Brian Woodcock’s Anoxic Filter cleaning for spring of 2014.

Brian Woodcock’s Anoxic Filter cleaning for spring of 2014.

Well, it’s that time of year again when filter cleaning and bringing everything back online for us in North America and the UK: ‘Cold weather hobbyist.’ In Chicago the weather is still not cooperating yet as good as it should be like in previous years and the snow in some spots is still over 2' deep (60.96 cm) in my yard.  

Before the first day of spring all pond and filter maintenance would have been done by now and a nice big water change would accelerate the Koi’s appetite within 72 hours. As long as the temperature is stable at 50°F (10°C) then with an AFS it is safe to feed once a day every other day with processed Koi foods along with worms and other natural foods supplements that they would find in the wild. When temps reach 55°F (12.78°C) and above, once a day will facilitate their requirements. This early feeding of your animals will go a long way in building up their immune systems and strength.

 

However, those that are using conventional filter must wait still for bacteria colonization once again of their filters unless their ponds were heated over winter. Without the adding of a lab bacteria culture it may take as long as 30 days or more to reestablish enough bacteria colonies in your filter to avoid ammonia (NH3) and Nitrites spikes. Let’s not forget the amount of ammonia that will be produced by the bacteria in the intestines if fed too early- because of the lethargic activity of the Koi- by proteins being broken down; if it’s not expelled then it will go into their blood stream. My Koi are very active now (They come to the top looking for food when I approach the pond.) even with the water not being stable enough for feeding. With such active Koi they are now eating Algae and other plant life or whatever is available to them at this stage. 

It doesn’t matter if the AFS was shut down completely or left running like mine was; it still has enough activated chemoautotrophic and facultative heterotrophic bacteria to take care of your needs until warmer weather prevails. What you may notice is that the AF will be full of cyanobacteria and yet your pond will not. But this is not an indication that your pond or filter is not running properly or you have bad water quality. This is a very common problem until the good bacteria starts making antibodies to kill off the unwanted blue-green algae as it’s called but in reality it is another bacterium trying to take hold, please remember that!  

Please read my post on Cyanobacteria for a better understanding of these nuisance bacteria that looks like string algae exactly. http://anoxicfiltrationsystem.blogspot.com/2013/10/every-year-our-pond-gets-plagued-with.html

This unwanted cyanobacteria will persists and become a good spawning media in early spring for your fancy goldfish that are in the filter. As time goes on and weather prevails it will subside as though it never happen by magic. 

However, I have seen ponds plagued with this bacterium using conventional filters all to often too, so it is just not isolated to an AFS problem. The difference is that only an AFS get plagued with this bacteria problem inside the filter and not in the main pond, it is just the reverse for those that use a conventional filter. Their filters may remain clean of the bacteria but then the pond gets full of cyanobacteria all year long. If you read the forums they are full of hobbyist complaining about string algae constantly. One of the problems is that conventional filter sometimes don’t logistically produce antibodies to eradicate this bacteria and therefore it plagues their pond all year long if evasive action isn’t taken with salt, hydrogen peroxide directly or indirectly in the form of Barley Straw or other chemicals, not so with an AFS. 

Though, it will once again come back at the end of the year when pond temps again begin to fall back into the low 50°F (10°C) and foodstuff become limited for higher bacteria forms. Also remember this string alga or blue-green algae AKA: Cyanobacteria will and can make its own foodstuff, so it doesn’t need to take any nutrients from solution and is endosymbiont and can live in a host. 

Some hobbyists are concerned about the newly supplemented fresh water that’s added into the AF directly and will all that available oxygen now in the AFS impair the bacteria bugs inside the filters BCB’s themselves? The quick answer is; not in the least, so don’t worry about it. The trillions of cell that are inside the BCB far outnumbering a conventional filter bugs and high oxygen penetration deep inside the BCB is not president even if the main water is at saturation point surrounding the BCB. The BCB is a very controlled and residual environment that favors the cells like that of a natural system does.

 

Brian’s pond parameters are:

Main municipal water from tap of NO3@ 25-ppm

Main pond water NO3@ 35-ppm after Anoxic Filter installation.

Before the AFS 80+ ppm of NO3, that’s a 45-ppm NO3 drop in Nitrates in about 6 months. He still has online his Bead filter.

Hi, Ok here goes, this is six months since the last clean.....started by removing all the plants. [Ed: If I'm not mistaken it was Brian's wife that did most of the work because he was on crutches.]

and this is the filter before the drain down, you can see some blanket weed but i must state i have none in my main pond.

