Q&A: Yogas aquatic microbiology class 101

Q&A: Yogas aquatic microbiology class 101

Hello Dr.Kevin,

Hope everything is going well for you. I must say, your post on October 11^th further enlightened me on how the eradicate cyanobacteria in the pond. I admit it wasn’t an easy read for me, and to help myself to better understand, I tried to break down the points you were delivering (according to my understanding and limitations) and see the relation between each point. Within some of the points I made, lead to some questions, which I hope you can help me out with. The points are as follow:

     1. Cyanobacteria will happen in certain times in ponds due to high levels of nutrients within the bulk water. The problem will be difficult to overcome when intervention is late.

     2. Late intervention enables cyanobacteria to become independent from nutrients from the bulk water.

     3. The hobbyist is to blame for the high level of nutrients.

     4. Cyanobacteria start to develop on surfaces where the bulk water is high in nutrients.

     5. Cyanobacteria spores end up where the flow is the slowest.

     6. The Anoxic Filter’s first function is as a settlement chamber, it is here where the spores and detritus should settle down.

     7. The Biocenosis baskets within the anoxic filter function as nutrient magnets/absorbers. Cyanobacteria will develop here and keep developing until there are not enough nutrients left, and then they will start to die off.

     8. To ensure spores do not settle in the pond, a good circulation must be created

     9. Good circulation within the pond, a good pre filter and the taking out of nutrients by the BB’s would increase the pond’s ORP.

    10. Limiting dissolved organic carbon by proper gas off and avoid using alkalinity controllers.

    11. Frequently rinse prefilter to reduce organics and carbons.

Questions:

1.    Related to point No.2, if our pond has already become infested by cyanobacteria, will an AFS still be able to solve the problem? If yes, is it mainly because of the settling of spores in the AFS or a combination of point No’s. 9,10 and11?

There is no way to stop cyanobacteria from infiltrating ones pond because the spores can be brought in by many different ways, eventually every pond will have a plague of it sooner or later and that’s just the way it is. Containment is the key word here and without containment then everything in your pond will get covered with it. The Anoxic Filtration System (AFS) does just that; it will contain it to one location by design. The diffusion of water going into the AFS serves many purposes and one of them is holding cyanobacteria at bay until the filters bacteria can use the available foodstuff that also feeds the cyanobacteria too. That’s why I recommend a good prefilter to stop any organics that could become another foodsource for cyanobacteria to feast on. Your AFS is still considered to be new or an immature filtration system right now and the chemical and biological processes are still not complete. There is a lot more going on than just the nitrogen cycle inside a Biocenosis Baskets (BB) unlike other filters; ion exchange is one of them. Other filters do this to some degree but then those processes are slowed down or blocked altogether as time goes on but not so the AFS. AFS do not clog so those ion exchange mediators never shutdown like conventional filtration systems do. You will get more to this question as you read on to the next questions.  

2.   Related to point No.7, what causes the depletion of nutrients? Is it the development of facultative bacteria within the BB’s outnumbering the cyanobacteria for nutrients, proper gas off (point No.10), competition between cyanobacteria, frequent rinsing (point No.11) or do all the mentioned contribute and have roughly the same level of contribution?

The nutrients you speak of are in organic and nonorganic ion form and the BB’ s are trying to use whatever ions that come their way inside the BB’s. But diffusion is slow and cyanobacteria growth is very fast comparatively speaking. Once the AFS bacteria catch up to the amount of available foodstuffs or insults that enters the baskets and pond then you will have more efficient nutrient users that then will use the available carbon dioxide, nitrates, and phosphates. All these ions unfortunately are a food for cyanobacteria too but now the bacteria inside the BB’s are too competitive and the cyanobacteria dies out form the overabundance of heterotrophic bacteria. Remember, we are talking about trillions of cells that have to establish a BB and that will take time for those nutrient users to compete with such a fast growing bacteria like cyanobacteria or purple photosynthetic bacteria. Think of it this way: How can you compete with something that can make its own food supply, to something that has to wait for its food to come to them first.

When the weather gets cold like it does here in the US, the heterotrophic bacteria go dormant until temperatures and food availability gets back to normal once again. However, in early springtime when temperatures start increasing very slowly and late autumn when the temperature begins to drop once again the heterotrophic bacterium slows down, the cyanobacteria now becomes more competitive and growth supersedes that of the heterotrophic bacteria. It seem that the cyanobacteria is not affected by temperatures as much as autotrophic and heterotrophic bacteria are. Better utilization of available foodstuff!  Forget about autotrophic bacteria altogether because now it is almost useless because of slower reproduction times becoming slower yet or stopping altogether. The BB’s are making N2 and carbon dioxide still and that is what feeds the officious cyanobacteria.

