koikeepr
07-11-2010, 12:26 PM
Maintaining excellent water quality is essential to ensuring the fish and other inhabitants in your pond survive. If your fish are dying, the first thing you need to investigate is your water quality. It is important to test your water often to make sure it is okay. At the fish shop, you'll find two types of testing kits: 1) the kind with dip strips and 2) the liquid test tube kind with little bottles. The liquid tests are more expensive, but far more accurate then the strip kind. [Tip: If you get numbers that seem high or off with the paper strips, simply re-test to see if the second test mirrors the first strip exactly. If not, then your strips are likely old or not working properly]. Regardless of which testing kit you purchase, you need to make sure they test for the following things at minimum:
Ammonia: This reading should ALWAYS BE 0 (ZERO!).
Ammonia is deadly and the worst thing that can be in your pond. It is created through the fish’s gills, kidneys and by poop/pee waste. Rotting/uneaten food; and decaying plant and leaves also contribute to ammonia build up. Ammonia stresses fish greatly, which will lead the fish open to being attacked by bacterial or parasitic diseases it will be unable to fight off due to a weakened immune system. Trace or high levels of ammonia are created for several reasons: 1) you don't do at least 20% water changes every week (or at least every other week); 2) you are over-stocked with fish; 3) your filtration is insufficient for the gallons you have; 4) you are over-feeding (particularly in the spring before the beneficial biological bacteria has had a chance to take hold) growth or from inadequate filtration; 5) you have crud/rotted debris in the pond ; and/or 6) you have a new filter that has not yet cycled and built up the good bacteria to break down ammonia.
To correct ammonia traces, you need to do an immediate water change of at least 40%. Reduce feeding or stop feeding all together. If you don't like to use chemicals, out a small bag of ammo-rocks or zeolite in the pond. If you don't mind using off-the-shelf chemical treatments, then by all means use something like Ammonia Away or any similar binder. These are short term fixes, and you need to address the bigger problem (please see items 1-6 above) and figure out which of these is causing the problem (it can be all of them) and correct it. You may have to beef up your filtration, give away some fish to reduce your stock, add more/better media so that good bacteria can build up, add live bacteria in (such as Micro Lift) so a new filter cycles faster, remove debris in the water, do partial water changes more often, give your pond a good vacuuming or remove rocks in your pond floor—as they contribute to waste sitting in between the stones, etc.
Nitrites: This reading should ALWAYS be 0 (ZERO!)
This is the #2 killer of fish after ammonia. Nitrites create the first step in the nitrifying cycle, and this bacteria converts ammonia into nitrites. If you do have any nitrite readings when testing, this is normally seen as the nitrifying cycle is developing and can be present without an ammonia reading.
To remedy nitrite traces, do a water change of at least 40%. You should stop feeding for at least 3 or 4 days and add pond salt (not table salt!) at 2 to 2 1/2 pounds per 100 gallons of water. Salt will help detoxify some of the affects of nitrite poisoning. For a long term fix, you must continue water changes of 20% of at least every other week (preferably every week in warmer temps).
Nitrates: Readings should be anywhere between 0-200 ppm; Many breeders believe that 200-300 ppm brings out color
Nitrates are the final step in the nitrifying cycle, and bacteria converts the nitrites to nitrates. Nitrates are generally not toxic to fish, but high nitrate levels will likely lead your pond to a potential algae bloom (which will give you green water). Nitrates are essentially fertilizers. Acceptable test readings are 0-200 ppm. Many breeders and koi enthusiasts believe that a reading of 200-300 ppm brings out the best color in a fish. The Encyclopedia of Koi says that readings of up to 500 ppm can be acceptable, but I consider that to be exceptionally high though koi are highly tolerant of Nitrates. Most pond water test kits will not even read anything higher than 200 ppm. Though nitrates are not harmful to fish in and of themselves, they are a concern once there are any traces of ammonia in the water.
