Reducing GH with Water Softener

[koiczar]

Good job Bob. Water temps in that range all year would certainly keep your bio up!

Mike

[Auntiesue]

Bob, when you mentioned that you increased the frequency of backwashing to daily, is that just dumping water or are you actually cleaning the filter media? Too much "cleaning" and you'll be disturbing the baceria load not allowing the colony to stay established. If this is the case, you may want to think about dumping water some other way other than cleaning out the media daily. If I'm on the wrong tack here, just speak out ..... Bead filter?

[farne230]

After two weeks, no change in foam development. I have notice the koi scales are very flat and the fukerin stand up on my 6.7 year old kohaku-see photos.
Bob

[Auntiesue]

OK, great...you're getting there!! How are the whites looking so far? Have they gotten that tranlucent look to the color yet? If not, that's next!!! You'll start to see a different "look" to the whites. A softer, deeper pearlencent look. Hard to explain, but when you see it you'll know it.

[farne230]

Sue: At first I was concerned my large kohaku in the photo head beni was fading due to the soft water or something I did. Now I believe it is okay. My next consideration is if to drop the TDS or not. If so then I must consider a RO unit or maybe a Ozone system. What do you think, to improve my pond water and the environment the koi are living. By the way the foam production is not slowing down with increased water changes and filter cleanings (every other day).

I have not noticed the skin quality change you spoke of yet. The whites fluxuate a bit but seam the same for all koi, so far.

Added note: I am waiting for my next addition, a Hoshikin nisai kohaku from Kevin at Genki. He pictured it on his web site picture , Dsc_0245 collected during his second 2007 Japan trip. I just loved her pattern and skin. The first time I saw this kohaku I new I liked it. It is due into his facility end of this month. She is going to be the highest quality koi I have purchased to date. By the way the 30" sakamaki kohaku pictured in the previous thread is from Kevin also. Great confirmation and skin. I hope to show her at the TKFGS show in Sept and hope she shows well and is in the running for GC.
Bob

[Auntiesue]

Quote: Originally Posted by farne230 Sue: At first I was concerned my large kohaku in the photo head beni was fading due to the soft water or something I did. Now I believe it is okay. My next consideration is if to drop the TDS or not. If so then I must consider a RO unit or maybe a Ozone system. What do you think, to improve my pond water and the environment the koi are living. By the way the foam production is not slowing down with increased water changes and filter cleanings (every other day). I have not noticed the skin quality change you spoke of yet. The whites fluxuate a bit but seam the same for all koi, so far. Added note: I am waiting for my next addition, a Hoshikin nisai kohaku from Kevin at Genki. He pictured it on his web site picture , Dsc_0245 collected during his second 2007 Japan trip. I just loved her pattern and skin. The first time I saw this kohaku I new I liked it. It is due into his facility end of this month. She is going to be the highest quality koi I have purchased to date. By the way the 30" sakamaki kohaku pictured in the previous thread is from Kevin also. Great confirmation and skin. I hope to show her at the TKFGS show in Sept and hope she shows well and is in the running for GC. Bob

Bob, personally I feel it's always a good idea to get as much TDS out of the system as possible without disturbing the basic nutrients that water provides our fish. I'm not a big fan of RO systems. They can be really touchy sometimes and there is a lot of water waste also. What I would recommend instead of RO is maybe a bakki tower or even better, one of the Clarity units. I hope to add one to my big pond this summer and have heard wonderful things about it for removing DOCs. Not nearly as expensive or touchy as a RO system. Others may have other suggestions as well. Hopefully they will chime in also.

You purchased one of Kevin's Hoshikin Kohaku also? Ours just came in about a week ago. She's really nice!! Can't wait to get her outside in big water. She's going through my Q now.

Anyway, whatever you do, give the current system time to settle down before you do too much. Never a good idea to do things too quickly. Fish don't like sudden changes.

We cleaned and opened up the big pond today. Filling as we speak!! Sure felt good to get outside in shorts and a T. No much winter damage this year except my Sacr Koi Bead busted wide open. Beads everywhere!! I drained the dang thing so not sure what happened. It was fine 2 weeks ago when I checked on it.

Sue

[farne230]

Thats funny, about a month ago I opened my alpha bead and drained it, the fittings stuck to the cap and when I pulled it out I lost lots of alpha bio, took me all day to clean it and place it back in, or at least most of it. Lots of bio still spread all over the filter pad area.

I love the patterns and bright hi of Hoshikin koi. Which one did you get. Did you see the photo of the one I purchased picture Dsc_0245. I have a bakki shower with 200kg of bakki media now. It does drop tds, I noticed this when I had a tds meter last year. PM me about the bakki shower and I will discuss some finds I will be happy to share with you.
Bob