In your pond with the old filtration system like you had also made carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrates, and phosphates. But the bacteria’s utilization of such was not that good or made it as a byproduct and all went back into solution once again without containment. These available ions in solution now made everything in the pond an accessible holding ground for the cyanobacteria to live, multiply and feed on.

Heterotrophic bacteria will have a shorter reproduction time compared to autotrophic bacteria and therefore will out compete that of the cyanobacteria if given the right environment to live on. The AFS now provides that for then and since both bacteria use the same foodstuff the competition is too great for the cyanobacteria and the bacteria/cells eventually die or go dormant once again. This change of events will keep happening year after year with the change of seasons.

 If however you maintain a 70F˚ temp all year-round in your pond and the cyanobacteria comes back…then you’re doing something wrong with pond husbandry or overfeeding to the point that your AFS is too small for your pollution input and you are now overwhelming the filtration system with particulate organic carbon, organic and inorganic constituents. 

3.   Related to point No.10, from what I recall, within the biocenosis baskets CO2 is produced, but carbons are also produced in prefilter. So where is it best to gas off these carbons? Is it after the prefilter but prior to the Anoxic Filter, after the anoxic filter but prior to the prefilter (meaning waterfall and aeration in the pond) or both? For my case where there are biocenosis baskets in chambers where the flow has not yet been diffused, would it be okay to add aerations in those chambers to gas off carbons? Would aeration have any effect on the anoxic zone within the biocenosis baskets?

Carbon availability along with oxygen in the form of ions is there in the BB’s and is used as an electron acceptor by the heterotrophic bacteria. However, any excess is best to be gassed off in the main pond by air, waterfalls or agitation the ponds surface.

 Prefilter is just that: Mechanical filters that need to be cleaned before bacteria can break down the organic compounds and make more carbon to go back into solution. In your case, adding air inside any chamber/s without the BB’s would gas off any CO2 before the AFS, but this is not mandatory to do so. Once again this is also a two edges sword and gassing off too much CO2 can affect pH and drive it up to unacceptable levels without the CO2 buffering.

The AFS would not excise the available oxygen either and all available oxygen or most of it would go to the main pond for your animals. Cation: Do not use aeration in the AFS itself with the BB’s; you will upset the diffusion process of slow water movement in a wider mass and will disrupt the layering effect that's inside the AFS.

I look forward to your reply. One more thing, I’ve finally decided to buy an ORP Monitor, “American Marine Pinpoint ORP Monitor”, it should arrive by the first week of next month.

The Pinpoint ORP monitor is a good monitor; it’s too bad you didn’t have one before your conversion to the AFS it would be nice to see the comparison of the two filters.

 Thank you Dr.Novak,

Best regards,

Yogas 

To read more about cyanobacteria:

http://drklnovak.blogspot.com/2013/10/every-year-our-pond-gets-plagued-with.html

http://drklnovak.blogspot.com/2013/09/barley-straw-to-eradicate-blanket-weed.html

Houston, we 'have' had a problem." By: Shelly and her Anoxic filter build with new pond.

Houston, we have had a problem." By: Shelly, and her Anoxic filter build with new pond.

As of last Saturday evening, we had the two rocks 'outcrops' indicated on our design completed. We happily filled the pond, eager to continue our progress in the morning! But, by morning, the water level had dropped 16". We were SO disappointed, plus puzzled! And perplexed, faced with the potentially complex process of deduction. We were concerned, since nearly all the PVC runs are now underground. And a bit grumpy about the whole thing (me anyway... Rick never gets grumpy :). But, oh well. Nothing left to do but roll up our sleeves, locate the problem, and fix it. Late Sunday morning we closed all the valves and started draining the pond.

Longer story short: We finally found the 'mystery' leak after work yesterday. We were so relieved!! We actually had *two, which complicated and lengthened the process of deduction. Both were 'drop' punctures about the size of a quarter. We found the first one Monday, re-checking where a capstone had fallen in. Thankfully, PPL24 liner repairs so easily, and BTL Liners sends a 4"x12" repair strip with every shipment just for accidents like this. A healthy paranoia has now settled in: We pressure-tested all our PVC runs while the pond was empty again: tight as Scrooge!