Connected the layflat and started to drain.

This is the baskets after the drain down, you can see the blanketweed but not a lot Imo

I decided to remove the baskets to see what was under them. there was some mulm which didn't smell eggy at all.......so well happy

After the clean down by pressure wash. [Ed: This is really optional.]

Everything replaced.

Started the refill.

And job done

To add the anoxic was the best addition I have done, not saying it works for everyone but for me!! It has, my nitrates has dropped from 80+ to around 35ppm and considering my source water is around 25 ppm and I trickle in 6-700 gall a week its pretty good and yes I got a little BW but I still have a bead producing nitrates.

As for growth of fish........these were added 2 years ago and the majority were 20cm some smaller 3 are now 70cm+

Enjoy.........Brian

 Thanks Brian and hope you recover soon.

Kevin

It has been a while since I have queried professor Novak since KKU disappeared...

Just received this email from the Garden Pond Forum from a fellow with a user name of: crsublette on that website. Whenever anything is said about the AFS I’m notified by email.

Quote:

It has been a while since I have queried professor Novak since KKU disappeared, but it appears Novak did the same for his Anoxic system that Waddington has done for his ERIC system. They have created them self a website, that is entirely dedicated for them to share their system unopposed and moderated entirely by them self, which quite fine. Hopefully, this will a nice safe place for Novak so he can feel comfortable in sharing much more information.

Here is the new home of the Anoxic Filtraiton System.

Also, another thread has been started to further discuss Novak's invention, that thread is Anoxic filters?

Ed:

The fact is I did not take the same path as Waddington did with the Eric Filter website. The difference is: I do not sell a product to the hobbyist to make money off of them. In fact, I sell nothing at all…but what I do is educate the hobbyist to make an astute decision on filtration methods, bacteria colonization of filter mediums and the dynamics of ponds and filters alike. It really doesn’t matter to me if you use an AFS or not, it’s your money so spend it the way you please. What matters to me that you educate yourself in pond dynamic so others don’t take advantage of you during a pond/filter sale and preserve the wellbeing of the animals that you’re playing God over! Remember these Koi did not ask to be your pets; you made that decision for them without their consent. Waddington on the other hand, is trying to sell you his filter to feed his family; I’m not!

I don’t mind having to answer true questions that pertain to ponds and filters, if the quarry of the question is not associated with an agenda of badgering or trying to undermine what I say with inappropriate, misleading and nonfactual questions that tries to discredit the science that is being taught in universities around the world.  It is not my job to take those that think they know everything in aquatic microbiology and bring them up to speed with a college level of thinking. Many hobbyist(s) use anecdotal information incorrectly formatted to show others their intelligence. Hence, the name saying, badgering and intimidation to others persist when they do not get their way on Internet forums. Though some may look at this blog as a safe haven without reprisal or opposition, I look at it as a tool to educate those that want without disruption from those that can.

Read my blog below and see how bad it can get:

http://anoxicfiltrationsystem.blogspot.com/2014/03/ive-read-what-i-can-find-online-about.html

As humans we like to look important in the eyes of our peers, even if it cost the embarrassment of those we are trying to belittle in the process. The Internet now endows those with very little power, with cyberspace power of unlimited quantities of self-indulging manifestations by super über egos.

Science is always open to discussion and debate but only if the right periodical and fairness is applied to that questioning. A lot of questions and demands have been made of me that the same hobbyists would not get from a manufactures of filtration systems that they paid good money for. Try to get information about what kind of bacteria is in that little bottle/plastic container you just bought to inoculate your pond with. They will not tell you that it has coli forms of bacteria in it along with salmonellae pathogens, which fall under the facultative anaerobes! Because of the endowment of power that filter manufactures have, they will not give anyone the time of day just because you ask. However, these same hobbyists expected…no, demanded it of me! When their demands aren’t met, then the ignorance of trying to belittle me starts.

One hobbyist told me just last weekend that hobbyists did not want to  educate themselves by reading, but to remain ignorant, so other hobbyists could show them the way of ponding and forgo the latter. If I really thought his statement was true, them this blog is useless and I shouldn’t squander my time writing another word.

Remember Charles Dickens quote: Beware of these two children, this boy is ignorance and the girl is want, but most of all beware of this boy. The internet can turn too many hobbyists into that boy of ignorance or that girl of want if we let it! After 25 years of fighting with that boy and girl, I have decided to take the path that leads to people that really yearn for knowledge of what science has to offer them and not what someone thinks you should know because they, not you, can't embrace thinking out of the box. Albert Einstein said: “The significant problems that we have cannot be solved at the same level of thinking with which we created them.” An AFS is a new answer to a very old problem, but it is the hobbyist(s) that needs to change their way of thinking, not I.

