here goes first pond test in new pond

[rebelangel_3733]

well after work I checked and my test kit came soooo out I went to get some water from the pond and my results were:

Ph (was a blue off the charts no reading a level so must be way high)
High range Ph 8.4
Ammonia between 0 ppm and 0.25 ppm
Nitrite 0 ppm
Nitrate 0 ppm

not much looking good for the home team here...now gonna read and read and read to figure out what I need to do to get everything where it needs to be...may have to add some feeder fish

 

[crsublette]

Looks good to me. 8.4 pH is no problem as long as ammonia is kept under control.

At a 8.4pH and water temperature at 82*F, then 0.25ppm total ammonia equates to .05ppm toxic ammonia (NH3). A .05ppm NH3 is nearing to be quite high.

At a 8.4pH and water temperature at 54*F, then 0.25ppm total ammonia equates to .020ppm toxic ammonia (NH3). A .02ppm NH3 is tolerable.

At a 9.0pH and water temperature at 82*F, then 0.25ppm total ammonia equates to .10ppm toxic ammonia (NH3). A .10ppm NH3 is quite scary, is an emergency, and demands the use of an ammonia binder product.

These figures came from using the quite helpful koi club ammonia calculator.

Here is an interesting thread: How risky do you get with your NH3 levels?

Now, personally, I do not think I would allow the NH3 to reach .10ppm.

So, do your best on building your biological filtration, be it plants and/or containers, to keep the ammonia closer to zero. 8.4pH is fine, but ammonia is more of a concern at these higher pHs.

 

[crsublette]

Using feeder fish to jumpstart your filtration is fine. Just get some good quality feeder fish. I am always concerned about using cheap feeder fish since they may transplant other nasties with them to be introduced to your pond. Your other option is to do a fishless cycling. As mentioned in the remedial water chemistry and treatment thread, the thread titled Ok, no what do i do has a good discussion and other hyperlinks talking about and instructions for a fishless cycling.

 

[sissy]

I have mine to put up and ph on yours looks great .This was last week and have to download new one yet
[sharedmedia=core:attachments:51672]

 

[rebelangel_3733]

I did a water change, added more lava rock to the diy filter which is 3/4 filled with quilt batting and added more aireation and brought my fish to their new home and so far they are loving it! Test kit results are (and have been staying so far at these levels)
ph 7.8
High ph 8.4
ammonia .25 ppm
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0

Pond is about 1900 gallons
diy filter is fed by a 2000gph pump
I also encased my bubbler in a milk crate filled with quilt batting and added a turtle spitter (hopefully now all the water on the top has good movement)
10 fish ranging in size from 6" to almost 12" (4 oldest fish are 8-10 yrs old I got from a frien) and one baby (from last year that survived not being eaten) who is 3".
depth range bottom is almost 4' and there are 4 levels to the top with three steps for easy access in and out. I've learned not to bend over thinking I can reach something because depth perception will get me wet lol
Here's a video

 

[crsublette]

Fabulous! :banana: :afro: :blueflower: :claphands:

Although, I would be concerned about the ammonia, as already addressed above. First Time High Ammonia! thread might help ya.

 

[rebelangel_3733]

tested the water again tonight after I got off work at 9:15 pm.....things are changing in there and it was close to 100 degrees today outside and will be all week long...thinking of shading the pond somehow with a tarp I did notice my fish were on a lower level and they didn't appreciate me shining a flashlight on them...

ph 7.8
high ph 8.4
ammonia 25 ppm
nitrite 25 ppm
nitrate 10 ppm

 

[JohnHuff]

Um, what is good quality feeder fish?

Using feeder fish to jumpstart your filtration is fine. Just get some good quality feeder fish.

 

[crsublette]

Um, what is good quality feeder fish?

Ones bought on the day the shop receives them and ones that don't look like death. :banana: :bdaybiggrin:

 

[rebelangel_3733]

the bait shop here gets good goldfish as a few of my kids are "rescues" from there

 

[dieselplower]

I feel like I have feeder fish of decent quaility. They have brighter colors, are more active, and are growing faster than my Shubunkins that cost 20 times as much.

 

[rebelangel_3733]

well it looks as if the ammonia level is just that staying at a level of .25 ppm so is the nitrites at .25ppm but the nitrate level has went up to 20 ppm......argh

 

[dieselplower]

Nitrate is supposed to go up...

 

[rebelangel_3733]

well they seem happy and the water is staying pretty clean (so far) but I did put our ficus,banana(s) trees and elephant ears on the west side of the pond to help shade it when the sun gets between trees in the later afternoon. I think they can still keep cool in the almost 4' section anyway and so far dont seem worse for wear and are having a ball with all the room they have now

 

[fishin4cars]

Rebelangel, Ok first off, On your PH tests, remove the lower reading PH test kit and don't use it, put it away as It's not doing you any good and could actually confuse you. Use the high range PH test as it's the one that is going to give you the most accurate reading. (One is for ph 7.0 and lower, the other is for PH range 7.0 and higher.You need to one for higher) Next, small water changes every day or two until you see the ammonia start dropping, the nitrite is probably going to jump up really high in the near future, don't freak out, just post the results and ride the storm out. Water changes are the only thing you can really do at that point and it's 100% natural cycling process. With nitrates climbing it sounds like "SOME" bacteria are still alive and working from the prior set-up this is actually a Yea! not a ARG! :-(. Could be the plants, re-used rocks, even the old filter media. BUT it hasn't cycled to the pond as a whole. That's ok, the good thing is some ammonia and nitrites are breaking down so your really on the right track. Keep in mind you may go through a cloudy water or green water phase, this to is very common and quite normal. Best way to help the pond at this point. Reduce feeding to VERY VERY light feedings, only feed once Maybe twice a day or even skipping to every other day for a few weeks, and if you feed twice a day, cut those feedings in half size portions. seriously, the less food at a time the better. Keep checking the water and do water changes as needed to try and maintain .50 or lower readings of ammonia. Actually I would like to see the readings of ammonia stay where they are or lower.
Also, try and locate a KH kit. KH IMO is probably one of the most important things to monitor and adjust in a pond, It's simple to test and make the appropriate adjustments to the water and it helps maintain stability of the PH. In fact I rarely test my PH anymore. I do if the KH has dropped and I do when I run a quick check with a test strip as it's already there. BUT as long as I maintain a KH in the 80-150ppm range the PH is almost always 8.1-8.3 reading. The KH can swing from 80- to 200ppm when adding a buffer and it doesn't seem to effect the fish at all. However, let PH start swinging and it effects the fish AND it effects the toxicity of the ammonia.

BTW, Going back and re-reading the thread and watching the video, Don't add any fish for now. Let the pond settle down on it's own. The fish that are in there will do just fine, you know they are already healthy and disease free for the most part, don't take a chance and add something new that you may have to fight during the balancing process. Also wanted to tell you the pond is really looking nice, and I like you added depth for your fishy friends to help them stay warm in the winter and cooler in the summer!