So we're back on track! Should have the pond filled and ready to bed down for winter this weekend. I'll send an update with photos, a.s.a.p. Btw, It would have expressed blissful ignorance, considering there was a second puncture hole we had yet to realize or discover.

* "Rookie mistakes 101":   (see attached)

-- The very first time we filled the pond, the weight of the water pressed the liner into the wall, dragging a large, sharp, heavy capstone into the pond while we took a break for dinner. It had been holding the liner in place. We investigated, but obviously not very well, since we did not initially see the puncture.

-- Our 'mystery leak' was caused when a large boulder we'd set aside rolled into the pond during the night. It was one of the huge ones we needed the tractor to move, so we just left it there until we were ready for it. We did not realize a puncture had occurred. Should have placed that boulder more securely, and looked for damage more thoroughly!

I have been making Biocenosis baskets, both planted and unplanted, and photographing the process. I put the Laterite in nylons ('knee highs'... cheaper and less wasteful than full length) as you suggested to keep the Laterite segregated. Boy -- that works great, and makes the cutest little 1-cup balls! Also, for those with access to a WalMart, I can report that 1 bag of WalMart "Special Kitty" litter fills roughly 2.3 11" aquatic baskets. I'll put a PDF together and get it to you soon.

Shelly

...In scenic western Oregon

Brian Woodcock’s Anoxic Filter build from the UK Part-9 The Big Cleaning…

Yes it’s that time of the year again in the UK as well as in the US and the Anoxic Filter needs its 6-month cleaning. Brian’s innovation and foresight saved him lots of time cleaning the filter and he did something that increased his Anoxic filter availability to biological activities by 30%.

Brian placed some PVC pipes underneath his Biocenosis baskets to allow for easier cleaning of his filter but what he also did was create a Plenum. Now the word plenum may be new to some hobbyist but it is not new in the filtration world. Basically it is a gap underneath a substrate or medium filled with matter. Because the Biocenosis baskets are sitting on top of the PVC pipe, it now allows the bottom of the baskets to take in ions without hindrance. The water at the bottom of the Anoxic filter is moving slower than that on top of the baskets. The baskets themselves act like baffles to slow down the incoming water and ions.

The slower moving water on the very bottom now acts like a void or an empty space between baskets and pond liner. This then allows chemical and biological mediators on the bottomed of the baskets to process detritus better than just laying the basket directly on the liner itself. Whenever you can increase biological activity by the lack of restrictions you then can increase biological activities and in this case it’s by a whopping 30% better.

I also now see the error of my ways by not putting in a bottom drain in my Anoxic filter, too. No more sump pump or electricity to empty the filter, gravity and water presser does it all. Connecting a Lay-flat hosepipe to your drain makes it “a breeze” as Brian says. How long did it take Brian to clean his filter out start to finish…20 whole minutes! It takes me longer than that to clean a canister filter to a fish tank.

Run the Lay-flat hose to the drain and then started to drain the filter. Used a garden hose just to wash any crap to the bottom.

Then filled once clean... [Ed:Boy this looks so hard...NOT!]

Job all done...start to finish in about 20-mins. Just to add, I have taken a few plants out as I wasn't too keen on them and added another water lily with red flowers this time.

To read more about Brian’s Anoxic filter.

http://drklnovak.blogspot.com/2013/09/brian-woodcocks-anoxic-filter-build.html

Every year our pond gets plagued with string and hair algae. We check the pond several times a year and every time we check, the parameters of the pond show that we have no nitrates, and everything is within its limits. Could you please tell us why this nuisance algae keeps coming back year after year in our pond?

Q:

Every year our pond gets plagued with string and hair algae. We check the pond several times a year and every time we check, the parameters of the pond show that we have no nitrates, and everything is within its limits. Could you please tell us why this nuisance algae keeps coming back year after year in our pond?

A:

Cyanobacteria; these polyonymous bacteria are very misunderstood Blue-green algae’s, known by many hobbyists as blanket weed, string and/or hair algae (for all practical purposes the terms blanket weed, string algae, Blue-green algae or hair algae are a metonymy meant for Cyanobacteria) will eventually plague everybody’s pond at some time. It is often difficult to overcome because the pond hobbyists failed to understand its cycle and the exigency of the situation, so they wait far too long to intervene. Its long, soft, and hair-like strands can swiftly cover an extensive area. Not only does it become independent of bulk water nutrients once established, trap detritus and/or debris can add further nutrients to the water column. This algae, is bacteria, which many botanists classify as Blue-green algae, this particular bacteria belonging to the kingdom Prokaryote which means “before the nucleus,” and all other algae classified in the kingdom Protista. 

