I've had it with this pond!

14 years ago

I spend too much labor & expense ($4,800/yr just in electricity - not kidding) to justify this pond's existance for MY sole pleasure. Every year I spend more & more on it - just paid $155 for new UV bulb & $135 on 40 lbs Koi Food. Its absolutely beautiful but just too much for me to keep working on. Description: 4 yrs old, 7000 gallons, 3.5' deep with multiple rock waterfalls, Black Rubber Liner, 1&1/2 hsp pump, 150 watts UV Sterilizer, 2 hsp Blower, Largest Advantage Bead Filter, Bottom Drain & Skimmer Box.

My Question is, should I clorinate or salt it and just run it like a big beautiful water feature with a little pump on a timer to circulate over falls? Can the rubberliner & limestone rocks take clorine?

OR, What kind of conversion would you do? Suggestions please.

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Comments (5)

bluesunflower
14 years ago
Ok at first I laughed at the post title. I related completely. Then I as I read I really felt your frustration. I can truly understand. I too find it hard sometimes to justify the effort and expense these things take.

Looking over what you wrote however it looks like the real issue you are rethinking is the fish. Clorine and salting for a water feature still leaves you with a water feature, just no fish. Are you still going to want crystal clear water etc.? Maybe you want to go with a more natural balance pond. A lot easier and less expensive but a little more "natural" looking. You can use goldfish instead of Koi since they are hardier and can take less pristine water situations.

Take a break for a bit. You know the old saying..."never pond angry" ... well it could be an old saying.
lsst
14 years ago
What brand pump do you have? $4800 a year in electricity is outrageous!

I have a 15,000 gallon pond with 2 pumps and lots of landscape lighting and my electric bill for my pond averages $560 a year.

If I were you, I would look for more energy efficient pumps.

Even though a lot of people swear by them, I have never had a need for a UV light. Right after I built my pond I considered one but chose to wait it out. Other than about a two week algae bloom in the spring, my pond water stays clear.
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jpinard
14 years ago
If you're spending $4,800 per year on electric alone there is something grossly wrong. How many fish or other critters do you have? Have you ever posted pictures of your pond setup? That's the best way for people like us to help you.
silkysacto
Original Author
14 years ago
This setup was "the best system money could buy" when I built it. The pump is a Hayward Northstar 1&1/2 hsp drawing 10.5 amps on a 220 circuit. I tried a 3/4 but it won't pull the distance --60+ft to the pumphouse & 60ft back to the pond jets & falls. I had a power audit by my power company. The pump runs 24/7 and adds up to 1663 KWH/month running without cycles and the 150 watt UV light adds another 120 KWH/mo. Just those 2 items total 1783 KWH/month @.17 per KWH on my monthly bill = $303/month I didn't add KWH for the power surge for the Blower or backwashing the bead filter. Adding food, water, fish, meds, salt, hired labor, replacing parts, uv bulbs & misc brings it up to the $4800/yr expense. Over the 4 yrs I've had this pond, I've done 2 major overhauls/change-outs of equipment-right now the 2 hsp Southwind blower is cracked & spewing water needs replacing, another $269 + installation. There's always something! The pond was originally 22,000 gallons designed/equipt by SacramentoKoi. Last time it blew up I had it re-built down to 7000 gallons. I've had KoiEnterprises, Flora Tropicana assisting me over the years as well. The latest bid I got for a Cerius mechanical filter change-out installation was $8000.
silkysacto
Original Author
14 years ago
No alternative suggestions?
I got a bid to move all of the equipment out of the pumphouse to a new installation behind the falls for $1600 labor. This change could use a $542 Artesian HighFlow 1/2 hsp 4.6 amps OR maybe a more expensive $641 1/3 hsp Artesian 3.7 amps. I calculated those pumps to be $50. or $62./month electricity.
Here's the formula for calculating power cost if I get the Artesian 1/3 hsp.
1. unit amperage x Voltage (3.7 x 110)= 407 watts
2. 407 divided by 1000 = kilowatts = .407 kilowatts
3. .407 x 24 hours = 9.768 kw/day
4. 9.768 x 30 days = 293.04 kw/mo
5. 293.4 kw x billing rate (mine is .17 kwh)= $49.82 /mo
6. $49.82 x 12 months = $597.84 /yr.