Re: Recreational Pond Testing

[BenignVanilla]

"Bob Adkins" > wrote in message
...
>
> Hi,
>
> In anticipation of finishing my 1.4 acre recreational pond sometimes this
> decade, I need some recommendations on instruments and test kits.
>
> I guess my most critical tests will be oxygen and Ph. However, I would be
> interested in testing things of lesser importance just for my own
education.

I currently only test for pH, Nitrite, ammonia, and salt.

BV.

[Sam Hopkins]

Hi Bob,

You have to understand that even if you detect high levels of
something with that much water there's not much you can do. However, you
need to test the PH and add AG lime if the PH is < 7.0. If you are building
the pond for fishing you'll need a "Secchi" disk which will tell you how
much algae you have in the water. It's a disk on a chain that you place at
18" deep in the water. If you can see it you add fertilizer to a point where
you cant see the disk anymore. Adding fert will not increase the number of
fish in your pond but will increase the current fishes sizes. Normally you
add (1) 50 pond bag per 1 acres per month. If your pond receives it's water
from run off from multiple areas I would buy a phosphate test kit and test
the inflow water. Anything with a high amount of phosphate in the water will
result in algae in your pond. Typical sources are run off from farms
ESPECIALLY diary/cow farms. I'd make ditches if you can to divert the water.
Nitrite and ammonia are pointless to test since there's nothing you can do
to about it and they don't jump up and down like they do in a koi pond or
aquarium. O2 test kit would be good too but only if you can get power to the
pond to do something about a low O2 condition (i.e. fountain). Otherwise
it's one of those "cant change it so why bother testing" things. Temperature
probes are good for when you stock fish and to know when to expect spawning.
I use one of those digital house thermometers for $10.00 that have an little
10' cable with "outside" temp probe on the end. The temp probe is incased
with plastic so it does well in a water situation.

Sam

"Bob Adkins" > wrote in message
...
>
> Hi,
>
> In anticipation of finishing my 1.4 acre recreational pond sometimes this
> decade, I need some recommendations on instruments and test kits.
>
> I guess my most critical tests will be oxygen and Ph. However, I would be
> interested in testing things of lesser importance just for my own
education.
>
> Thanks in advance,
>
> Bob

[Iain Miller]

>all water entering the pond will be
> filtered by grass and weeds, and a massive limestone filter to catch
grass
> clippings etc.

Surely this will drive up the Kh of the water (and hence the Ph) ?

[Sam Hopkins]

Well it's been raining here hard as heck. It started as soon as I layed down
the grass seed. Some grass grew but there's not much dirt left on my
breastworks. It all washed into the pond. It feft a bunch of fist and
half-fist sized rocks behind. I'll be spreading dirt in the fall if it ever
stops raining. You can get a PH probe for about $99.00. I used to use a
aquarium test kit but I got sick of comparing colors.

"Bob Adkins" > wrote in message
...
> On Mon, 4 Aug 2003 10:00:23 -0400, "Sam Hopkins"
> > wrote:
>
> >Hi Bob,
> >
> > You have to understand that even if you detect high levels of
> >something with that much water there's not much you can do. However, you
> >need to test the PH and add AG lime if the PH is < 7.0. If you are
building
> >the pond for fishing you'll need a "Secchi" disk which will tell you how
> >much algae you have in the water. It's a disk on a chain that you place
at
> >18" deep in the water. If you can see it you add fertilizer to a point
where
> >you cant see the disk anymore. Adding fert will not increase the number
of
> >fish in your pond but will increase the current fishes sizes. Normally
you
> >add (1) 50 pond bag per 1 acres per month. If your pond receives it's
water
> >from run off from multiple areas I would buy a phosphate test kit and
test
> >the inflow water. Anything with a high amount of phosphate in the water
will
> >result in algae in your pond. Typical sources are run off from farms
> >ESPECIALLY diary/cow farms. I'd make ditches if you can to divert the
water.
> >Nitrite and ammonia are pointless to test since there's nothing you can
do
> >to about it and they don't jump up and down like they do in a koi pond or
> >aquarium. O2 test kit would be good too but only if you can get power to
the
> >pond to do something about a low O2 condition (i.e. fountain). Otherwise
> >it's one of those "cant change it so why bother testing" things.
Temperature
> >probes are good for when you stock fish and to know when to expect
spawning.
> >I use one of those digital house thermometers for $10.00 that have an
little
> >10' cable with "outside" temp probe on the end. The temp probe is incased
> >with plastic so it does well in a water situation.
>
> Thanks for the reply Sam!
>
> Yea, I already have plans to make a disk. I may fertilize early to boost
> fish production, but later will let the water clear up. The catchment area
> runoff is crystal clear. Nevertheless, all water entering the pond will be
> filtered by grass and weeds, and a massive limestone filter to catch
grass
> clippings etc.
>
> I am prepared to change O2 and Ph if necessary. I need recommendations on
> meters that don't cost more than the pond. :-)
>
> How's your pond going?
>
> Right now, I'm trying to hurry and get grass planted on 1/4 mile of levee
> before it's too late to get a start.
>
> Bob

[Iain Miller]

"Bob Adkins" > wrote in message
...
> On Mon, 4 Aug 2003 17:29:31 +0100, "Iain Miller" > wrote:
>
> >>all water entering the pond will be
> >> filtered by grass and weeds, and a massive limestone filter to catch
> >grass
> >> clippings etc.
> >
> >Surely this will drive up the Kh of the water (and hence the Ph) ?
>
> The pond will be filled with rain water, which has a pretty low Ph. The
soil
> here is also fairly acid. I anticipate having to add tons of lime.
>
> I have no idea what Kh is. Something to do with potassium?

Carbonate/Temporary hardness.

[Sam Hopkins]

It's a good use for one. As soon as your pond is built mother nature tries
to fill her back in. I have two streams that feed my pond. My friend who has
a pond recommended that in the water I put up a limestone "wall" infront of
the flow so that any sediment that makes it into the water will settle out
there. That way in 5-10 years it'll be easier to dredge out because it'll be
close to shore.

Sam

"Bob Adkins" > wrote in message
...
> On Mon, 4 Aug 2003 15:17:03 -0400, "Sam Hopkins"
> > wrote:
>
> >Nah limestone for drainage isn't a good calcium source and doesnt raise
>
> It's just a junk filter. I don't expect it to change anything, just keep
> organic matter from gradually filling up the pond.
>
> Bob