The cells of Blue-green algae form strands and lack a distinct nucleus, which contains no DNA inside. Instead, their DNA is simply floating around freely in the cells, not contained in a discrete organelle. Bacterial DNA is primary contained in chromosomes, just like ours, although structures called plasmids contain bacterial DNA, as well. Unlike animals, bacterial cells also have a cell wall, which differs from that of plants in the types of proteins that make up the cell wall. 

Cyanobacteria contain chlorophyll a, which gives it a greenish color, but they also contain blue and/ or red lipid soluble pigments (coloring matter). Many species can take nitrogen from the air, convert it into compounds called nitrates, and therefore help fertilized soil and water. Blue-green algae’s can use low light levels, contrary to what most hobbyists believe. Most Blue-green algae reproduce only by cell division and tiny spores packets called “sporangia” that form along its hair-like strands. When these packages mature, they burst open and release spores that settle and grow into “gametophytes,” which look like small green bubbles. When these bubbles mature, they released male or female cells that eventually unite and form a “zygote,” which is the base unit for the growth of a new structure of hair algae. 

Many hobbyists are accustomed to Blue-green algae forming a slippery dark coating over rocks and boulders on their waterfalls. Eutrophication of pond water has a large part in the growth rate of cyanobacteria. Unlike our ponds that may become eutrophic in one or two seasons, lakes, and ponds naturally become eutrophic over hundreds or thousands of years. The actual cause of warping the ecology of a pond and accelerating it into eutrophication are humans, this activity is called cultural eutrophication. Therefore, in a way, we have no one else to blame but ourselves, when it comes to hair alga problems. 

 Our ponds support a natural cycle of life processes. The bacteria of decay breakdown the waste of fish and other organisms, releasing such nutrients as carbon dioxide, nitrate, and phosphate. The hobbyists upset this natural balance when he or she adds too many animals to the ponds bulk water and by overfeeding with foods that contains phosphates. Many of the excess of nutrients that enters the bulk water and causes problems come from the filtration system itself. Often, pond hobbyists wonder why these growths persist when their nitrate and/or phosphates levels appear to be very low to nonexistent. They exist because once established the cyanobacteria growth need little or no nutrients from the bulk water. They simply make their own nitrogen and phosphate needs in and below their base structures with the hobbyists providing little else but a preferred environment with which to live. In addition, initial growth is usually in an area that are next to a small amount of nutrients found on or in rock crevices and gravel bottoms, or on the sides of the pond walls where nutrients are abundant in bulk water. Therefore, it is wiser to have nutrient users initially, than nutrient sources and no means to dispose of them.  

However, this is not as easy as it sounds. Cyanobacteria grows best in nutrient rich systems, and where very low or no flow areas exists in the pond. Spores are much like detritus (particulate organic carbon [POC], organic and inorganic particles), and end up where the flow is the slowest. Cyanobacteria are the only known group of organisms that are able to reduce nitrogen and carbon in aerobic conditions. The water-oxidizing photosynthesis is accomplished by coupling the activity of photosystems (protein complexes involved in photosynthesis) PS-II and PS-I (Z-scheme; the light dependent reaction, which converts solar energy into chemical energy). In anaerobic conditions, they are also able to use only PS-I — cyclic photophosphorylation — with electron donors other than water (hydrogen sulfide, thiosulfate, or even molecular hydrogen) just like purple photosynthetic bacteria.  

Cyanobacteria also have the ability to reduce elemental sulfur by anaerobic respiration in the dark. A unique aspect of these organisms is that their photosynthetic electron transport shares the same compartment as the components of respiratory electron transport. It is the hyracoid membrane

(The site of the light-dependent reactions of photosynthesis.) hosts both respiratory and photosynthetic electron transport, while the plasma membrane contains only components of the respiratory chain. 

