Mike il, Got this off a website. This is more "scientific" explanation of ""unhealthy spring bacteria level phenom"" Bacterial Infections : (The following is meant to be a very simple explanation of why bacterial infections occur and how to treat them. For a more detailed discussion see "Koi Health and Disease" by Dr. Erik L. Johnson, D.V.M.) The two most common bacteria that cause problems on koi fish are Aeromonas and Pseudomonas. Both of these bacteria are naturally occurring and are found in all pond and lake water. These bacteria are non existent in tap water because chlorine is added to kill any bacteria. Never the less, you can start up a brand new pond with tap water and within 3 weeks after the chlorine has evaporated, you will find at least a low level of these bacteria in your water. Normally, in a clean healthy pond, the levels of bacteria are so low that they will not cause a problem on their own. The outer slime coat or epidermis normally protects the fish from these harmful bacteria. The most common reason koi experience a bacterial infection is when their slime coat or epidermal layer is broken and the bacteria is allowed to infect the koi. These sores can grow very quickly if they are not treated. SO... Aeromonas and Pseudomonas are camping in my pond at high levels at present. My skimmer is off-line; waiting on a pump that will arrive tomorrow. Recently received an UV unit and I'll put that into the system this weekend. Water quality has been good, but water clarity will improve greatly with the UV. Just today the good bacteria was balancing because I could see more than 1 foot into my pond, caused by green water. From now on I will keep at least a .10 salt level in my pond to help ward off nasties. this too will pass, LP

SC are usually sized to the size of the pond although someone on this forum uses the microscreen method you mentioned. A lot of people use a 55 gal drum buried in the ground. I tried that method but found I didn't get enough settling so I built a liner sc last year. Mine is 42" square, 24" deep on the sides with each side sloping to the bottom which is 36" deep(kinda like triangle sides)hold about 250-300 gals depending on how full it is. When running it draws down about 2" from the top of the chamber. The sides are actually 1" higher than the maximum full of the pond. Even though it's not a round settling chamber I get alot of stuff settling out on the bottom. I do not have a drain in the bottom of mine as had no where to drain the water and also have to worry about pipes freezing. I use a sump pump to drain it and the sc for water changes due to chloramines in our water. I also lined the chamber with 2 x 12 green lumber to the 24" depth to give extra support to the chamber. This was covered with carpet and then the liner. I made bed folds in the liner on the corners and taped them. Intake is 18" down from the top of the chamber with pipe boot fitting through the liner to the sc pipe and out is about 14" down for the pump side.4" bd line but reduced to 3" near the chamber for the knife valve--could find three inch knife valves here so that's the method I chose. 4" valves are very pricey and the valve is very handy when you need to drain the chamber. Sc is plumbed to a Sequence 750 4200 which draws about 2500 gals per hour. The remainder is drawn from the skimmer line. I have a retrofit bd (due to freezing again) which has a fernco on the pond side to remove the drain for winter. I capped the lines in the sc for winter and left it full of water, overwintered a lily in the bottom which is just starting to grow. This is the method I used hope it helps. With a cone shape and liner you will have lots of folds to deal with!

Hi, Thanks very much for your responses. - Everyone I've spoken with, and you've confirmed, that one zone per floor makes sense. If I'm missing anything else about "zones", please let me know! - How much should it cost to go from 2 zones to 4? - We are definitely going to put in all new ductwork. Is there anything here that I should be aware about or ask for? Any sites (besides GW) to get more knowledge on this area so I can ensure we get the ducts sized properly? - Good comments on getting more info on the geo wells, piping, etc. Will do. - Can I get a Manual J done even if the house is under construction? Framing is almost done, but the exterior work is not complete, and so it's open to the elements right now. - Yes, we have a natural gas furnace and electric AC in the house. It appears that a NG furnace was installed in 2007. The unit is a Lennox Signature Collection, model CX34-62D-6F. We also have an electric hot water heater, AO Smith ProMax Plus, model FCG 75 300. Does it make sense to re-use these or upgrade? Obviously, the furnace will be out if we go with geo. - Here's a summary of our NG and electricity rates. I hope I'm doing this correctly -- taking the bill amount and dividing by the energy used. Some months may need to be taken out because the numbers are too high/low. Please note that we have not lived in the house, so this is what we were paying for several months before construction commenced. So I would expect actual usage, and thus our bills, to be higher, but I guess that the cost per unit would be somewhat proportional. Natural Gas Monthly Charge / Therms Used / All-In Cost Per Therm $18.06 / 5.1 / $3.54 $16.76 / 5.1 / $3.29 $51.90 / 32.5 / $1.60 $78.53 / 57.7 / $1.36 $339.62 / 314.7 / $1.08 $362.71 / 321.1 / $1.13 $184.41 / 154.8 / $1.19 $81.98 / 60.4 / $1.36 $66.62 / 47.4 / $1.41 $18.45 / 7.1 / $2.60 $16.18 / 5.1 / $3.17 $1.97 average Electricity Monthly Charge / KWH Used / All-In Cost Per KWH $285.18 / 1757 / $0.16 $137.36 / 786 / $0.17 $77.44 / 416 / $0.19 $57.91 / 316 / $0.18 $66.29 / 382 / $0.17 $86.87 / 524 / $0.17 $61.02 / 341 / $0.18 $24.50 / 76 / $0.32 $25.22 / 80 / $0.32 $38.34 / 73 / $0.53 $21.23 / 53 / $0.40 $32.62 / 140 / $0.23 $0.25 average - It must not be code on my state (MD) to have each floor zoned. Our bids have been for two zones (on per system, one system covering basement and first floor, second system covering second and third floors), or for four zones (running off two systems). - Thanks for the heads up on the tax credits. My husband is tracking these, so I'll make sure he knows this. - The addition is on a loggia, not crawl space. So the basement is a walk-out basement, and the loggia will in effect extend the basement, and then the kitchen/family room addition will be above this, and our master bedroom addition above that. It's at the back of the house. Here's an early photo so you get the idea. The house is brick, and the addition will be part brick, part clapboard. - I am trying to learn what an HRV is, so am looking into this. - If it's not a good idea to go with spray foam insulation, let me know! Thanks for the info on what type would be good. - More thoughts on what system to go with, pricing, etc.?? THANKS AGAIN!!

