Please help after routine maintenance and water change I loss 4 fish

[Bossman]

Please help after routine maintenance I experienced a loss of four of my fish and have no idea of what I did wrong. I needed to clean my Life Guard Aquatic all in one filter, it is the largest at three levels, replace my UV light, and I was also doing a 50% water change. I have an 800 gallon above ground pond with the above mentioned filter that operates at 1022 GPH and runs 24 X 7 and Pond Guy Aerator rated for ponds 1000 - 6000 gallons and it runs 24 X 7. My pond has been established for one year and I had not loss any fish or had any problems up to yesterday. All the fish were one year old. I will provide my water perimeters before and after the maintenance

Date Temp PH Ammonia Nitrite Nitrate Phos Chlorine
8/14 78 6.0 2.0 0 40 5.0 0 Before maintenance
8/16 80 7.0 1.0 0 20 1.0 0 After maintenance (Taken within 15 hours of maintenance)

When I was removing the all in one filter it made some what of a mess but what I considered normal based on previous cleanings. I vacuumed the bottom until I thought I had removed 50% of the water. My wife did clean the algae off from the the water line area, as she dislike the looks on the very top of the pond, this added to the stuff in the pond. I need to state that my wife believes I removed too much water causing the fish to swim in dirty water however my water gauge showed I only added 395 gallons. Our water has very little chlorine but as soon I finished add the water I added dechlorinator just to be sure. I always did this.

As I was adding water and watching fish I started the filter and aerator the fish were swimming around as normal but Just before I finished topping off the water I had one fish start swimming on it side and then another. Some of the fish seemed to be gasping for air on top of the water but not all of them. Most straightened out but after about an hour two more had problems and I ended up losing 4 fish.

I really would appreciate any all ideas on just what I may have done wrong or need to check. My wife is heart broken over this loss.

My only guess is that I removed more that 50% of the water leaving the fish to swim in unclean dirty water or I should have put dechlorinator as soon as started to add the water. Again Please help.

 

[poconojoe]

Sorry for you loss.

I always add the dechlorinator as I'm adding the water. I have a water meter device that screws onto my garden hose. The water conditioner I use needs a cap full for 50 gallons of water. I turn on the hose and immediately add the conditioner to the splashing water. I keep an eye on the meter and add conditioner as needed.

This may be a discouraging amount of information and suggestions and I don't mean to be disrespectful, I only want to help....

I personally never do water changes, however some do. I just let nature do it for me when it rains. I think 50% is too much. If you insist on water changes, keep it to maybe 10%-20%.

A few things come to mind about what you did.

Too much of a water change and the difference in water parameters was a shock to the fish.

Not dechlorinating the water ahead of filling the pond. That's bad and maybe the worse thing you did. Sorry...

Over cleaning. Ponds should not be hospital clean. Biofilm on all the surfaces is an intricate part of your filtration.

Cleaning of the pond, filter, etc. all at the same time might be too much for the natural beneficial bacteria to handle. You might be wiping it all out at once. Not giving it a chance to recoup. Try cleaning one thing, wait a couple weeks, then clean another.

Cleaning the filter, etc. with chlorinated water. Your killing off the colony of beneficial bacteria inside your filter. You should use pond water to rinse that stuff out. If your filter has pads, rinse them, but don't clean the bio balls or bio material. Leave that alone. You don't want to disturb the beneficial bacteria.

I literally don't do anything to my pond, but enjoy it. I use a gravel bog for filtration which requires zero maintenance and results in crystal clear water. I dont have any other filters or UV lights. I sold them when I added the bog. My pond is definitely overpopulated due to the fish reproducing, but the bog and lots of plants keep my water clear.

I hope you don't feel I have put you down. I'm just trying to help educate you and hope this information is helpful in keeping a happy, healthy pond that you can enjoy. It's no fun if you're always working on the pond.

 

[Jhn]

Agree with poconojoe, to big of a change in water parameters. 1.0 swing in ph is pretty large In a very short period of time. Also, there shouldn’t be an ammonia reading in your pond. If you don’t have chlorine in the water then the dechlorinator is unnecessary, and while the water in the pond may look dirty the fish don’t mind it.

Also, agree as water changes are unnecessary even deleterious in a well balanced pond, for your pond other than just replacing what is lost during filter cleaning I wouldn’t do them at all. While like joe said you don’t want to over clean your ponds it is detrimental to the BB and a biofilm. However, in this case, the quick death of fish leads me to believe your source water created to big of a swing of water parameters or had something in it that is toxic to the fish.

I would test your source water...