If your pond contains nitrate readings higher than 300 ppm you should do a water change of at least 40%. You should reduce the amount of food you feed your fish and also reduce your fish stock by re-homing some fish. Make sure you have no muck at the bottom of the pond, and clean out any rotting leaves or crud. Add plants into the pond, as they will consume a large amount of the nitrates.
pH: 6.8 to 8.5 is acceptable with no wild swings
pH is the measurement for how water is determined to be acidic or alkaline. 7.0 is considered neutral. Koi and goldfish live quite comfortably in pH ranges of 6.8 to 8.0. This number can even be 8.5 as long as that number doesn’t change. Problems with pH come when you have rapid spikes in pH levels, as this stresses fish and can lead to death. A slight change in a 24-hour period in pH is normal, but rapid spikes are not. Heavily planted systems will have more severe pH swings because the plants give off oxygen during the day, and then create carbon dioxide at night and suck up oxygen at night. Because of this, your lowest pH reading will be early in the morning, and the higher readings will come at night. pH does increase the toxicity levels of ammonia--the higher the pH, the more toxic any measurable amount of ammonia will become to your fish. This is why it is so important to have a zero reading of ammonia at all times, because it will not be damaging to the fish even if your normal pH is higher.
It is also important to determine what your normal tap water pH range is. Get a cup of water from your garden hose and test the pH. Whatever this number is, will be your average pH range and you should try to maintain that same parameter in the pond. Some people fret because they have a pond reading of 8.0 or even 8.5 pH, and use all sorts of pH lowering chemicals to attempt to lower their pH. It may temporarily work, but they will soon notice that the pH rises again. In this case, don’t fight your natural tap water pH level. As long as this number is relatively static and without swings, and the fish are doing fine, just go with it.
Now, if your pond water has dramatically changed pH readings from what your normal tap water pH is, you need to stabilize your pond water. Store bought products can be purchased that will buffer your pH to 7.0 or 7.6. These products stabilize your water so that the increases and decreases are minute. Some people add crushed oyster shells or crushed coral in a mesh bag to do this naturally instead of using chemicals. Stabilizing your water and preventing swings is also is referred to as total alkalinity. A normal total alkalinity range is 120-180.
Hardness
Hardness is the measurement of the amounts of calcium, magnesium hydroxides, carbonates and bicarbonates in the pond water—some tap water is soft and other tap water is hard. How does this affect your fish? Pond fish hold their best color when there is some hardness in the water. Figures of at least 50-150 are what color enthusiasts want to see.
In general, it is good to have harder water rather than soft in your pond because it helps in controlling variations in pH, and it also reduces stress to a fish. BUT, water can also be too hard and this situation helps in the formation of string algae or blanket weed which is a huge nuisance. In very hard water, you may also notice excessive algae build up on the sides of your ponds. Softening hard water where you have a string algae problem can help, and you can do this by mixing soft water like from a home water softener unit. Raising the water hardness can be improved by adding sodium bicarbonate or calcium chloride.
Ammonia: This reading should ALWAYS BE 0 (ZERO!).
Ammonia is deadly and the worst thing that can be in your pond. It is created through the fish’s gills, kidneys and by poop/pee waste. Rotting/uneaten food; and decaying plant and leaves also contribute to ammonia build up. Ammonia stresses fish greatly, which will lead the fish open to being attacked by bacterial or parasitic diseases it will be unable to fight off due to a weakened immune system. Trace or high levels of ammonia are created for several reasons: 1) you don't do at least 20% water changes every week (or at least every other week); 2) you are over-stocked with fish; 3) your filtration is insufficient for the gallons you have; 4) you are over-feeding (particularly in the spring before the beneficial biological bacteria has had a chance to take hold) growth or from inadequate filtration; 5) you have crud/rotted debris in the pond ; and/or 6) you have a new filter that has not yet cycled and built up the good bacteria to break down ammonia.
To correct ammonia traces, you need to do an immediate water change of at least 40%. Reduce feeding or stop feeding all together. If you don't like to use chemicals, out a small bag of ammo-rocks or zeolite in the pond. If you don't mind using off-the-shelf chemical treatments, then by all means use something like Ammonia Away or any similar binder. These are short term fixes, and you need to address the bigger problem (please see items 1-6 above) and figure out which of these is causing the problem (it can be all of them) and correct it. You may have to beef up your filtration, give away some fish to reduce your stock, add more/better media so that good bacteria can build up, add live bacteria in (such as Micro Lift) so a new filter cycles faster, remove debris in the water, do partial water changes more often, give your pond a good vacuuming or remove rocks in your pond floor—as they contribute to waste sitting in between the stones, etc.
Nitrites: This reading should ALWAYS be 0 (ZERO!)
