We have a pond, about 3 x 4 x 4 (feet).
Firstly no fish have died in 5 days, hooray, and the remaining fish
look healthy and hungry but I am not feeding them, at all.
here are the results of the pond water test. The test is called Tetra
Pond Test and it does pH, KH, GH, NO2, NO3,

pH = 7.2
KH = Between 0.d - 3.d
GH = 10.d
NO2 = 0
NO3 = 0

According to the instructions on the box all is OK with the water.

Well, maybe. Your KH reading is 0 - 3, if it is 0 there's a problem, if it
is 3, problem is still possible. To know for sure, check your pH at dusk &
dawn. If there is a variance of more than 0.4, you need to add buffer
(baking soda) to stablize it. ~ jan


See my ponds and filter design:
http://users.owt.com/jjspond/

~Keep 'em Wet!~
Tri-Cities WA Zone 7a
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"~ jan JJsPond.us" wrote in message
...
To know for sure, check your pH at dusk &
dawn. If there is a variance of more than 0.4, you need to add buffer
(baking soda) to stablize it. ~ jan
=======================
That's only temporary. If he needs buffering he's be better off hanging a
sack of crushed shells in the pool or adding them to the filter he really
should have with that many fish. Shells or limestone gravel work slower
with less PH shock and work 24/7.
--

Carol.... the frugal ponder...
"Health is merely the slowest possible rate at which one can die."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~ Windsong ~ wrote:

"~ jan JJsPond.us" wrote in message
...
To know for sure, check your pH at dusk &
dawn. If there is a variance of more than 0.4, you need to add buffer
(baking soda) to stablize it. ~ jan
=======================
That's only temporary. If he needs buffering he's be better off hanging a
sack of crushed shells in the pool or adding them to the filter he really
should have with that many fish. Shells or limestone gravel work slower
with less PH shock and work 24/7.

Well, any buffering is only temporary :-) But you're right, shells or
limestone work better for the long term. I disagree though that he's
"better off". If you have serious pH swings, you need to get them under
control immediately. The shell solution would take weeks - during which
time there'd still be large pH swings. Baking soda won't cause any pH
shock that the fish aren't already enduring on a twice-daily basis, and
it'll only do it once. Once you get the baking soda to stabilize the pH,
_then_ use shells or limestone to keep it stable.
--
derek

On Fri, 11 Feb 2005 12:05:30 -0400, Derek Broughton
wrote:

Well, any buffering is only temporary :-) But you're right, shells or
limestone work better for the long term. I disagree though that he's
"better off". If you have serious pH swings, you need to get them under
control immediately. The shell solution would take weeks - during which
time there'd still be large pH swings. Baking soda won't cause any pH
shock that the fish aren't already enduring on a twice-daily basis, and
it'll only do it once. Once you get the baking soda to stabilize the pH,
_then_ use shells or limestone to keep it stable.

Right-O, he doesn't even need shells if his source water has good
buffering, as me thinks he might not being doing "Frequent Partial Water
Changes" which would also keep the buffer up, along with provide other
beneficial duties. ~ jan


~Power to the Porg, Flow On!~

How long will the shells be affective. Do you change them every year?
What kind of shells and where do you get them?



http://community.webtv.net/rebeljoe/POND

On Fri, 11 Feb 2005 08:29:24 -0800, ~ jan JJsPond.us
wrote:

On Fri, 11 Feb 2005 12:05:30 -0400, Derek Broughton
wrote:

Well, any buffering is only temporary :-) But you're right, shells or
limestone work better for the long term. I disagree though that he's
"better off". If you have serious pH swings, you need to get them under
control immediately. The shell solution would take weeks - during which
time there'd still be large pH swings. Baking soda won't cause any pH
shock that the fish aren't already enduring on a twice-daily basis, and
it'll only do it once. Once you get the baking soda to stabilize the pH,
_then_ use shells or limestone to keep it stable.

