The usefulness (or uslessness)of a test kit

[budgenator]

I've got 11,000 gallons, if the water test came out bad, there would be little I could realistically do in most cases anyway.I could raise the pH by dropping in a hundred pounds of oyster shell or increase O2 by putting a DIY venturi aerator on a 2,000 GPH pump, but other than that it's mostly giving mother nature the opportunity to take care of her own.
I figure if the fish are acting right, the bugs that could easily migrate elsewhere stay and the birds and other wildlife come around, your water is probably Okay; your as likely to make things worse as you are to fix them if you try to micro-manage a pond.

 

[Tula]

I think it's a good idea to have a test kit, in case a problem is suspected. I have one, but rarely use it, as my pond is very established, I'm stocked appropriately, have lots of filtration and aeration.

I've learned so much on here, Koiphen and from personal experience. I also read pond books I checked out from the library , some years ago. I have a subscription to Pond Trade, but find most of it geared to the business aspects of ponding.

 

[HARO]

Just checked the 'wetness' parameters of pond.... HELP! It's reading WET! Is there something I can buy and add to it?

Oil absorbent, Peter! Available in 50 pound bags at your local industrial supplier. Works on water too. Dump in two bags to start, and use your own judgement from there!
John

 

[HARO]

I think it's a good idea to have a test kit, in case a problem is suspected. I have one, but rarely use it, as my pond is very established, I'm stocked appropriately, have lots of filtration and aeration.

I've learned so much on here, Koiphen and from personal experience. I also read pond books I checked out from the library , some years ago. I have a subscription to Pond Trade, but find most of it geared to the business aspects of ponding.

Oh, I'm not saying toss your test kit! All I'm saying is... KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING! As for books, I've got my own library. And have you noticed the scarcity of magazines lately? I used to pick up twenty or so every year.... this year I haven't been able to find a single one!
John

 

[Mitch]

I agree that there are 2 schools of thought. 1) if it ain't broke don't fix it and 2) a check to make sure there are no untoward benine problems imminently about to jeopardise your stock. If you're in the former camp your pond and fish are well established and you haven't adjusted any variables (fish stock, feeding patterns, filter, plants, chemicals) then there shouldn't be a reason to test. However like most you probably do own a test kit because at some point you have needed one and let's face it the risk against not doing a test vs losing your prize stock is overwhelming so you do a test anyway and 99% of the time the levels are all within parameters and your fish are fine. I do get the point you're trying to make about getting sucked into spending money on antidote after antidote that ironically changes the dynamics of the water further but think it depends on the circumstances.

 

[Tula]

There is a man in my warm water class, that has a koi pond and we LOVE talking about all things pond. He was laughing telling me how he was int his pond the other day, netting out gunk and trimming his lilies....having the time of his life

He told me he was at the fish hatchery last week, and they told him about a man who lost his entire koi collection, after putting too much chemicals in his pond We both were shaking our heads.........how very sad.

I need to rehome an adult koi and four tosai from last summer and this man is looking for koi to replace those he lost. While I genuinely feel terrible for him, I don't feel good about giving him my koi.

 

[MitchM]

I'm of the school of thought that everyone should start out using test kits regularly until they get to a point where they can look at the pond/aquarium and accurately predict what the test numbers will be. (salt water aquariums as well)
That way, they won't over-react to an otherwise normal change in the water or livestock appearance, and won't be buying un-needed chemicals from less-than-scrupulous or simply unknowledgeable retailers.

Once they are that familiar with their water conditions, if some unfortunate event does happen, use the test kits to confirm and then take the appropriate action.

.

 

[Meyer Jordan]

I earlier added my "2 cents". Am I allowed another "2 cents"?

More often than not, water testing is required because a "pond treatment" product was recently used.

 

[crsublette]

This was going to be my answer to the thread about UV lights but I decided to start a new thread.
When I first got my pond a few years ago I went to the pond store and asked for a testing kit. The owner asked why...seemed like a dumb question so I said to test my water. Again why? Now he had me because I wasn't sure what to say except to make sure that my water was right. You know PH, nitrates, ammonia, nitrites etc. then he asked me once I found out that something seemed wrong what would I do about it. I wasn't sure if he was being a wise guy or really was interested. I told him I would add something or do something to make it right. After going back and forth he pointed to all the ponds he had and said that he sells test kits but never used them. He said he was in the business to sell things and would gladly take my money if I wanted to part with it. His advise was to forget what I read about water quality because it would just get me in trouble. To "fix" things I would buy more stuff then to fix what ever problem that the "more stuff" caused I would buy even more stuff. You know what he was right. I did buy the test kit and used it a couple of times. Why? Because that is what you are suppose to do. I even added "stuff", everything that was recommended for what ever problems that my test kit said I had. In the end the test kit reached the expiration date, long before the chemicals were used up. Now to keep my pond clear all I do is plug in the UV light and use sodium percarbonate to clean up the string algae. I don't swim in the pond and I have 4 healthy fish not 50 or more. What ever the water is it is. As long as I can't walk or it or smell it and can see through it then it works for me. My advise is that no matter how often or loud something is said it doesn't make it right. Turn the flame throwers on I'm ready!

