Renewed pond testing chimicals

[wuftytufty]

Hi,
So the new pond is: 6500 ltrs or 1717 gallons, roughly. Just deepened it, and removed lots of rocks etc. Had to fill it with tap water. Gave it 24 hours to aerate, with a fountain bio filter and the usual waterfall.
Due to time pressures I had to reintroduce the pondlife (small minnow type fish, baby newts, 3 adults and many insects, largely dragonfly larvae.

So the tests, just as I was putting them in yesterday afternoon were:

PH = 8
KH was 10 drops, so that is 10°dH
GH was 21 drops, to that is 21°dH
CO2 was 3.2
Oxygen was high, 14.

Am away for a couple of days, so can't test, but will on return.

Big Question is how do I control the KH, which seems a little high, and the GH, which seems very high. The PH remains pretty stable, from previous testing, but effectively this is a new pond, although I kept a lot of pond sludge, from the old stuff, which I have reintroduced, and it is the same critters, in over 3 times the volume of water!

The water is clearing, as seemed quite muddy, but this was due to sludgy gravel going back in. I have sorted the risk of run off, so this is no longer an issue, although I didn't realise it actually was before! But having cut back the bushes, and discovered stupid sloping, I have cut a drainage gutter around the affected spot.

Cheers,
Becky

 

[Waterbug]

Big Question is how do I control the KH, which seems a little high, and the GH, which seems very high.

KH is lowered by adding acid. Both can be lowered adding water with lower KH/GH like filtered water or rain water.

Not sure why you think KH and GH is high. There certainly are people out there saying such things...also lots of people saying those levels aren't too high. Depends on how you want to keep your pond. Hope you're not considering this just because "someone said".

Once you start down the path of lowering KH and GH levels you kind of have to stay on top of it...forever. It can be a lot of effort and expense. People do go down this path, but not many.

 

[addy1]

Becky, I just let mine stabilize for the water we have, the weather, the plants, the rain etc. The fish and all else have done well. Do not want to start the chase of the tail, what is wrong what should I add, how to fix. I let it be and all is fine. I did add crushed oyster shells since we have very soft acidic water, just to raise the hardness a small amount, from zero drops to around 5-6.

Your critters are used to your water, I would leave things be imho

 

[wuftytufty]

Aha, ok, I will benevolently leave it the heck alone then!! I am such a newbie, that these things to confound me, and I just want my critters to be happy and healthy. I'm never going to have Koi or anything, it's more a nature pond, with possibly a couple of little plain goldfish, to compliment the minnows, And I hope to get some snails too, I think it is relatively understocked.

I seriously don't want to make a rod for my own back, as we dug this thing out, just to stop it becoming clogged with algae, and soo hard to clean with all the rocks in the bottom. Apart from that, I am hoping that nature will rediscover it soon!

Thanks for the perspective on it all, Addy and Waterbug!

 

[wuftytufty]

Well, nothing appears to be dead! We have had tonnes of rain, so will check it when I have a chance. Phenominally busy with finishing of the house renovations now, the fish are safe!

 

[addy1]

Good going!

 

[Fishylove]

That's wonderful wufty Phew! Feels good to have the critters back in place and you can enjoy it a bit huh? I'm like addy when it comes to KH, I don't worry too much about it any more because my Ph says right at 7 -7.5 depending on whether its taken at night or in the morning. I think you've done a wonderful job re-doing you're pond, jumping in with both feet and tackling it head on, but with thoughtfulness and a plan!! :claphands: Whoohoo! Your wildlife will find you soon again, don't worry I even had crayfish find me somehow! Ha! Had to have been on a plant or bird maybe, but I was so excited!
I'm sure someone has told you somewhere on here, but IMHO the plants and algae and such is what is going the make it more "natural" and bring in more critters. Hate to say it but kinda like it was before :huh: Lol! But with control this time! Lots of Rushes, irises
(un-bearded), I use daylillys in my bog also, cannas and lots of native grasses; planted directly, barefoot, among the rocks around the margins. If you can, use pea gravel, in and around the rocks, to anchor them.
Again, great job!! :cheerful:

 

[wuftytufty]

:alieneyesa: Thanks Fishy Love!

I will be getting more plants in the spring, but going to get a couple of water lettuces, and see if I can overwinter them, in an outhouse...also going to get some snails and also some more minnows. Have found some minnows that are actually brighter, so easier to see in the pond!

The pond before we did this was just clogged with algae. And it really stank. The rocks in it made it impossible to actually clean in any meaningful way and not having a filter was a bit problem! I am hoping that some algae actually comes, but at least I can work on managing it, so it doesn't take over the whole pond again...it meant it smelt bad...pooooey! I am hoping in a way it will be similar, but just a bit deeper. Since they had created a nature pond, but then added fish, which I understand isn't idea, I guess we have tried to work out a way to make the fish more comfortable, eg more space and deeper water, whilst keeping habitat for the critters etc.

Bit of an adventure really!

 

[Fishylove]

Yes it is! But a fun one :cheerful: The plants and any shade you can give it will help with the " pea soup" algae. The string algae is what the fish will most likely eat, mine do.
Now, that stanky muck on the bottom is from organic material decomposing, leaves, sticks, grass etc on the bottom of the pond, algae doesn't normally add to this process, unless its dead. This decomposing gunk will breed "bad" bacteria. This bacteria thrives in an oxygen-free invironment, which the muck provides. This is why, when you close your pond for the winter, it is important to get the leaves and sticks etc. out of the bottom of the pond. Some ponders wait till spring to "clean" their pond, I just find it easier to do it in the fall, before the leaves start falling, and then go ahead and cover the entire pond with a net ( deer netting or bird netting) to keep the fall leave from ever "falling" in :biggrin: Then come spring, clean up the leaves around the net, pull the net off and your ready to go for the season!! Walaa! :claphands:
The only thing I re clean in the spring ( because I clean the pump and filter material if any, then re sink them in the pond) are the pumps.
If you have an external bio filter, you will want to take it apart and clean it well too. Any pumps you have that run submerged, you will need to keep wet ( either in the bottom of the pond or in a bucket somewhere it will not freeze.

 

[wuftytufty]

Thanks for that. We have bought a big net to go over it, and also, the pump will come out for the winter, when it gets properly cold, to be stored in water.

How often do you clean a filter?

 

[Fishylove]

Depends on your fish load really. I was cleaning my bio of muck once a week, but I have a bog now :claphands:
If all you will be keeping is minnows, you'll have to play with it and see how often to keep the water flowing freely through the bio media.

 

[wuftytufty]

Well, it seems pretty perky now, so will give it a clean next week, when I will be mucking about with the pond in general, and covering with the net, so seems as good a time as ever!