 

Our anachronistic ways of ponding must come to an end, e.g., Veggie filters, Bog Filters 1, Bio Fall Filters and others that do not meet the standers for Koi ponds but only those of water garden ponds. Nevertheless, with slick sale pitches and advertising the hobbyist will never escape what they think is new with what is really the same old product just in a different package. For example: Ceramic filter medias 2 under several different names (Much like that of a sponge media but made instead of ceramic, at least with a sponge you can wring it out, not so ceramic.) that have been brought out several times now in the past 40-years in the hobbyist world only to fail each time with clogging and disappointment in the end. Ceramic Rings, ceramic bricks, or whatever new shape they take on it’s all the same. The argument of these filter mediums will continue on forums both aquariums and ponds for years to come if a hobbyist just doesn't start thinking out of the box.

1) There are no real Bog filters in pond use today, it is a misnomer for a Veggie Filter; bogs are not fish friendly environments because they are just too acidic. For those that have never seen a real working Bog Filter, contact your local university or community college. Most botany departments will have a working bog on hand as a learning tool and once you see how it works and why, you will never call your Veggie filter a Bog filter again.

2) Here is a quote from an Internet site about ceramic media. The last paragraph says it all-"if you have a good cleaning routine"- and also don’t forget you must and this cannot be emphasized enough, "have a good mechanical filtration to prevent that gunk from coating (clogging) the ceramics."

 

QUOTE:

 

"The challenge with ceramic rings and porous material is keeping it clean from gunk, so that water can still pass through, that is why you need good mechanical filtration to prevent that gunk from coating the ceramics.

Most manufacturers will also recommend changing out ceramics, although in most of our experience it's not really needed, but again if the ceramics are getting clogged, the effective surface area gets diminished over time. If you have a good cleaning routine, and a good layering setup in your filter, this should keep your ceramics usable for many years."

[Ed: I like the usage of the word “challenge” by the hobbyist in this quote. Keeping any ceramic clean and free from detritus is quite a challenge at that. Whenever you see the word challenge connected with a filter media, that’s a red flag to stay away from it unless you’re willing to dedicate some time with that media keeping it clean.]

 

I've read what I can find online about Anoxic filtration, which is quite a little bit, and I'm fascinated and excited about the concept.

Email today 03-13-14

Hi Dr. Novak,

I've read what I can find online about Anoxic filtration, which is quite a little bit, and I'm fascinated and excited about the concept. It is amazing the amount of resistance and downright rudeness on the forums that you have experienced against embracing this method of filtration. I guess I shouldn't be too surprised though, history shows there has always been much resistance against accepting new scientific discoveries.

I have to admit even as I read with fascination about the concept I was skeptical myself that something so seemingly simple could be so effective. The results I have read about though, speak for themselves.

I wanted to read your book, and although I have a PC I jumped through the hoops to sign up for an account to iTunes hoping there was a way to make it work. I managed to download the file to my computer but can't find a way to open it. It plainly states the requirements needed to open the file, which I don't have, but I thought maybe Apple had provided a way to convert or read the file on a PC, since they allowed opening an iTunes account on a PC. Am I missing something? Is there a way to open the file on my PC, or is there another file type available somewhere where I could view it?

My plans are to try this filtration method out this spring, and have started gathering up the needed supplies. Hopefully I can participate in, and contribute my experience on your blog.

Thanks so much for what you have shared,

Ed.: Name withheld

Hi ---------,

 

Thanks for the very kind words and yes you’re right, a lot of hobbyist I guess I rub the wrong way!

 

I just read on Extreme Koi forum from the UK a hobbyist saying QUOTE: with user name of: JohnKitching: "I really, really, really hate that Dr. Novak!"... "And hope the Anoxic filtration system fails!" WOW! Very vindictive words and for what reason I don’t know. Yet the mediators of that sight let that sort of narcissistic mannerisms be posted, knowing that it is a condescending discriminatory comment to another forum member and let it go on without retribution. This however is very typical of hobbyist(s) on forums and for the past 25-years this kind of simplemindedness, plus death threats, that have been written on forums directed at me. All this is because I invented a filtration system…it just doesn’t make any sense does it? For the life of me I just can’t understand why so many are protesting about something they don’t understand. After all there are a lot of pond filters out there that have very big price tags with bad reputations already, or is it because the AFS is free. 

