brushes and Matala going to 2 x Massive Trickle filters - Trickling into another 2 sections of Trickle filters
Line 3 - 2 x 1,1KW Pumps - 6 x Brushes chambers (each chamber is roughly 2m x 1m x 1m deep) going to Matala Filters, going through a vege filter and return
Line 4 - 1 x 0,45kw Pump - 1 x small sand filter - 6 x 25 litre bio filters

3 x Venturis
1 x Massive circulation pump (50 000 litres per hour) - all this pump does is spray water straight into the air
1 x 450 lt/p/min air pump (for additional aeration if needed)

Tanks
Black Tank - 3000 litres - 4500 litre per hour pump - Brushes Filter / Trickle Filter + 60lt min air pump (for additional aeration if needed) - This is filled with fry which are +- 3 months old

Porta Pool - +- 5000 litres - new fry - only +- 1 month old - only running an air pump here

Mud Vinyl Resevior - 32 000 litres - new fry - only +- 1 month old - only running an air pump here

I am kaking myself!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I want to start crying!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This is the girl in me coming out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Koicare]

Quote: Originally Posted by mitten Stop feeding. Supply air only. Move stone or pipes or diffusers to the filters if you haven't already. This is universal no matter what type filter you have built for these production farm ponds.

OK - thanks! I will do exactly this - most of the filters already have air lines in them as well as in the ponds - I also have lots of air pumps (I import them as well - luckily) so I will quickly set up the generators to operate with the air pumps only!


Kaking, kacking or Kucking - was just another word (I was trying to be polite.....) for "I am literally @$itting in my pants!"

Sorry if I offend anyone - but when it is your turn to "kak in da pant"s - I will understand and give you my full support.............