Water Levels

I need some help with my pond:

I bought a test kit today and these are the readings"
Nitrate 0
Nitrite almost zero
total Hardness(GH) 75
Alkalinity (KH) 0
pH 6.2


I don't know what the levels should be, can someone point me in the
right direction?
Thanks

I'm not sure without looking it up about the total hardness or the
alkalinity, but nitrites should be 0 and you should have some nitrates. Is
it a new pond? Is it filtered?Could it be that its not cycled properly
yet?Your PH is a little low, but as long as it's constant shouldnt be too
much of a problem. Does your pond contain goldfish?

Mel.

"Peter Pan" <> wrote in message
news:xuqdnYjsau-...
>I need some help with my pond:
>
> I bought a test kit today and these are the readings"
> Nitrate 0
> Nitrite almost zero
> total Hardness(GH) 75
> Alkalinity (KH) 0
> pH 6.2
>
>
> I don't know what the levels should be, can someone point me in the right
> direction?
> Thanks
>

Except for the pH and KH the numbers look good. With a KH of 0, I would
expect the pH at night to have gone to over 9, with wide swings morning to
evening. The KH should be above 80 to provide some buffering for the pH and
if you have a bead type filter, then it is said that the KH should be over
200 to neutralize the acids in the filter to make the bacteria happy. Get
regular baking soda to raise the KH. I get 12 poound bags at the club type
stores, but grocery stores and wallyworld prices for boxes is cheap.

--
RichToyBox
http://www.geocities.com/richtoybox/pondintro.html
Zone 7A/B Virginia
"Peter Pan" <> wrote in message
news:xuqdnYjsau-...
>I need some help with my pond:
>
> I bought a test kit today and these are the readings"
> Nitrate 0
> Nitrite almost zero
> total Hardness(GH) 75
> Alkalinity (KH) 0
> pH 6.2
>
>
> I don't know what the levels should be, can someone point me in the right
> direction?
> Thanks
>

Someone may have better information but I think your test is suspect:
Nitrate 0 Great
Nitrite almost zero Great
total Hardness(GH) 75 Great
Alkalinity (KH) 0 ?
pH 6.2 Should be 7.0 or higher

What about Chlorine and Salinity?

Mel wrote:
> I'm not sure without looking it up about the total hardness or the
> alkalinity, but nitrites should be 0 and you should have some nitrates. Is
> it a new pond?

Yes, it was built last year but only recently I added fish (9 small
koi)3200 gal

Is it filtered?

Yes with UV

Could it be that its not cycled properly
> yet?
Well if Nitrates are 0 then it's my understanding it has completed the cycle
Your PH is a little low, but as long as it's constant shouldnt be too
> much of a problem.

Does your pond contain goldfish?
No GF just koi

It's when ammonia and nitrites are 0 and you have some nitrates that your
pond/tank is cycled.
Mel


"Peter Pan" <> wrote in message
news:. ..
> Mel wrote:
>> I'm not sure without looking it up about the total hardness or the
>> alkalinity, but nitrites should be 0 and you should have some nitrates.
>> Is it a new pond?
>
> Yes, it was built last year but only recently I added fish (9 small
> koi)3200 gal
>
> Is it filtered?
>
> Yes with UV
>
> Could it be that its not cycled properly
>> yet?
> Well if Nitrates are 0 then it's my understanding it has completed the
> cycle
> Your PH is a little low, but as long as it's constant shouldnt be too
>> much of a problem.
>
> Does your pond contain goldfish?
> No GF just koi
>

"Peter Pan" <> wrote in message
news:xuqdnYjsau-...
>I need some help with my pond:
>
> I bought a test kit today and these are the readings"
> Nitrate 0
> Nitrite almost zero
> total Hardness(GH) 75
> Alkalinity (KH) 0
> pH 6.2
=======================
I've always been told to keep the PH over 7 for koi and goldfish.
--

RM....
Frugal ponding since 1995.
rec.ponder since late 1996.
Zone 6. Middle TN USA
~~~~ }<((((*> ~~~ }<{{{{(ö>

Reel McKoi wrote:
>
> "Peter Pan" <> wrote in message
> news:xuqdnYjsau-...
>> I need some help with my pond:
>>
>> I bought a test kit today and these are the readings"
>> Nitrate 0
>> Nitrite almost zero
>> total Hardness(GH) 75
>> Alkalinity (KH) 0
>> pH 6.2
> =======================
> I've always been told to keep the PH over 7 for koi and goldfish.
I added some baking soda this morning, it raised the pH and KH / Gh
i just need to keep a better eye on it until i can get he darn thing
established.

On Sun, 1 Jun 2008 14:15:02 EDT, Peter Pan <> wrote:

>I need some help with my pond:
>
>I bought a test kit today and these are the readings"
>Nitrate 0
>Nitrite almost zero
>total Hardness(GH) 75
>Alkalinity (KH) 0
>pH 6.2
>
>
>I don't know what the levels should be, can someone point me in the
>right direction?
>Thanks

KH Rich covered in his post. You mentioned in another filtering with UV,
but UV alone is not a filter, something has to be, 1) catching the dead
algae, & 2) a place where there is media for good bacteria to colonize on
in great numbers.

Btw, you need one more test kit: Ammonia ;-) ~ jan
------------
Zone 7a, SE Washington State
Ponds: www.jjspond.us

~ jan wrote:
> On Sun, 1 Jun 2008 14:15:02 EDT, Peter Pan <> wrote:
>
>> I need some help with my pond:
>>
>> I bought a test kit today and these are the readings"
>> Nitrate 0
>> Nitrite almost zero
>> total Hardness(GH) 75
>> Alkalinity (KH) 0
>> pH 6.2
>>
>>
>> I don't know what the levels should be, can someone point me in the
>> right direction?
>> Thanks
>
> KH Rich covered in his post. You mentioned in another filtering with UV,
> but UV alone is not a filter, something has to be, 1) catching the dead
> algae, & 2) a place where there is media for good bacteria to colonize on
> in great numbers.
>
> Btw, you need one more test kit: Ammonia ;-) ~ jan
> ------------
> Zone 7a, SE Washington State
> Ponds: www.jjspond.us
>
I have a tetra filter with a UV built into it.