Tell me, if someone threatens with intent to cause harm to someone or even cause the threat of tort to others, that then is an unstable individual or Troll as they say and should not be allowed on a forum with a younger audience in attendance. It’s a bad message that, if adults can do it, then it’s okay for them (children) to pick on people they may not like too. And I thought Extreme Koi was a friendly forum! 

Don’t worry about my iTunes book on the Anoxic Filtration System because my blog actually has more information than the book does and most of the articles have been rewritten on my blog, too. 

Please let me know how things get along with your pond build and any information you send me I will gladly place on my blog to teach others along with myself.

 

 

Godspeed,

 

Kevin

 

 

The screenshot at bottom of page was taken from my iPad today of the UK forum extreme koi http://www.koiforum.co.uk .

The screenshot at bottom of page was taken from my iPad today of the UK forum extreme koi http://www.koiforum.co.uk  . If you look at the right of the page you will see that the Anoxic Filter is now occupying three of the post that the members are talking about. Once hobbyists become conscious of this technology, there is no stopping them from talking about it or implementing it on to their own ponds.

One of the posts is about “ Pond filter failure” and how a pond filter was turned off for sometime and the hobbyist needs advice on what to do. The advice given to the hobbyist is that he will have to start the nitrogen cycle all over again. If he was using an AFS he would just have to get the pump back online and that would be it. Maybe a water change, but the AFS would not die or need any inoculation even after it was off for weeks.

Read more about another hobbyist in the UK that the same thing happens to when his AFS was shutdown for a week by accident. http://anoxicfiltrationsystem.blogspot.com/2013/07/biocenosis-baskets-save-day.html

Darrell Goeken posted on Anoxic Filtration System's Facebook. 03/08/14

Darrell Goeken posted on Anoxic Filtration System's Facebook. 03/08/14

QUOTE:

"I've been using this system for over 5 years and am very pleased with my results. The AFS requires much less maintenance, and water changes. And the Water chemistry is more stable. I have Koi that are over 20 years old and weigh over 15 lbs. Great colors and conformation for pond mutts too."

Setting up and testing the Anoxic Filtration as told by dkoinut on Koiphen 2009. By: Darrell Goeken

Hi Dave: I have been using Kevin's Anoxic filtration system for over one and a half years, closer to two tears now and I believe I gave it a honest test. My pond is one of those pictured in your reference. I'm still using the Anoxic filter and am very pleased with it. I was a little leery at first because it took so long for my Anoxic filter to get up to full effectiveness, but I was way over stocked too. I also wanted to really abuse it to make sure it would do as he stated. I clean the anoxic filter and drain it twice per season: March and October. I only did 60% water changes spring and fall. (25% this year so far. )

Also I only replaced water used in flushing my bottom drain, and what was lost thru evaporation. I did this to abuse this filter to make sure it would keep up with my fish load. I currently have 26 Koi ranging from 10 to 28 inches. From standard charts, and I calculate a conservative 69 pound fish load. Until late last summer the load was much higher. I sold and gave away over 65 8" to12" Koi, and 8" the 20" to 22" inch range. I believe I also over feed my Koi I went threw 175 lbs of Koi staple pellets last year plus shrimp, many fruits, rice, night crawlers, silk worms, etc. My water quality has remained very stable. Much more so than when I used DIY up flow filters 440 gallons of them).

 Update as of 10/2008 from my water quality testing log-" After using the Anoxic filtration system for 1-1/2 seasons, I am convinced that it works very well as described by Kevin. And I'm very satisfied with mine. My water quality has remained very stable last year. And even with my very minimal water changes/ additions. pH 7.9 to 8.1 regardless of Time of day; 0.0 ammonia; 0.0 Nitrite; And nitrate has continued to drop to less than 5-ppm.I did a large 50% water change at start-up in March and otherwise, less than 2% per week till October. I did this as an extreme test, Next year, I'll probably do more 5 to 10% water changes." I believe this system is very effective on my "over stocked Koi pond". It did take longer to completely remove nitrites. 05/07 to 05/08. Like all Koi ponds, this filter needs clean water, so a pre-filter/ mechanical filter is a must. I would also say that labor requirements was reduced by at least 50%

There are 3 pictures of my pond and filter in Dave’s reference link. Mt first is the rectangular concrete block pond. It’s actually a bit over 7000 gallons. Then there are 2 pictures of my anoxic filter. I tried to copy/ past but the photos wouldn't come thru. Anyway, they're about 3/4 down on the first page.

