Another newbie PH question, is 8.2 too high?

[Ouida]

So from the start my ponds ph was a bit high. I know gold fish and live bearers are ok with a slightly higher ph. Learned that from this fourm. However now it's a little higher this mornings readings are
PH 8.2 (using API high range ph test)
Ammonia 0 ppm
Nitrite 0 ppm
Nitrate 0 ppm (the color was slightly dark yellow with no brownish tint, so 0 would be the closet in color.
Since there's been heavy rain in my area, I haven't changed the water in 2 weeks. Not sure if that's good or bad on ph. Also my tap water is 7.4 last time I check. The tap water here is very poor, would never drink it. Comes from the very end of the Mississippi River. So how worried should I be, and what can or should I do? Fish seem ok for now. Thanks

 

[Meyer Jordan]

A pH of 8.2 is fine. What is more important is that the pH is relatively stable and does not fluctuate more than 0.5 points in a day's time. Rainfall will typically have only a negligible effect, if any, on the pond's pH.

 

[Ouida]

Ok, thanks for the reply. It only seems to have went up .2 in two weeks. I'll need to read up on what effects the ph. I thought it odd that the tap water has a lower ph. The PH in my aquarium hit 7.8 and that's in a controlled environment.

 

[CometKeith]

Hi. Goldfish do fine when the PH is high and can even do okay up to 10. Koi are more sensitive to PH. In time plants will help lower the PH but that can take up to a year.

 

[mgmine]

These type questions come up all the time. Usually after people have tried to fix the "problem" by adding some magical chemical fix. My suggestion is the same as I was told to do by a pond expert that was in the business of selling all the magical fixes as well as test kits. Save your money and throw the test kit away and never by the elixir. Nature takes care of its self. A decent filtration system will keep 99% of people and fish health and happy. The exception is algae which can be cured with a UV light or sodium percarbonate In some cases ignorance is bliss. If you are in the 1% that has a problem then drain the pond and start over.

 

[CometKeith]

Mgine I agree on all the phoney fixes however I do believe it's important for someone fairly new to ponding to know how high the ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate levels are in their pond until they learn what danger signs to look for. Sometimes there are cases of overcrowding, over feeding etc. Of course nature will take care of itself but in the case of high ammonia that will mean a lot of fish getting sick and dying. Alternatives to phoney fixies in my opinion are water changes, reducing feeding, and removing fish if the test results are really bad.

 

[mgmine]

Mgine I agree on all the phoney fixes however I do believe it's important for someone fairly new to ponding to know how high the ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate levels are in their pond until they learn what danger signs to look for. Sometimes there are cases of overcrowding, over feeding etc. Of course nature will take care of itself but in the case of high ammonia that will mean a lot of fish getting sick and dying. Alternatives to phoney fixies in my opinion are water changes, reducing feeding, and removing fish if the test results are really bad.

To me fish are the biggest problem. Everyone wants to look at fish swimming but how many are too many. To me in my 3000 gallon pond I have 4. Maybe two more would be okay but nothing more than that. It's peaceful to see them swimming around and not swarming like a school of piranha. In addition to the feeling of chaos its all the waste that's produced and the problems that stem from them.

 

[Ouida]

Hi. Goldfish do fine when the PH is high and can even do okay up to 10. Koi are more sensitive to PH. In time plants will help lower the PH but that can take up to a year.

Thanks, I did add some plants to help balance the pond. But now that adds more decaying matter. Which I know can cause other readings to get off. I believe the filter is good, provided the fish don't multiple too fast.

 

[CometKeith]

Ouida. If the plants are healthy and growing they shouldn't add any decaying matter. If anything they will help absorb nitrates. If there are dead leaves or broken stems/branches you can remove them. Also the real problem with decaying organic matter is anaerobic decay. if you have plenty of water movement it will be aerobic ...ie with oxygen and everything should be fine. For that reason I keep a pump moving water all winter to avoid anaerobic decay. If you ever smell something like rotten eggs that is a sure sign of anaerobic decay which is definitely bad for your fish. The thing is every pond is different. You can hear tons of advice and it might apply more to some ponds and less to others. The key is to find out what works best for your pond and fish.

 

[sissy]

true find your nitch as I put it .My pond is not done normal but it works and what works for me may not work for every one .But a hint at what works may work for you .I am not normal and my pond is not normal if it was I guess it may work but may not .