This is the #2 killer of fish after ammonia. Nitrites create the first step in the nitrifying cycle, and this bacteria converts ammonia into nitrites. If you do have any nitrite readings when testing, this is normally seen as the nitrifying cycle is developing and can be present without an ammonia reading.
To remedy nitrite traces, do a water change of at least 40%. You should stop feeding for at least 3 or 4 days and add pond salt (not table salt!) at 2 to 2 1/2 pounds per 100 gallons of water. Salt will help detoxify some of the affects of nitrite poisoning. For a long term fix, you must continue water changes of 20% of at least every other week (preferably every week in warmer temps).
Nitrates: Readings should be anywhere between 0-200 ppm; Many breeders believe that 200-300 ppm brings out color
Nitrates are the final step in the nitrifying cycle, and bacteria converts the nitrites to nitrates. Nitrates are generally not toxic to fish, but high nitrate levels will likely lead your pond to a potential algae bloom (which will give you green water). Nitrates are essentially fertilizers. Acceptable test readings are 0-200 ppm. Many breeders and koi enthusiasts believe that a reading of 200-300 ppm brings out the best color in a fish. The Encyclopedia of Koi says that readings of up to 500 ppm can be acceptable, but I consider that to be exceptionally high though koi are highly tolerant of Nitrates. Most pond water test kits will not even read anything higher than 200 ppm. Though nitrates are not harmful to fish in and of themselves, they are a concern once there are any traces of ammonia in the water.
If your pond contains nitrate readings higher than 300 ppm you should do a water change of at least 40%. You should reduce the amount of food you feed your fish and also reduce your fish stock by re-homing some fish. Make sure you have no muck at the bottom of the pond, and clean out any rotting leaves or crud. Add plants into the pond, as they will consume a large amount of the nitrates.
pH: 6.8 to 8.5 is acceptable with no wild swings
pH is the measurement for how water is determined to be acidic or alkaline. 7.0 is considered neutral. Koi and goldfish live quite comfortably in pH ranges of 6.8 to 8.0. This number can even be 8.5 as long as that number doesn’t change. Problems with pH come when you have rapid spikes in pH levels, as this stresses fish and can lead to death. A slight change in a 24-hour period in pH is normal, but rapid spikes are not. Heavily planted systems will have more severe pH swings because the plants give off oxygen during the day, and then create carbon dioxide at night and suck up oxygen at night. Because of this, your lowest pH reading will be early in the morning, and the higher readings will come at night. pH does increase the toxicity levels of ammonia--the higher the pH, the more toxic any measurable amount of ammonia will become to your fish. This is why it is so important to have a zero reading of ammonia at all times, because it will not be damaging to the fish even if your normal pH is higher.
It is also important to determine what your normal tap water pH range is. Get a cup of water from your garden hose and test the pH. Whatever this number is, will be your average pH range and you should try to maintain that same parameter in the pond. Some people fret because they have a pond reading of 8.0 or even 8.5 pH, and use all sorts of pH lowering chemicals to attempt to lower their pH. It may temporarily work, but they will soon notice that the pH rises again. In this case, don’t fight your natural tap water pH level. As long as this number is relatively static and without swings, and the fish are doing fine, just go with it.
Now, if your pond water has dramatically changed pH readings from what your normal tap water pH is, you need to stabilize your pond water. Store bought products can be purchased that will buffer your pH to 7.0 or 7.6. These products stabilize your water so that the increases and decreases are minute. Some people add crushed oyster shells or crushed coral in a mesh bag to do this naturally instead of using chemicals. Stabilizing your water and preventing swings is also is referred to as total alkalinity. A normal total alkalinity range is 120-180.
Hardness
Hardness is the measurement of the amounts of calcium, magnesium hydroxides, carbonates and bicarbonates in the pond water—some tap water is soft and other tap water is hard. How does this affect your fish? Pond fish hold their best color when there is some hardness in the water. Figures of at least 50-150 are what color enthusiasts want to see.
In general, it is good to have harder water rather than soft in your pond because it helps in controlling variations in pH, and it also reduces stress to a fish. BUT, water can also be too hard and this situation helps in the formation of string algae or blanket weed which is a huge nuisance. In very hard water, you may also notice excessive algae build up on the sides of your ponds. Softening hard water where you have a string algae problem can help, and you can do this by mixing soft water like from a home water softener unit. Raising the water hardness can be improved by adding sodium bicarbonate or calcium chloride.