I just got my greenhouse cover off the pond yesterday, but did clean the filter pond last month. Marsh Marigolds are blooming up a storm and the water irises are also growing like crazy. Most of these systems mine included are flow thru so cleaned and filtered water flows from the filter pond to the Koi pond.

This is the Anoxic pond. 5.4 ft wide by 9.4 ft long and 28 inches deep, and about 915 gallons. I have the bog plants on elevated platforms. And there are a total of 54 biocenosis clarification pots, with about 20 planted. Way more than is required. My water lilies and other plants bloom nonstop all summer and grow like crazy. I have to repot after 2 years, or the plants will destroy the pots, and all without adding commercial fertilizer.

TracenBec. You can add a few Koi immediately, just keep a close check on Ammonia and nitrites and if they're high add a binder to protect your Koi. In my case, I had a very heavy fish load from the start. I didn't get the filter pond completed until August 2007 and had readings of ammonia and nitrite for remainder of the summer. I thought the filter would cycle in 4 to 6 weeks as my sand and gravel filters had done. I didn't get zero readings until the end of May or early June of 2008. This was my fault for assuming faster cycling and for not having other bio filtering on the pond at that time.

My Koi ranged from 8" to 28" inches at that time. Since this was a test I did very few water changes or additions as this plus having a plant pond were my 2 main concerns with this filter. I consider myself a dedicated Koi hobbyist but most of my friends are water gardeners and don't want to spend too much time on pond maintenance and water changes, so the test was to see how well this filter would work. And for me the answer is exceptionally well, once it's cycled. And it is also very important to provide the cleanest water possible. That is no or very little suspended wastes since the filter is only cleaned 2X per pond season.

My pond in the CD photos is the concrete block pond. It is to be hoped that I'll get the tile or stone on to make it more presentable this year. This filter should work very well for your pond. Good luck and have fun.

SOMETHING ABOUT D•KOI•NUT

Living in a state that has as inclement weather as Illinois does. The “dkoinut” as he is better known on Koiphen and other Koi forums, is an experienced Koi and pond hobbyist. It is no secret that he is all over the Internet helping other hobbyist live a better pond life. However, one thing that you can take to the bank; Darrell is definitely a straight shooter when it comes to letting hobbyist know just how it really is. Because of his stringent military background, he E-mailed me every week to let me know good or bad how the filter was doing. He also published his findings not only on the Internet, but also in his club newsletter for all members to read. -Ed.

Darrell, he is the president of the MVWGS Koi club in Iowa and he takes this hobby very seriously...

I made this club badge up for MVWGS many years ago for them.

Yogas' Koi pond using the Anoxic Filtration System

 

QUOTE FROM YOGAS yesterday 03/07/14 or 07/03/14

   “Last night I just added 6 more Biocenosis Clarification Baskets to my pond. Just couldn't get enough of it. My Koi are growing well now, and maintenance is only needed for the mechanical filter, that too depends only on how clean (turbidity) I want the pond to be. If only there were a mechanical filtration system as effective, cheap and maintenance‎ free as the Anoxic Filtration System, I'm sure a whole lot more people could join the hobby and truly enjoy it!”

Best regards,

Yogas

http://anoxicfiltrationsystem.blogspot.com/2013/10/yogas-anoxic-filter-build-part-2.html

http://anoxicfiltrationsystem.blogspot.com/2013/07/meanwhile-there-is-another-question-i.html

http://anoxicfiltrationsystem.blogspot.com/2014/03/yogas-koi-pond-using-anoxic-filtration.html

New URL for Anoxic Filtration Blog.

My deepest apologies to everyone for changing the URL to my blog but I had to pull the trigger on this one sooner or latter. But when I first started this blog after the closing of KKU (Koi Keepers Unleashed) I knew then a proper URL would someday have to be implemented and not just some “drklnovak” which is not Google or Bing friendly and does not represent the contents of this blog whatsoever.

The new URL is:

Http://anoxicfiltrationsystem.blogspot.com

  It’s a little more intuitive and gives people right off the bat the information they need to know where they are going and what to expect. The drklnovak tells them nothing in advance and it became a guessing game at what this was and how this would represent this blog.

 I’m trying now to get all URL’s organized on the blog and internet and hopefully it will become more Bing and Google friendly as the New Year and warmer weather prevails.

So, too all my readers, I give many thanks.

Kevin