Rjoh - Thanks I printed this & will go over it w/mason - what a great help!!! the kind i really need Pinoke, Not only are you a wonderful reference - you are HYSTERICAL - I could not stop laughing reading your post ... it is just my kind of humor - I have to have my husband read this, he will die - His claim is "family, people you would not ordinarily be associated with" coupled with "i hate people" - nice .. I can picutre your MIL with glasses, pearls and bucket, resting in or floating in peace - too funny I didn't go into lurid details re: "tofu" stripper - We had a flood Oct 05 due to a faulty auto feeder valve to steam furnace - When the boiler called for water - it got water ! and then some, and then some more - Dear hubby was outside "saving money" by attempting to do his own brakes on the Crown Vic (estimate was $800)in the driveway - I was at a college volleyball game w/my son - I came home to my prized possession - oriental rug in the driveway in a ball - hubby in living room under hurricane conditions- w/the 12 gal shop vac- "Raining" in my living room, a pond on the floor and radiators that were spewing water everywhere. Fast foward to the professional cleanup crew (after I cried, called insurance co. they sent them) - they brought all their sucker upper equip, dehumidifiers, ripped up carpeting took out all area rugs etc... Came back the following week to remove the largest plaster ceiling in the house Living room 12'x23' despite my inquiry and concern with exposure and enviromental concerns- they were going to "seal the area off" - hmmmm- So, imagine the debris, mess, aftermath of this "sealed off" area w/plaster (wood lathe) being carried throughout the house to the dumpster! We have 7 children btwn hubby & I the youngest is 2yrs old - They wanted to pull carpeting up from a floor (used to be a porch) that had 9x9 tile under it, I refused to let them - they wanted to take out the entire dinning room ceiling -I called environmental testing Co - Made the insurance adjuster cringe - Yes, we were + for lead throughout the house - Ins co. wanted to just test the living room area after much debate I stood my ground with the issue that the demo sent debris to all areas of the house - I think it was the day I had a meltdown and sent 10 workers who were demo'ing out - Ranting "we have 7 babies what is (actually i said H-E (double hockey sticks) wrong with you people why would you knowingly expose us to this???" and the ins co. was giving me a hard time about the envirn testing issue with the "well we don't know what the prior condition was", "did you ever have lead testing done" - My response was no, i had not, I had no reason to, as we we not in a state of disturbing 75 yo lead paint - But if they felt the need to continue down this road I had a solution - I had just had the 2yo tested for lead 4 mos prior - so, I knew her "pre-existing condition" - I could easily have her tested so we could have comparitive values and deal with the facts - Then I stated - "you will no longer have just a property and personal belongings issue, you will have a human life issue and we would have the 6 other children tested as well" I also starting asking if the insurance adjuster had environmental awareness training of what potential exposures are - hmmmm yes, she did - then the finger pointing game began ins co. vs. the remediation co. I suddenly got the most unbelievable service!!! Funny how things happen - I'm a fair person - but when I feel you pushing & shoving me into a corner - Look out! That (sorry a long way to get here) led to the basement floor issue, as the flooding caused 75yrs of paint to peel I think all involved may have learned something by there stupidity - The remediation co. told me they have since adopted a new policy - No demo prior to envirn testing - The irony is, the insurance co. new all along they would have to displace us while our home was under repair - DUH why have demo while we are still in the house - Penny wise pound foolish - So, while I'm NOt a tofu head - I do believe that we have to protect the innocent from any evil or exposure to the best of our ability - that my friend is a the long and short of it. Just stupidity in my book - We cried at the loss of plaster as well as the exposure - it was all needless - the entire ceiling did NOT have to be demo'd I did not pay for the "tofu" paint removal - the stupid insurance co. did - once revealed they HAD no choice but to abide by strict protocol - Hazmat suits and all - so the state certified remediation crews descended on our home while they had to put us up in a hotel (kids loved it, I didn't) then we came back to the house only to move back out to a rental (that i found thank you - they were talking about a condo - hmmmm I don't live in a condo and I have a single fam home, garage etc....) I could have really kept going here - if nothing else you helped me purge some pent up frustrations with the stupidity of corporate america - whew I feel better now - thanks for your humor and your advice Eileen