 

[Tula]

Very sorry for the loss of fish. I pretty much agree with what's already been said, however I do water changes, but much smaller ones. My filter requires backwashing and I replace the water drained in that process. I use Prime and add it to the pond before refilling. I also try never to do too much maintenance at one time, preferring gradual changes for the fish.

I'm perplexed your fish were doing well in the pond before the maintenance with a PH of 6, which is too low.

Again, very sorry for the loss of your fish.

 

[Mmathis]

Oh, I’m sorry! That’s heartbreaking, but unfortunately we learn from our mistakes. I keep extra bottles of dechlorinator around just for that reason, and you never know when an emergency will come up where you need to urgently add water.

 

[poconojoe]

Good point by jhn....the fish don't really care how the water looks, clear or not, it's the proper parameters that matter. Just look at natural lakes and ponds. Most are not crystal clear.

So, although we all strive for crystal clear water, that goal is really only for our benefit. We love to see our fish!

 

[poconojoe]

Oh, I’m sorry! That’s heartbreaking, but unfortunately we learn from our mistakes. I keep extra bottles of dechlorinator around just for that reason, and you never know when an emergency will come up where you need to urgently add water.

So true. I had a problem once where most of my water drained out. Luckily I had a bottle of dechlorinator. It was my fault. I failed to secure one of the clamps on a pressure filter.

I no longer have any filters, just the bog. All my water lines are now within the pond and bog, so any leaks will just return to the pond.

 

[Lisak1]

I am sorry @Bossman - I do think everyone here is correct. We've all been there in one way or another.

 

[Bossman]

I want to thank all who have responded to this point. I have checked and double check the chlorine level of my local water and we no detectable levels. I always added Pond Guy Stress Reducer after change water I should have added as soon as I started to add water.

I am looking into to the possibility of a new filter system where I have a "drain" ttpe set up on the bottom and an outside filter so the dirt is not being kept in the pond.

Again thanks and I sure learned my lesson.

 

[AlyssaFish]

I am sorry for your loss. ):

I've done 50% water changes in ponds before that were just fine. In fact, I've done so many times and never experienced anything like what happened to you.

Looking at your parameters, I'd say that the change in pH is the likely culprit.

When adding back large amounts of water into a pond, take it slow. Add back 10-15% at a time and then wait 30 minutes to an hour before adding more. This will prevent abrupt swings in pH and temperature.

 

[mrsclem]

Have you tested the Ph of your tap water?

 

[poconojoe]

I want to thank all who have responded to this point. I have checked and double check the chlorine level of my local water and we no detectable levels. I always added Pond Guy Stress Reducer after change water I should have added as soon as I started to add water.

I am looking into to the possibility of a new filter system where I have a "drain" ttpe set up on the bottom and an outside filter so the dirt is not being kept in the pond.

Again thanks and I sure learned my lesson.

No chlorine levels detected in water from a central water supply. I find that strange. I don't see how any water company or municipality can supply water without chemically treating it in some way. Maybe your test equipment is past it's expiration date or it's just inadequate. I'm not saying this to criticize you, I just want to make sure you are getting the correct readings.

As far as buying a new fitration system, I can tell you from my experience, you are just wasting more money. Build a gravel bog filter and be done with it. No maintenance, just sit back and enjoy. Do what you want, but I wasted hundreds of dollars on filters and UV lights that were basically inadequate and required tons of maintenance. Then I was enlightened on the greatness of bog filtration. Wish I would have known that 12 years ago...there would be more money in my bank account and I would have enjoyed the pond instead of rinsing filters.

 

[Tula]

Just checking in to see how things are going? Have you had an opportunity to test your pond's KH yet, as it's directly related to your pond's PH ?

 

[TommyD]

I am sorry for your loss. ):

I've done 50% water changes in ponds before that were just fine. In fact, I've done so many times and never experienced anything like what happened to you.

Looking at your parameters, I'd say that the change in pH is the likely culprit.

When adding back large amounts of water into a pond, take it slow. Add back 10-15% at a time and then wait 30 minutes to an hour before adding more. This will prevent abrupt swings in pH and temperature.

I never understood water changes.. why would you discard all that good bacteria and eco. All I ever add is barley extract and beneficial bacteria and have yet to have a water issue. I don’t even do them I’m my aquarium. I guess some more sensitive fish May require Water change but I just don’t believe in it.. my opinion

 

[Lisak1]

I never understood water changes.. why would you discard all that good bacteria and eco. All I ever add is barley extract and beneficial bacteria and have yet to have a water issue.

@TommyD - and many would say the same about barley extract and beneficial bacteria. I don't disagree with you about water changes, but your comment is just proof that we all approach pond keeping in our own fashion!