Evaporation

[Dosry5]

What’s normal water loss? We had biblical rains Saturday night and my new pond was up about 3-4 inches I’d guess based on the water line on the skimmer. It’s stayed up mostly but I’d say it’s dropped an inch or two when I checked it after work today.

It’s still too high, but has gone down some—I’m assuming some of it’s due to evaporation? Do you seasoned ponders see regular water loss of small amounts? How much evaporation really occurs?

 

[mrsclem]

Right now with our weather-95* last 4 days, I'm seeing evaporation on both ponds. the one with the bog has dropped 4-5" in the last few days. Maybe 2-3" on the other. It depends on how much open water you have and if you have things like rocks around a waterfall that can heat up.

 

[sissy]

plants can suck up a lot water in extreme heat and evaporation .I can loose up to 6 inch's a day .No rain and high humidity suck lots of water up

 

[Bluerooster]

In hot weather I'll lose about an inch to inch and half a day. When it gets hot and dry, it's closer to 2 inches.

 

[Dosry5]

Wow, I didn’t realize you could lose that much! I would rather evaporation happen than it be another leak!

 

[qclabrat]

That's what my wife was asking as well. "Are you sure you don't have a leak?" Mine is evaporating between 3/4-1 inch a day with the sunny and warm weather we are having.

 

[Dosry5]

So when you top it off are you adding a dechlorinator each time?

 

[carolinaguy]

If you add 10 percent or less city chlorinated water. You do not need to dechlorinate. You must also spray the city water in. Do not drop a hose in the pond. Spraying dilutes the chlorine compound and can gas off some chlorine if your city uses chlorine gas in the chlorination process. Chloramines and hypochlorite compounds do not gas off.

The math is simple. Go to the city water website and note the level of chlorine and type used. They report this data I think twice a year. In Charlotte the compound is chlorine gas and the level is 1,7 ppm. If you spray in 10 percent the concentration drops to 0.17 ppm. The kill level for koi in 96 hours of exposure is 0.245 ppm, so at 10 percent, your pond is below the 96 hour kill level. On top of that, the rule of thumb, Dr. Johnson’s rule, is three times over the waterfall and chlorine is exhausted. Chlorine will immediately react to ammonia, organics, basic compounds, and DOCs in addition to reacting with your fish and is gone in maybe three cycles at that level. Also if your city uses chloramines there is a theory in some aquaculture circles that a low concentration is good for koi as an antiseptic agent.

 

[Stephen Noble]

Wind, direct sunshine and hot weather can easily cause what you are experiencing. My ponds really lose water on high wind days. I would look also for leaks since you mentioned it is a new pond. Check hose connections for wetness. Another clue for leaks is finding damp soil when the surrounding dirt is dry.
Stephen

 

[Dosry5]

Thanks for the replies. I really don’t think I have another leak. 1st one was my fault on a bad liner to skimmer install, 2nd one was the crazy rains settling a berm by the waterfall which led to the liner sagging down.

So after learning a future lesson to wear gloves when working with black silicone and having to entirely rebuild my waterfall....I HOPE I’m okay! Some green water as the pond finds balance and 3 happily swimming and eating goldfish for a week now and I’m starting to really like this hobby. Especially now that I’m not nervous all the time that I’ll come home to or wake up to a leaky drained pond!

 

[Lisak1]

Especially now that I’m not nervous all the time that I’ll come home to or wake up to a leaky drained pond!

If you look up "new pond owner" in the dictionary, that would be the definition! EVERY new pond owner wonders "is it evaporation, or DO I HAVE A LEAK!!!" As you get to know your own pond, you'll soon learn what's normal for you in your climate.

 

[mrsclem]

So when you top it off are you adding a dechlorinator each time?

With me, yes I use a dechlorinator as our water has such a high level of chlorine it smells like bleach. We are 1 block from the water tower and chlorine station that supplies our water. It is undrinkable!

 

[Lisak1]

So when you top it off are you adding a dechlorinator each time?

@carolinaguy is probably right, but man - all that math! In my mind it never hurts to add it, so why not. Better safe than sorry, right?

 

[Dosry5]

@carolinaguy is probably right, but man - all that math! In my mind it never hurts to add it, so why not. Better safe than sorry, right?

I’m glad you said that! I was thinking while reading....”math hurts”

But I did look up my city’s chlorine and it’s 2.6 ppm. Makes me feel smart to say that....but no idea what to do with it. I’m gonna add a bit o dechlorinator so long as it doesn’t hurt the fish.

 

[Dosry5]

And speaking of fish.....Walmart is stooopid! We bought a comet goldfish at Petsmart for 31 cents a week ago. Kids were begging for another. Walmart is close so we stopped there to get one. $5! Same size, but WM calls it a X-Large Comet. Dumb.