Fish pond water kills all fish within 24 hours.

I have a 150 gallon outdoor pond. It was populated by 3 koi, and a
small catfish for over a year and a half until the automatic refill
was inadvertantly turned off. When it was turned back on the fish
died the next day. I assumed it was from a large influx of
chlorinated water. Anyway, I took the opportunity to totally clean
out the pond including about a inch of sludge, and small rocks on the
bottom. New water was added, dechlorinator/conditioning solution
added, and the pond was left to circulate for 48 hours. New koi were
added (after acclimation) and died within 1 hour. I changed the water
3 complete times, reconditioned the water, let it circulate for 1
week, added some comets which died within two hours. I changed the
water again three times, let it circulate for 3 weeks, took a water
sample to my local LFS. They told me that the ammonia was slightly
high (but not deadly) pH, was about 8.1 (slightly high but not
deadly). Basically they told me that they did not know why the fish
died. Using the same tap water that the pond is refilled from, I
placed some comets which lived for a week without problem in a bowl in
my home. When placed the comets in the pond, after acclimation they
died within a day. WHAT IS GOING ON? It appears that there is
something quite toxic to fish in the fish pond. Still I have changed
out the water multiple multiple times with no improvement. The toxic
substance must be specific to the pond, since the tap water did not
kill the fish in a fish bowl. The only things I have in the pond are
two pumps (one is a new fountain pump (Beckett) and the other is the
waterfall pump which has been there for two years without problem.
The pumps are on GFI circuits so I don't think there could be a large
short circuit. There are Lava type rocks in the pond which, once
again were in there with the koi for over a year without problem. I
did power wash the rocks prior to putting them back in the pond. The
water temp is in the low 80's. The water is perfectly clear. Please
any help appreciated since I am at a loss what to do next.

There are Lava type rocks in the pond

Try a chunk of the rock in the fish bowl.

Look around the waterfall for a source of contamination.

Timothy Tom wrote in message
om...
I have a 150 gallon outdoor pond. It was populated by 3 koi, and a
small catfish for over a year and a half until the automatic refill
was inadvertantly turned off. When it was turned back on the fish
died the next day. I assumed it was from a large influx of
chlorinated water. Anyway, I took the opportunity to totally clean
out the pond including about a inch of sludge, and small rocks on the
bottom. New water was added, dechlorinator/conditioning solution
added, and the pond was left to circulate for 48 hours. New koi were
added (after acclimation) and died within 1 hour. I changed the water
3 complete times, reconditioned the water, let it circulate for 1
week, added some comets which died within two hours. I changed the
water again three times, let it circulate for 3 weeks, took a water
sample to my local LFS. They told me that the ammonia was slightly
high (but not deadly) pH, was about 8.1 (slightly high but not
deadly). Basically they told me that they did not know why the fish
died. Using the same tap water that the pond is refilled from, I
placed some comets which lived for a week without problem in a bowl in
my home. When placed the comets in the pond, after acclimation they
died within a day. WHAT IS GOING ON? It appears that there is
something quite toxic to fish in the fish pond. Still I have changed
out the water multiple multiple times with no improvement. The toxic
substance must be specific to the pond, since the tap water did not
kill the fish in a fish bowl. The only things I have in the pond are
two pumps (one is a new fountain pump (Beckett) and the other is the
waterfall pump which has been there for two years without problem.
The pumps are on GFI circuits so I don't think there could be a large
short circuit. There are Lava type rocks in the pond which, once
again were in there with the koi for over a year without problem. I
did power wash the rocks prior to putting them back in the pond. The
water temp is in the low 80's. The water is perfectly clear. Please
any help appreciated since I am at a loss what to do next.

Did your powerwasher ever hold soap or other cleaning supplies?
With repeated losses in such a short time, there is something toxic still in
the pond. Garden fertilizer? Decomposing residues fro before? I don't
think a high turnover with chlorinated water would have killed the first
batch. Were there any other changes in equipment at that time?

Jim

Did your powerwasher ever hold soap or other cleaning supplies?
With repeated losses in such a short time, there is something toxic still in
the pond. Garden fertilizer? Decomposing residues fro before? I don't
think a high turnover with chlorinated water would have killed the first
batch. Were there any other changes in equipment at that time?

Jim


The powerwasher has never had any kind of detergent or cleaner used in
it. My wife said she had added plant fertilizer to the plants, but
she said she had used this before without problem to the koi. In
addition my last two unsuccessful attempts to add fish were done after
multiple water changes with all plants/fertilizer removed. Following
the death of the first fish, the pond was totally cleaned with very
little residue left, with the exception of some crevices from the lava
rock. If rotting residue were the problem though, wouldnt there be an
ammonia spike? What I am planning to do is to remove all material
from the pond (pumps, rocks, everything, add water only and
conditioner) to eliminate all variables.

UPDATE

The pond water was changed (for about the 8th time). All rocks were
removed. A dechlorinator and chloramine remover was added. The water
was mixed and sat overnight. A goldfish was acclimated (sat in bag in
pond 1 hour, followed by adding approx. 1/2 cup pond water to bag,
followed by a cup in 45 min, followed by release into pond 30 min
later. NO electrical devices plugged in. FISH DEAD IN TWO HOURS. I
am now totally at a loss. The only possible variables not controlled
now is the liner in the pond, the pumps leaching some toxic substance,
or the temp in the pond being too hot. As mentioned earlier the same
tap water was used to keep goldfish alive in a gallon container for a
week.

I'm stumped. Are you allowing the water to spray from the hose as your
filling? Filling the bowl in the house the sink has an aerator. The
water could be oxygen deficient. That's all I can think of....... is
it a new hose??????? I think I'm grabbing at straws.
Try "rec.ponds" maybe someone there can help.