Right-O, he doesn't even need shells if his source water has good
buffering, as me thinks he might not being doing "Frequent Partial Water
Changes" which would also keep the buffer up, along with provide other
beneficial duties. ~ jan


~Power to the Porg, Flow On!~
Hi.
Thanks for the info.
When you say shells, do you mean shells I would find on the beach? or
is there a specific type I should use?
So, firstly I should add some baking soda, how much? whilst waiting
for the shells to kick in.
We do add water to the pond in Summer if the water level is noticeably
down, in the Autumn and Winter we tend to leave it to the rain.
Thanks.

REBEL JOE wrote:

How long will the shells be affective. Do you change them every year?
What kind of shells and where do you get them?

Shells are handy because they're effective as long as you have some -
they'll dissolve in acidic water. So, if you put them in a mesh bag, or
something like that, add more whenever it starts looking a little thin.
You never need to "change" them, just replace them.
--
derek

Anthropy wrote:

When you say shells, do you mean shells I would find on the beach? or

Any shells work (even egg shells, should do), but you should be able to find
crushed oyster shell in pond or aquarium stores. If not, Dolomitic lime in
any garden store.

So, firstly I should add some baking soda, how much? whilst waiting
for the shells to kick in.

I'll leave that calculation for Jan - I missed the size of your pond.

We do add water to the pond in Summer if the water level is noticeably
down, in the Autumn and Winter we tend to leave it to the rain.

This will tend to acidify your pond, because even in areas without
significant acid rain problems, rain is usually more acidic than your tap
water and completely without buffering.
--
derek

So, firstly I should add some baking soda, how much? whilst waiting
for the shells to kick in.

I'll leave that calculation for Jan - I missed the size of your pond.

Dang, thought I was gonna get out of that one. ;o) By my calculations ~
360 gallons (1368 liters). I'd add 1/2 cup of baking soda and recheck my
KH.... but....

We do add water to the pond in Summer if the water level is noticeably
down, in the Autumn and Winter we tend to leave it to the rain.

With this additional info..... I'd check the KH of my tap water, remove 20%
of the water from the pond and refill.

As water evaporates it leaves behind heavy metals and salts. Rain water
will dilute those, but it brings in its own source of pollution as it
cleans the air while falling. New water has minerals that fish need to stay
healthy. So if there is enough buffering in the tap water, I'd do 20% water
changes every week for 4 to 6 weeks and then monthly (since it is a
goldfish garden pond) thereafter. ~ jan


~Power to the Porg, Flow On!~

"Derek Broughton" wrote in message
...
~ Windsong ~ wrote:

"~ jan JJsPond.us" wrote in message
...
To know for sure, check your pH at dusk &
dawn. If there is a variance of more than 0.4, you need to add buffer
(baking soda) to stablize it. ~ jan
=======================
That's only temporary. If he needs buffering he's be better off hanging
a
sack of crushed shells in the pool or adding them to the filter he
really
should have with that many fish. Shells or limestone gravel work slower
with less PH shock and work 24/7.
=========================
Well, any buffering is only temporary :-) But you're right, shells or
limestone work better for the long term.

# I know. I used them myself. Now I use limestone rocks from the woods
behind my house.

I disagree though that he's
"better off". If you have serious pH swings, you need to get them under
control immediately.

# Which is difficult for a newbie with a box of Baking Soda in his/her
hand. They invariably add too much and kill their fish or not enough and do
nothing helpful. The shells or limestone rock is a lot safer although a
bit slower acting.

The shell solution would take weeks - during which
time there'd still be large pH swings.

# Weeks? It took a few days in my 150 gallon inground kiddy-pool. You
dint use enough perhaps?

Baking soda won't cause any pH
shock that the fish aren't already enduring on a twice-daily basis,

# You can't know that unless you're THERE measuring the BS and pH of the
water with this newbie.

and
it'll only do it once. Once you get the baking soda to stabilize the pH,

# Stabilize it for how long - 12 hours, maybe 24 hours?

_then_ use shells or limestone to keep it stable.

# Then this newbie better be able to sit at his pondside measuring, adding
a tad more BS, measuring the PH, adding a little more BS,... measuring - and
he better be prepared for an immediate partial water change if he adds too
much and the fish go into PH shock.
--

Carol.... the frugal ponder...
Completely FREE softwa
http://www.pricelessware.org/thelist/index.htm
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