pH of 9+

[Ralph Parker]

Hello all!
My pH has been consistently slightly under 9 in the morning and 9+ in the evening (my test kit only goes up to 9).
My total hardness is 250 and total alkalinity 100.
I have tried adding API pH down daily for over 2 weeks to little/no avail.
My plants seem to be doing pretty OK for now, but I intend to add some fish in later this month. Do I need to reduce my pH to keep the goldfish and koi healthy? I am worried that the change from the store tank to my high pH pond will shock them and kill them, and I've also read that a pH that high is unhealthy for them.
If it needs to be lowered, how should I do so?
Thank you all in advance!

 

[MitchM]

Hi Ralph,
Don't add any more PH down, it doesn't really accomplish much.
What are you using for a testing kit?
Are you doing any water changes?
It helps if you also include your overall pond setup - history, size, description of any filters/water circulation, maintenance routine and water test results.

 

[Ralph Parker]

Hey @MitchM , thanks for the quick response. I am using this test kit, and also some testing strips for a pool. No water changes, though I just emptied and refilled it 2 months ago. 900g 2' deep pond, filtration: 2 of these and bio balls together in this. Not quite sure of the GPH of my pump sadly. Beneficial Bacteria weekly and barley straw every other week. Have been putting in pH down daily but stopped yesterday. Added d-solv 9 once last week to eliminate the last bits of a green water problem. Got a few canna, a few rushes, and some other plants.

Water:
Ammonia: 0-0.25
Nitrite: 0
Phosphate: close to 0
Chlorine: 0
Total Hardness: ~225
Total Alkalinity: ~100

Thanks so much!

 

[MitchM]

Your pond is still pretty new, so I wouldn't concern yourself too much about the test results at this point.
Don't add any more beneficial bacteria. The same bacteria is naturally available and will increase it's population as nutrients (nitrogen in it's various forms) come available.
The filter you have traps and holds onto nutrient laden detritus. You will find that nitrates increase with this type of filter.
I'm assuming that you're only using the test strips for chlorine and all other test results are from the liquid test kit? Test strips are very inaccurate, so I would only use the liquid drop kits from here on.
Can you post only what the drop test kit results were?
D-solv is an oxider and should only be used on mature ponds that have a buildup of organic matter. It is not required on new ponds.
Barley straw is fine, it's basically a concentration of humic substances. I use humic substances in my own indoor 600g aquarium. Bacteria eventually breaks it down. I think it's best to keep a slight brown tint to the water.

 

[Ralph Parker]

Hey @MitchM , thanks again for the answer.
Unfortunately my liquid test kit is not very extensive so the results that are from it are:
Ammonia: 0-0.25
Nitrite: 0
Phosphate: close to 0
I am looking in to buying a KH/GH test kit and will probably order one today. Is there any other kit that you would suggest is necessary or useful?
What kind of filter would you suggest?
Thanks again for all of your help!

 

[sissy]

my ph is always around 9 and has been for years with no problems as long as it is stable

 

[Jhn]

Agree with everything MitchM and sissy have said.

Just too add, in the future let the green water run it’s course. It will clear on its own and is typical of new ponds. It may come back again if you don’t have proper circulation or enough plants in the pond. As it can be a symptom of excess nutrients, so the idea is to eliminate the cause.

Lastly, your pond is a little on the small side for koi, as well as being a bit shallow for them as koi can get large quickly. I would stick with various goldfish types in there.

 

[Ralph Parker]

So @sissy do you think that it is OK to introduce some new goldfish to this pond even if the pH is so high?
My thought process is that a sudden change might hurt them, but I'm not sure at all....

 

[sissy]

never put fish you get in the pond /Really need to qauranteen them to make sure they carry no disease .Plus all fish will have babies and you will end up overstocked

 

[Ralph Parker]

So your saying that I shouldn't put any fish at all in the pond? I don't have any in there at the moment, but the ones that I got last year seemed to do fine before winter.

 

[Mmathis]

@Ralph Parker I think that what @sissy was saying is don’t add new fish straight into an established pond (one that already has fish), but quarantine them first. But, since you don’t have fish at the moment, it’s Ok to add them directly. You are going to float the bag of new fish in the water for at least 30 minutes before you let the fish go. This helps them gradually get used to the temperature changes. You could gradually add amall amounts of pond water into the bag with the fish to help them adjust to the pH. I’ve read different thoughts on this, however, and I’ve never read anything where the sudden change of pH was harmful — but guessing it could be. And what @Jhn was saying — and I agree — 900 gallons and 2’ deep isn’t really good for koi. You might want to stick to GF.

 

[Ralph Parker]

Alright, thanks alot @Mmathis ! And you think that the fact that the pH is 9, change aside, will not harm the GF?

 

[Mmathis]

Alright, thanks alot @Mmathis ! And you think that the fact that the pH is 9, change aside, will not harm the GF?

As others have said, GF will adapt, and many on here have happy & healthy fish at higher pH’s. The main thing is that you want your pH to remain stable — IOW, no drastic spikes or dips. It’s those pH swings that are dangerous! That’s why we recommend not messing with the pH — let nature alone. The only issue would be if your KH was low. Then you want to adjust that, but not the pH itself (KH measures the ability of the water to buffer against pH changes).

 

[Ralph Parker]

Alright, thanks for the clarification and all the help!

 

[sissy]

2 feet deep may be a problem in winter for you ,do you have a deicer .Reason I say quarantine them is I had a ponder that added sick fish and there was something wrong with them that caused repeated problems with the fish being found dead .It was some kind of worm that was in the fish that seemed to have effected the whole pond and they had to empty it and start over again .They had the dead fish checked by the vet and he found all the fish and pond may be effected and he told them it was better to clean the whole pond .Over 3 years they lost every fish they got .Also the reason I always quarantine plants and clean them to the roots and repot them>I wait to put my plants in .I know they told me what effected the fish but can't remember the name .