It is also a fact that Cyanobacteria have developed the ability to scavenge nitrogen from the atmospheric dinitrogen (N2) gas often dissolved in water. This nitrogen is made from the Biocenosis clarification baskets in the Anoxic filtration system from Dissimulative Denitrification. This is one reason that the filtration system may become full of Cyanobacteria but the ponds main body stays clear of such. Nitrogen is one of the building blocks of amino acids and necessary to living organisms. However, even though nitrogen makes up 78% of the atmosphere, it is locked away. This is also one way to tell if your Anoxic filter is working properly and making N2 before the filter can eradicate the cyanobacteria. 

Cyanobacteria are able to break apart the molecule of dinitrogen and capture the nitrogen gas by way of Nitrogenous enzymes. Nitrogenous enzyme molecules are very large, complex enzymes, built of two twisted and balled-up proteins, which combine and recombine to convert a molecule of N2 to two molecules of usable ammonia (NH3). Though Nitrogenous enzymes enable conversion of atmospheric nitrogen so that it can be employed in life processes, it is ineffective in the presence of oxygen. To protect the Nitrogenous from oxygen, many nitrogen-capturing Cyanobacteria (usually of the filamentous variety) have developed special nitrogen-fixing cells called Heterocyst encased in thickened cell walls. Because of this ability, low nitrate levels are generally not the key to stopping this plague. Removing hydrogen sulfate producing obligatory anaerobic bacteria in ponds is very important as well; this is more pragmatic with rocks and stone at the bottom of ponds sitting on the pond liner surface. There is also a correlation between setting up a pond this way and that of Blue Green alga plagues. 

The Anoxic Filtration System designed specifically to deal with cyanobacteria especially in early spring and late fall when nutrients are at their peak. Because the water is defused in the filtration system where the flow rates are slower over a wider mass, will then act as a massive settlement chamber for detritus and the spores of cyanobacteria. If the filtration system is set up correctly these nutrients rich waters will never mix with the ponds main bulk water. As hair algae and string algae begin to form in the filtration system, the system will now begin to work overtime by (increasing the number of bacteria related to nutrients) eradicate the nutrients that are now in the system. These particular filtration systems will get loaded full of hair algae, but the main pond stays algae free and crystal-clear. When the filtration waters become nutrient poor, the cyanobacteria will then die off. 

In the more commonly used filtration systems which water is being forced through the filter medium, nutrient runoff, redistributes the waste and further adds to nutrient accumulation mixing with bulk water and everything in the pond becomes covered with hair and string algae. The nutrients are not being contained in any one particular place; therefore, the entire pond becomes a nutrient rich environment for cyanobacteria. For the hobbyists this means doing whatever it takes to maintain phosphate below 0.015- ppm and nitrates below 15-ppm. Since each pond is as different as Koi are, it is difficult to say just what needs to be corrected and how. Many pond-hobbyists to eradicate hair algae will want to use antibiotics, but this should be avoided. Most antibiotics interfere with proteins in some way, including the structural and transportation molecules in the cell wall, and enzymes, which are responsible for the breakdown, synthesis, and transportation of substances through the cell. The use of antibiotics such as

Tetracycline, Penicillin, or Erythromycin sulfate may eradicate these unwanted algae (aka: Cyanobacteria) the first time, but further problem blooms may persistently plague the pond, because of the bacteria mutating, creating a bacterium into a superbug and therefore become less susceptible to the antibiotics. You would be better off trying to get to the root of the problem than to be administering antibiotics into the pond. In addition, remember that antibiotics negatively affect biological filtration and can disrupt or even wipeout the biological filter in our ponds, depending on the condition in the filter and how much antibiotic were used. 

Here are some helpful hints on trying to overcome Blue-Green alga plagues:

1. Electrolytes and minor trace elements such as magnesium and calcium are useful. This cannot be over emphasized enough to the hobbyist.

2. Adding an Ultraviolet Sterilizer (Very effective, not just for sterilization, but for Redox which plays a role in controlling bacterial Blue Green algae). The key for any UV unit to be effective is for proper installation of such, with a well-designed unit, not a poorly designed unit (often made by some manufacturers with cheap ineffective UV lamps). Make sure your flow does not exceed 30-gph per watt (less is better) and that you have a good flow pattern in your pond. This means trying to avoid any and all dead spots in the pond. Sometimes adding air-stones and/ or more water movement by pumps will do the trick. Do not think that a small 300-gph pump is going to move enough water to make a difference in all but the smallest of aquatic environments, it won’t. Buy yourself one or two of the Laguna Max-Flo 2900 pumps. These pumps will move 2900-gph and only use about 130 watts of electricity. Increasing circulation and dissolved oxygen is extremely important. These Prokaryote Bacteria do not do as well in a well oxygenated and/or circulated environment. 

