10 yr pond owner, but always something to learn

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N.J. (USA) near Philadelphia. My pond is over 10 years old. Its a large tub inset, about 3' deep. I keep my fish down to a few, and only one if it becomes large.
My current 12" fancy goldfish is dying, with dropsy. "Carpe Diem", bloated this summer and now is at the bottom, but still breathing. I think its his lifespan, as he started as a 1/2" fish years ago. I just discovered my water pH was too low, so I am raising it. The culprit was likely the yard crew fertilizing too close. The water is clear and otherwise healthy because there are 3 good sized pond frogs. 6 large floating water hyacinth plants. No plants over winter. I run my pump year round and clean & replace the filter a few times a year when flow becomes reduced. Pond is under oak trees. I have a custom built wire and wood frame 4' tall box to place over the pond in fall and winter. Drawback is he chicken wire and water sound attracts birds that get trapped, and must be released. Box keeps out leaves, and prevents deer from drinking the pond low. When spring comes I cover the top with a black tarp to keep sunlight from making green soupy water. Once the trees leaf out I take the black tarp off. I keep a plastic pot tray upside down, the frogs sit on it and fish hides under it.
 

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addy1

water gardener / gold fish and shubunkins
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Welcome to our forum!

Nice pond you have.
 
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Welcome! I'm sorry about your fish having dropsy :( Have you considered not keeping fish in your pond, but rather it being a small wild life pond for birds, frogs and plants?
 
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I read your comment about your pH being too low in the other post. I'm not sure fertilizer is the reason, but if you were getting fertilizer in the pond, you would likely see a sudden overgrowth of algae.

When you say "too low" how low are we talking? How are you raising the pH? One reminder (which you may already know) the actual pH is less important than stable pH. Fish can adapt to a lower or higher pH than ideal, but they will react badly to pH that changes constantly or too rapidly.
 

cas

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Pretty pond. Sorry to hear about your fish. I have some goldfish that are 14 years old, but not nearly as large as yours. I keep expecting them not to make it through the winter, but each spring they surprise me.
 
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...about pH it could be acid rain as its been extremely rainy, falling into pond after running down oak leaves. My tap h20 is mid range 7-8 . Yikes, the pH4-5! Happened a few years ago too. I adjusted pH UP, over 3 days. Actually, the sick fish is now upright and not laying on side. I should have tested but saw the frogs and figured water was clear and frogs healthy so didn't check. Plenty of aeration. I do a 1/3 water change 1 or 2 times a year as pond is small, but now so close to winter I probably won't. Perhaps culprit isoak leaves on the bottom, decomposing? Probably not helping old fish, but his bloat is dropsy not pH. We have a fish vet, but I can't bring myself to take him for a few hundred $! I read when dropsy shows its too late.
 

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