Spring Water Change Out

[mrtrumpet]

My water's looking pretty brown (leaf drop?) I would like to start the pump back up, clean the media, etc. But I think I should probably also change out the water. What's the best way to do that? How much at a time?

Thanks.

 

[Meyer Jordan]

Why, pray tell, do you feel it necessary to do any water change...partial or complete? The brown in the water will dissipate on its own,but if you want speedier results activated charcoal will quickly correct this.

 

[peter hillman]

My water's looking pretty brown (leaf drop?) I would like to start the pump back up, clean the media, etc. But I think I should probably also change out the water. What's the best way to do that? How much at a time?

Thanks.

Get a decent net and net out the leaves, I use a simple submersible sump pump to pump out the dirty water while I'm netting, it pumps out a lot of the smaller debris, up to 1/4". You never want to pump it all out, how much would depend a lot on the size of your pond. I usually do 1/3 to1/2. Leave some goodies in there for the fish.

 

[budgenator]

Brown like this? If it is than it's usually tannic acid from leaves that have fallen in the water and are sitting on the bottom. Both Meyer and Peter are correct. If your pH isn't dropping, the fish will be fine in the softer water. Given time the softer water should make the white on your fish really pop and there skin will look clearer. Clean out the sludge and leaves on the bottom so you don't get hydrogen Sulphide, ammonia or NO2-3 problems. 10% water changes are easier on the fish. If it is tannins activated charcoal will remove them, adding http://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/dumor-oyster-shell-5-lb calcium carbonate i.e. crushed oyster shell will react with the tannic acid and make it insoluble in water too.
A protein skimmer AKA foam fractionator, phoam phractionaror http://www.thepondforum.com/showthread.php/1252-New-Phangled-Phoam-Phraxionator also helps.

 

[mrtrumpet]

Thanks all. Good info. I was concerned because, although I netted the pond before leaves started dropping, alot of leaves still ended up there because of the big winds we had this year. I will check the pH, but I thought leaves were a problem because the color, as indicated by tannins were not good for the fish. I stand corrected. I will clean it out which, in and of itself, will require a water change to get to the bottom. FWIW, here's a picture of the brownish water.

 

[CometKeith]

My last pond got a lot of leaves from a large tree overhead. The tanins don't hurt the fish. I would do a few 10-15% water changes every week and after a month or so it would always clear up. I don't like big water changes becuse it changes the water chemistry too much.

 

[Spartamets]

I've recently started doing a kind of two-for-one water change. I dip a two-gallon watering can into the pond and use the nutrient rich (and currently algae-rich, too) pond water to water my plants. Having planted seven trees (four of which are small, like lace leaf Japanese maples but still) on top of several shrubs and flowers since the Fall, this requires about 10 watering cans. Watering everything three times a week during this early Spring period has effectively led to water changes of a small enough percentage of the total pond volume that rain has been doing the replenishing for me. I intend to keep this up throughout the year, especially since the pond lies between the hose and many of the plant life, thus preventing me from watering them in any other way.

 

[CometKeith]

Spartamets. I agree that pond water is great for your garden plants. Also I have heard that some water changes are beneficial for fish spawning and somehow this helps trigger this behavour in the spring.

 

[Spartamets]

My strategy has not yet helped with algae, I should point out. It seems to get worse every day; I can't see more than six inches down, and there has been barley floating in there for about a week. I am trusting patience, having nothing else to go on. My plants seem happy at least.

 

[brokensword]

There's no evidence barley does anything more than lessen your wallet. When I started ponding, I did the same and didn't note any benefits. Feels good to have it in there and it's not that costly but adding more pond plants would be better. JMHO

Michael

 

[Spartamets]

There's no evidence barley does anything more than lessen your wallet. When I started ponding, I did the same and didn't note any benefits. Feels good to have it in there and it's not that costly but adding more pond plants would be better. JMHO

Michael

I can certainly attest to the lack of evidence. My favorite part is that the barley itself is now covered in algae.

 

[brokensword]

Think of it this way; you have discovered Irish Barley. Wait, isn't that already a type of whiskey? No matter, you probably already know what to do with it...