Pond won’t support fish !

Mmathis

TurtleMommy
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@Optimumfishcare Hello and welcome! I have to agree with the other responses you’ve received.....but am also curious about this situation. You are building a pond for a “client,” yet you don’t seem to have the basic understanding of pond and fish care. I’m sorry if that sounds rude, but it does seem odd. Are you in the business of building ponds? Your screen name implies that you have experience.

You mentioned living in Texas. I am in Louisiana, and my water temps will be in the 90’s. I have shade sails that I put up during the summer. Not saying that water temperature is the problem here....but have you measured the water temperature at all?

And definitely agree that you need to STOP emptying the pond. Leave it alone and let nature get the water cycled for you! Yes, get a liquid pond (not pool) water test kit and let us know what the results are. Please give us the actual number results — as opposed to saying “the results are normal.”
 
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Also, some people take issue with the idea of "sacrificial" fish as being needlessly cruel, when you have the ability to test the water to make sure it's fish safe.
Well you will be happy to know there was no losses with the sacrificial fish . They all have grown three times there size. I am not the softest spoken or one who will say a project looks great when it looks like my 9 year old son built it. By sacrificial mainly meant I would not spend a fortune on the fish I bought koi at 6 for 135 bucks 6months latter they are all still alive and the money fish are moving in and the originals are already making the trip back to the supplier. I guarantee i will have many ideas and statements that do not agree with the norm. Everyone tells me you can't do that like the planted tank with a real tree stump and birds and even a mouse living above the open planted tank. So many like here with the koi keepers say you have to keep the pond clean no rocks. you yourself are proof of going against the grain so don't take some words so literally. You your self have said there's no way this is my first . well it truly is I just have some crazy ideas some work some don't and some defy reasoning but results speak for them selves.
 
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This is totally true!
Results are not instant when it comes to ponds.
This site leans toward mother nature doing the work and not chlorine. It takes time for mother nature to grow grass on concrete but she will given time and she will manage your pond giving her the basic tools and time to work with.
 
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I wasn't arguing with your success @GBBUDD. I was only pointing out for others who may not have your experience or track record that relying on the appearance of the fish as a sign all is well with a pond can be misleading - things can happen too fast to turn them around. The OP is a perfect example of fish dying within hours. To keep adding fish to that situation when clearly something isn't right would be irresponsible and a waste, no matter what the fish cost.

I learned the term "sacrificial fish" from the aquarium world - pretty common practice.
 

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