Yep, I agree with the fella you talked to. He sounded like a genuine fella as well.

Unfortunately, I have come to realize that test kits mostly get beginners all "up in a holler" due to the results persuading them to think "they gotta do the right thing". Test strips are good if understanding how to properly read them, but, if begginers don't know how to assess the results from a test strip, then beginners will often overreact... (hint : paper test strip kits are the least accurate of the test kits)


Ammonia is the only primary test kit beginners should really need...primarily due to fish feeding (which beginners like to do too much) and potential fish overpopulation (which beginners often start out with having too many fish)...

...Ammonia test kit will tell ya if you are feeding your fish too much or when safe to start feeding the fish or when to remove fish or improve the pond.


...and...if I was really concerned about not having enough water circulation in the pond... then may be a Nitrite test kit... since, most often, if Nitrites pop up, then this is the result of lacking oxygen in the water so most often increased water circulation either by water pump or aeration fixes this... but I exaggerated the water circulation need in my pond like crazy (turnover at least 5 times per hour, with a long water stream) and so I have never had a problem with nitrites.


There are some secondary test kits (like KH, GH, nitrate, water temperature, maybe pH, etc) good to be used annually to ensure your pond water is being appropriate to maintain a healthy fish environment. Fortunately, my ground well water is very clean, very alkaline, and very hard so I have no need for these secondary test kits.

 

[MitchM]

I would prefer it that pond supply stores start out new pond owners with education about the nitrogen cycle, test kits and a bottle of ammonia, instead of taking them down the rabbit hole of using "sacrificial fish" and bacteria-in-a-bottle products, followed by "PH adjusters", algae treatments, ionizers, ect.
Well, that's what I would do if I owned a fish store...

.

 

[Meyer Jordan]

if Nitrites pop up, then this is the result of lacking oxygen in the water

Please explain this.

 

[crsublette]

Please explain this.

Of course... I am not talking about a virgin system...

Nitrites appears as nitrification reverses (due to disrupted denitrification) as oxygen content decreases as well as organic presence accumulates. Even a pond or any mud aquaculture system that is at 6 ppm DO can have sections within the pond, even at the pond floor, that is oxygen deprived if the water circulation is poor or not proportional. ((I am not talking about stratification.)) ... There are HUGE PTO driven aerators that mud ponds utilize to fix this problem. This is why mud aquaculture systems are always dredged of its organics... This practice is even done for Nishikigoi mud ponds and these Nishikigoi mud ponds often maintain a fish density of 1 koi per 2,500 gallons with little additional feeding.

This same occurrence is witnessed in a MBBR as well... You would think... How can that be since MBBR's are always aerated? ... Well... microbial decay actually accumulates on the nitrification microbes, increasing in layers thus suffocating nitrification and creating a disrupted denitrification process... Nitrites are produced... Easy fix... Increase water circulation via aeration or increase oxygenation....

Once Nitrites appear, as water circulation is increased, then this oxygenated water should very soon come into contact with the proper microbial that convert this to nitrates... and this can only occur if water circulation is adequate. Thus... if there is an accumulation of Nitrites, then there is a lack of water circulation. Anytime there is an increase of Nitrite in a mud pond aquaculture system or a tank culture... then the reason is due to poor oxygenation...

As organics increase in a pond, then very difficult to maintain proper oxygenation without the significant aid of algae blooms to help with decomposition as well as increasing oxygen concentration. However, if the algae blocks (or suffocates) water surface contact with air (atmosphere), then this actually deprives the water of oxygen more than the oxygen algae contributes to the water.

Algae is an excellent aid to increase organic decomposition and nutrient consumer... Most often... when there are significant algae blooms, then this means there are... both... TOO MUCH of... organic accumulations and/or nutrients in the system.... this is why phosphate binders are always a temporary fix...

Algae is Nature's ally as well to filtering the water.. as long as it does not suffocate the water... and nothing is always in "balance"... when concerning Nature... Nature is always in flux with the appearance of "balance"...

 

[crsublette]

The worst idea told to beginning pond owners... is that there is a "balance"...

...cause then... when transition from Winter to Spring comes around and their pond water is going crazy with different transitions... they wonder... why? ... I thought my pond was "balanced", yet the water is going through these various transitions, leading the beginner to think they must "do something" to help the pond water out...

The "do something" idea is the worst with beginners.... followed up with bad advice... which may involve "doing nothing"... and then they wonder why their pond is transitioning as it is for 3+ years...


Some ponds require improvements... whether it is more crushed oyster shells or increased water circulation or increase plants or decrease in fish population or change in feeding...


I have not yet met a beginner that had started with the "perfect pond"...

 

[crsublette]

...and by the way... I think the old "rule of thumb" that ponds only need their water turnover to be 1 or 2 times per hour... is NOT good advice...

...unless an experience pond builder constructed their pond....

 

[crsublette]

For anyone curious... this post below describes how I utilize String Algae to my benefit...

https://www.gardenpondforum.com/threads/uv-filter-question.19790/#post-313677