High Nitrates HELP!

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Aug 16, 2009
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I just bought a home out in the country and installed a new koi pond. I checked the water today and the Nitrate level was at 100. My new home has a well and so I checked the water right out of the tap and sure enough the Nitrates are 100+. I am going to be drinking bottled water now, but what do I do about my pond? I was planning on moving my Koi tomorrow, but now I am afraid to. The only way I know to lower the Nitrate level is with a water change. Obviously that wont work because my water source is the problem. I have lots of plants in my pond, but it's a new pond so they are pretty small right now. I think it will take the plants a long time to use up the Nitrates. Any ideas? What do I do? I had one friend tell me that the fish will be stressed for a while, but they will live and be fine. Help????
 
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I've kept aquariums for years and fish can adjust to higher nitrates slowly over time. I have had tanks that I had for years and nitrate got higher and higher over time and the fish adjust. (fish lived for over 10 years). If the Koi are used to almost 0 Nitrate jumping to 100 maybe a bit of shock. Lots of plants like water hycinth should help. Hard to say how long it will take for plants to have an impact.
 
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not sure if a reverse osmosis unit will remove the nitrate from the water. I think it would. They are not cheap but it could help dilute nitrates in the pond. The other option is a rain exchange system to capture rain water and store it. I've seen systems for sale that do this and it would also help dilute nitrates
 
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I agree, capturing rain to use in your pond may be the way to go. Once the nitrates are lower, you can maybe supplement the rain with well water, but for now I would add a bunch of floating plants. Since it is a new pond, algae will be there soon to help also. Have you introduced algae from any outside source? Once the water warms and you get an algea bloom, the nitrates may lower repidly.
 

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