"Timothy Tom" wrote in message
om...
UPDATE

The pond water was changed (for about the 8th time). All rocks were
removed. A dechlorinator and chloramine remover was added. The
water
was mixed and sat overnight. A goldfish was acclimated (sat in bag
in
pond 1 hour, followed by adding approx. 1/2 cup pond water to bag,
followed by a cup in 45 min, followed by release into pond 30 min
later. NO electrical devices plugged in. FISH DEAD IN TWO HOURS.
I
am now totally at a loss. The only possible variables not
controlled
now is the liner in the pond, the pumps leaching some toxic
substance,
or the temp in the pond being too hot. As mentioned earlier the
same
tap water was used to keep goldfish alive in a gallon container for
a
week.

(Timothy Tom) wrote:

UPDATE

The pond water was changed (for about the 8th time). All rocks were
removed. A dechlorinator and chloramine remover was added. The water
was mixed and sat overnight. A goldfish was acclimated (sat in bag in
pond 1 hour, followed by adding approx. 1/2 cup pond water to bag,
followed by a cup in 45 min, followed by release into pond 30 min
later. NO electrical devices plugged in. FISH DEAD IN TWO HOURS. I
am now totally at a loss. The only possible variables not controlled
now is the liner in the pond, the pumps leaching some toxic substance,
or the temp in the pond being too hot. As mentioned earlier the same
tap water was used to keep goldfish alive in a gallon container for a
week.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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http://puregold.aquaria.net/
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Solve the problem, dont waste energy finding who's to blame
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Unfortunately, I receive no money, gifts, discounts or other
compensation for all the damn work I do, nor for any of the
endorsements or recommendations I make.

writes:

(Timothy Tom) wrote:

The pond water was changed (for about the 8th time). All rocks were
removed. A dechlorinator and chloramine remover was added. The water
was mixed and sat overnight. A goldfish was acclimated (sat in bag in
pond 1 hour, followed by adding approx. 1/2 cup pond water to bag,
followed by a cup in 45 min, followed by release into pond 30 min
later. NO electrical devices plugged in. FISH DEAD IN TWO HOURS. I
am now totally at a loss. The only possible variables not controlled
now is the liner in the pond, the pumps leaching some toxic substance,
or the temp in the pond being too hot. As mentioned earlier the same
tap water was used to keep goldfish alive in a gallon container for a
week.

One thing that I remember from fishtank days is the mistake of using
bathtub silicone RTV (caulk) instead of fishtank safe RTV. The bathroom
stuff has mildicide (sp) and will make a tank a fish killer.

Any silicone rubber used in this pond?

I just reread your initial post and while I am not up on all of the
technical pond stuff, I just tried to think logically and this is my 2
cents worth (may be only worth a penny!)

Theory 1: I am wondering if it could be some contamination (bacterial)
of the pump units themselves, which occurred within the initial time
when the self filling unit was off or turned back on again. (The
initial problem with the refill unit may have been what killed the
first fish and then the continuing contamination could have taken the
rest). I have read that you cleaned everything, however I didn't see
where you said you cleaned the pumps. Have you taken the pumps out
and cleaned them and also looked to see if there is anything lodged in
them? If not, these units may be recontaminating the water each time
you refill. To see if this is the problem, you could put water in a
bucket, treat with declor etc, add fish. If fish is ok, WITHOUT
CLEANING THE PUMP add it to the bucket with the same water and fish
still in there (do not plug it in or turn it on which does away with
electrical issues) and see what happens. You may want to use a
battery powered air stone in this test from the beginning to eliminate
oxygen deprivation as an added problem since the time frame will be
fairly long. If fish dies, remove pump and clean and retest, starting
with the water and fish only to make sure fish is OK. Then again add
the now cleaned pump, if fish dies clean it again and retest or
replace it.

In your last test when you did not have any electrical items turned
on, were the pumps still in the pond even thou not turned on? Did you
have them circulate the water before turning off? If so, above
contamination theory may be possible. It seemed to me in the last
test you posted, it took the fish a little longer to die and that may
have been (if my scenario is on target) if the pumps were off, could
be the bacteria was not circulated and that could slow the process of
death. However in this instance it could also have been lack of
oxygen. If you redo this test with or without the pumps, add a
battery operated air stone to do away with the possibility of oxygen
deprivation.

Theory 2: Fish, have all of your test fish come from the same source,
perhaps the fish themselves are the problem. If so, try a new source
of test fish to see if that is the case.

Of course you realize we are all grasping at straws at this time,
especially me without experience here. Anyway that's my penny's
worth…

Sue W


wrote in message ...
(Timothy Tom) wrote:

UPDATE

The pond water was changed (for about the 8th time). All rocks were
removed. A dechlorinator and chloramine remover was added. The water
was mixed and sat overnight. A goldfish was acclimated (sat in bag in
pond 1 hour, followed by adding approx. 1/2 cup pond water to bag,
followed by a cup in 45 min, followed by release into pond 30 min
later. NO electrical devices plugged in. FISH DEAD IN TWO HOURS. I
am now totally at a loss. The only possible variables not controlled
now is the liner in the pond, the pumps leaching some toxic substance,
or the temp in the pond being too hot. As mentioned earlier the same
tap water was used to keep goldfish alive in a gallon container for a
week.

FISH DEAD IN TWO HOURS.
Did you watch the fish? How did it act?
What is the pH, hardness, ammonia ect. ? Any friends have plant tank test kits?
Oxygen, co2, iron, phosphates, nitrates etc.
The only way to solve the water mystery is a water co. test. They can check for
everything.
Since the liner is old it should be OK but a piece in the bowl test will tell.