3. Improving the Redox Potential, this is often missed; however this is an important part of the equation. 

4. Cutback on feedings and improve the quality of food you feed your fish. This again will cut back on excessive nutrients. You want to aim for less ammonia (not necessarily nitrates due to the properties of Cyanobacteria), which is the result of poorly digested food. 

5. Cutting back on the amount of sunlight that the pond receives a day, although this is often recommended for the eradication of Cyanobacteria, this is often not effective, and the Blue- Green alga will overcome such an impediment. The reason is as stated above that Cyanobacteria have the ability to reduce elemental sulfur by anaerobic respiration in the dark. 

6. As with all ponds, limiting dissolved organic carbon can help, but the bacteria-algae is capable of consuming all the carbon needed derived from CO2. It is therefore important, to ensure a proper gas-off by water movement and adjustments of water flow. The more oxygen created, the better the degassing effect. Pond additives, such as alkalinity controllers, contain bicarbonates. Bicarbonates convert into CO2, thus adding to the carbon levels. This also explains why Cyanobacteria are a common problem in saltwater aquariums. 

7. Pre-filtration such as a well maintained (frequently rinsed) pre-filter can reduce organics and thus carbon. Skimmers are effective tools, but need to be maintained frequently. Understanding the needs of cyanobacteria goes a long way in the battle of unwanted Blue-green algae. It does not mean that the hobbyists will necessarily win this particular battle once it has begun, but if the hobbyists could prevent the battle to begin with then he or she has accomplished a major victory in the battlegrounds of their biotope.

         Cyanobacteria growing on the Biocenosis baskets inside the Anoxic filter.

However it will not last long and if I had my druthers, which I do, I would choose my cyanobacteria to be in my filter and not my pond.

Ardy's update on his Anoxic filter...Day 31

Hi Dr. Kevin,

Latest update.... day 31

 

Last week I decided to change my DIY Blue barrel filters because I cannot put the Biocenosis baskets into a 150-cm high barrel (about 55- US gallons), it just will not work because it is too troublesome to put then in and take them out again or do maintenance. So I started searching for some replacement containers and found some 150-liter plastic box containers that are a perfect fit for 3 X 2 BB in one row. Plus the BB’s can be stacked for future expansion of the Anoxic filter if needed and still keeping maintenance easy. 

I had planned to do the switchover today and get the 150-liter containers in place but alas Murphy’s Law set in [Ed: Murphy's Law is an adage or epigram that is typically stated as: "Anything that can go wrong will go wrong"]... last night something bad happened. All my Koi are now at the surface looking for oxygen under the fountain/waterfall. I quickly went into action and started doing a large water change in hopes that the Koi will survive through another night.  

 I believe this is due to: 

1) A bad mechanical filter (Using Bio-balls in the first barrel; bad decision... detritus trapped in Bio-balls which then overtime kept building up to unacceptable levels and probably adding more Ammonia to the system and  on top of all that, cannot readily backwash the Bio-balls using pressurized water so it never really got cleaned like it should.) 

2) Using only 8 small BB for 13 Koi was really stretching it. (I wanted to add more BB but it was not feasible using the Blue barrels.) This was the only Biofilter I had because Bio-balls were washed every day. 

3) The last 2 days I change my Koi food to Hi growth food, which I normally use a balance diet food but was out of stock when I tried to buy more and overfeeding the Koi.  With the food change and also the overfeeding, suddenly an algae bloom was the outcome. [Ed: Algae blooms are a sign that Ammonia/ammonium is now in abundance because algae like higher order of plants use ammonia/ammonium as a foodsource. Cyanobacteria are a nitrogen loving bacteria and are not to be confused with plants or algae and can make their own foodsource at their base or take Nitrogen from the air. ] 

Anyway, this morning after the water change all of my Koi are fine now so I quickly took them out of the pond and put them in holding tanks and proceeded to wash and clean the pond to get rid of the algae (100% water change). Then I proceeded to install my new DIY Anoxic filter from the containers I bought and put in 19 BBs (8 old and 11 new, want to do 24 BB but ran out of JBL). In the meantime I’m using a canister filter with sponge for my prefilter, but in the near future I’m planning to add a DIY sieve, and will add some more BB a.s.a.p. that will then add up to 24-BB in all. 

 

Ardy