"humBill" wrote in message
om...
Thanks for the quick response
Water quality 0-0-trace - Am- Nitri- Nitra
pH 7.6 Normal, kH 120 - gH - 180
The bottom is fairly clean. Even where muck collects agains pots etc a
pool skimmer will only capture a very fine layer (not measureable) and an
occasional Oak leaf blown in from the other side of the yard. My Nitrates
are always very low - I have lotsa plants. I do have a very heavy fish
load.

How low are your nitrates? Below 40ppm? If over that you need to start
doing partial water changes.

I rarely change water at all.

Then how do you dilute and remove contaminants from the fish and decaying
plants? What is the PH of your water? Is it very hard water?

Many of the ponders around here aren't high on
water changes as the pH tends to be much higher going in than before it
stabilizes and chloramine water is very difficult to neutralize without
putting about a 6X dose.

Then how do you remove natural contaminants? They wont go away by
themselves. :-)

The pond is also full sun. It seems new water can
lead to algae bloom. While my pond is not crystal clear mid summer, it is
quite visible - so I don't mess with the 'balanced pond'. I did actually
do about a 60% change accidentally,
about last October, when my sink filter outflow clogged up and overflowed.
What do you feel is accomplished with water changes?

It's the only way to dilute and remove contaminants and keep the water from
becoming too hard and too acid.

There are a few fish missing, which I cannot find. I suspect that is why
they have been hiding all winter (Heron) but if they just died and rotted
in
the water I don't know what problems that might manifest.

If you have herons in the area you can be sure they'll take as many of your
fish as possible - but so will bullfrogs, water snakes and Kingfishers.

btw - You had given me your opinion in FW or GF a while back about my
curved
spine, large, lethargic Oranda. It did pass 2-3 months later (as you
surmised).

Thanks for your help
Bill

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Koi-Lo.... frugal ponding since 1995...
Aquariums since 1952
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