Just a little reassurance please

[Jimmy Gibson]

Since Sarah and I are very new to ponding....we are trying to do things right....when we put our first two Koi in on January 20th (very large Koi) I have been testing the water weekly with an API Master test kit ... I have my own opinion where we are and how to proceed... But you guys opinion would be greatly appreciated.... In the picture from left to right....first PH...ammonia....Nitrite....then Nitrate.....again thanks for your help

 

[Jimmy Gibson]

View attachment 97427 Since Sarah and I are very new to ponding....we are trying to do things right....when we put our first two Koi in on January 20th (very large Koi) I have been testing the water weekly with an API Master test kit ... I have my own opinion where we are and how to proceed... But you guys opinion would be greatly appreciated.... In the picture from left to right....first PH...ammonia....Nitrite....then Nitrate.....again thanks for your help

Also it's a 3000 gallon pond with Savio waterfall with whole roll of Springflow....Savio skimmer with 1/2 roll of springflow in it with an Ultima 6000 filter

 

[Meyer Jordan]

Without the benefit of the accompanying color chart, there is no way for anyone to determine numeric values from this photo.
Convert these to the numeric levels then comments may be forthcoming.

 

[Tula]

Going by memory of the card, it looks like you've got some ammonia readings.

 

[Jimmy Gibson]

Sorry about that....what I am seeing is PH 7.6 ammonia. 25 ppm....0 Nitrite and Nitrate.....water temperature is 62 today.....and will continue to stay in the 60's for at least a week that is if long range forecast are correct....I have fed them twice( a small amount) .... Three days apart.... All the food was eaten..... So I am seeing my ammonia level starting to go up....and hopefully the bacterial action as well....I realize I probably went about this the wrong way as far as cycling my pond but it is what it is....opinions please

 

[Jimmy Gibson]

View attachment 97428 Sorry about that....what I am seeing is PH 7.6 ammonia. 25 ppm....0 Nitrite and Nitrate.....water temperature is 62 today.....and will continue to stay in the 60's for at least a week that is if long range forecast are correct....I have fed them twice( a small amount) .... Three days apart.... All the food was eaten..... So I am seeing my ammonia level starting to go up....and hopefully the bacterial action as well....I realize I probably went about this the wrong way as far as cycling my pond but it is what it is....opinions please

I guess what is rattling my cage and making me nervous is a week ago before I fed them my ammonia was zero

 

[Meyer Jordan]

The fact that your fish are eating indicates that their metabolic rate is increasing. This ties in directly with respiration rate which is where most of the Ammonia in a pond originates.
0.25 is actually a pretty typical Ammonia level for this time of year.
At your pH of 7.6, Ammonia should not be a concern unless you find it creeping past 1.0.
I would suggest that you continue to monitor your parameters if for no other reason than your peace of mind.

 

[cas]

Did you do the pH test using the 'high pH' bottles? When my pond showed pH of 7.6, I started using the 'high pH' tests. Also, if you put the bottles in front of a white background the colors are easier to determine. Especially the Ammonia - the colors are so close.

 

[Jimmy Gibson]

Just an update.....ammonia is still at. 25....water temperature is 67...I give them one hand full of Hikari sinking wheat germ each day....they are very shy.....but as quick as I go in the house and look out my window they are going after the food....we have a little cold snap coming this Saturday high 58 low 34.....the long range after that is high 60's low 50's..,. So after tomorrow I will cut them off ..so I am using two very large Koi to cycle my new pond.....I have all the biological filter media in place.....just wanting to get the biological action going so I can add more fish in the spring.....opinions/reassurance would be appreciated. Jimmy

 

[Meyer Jordan]

Using large fish instead of small ones will not speed up the time that it will take for your pond and filtration to cycle. At optimum temperatures, 70+F, nitrifying bacterial population will take up to 16 hours to double.

 

[Jimmy Gibson]

Using large fish instead of small ones will not speed up the time that it will take for your pond and filtration to cycle. At optimum temperatures, 70+F, nitrifying bacterial population will take up to 16 hours to double.

Meyer.....I have also noticed that since the water temperature has come up almost all of the string algae on the rocks at the base of my waterfall has disappeared and their swimming movement has tripled....yes I am a "Newbie" to the ponding world and only having aquarium's for all these years this transition from cold water to warm is fascinating to watch....thanks for everyones help

 

[Meyer Jordan]

Meyer.....I have also noticed that since the water temperature has come up almost all of the string algae on the rocks at the base of my waterfall has disappeared and their swimming movement has tripled....yes I am a "Newbie" to the ponding world and only having aquarium's for all these years this transition from cold water to warm is fascinating to watch....thanks for everyones help

Ponding, although governed by the same natural laws, is entirely different from keeping an aquarium. So many more variables enter the picture and influence the pond's eco-system. Certainly not an isolated and protected environment like an aquarium. Much of what you have learned through aquarium keeping is applicable to ponds, but as much, if not more, is not.

 

[sissy]

No pond is the same because most of our weather conditions are different and fish and size are different .Most also don't set up filtering the same .Even ponddigger has gone back to lava rock in some of his filters .Old does work

 

[carolinaguy]

Perspective is important with a pond. Your goal is to develop a mature pond, and that takes one to two years to create. When your pond matures, there is a soft green algae base on the sidewalks and bottom that , in itself, is a filter. The base is filled with the good bacteria you want and serves to feed your fish in addition. If your readings were from a mature pond, you might have concerns. In a new pond, an ammonia reading of .25 is meaningless. Breeders regularly read at 1.0 in their grow out tanks and think nothing of it. You first get an ammonia spike in the introductory phase. That makes sense because a good bacteria colony takes time to grow to the size of the food available. In about six weeks you will then get a nitrite spike because nitrite feeds a different bacterial colony. Again the colony will eventually grow to the size of the food available. Nitrite is the greater threat and requires plenty of oxygenated water since nitrite acts like carbon monoxide and restricts gas exchange in the blood. Monitor the school for gasping at the surface and congregating around an aeration source. .25 is not particularly harmful but bears watching. When your pond grows an adequate colony of nitrosomas and nitrobacter, you will be fine. The appropriate perspective is the question of how mature your pond is.

 

[Jimmy Gibson]

Alright here we go again..... I have fed my two large Koi every day since the first of February..... Except when a cold snap was coming..... My water temperature has varied from a high of 70 degree's to the lowest of 55 degree's.... Today it is 66... When you look in my earlier post the ammonia was up to. 25 ppm.... Which is normal.... But now I have no ammonia but also no nitritrates.... So what I am thinking I have some bacterial action going but no nitrates to show for it.... Or is it I have bacteria that is taking care of the ammonia and the nitrates and my filter media is doing its job.... Guys please bear with me I know I am being a "Nervous Nellie".... Just new at this and want to do it right.....thanks Jimmy