Hi everyone I would like to change out some of my pond water is it an 800 gallons with a bog an overflow at the back of the bog. My dilemma is in the past I have removed quarter of the water and put clean water in using prime to adjust it. It wasn't until I put this new 800 gallon pond in 2 years ago that I came across a problem my source water test it out for very high 5.0 nitrite. I resolved this at the time of the new Pond by dumping a whole bottle of Night Out 2 bacteria in and using Prime. It did resolve the problem I just don't want to have to do that every time I do a water change. My question is I have a filter on the end of my hose for chlorine and chloramines Etc the water still does test for high nitrite. I was thinking about slow dripping it at the one into the pond to the point of a slow overflow out the back of the bog would that change up water enough. If I drip it slow enough does it give the bacteria time enough to handle the nitrite coming into the pond?
nitrite in source water
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bettasngoldfish
Maria
Just to verify, your source water has nitrite, not nitrate?
Yes nitrite not nitrate. From what I'm reading on this website a lot of people don't even change their water. My water parameters are all great and the water is crystal clear clear to the bottom three feet deep no problems with algae and the bog is coming in nicely. The pond overflows through the back of a flow when it rains real hard and fills too full. Maybe this is enough I don't like to mess with my water since it's good LOL I find that usually leads to trouble. But I always did change out a little bit in the spring in the fall I'm starting to reconsider that.
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Mine only gets a change out if it rains.
Like addy my pond only gets a water change, when it rains. Even then if it is not overflowing the pond it isn’t really a water change, just evaporation top off.
No reason to do water changes unless there are serious issues going on with your pond. As you have found out, your source water for a water change may not be better than what is in the pond. As the main reason for water changes is to dilute things that can adversely effect our pond inhabitants. However, a well planted pond or one with a bog, will have these nutrients consumed and banked in plants, pretty much negating the need for water changes unless you let the pond become overpopulated with fish.
No reason to do water changes unless there are serious issues going on with your pond. As you have found out, your source water for a water change may not be better than what is in the pond. As the main reason for water changes is to dilute things that can adversely effect our pond inhabitants. However, a well planted pond or one with a bog, will have these nutrients consumed and banked in plants, pretty much negating the need for water changes unless you let the pond become overpopulated with fish.
You will be better off if you throw your testing kit in the garbage. I could go on about those kits but I won't. Your water is what it is and as you stated why mess with it.
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mrsclem
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I have 2 koi ponds. Haven't tested my water at all this year and only tested once last year. My ponds are established. Someone starting out with a new pond should definitely have a test kit and learn how to use it and what the results mean. If I have a problem with my fush, that's the first thing I do, test! High ammonia, nitrites can be deadly.
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I actually find water testing quite tedious and sometimes unnecessary.
However, that is only because after years of testing, I can recognize my water quality parameters, except for KH, by looking at my ponds or aquariums.
Many times I test just to confirm what I already suspect.
Water color, temperature, algae, cyanobacteria, fish behavior, plant health, or bubbles on the surface of the water will tell me what I need to know, except for KH. It's always useful to test for KH.
However, that is only because after years of testing, I can recognize my water quality parameters, except for KH, by looking at my ponds or aquariums.
Many times I test just to confirm what I already suspect.
Water color, temperature, algae, cyanobacteria, fish behavior, plant health, or bubbles on the surface of the water will tell me what I need to know, except for KH. It's always useful to test for KH.
Ahh, but can you tell if your source water is high in nitrites just by looking at it?I actually find water testing quite tedious and sometimes unnecessary.
However, that is only because after years of testing, I can recognize my water quality parameters, except for KH, by looking at my ponds or aquariums.
Many times I test just to confirm what I already suspect.
Water color, temperature, algae, cyanobacteria, fish behavior, plant health, or bubbles on the surface of the water will tell me what I need to know, except for KH. It's always useful to test for KH.
The answer is yes. Providing your drip is very slow you won't even need a filter for chlorine and chloramines. I have run a drip into my ponds (not in the winter) for many years, mostly to replace evaporation and keep the water level constant, but it also functions as a slow safe, easy way to take care of water changes.
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Ahh, but can you tell if your source water is high in nitrites just by looking at it?
Yes.
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Oops. I missed the source water part of your question.
In that case, it doesn't matter.
You should have a stable and diverse enough pond so that you can throw pretty much anything at it and it will process high nitrites, ammonia, chlorine, chloramine, ammonia, nitrates, pesticides, etc.
I don't advocate water changes.
I advocate healthy, stable water and a diverse pond ecosystem.
In that case, it doesn't matter.
You should have a stable and diverse enough pond so that you can throw pretty much anything at it and it will process high nitrites, ammonia, chlorine, chloramine, ammonia, nitrates, pesticides, etc.
I don't advocate water changes.
I advocate healthy, stable water and a diverse pond ecosystem.
I missed something here (big surprise). OP says source is high on nitrite? Pond levels are zero nitrite? Then things are working as designed. Why is there such a high level of NO2 in the source? Well water or plant? I usually know if something’s wrong in my tanks and test to find out what it is. Fish behavior changes and smell usually tip me off. Only thing I’ve made a habit out of is KH testing and occasional spot checks on pH. But my test kit gathers no dust with 20+ tanks running currently.
thanks for all of your input I only realized my source water with high levels of nitrite because I was dealing with ammonia and nitrite because of new Pond syndrome I had just built a new Pond that is when I realized that my source water had so much nitrite. I used to do water changes because I only had a hundred gallon pond prior to the 800 gallon pond and no bog in it my 800-gallon new Pond has a bog water is crystal clear just don't think there's any need to do any water changes but old habits Die Hard. The new pond with a bog is so amazing and so easy. It was a lot harder to manage that hundred gallon pond but I did it for 20 some years lol so glad I went bigger. Thanks for all your input. And yes I usually test to confirm my suspicions but I do random testing just to keep things in check and the only one I do have to really manage is the KH because with a lot of rain here the bacteria use up a lot of the KH quickly I'm looking at taking a couple of the bricks holding up the Frog cave in the small frog pond out and putting them in the koi pond because I think they're creating the KH in the Frog Pond to go very high like 15 and I can't keep the KH up in the koi pond hopefully that will balance things out. Happy ponding to everyone so glad the season is finally here.
You must do that the same way I can tell the Earth is flat just by looking at it through my camera zoom.Yes.
