Adding salt to pond causing foam after waterfall

[terry moore]

About 2000-3000 gal koi pond with waterfall. Have been adding salt to get to 1250ppm level with test meter. I am up to 850ppm and now the pond is about half covered with bubbles. I have a three level waterfall and a large Oase bio filter which also is producing bubbles at the return. Is this normal. should I keep raising the salt or lower with water change?

 

[Meyer Jordan]

First question is why you are adding salt?
The likely answer to the cause of the foam is likely to be the salt...indirectly. It is probably excess mucous secreted by the fish due to the irritation of the salt.Did you use 'pure' salt?

 

[terry moore]

I used koser salt with no iodine. My first pond but have had 250 gal saltwater reef for yrs. From the articles I have read salt level around 1-1.5% or 1250ppm was healthy for the fish so have been bringing it up slow. The bubbles did get worse between 600 and 800ppm.

 

[Meyer Jordan]

If salt was good for fresh water fish, they would not survive in Nature. Additionally, maintaining a salinity level only develops salt resistant pathogens which may cause a real problem with treatment if an issue arises.

 

[sissy]

never understood the salt thing but I think it is an old fashioned thing that people used to kill algae .I used to see a garden show on tv and he had a pond and always added lots of salt and I could not understand it and was told by the show it was for health of fish and control of algae .He has since retired and sold his house ,guess I know why He sold and retired .OH well aggie and bert on not salt water fish .I have to thank that guy because I got to know pondhunter and ponddigger with that question .Pond hunter is from my home state of NJ

 

[Meyer Jordan]

Salt a.k.a. Pond Aspirin!

 

[sissy]

But why do they always say so much of it .Everything I read seems to say salt salt and more salt and yet other places say little or none .

 

[MitchM]

Kosher salt can have anti caking ingredients which would not help the situation.
I would do weekly 25% water changes over a few weeks to dilute the salt concentration as much as possible.

 

[Lisak1]

Maybe you were planning a saltwater pond? Otherwise I'm not sure why you would compare it to your saltwater reef. I would follow @Meyer Jordan 's suggestion and get the salt out of the pond.

On a side note: there's a world of difference between 2000 gallons and 3000 gallons - if you ever do need to treat your pond for any reason, it would be important to have a better idea of exactly how much water you're dealing with.

We'd love to see pictures of your pond, by the way - we love pictures!

 

[terry moore]

Maybe you were planning a saltwater pond? Otherwise I'm not sure why you would compare it to your saltwater reef. I would follow @Meyer Jordan 's suggestion and get the salt out of the pond.

On a side note: there's a world of difference between 2000 gallons and 3000 gallons - if you ever do need to treat your pond for any reason, it would be important to have a better idea of exactly how much water you're dealing with.

We'd love to see pictures of your pond, by the way - we love pictures!

No I am not trying to make a saltwater pond just trying to get info. As with reefs many think deep sand bed and some believe in bare bottom tank. Both work but have to be handled different. As for my reef I was working in Africa 30 days on and 30 at home. I was able to make it thrive for yrs till Hurricane Katrina took it out with computers and auto systems. As for the size of pond have ran several formulas and they do have different results. I used the change in salt % change V=(P/T) x 120 and the Pond Volume & Fish Capacity Calculator on line.Thanks for all the suggestions.

 

[sissy]

I saw you don't mention size of pump .I see something on the side like a box with water coming out of that so assuming that may be a filter .Pond for some reason does not look that large and you don't mention how many fish or what size or how much you feed them or temperature of water

 

[terry moore]

I saw you don't mention size of pump .I see something on the side like a box with water coming out of that so assuming that may be a filter .Pond for some reason does not look that large and you don't mention how many fish or what size or how much you feed them or temperature of water

Have just started it up...drained and started from scratch about 8wks ago...Several new plants, .50 snales...6ea 6in koi & about 30ea 2in koi. temp is 22c...not sure of waterfall pump size....the Oase BioSmart 10000 pond filter has a 1200gph pump on it but can go up to about 3000gph....Have only fed the fish about four times...The 6in koi have been in there about 6wks and the smaller ones about three wks....waiting on test kit for water quality but electric salt meter has come in...Know will have to give away some fish as they grow....

 

[Meyer Jordan]

As was mentioned previously, the pond in the photo does not appear to be a 2000-3000 gallon pond. How did you calculate this capacity?

 

[terry moore]

As was mentioned previously, the pond in the photo does not appear to be a 2000-3000 gallon pond. How did you calculate this capacity?

12ftL x 3ftD x 4ftW.....calculator shows 1080gal...if I use the rise in salt % formulaI the change V=(P/T) x 120 it comes out over 3000gal. When I drained the pond using the 1200gal per hr pump it got it down to about one foot or waterfall pump suction it took about 40min. I feel it is around 1000 gal but not sure....Thanks for all the suggestions.

 

[Meyer Jordan]

I feel it is around 1000 gal

That is a more realistic assessment which means that at 36 fish this pond is overpopulated and will quickly reach a tipping point unless some fish are removed, a higher water flow rate is established and the biofiltration is expanded.