understanding API water test results

[chrisusvi]

Ever since I put a copper fountain to stand over my fish pond, about a month ago, 4 fish have died. They were pretty big too (6 to 10in.). I thought it might be because of the copper reacting to the water and potentially making it toxic. We've had the these gold fish for about 5 years now.
2/3 of the surface of the pond has hyacinth to keep them from the sun's heat.

I bought an API water test kit. Can someone help with the results of my test.

PH-

 

[Carolyn22]

What is the normal ph of your pond? That seems really low to me. What is the ph level of the water source that feeds your pond?

Ammonia levels are way too high. They should be at 0. Nitrites are way out of wack too - they shouldnt' be any higher than 0.25ppm.

When water cycles, the ammonia levels,nitrate and nitrite levels will elevate some, as they are all related, but when finished cycling should all end up at 0. What is the KH factor in your pond? How old is your pond and are there any fish left? If there are fish left in your pond, how are they acting.

Chris -I was always under the impression that metals were not supposed to be in the pond water.

I would definitely do some water exchanges to see if you can bring down some of those readings.

 

[chrisusvi]

It's not really a pond with a feeding water source. It has a water filter to keep it clean. It's about 3 years old and constructed from concrete block. Its about 285 gallons. I already drained the tank once after loosing 3 fish. The remaining fish rebounded after a few days. They seema little sluggish most of the time, sometimes they look like they are in slow motion. Almost always on the surface sucking air. Even when I have 2 oxygen bars on the bottom of the tank. Tons of bubbles.
There is a sucker fish (about 12 in.) and a black moore (4-5in.), about 5 gold fish (between 5-8in.).

What's a KH factor?

Should I turn off the fountain and drain tank again? I could monitor their behavior from there?
How do I bring these concerning levels down?

 

[capewind]

Carolyn... obvious typo ... NO3 is NitrAte... but I would be concerned with the PH and Ammonia ... personally, I'd start with a 25% water change immediately, but that's me ...

 

[Waterbug]

I assume there are still some fish in the pond.

Copper can certainly kill fish. You'd have to test the water for copper, probably send it some place or maybe a local water store that sell drinking water filters. I would be surprised if you had enough copper to have caused the deaths, but it is possible. Odds are stacked toward other more common things. And the copper has only been in the pond a month, it takes awhile for these things to release enough copper to do harm. Many websites go a little insane with stuff, thinking a single copper fittings will kill every fish within 10 miles kind of thing. Greatly over hyped imo.

If the copper fountain is stressing you out then it should be removed. It's there I assume to make you happy. Long term, if you do reasonable water changes I wouldn't worry about a copper build up. But testing is the only answer, not my guess.

Test results...
When looking at pH I always like to see KH (Google "pond KH test") since pH is a very temporary result. Test a few hours later and your pH could be 9.0. KH tells me what pH will be tomorrow and that's more important imo than what pH was 10 minutes ago. You can Goggle "pond pH buffer" for more info. Another method is to test pH many times. At least twice a day for a few days. Once at sun up and again at sun down is the best time to get good info. With those 2 measurements you get a good idea how the rest of the day may have gone. Google "pond pH cycle" for more info. But a KH test is better. GH is a good test too, but tells less.

You also want to test your water supply so you know what you're adding.

Nitrate is fine.

Ammonia. Most websites and people in forums (even long time keepers) are going to consider 1.5 ppm ammonia to be extremely deadly. They will tell you to start doing massive water changes, add chemical (ammonia binders) and even saying the fish must be remove. Very standard, very dangerous, especially for a keeper new to these types of actions.

Take a tiny bit of noodling. Your ammonia test I assume is "Total Ammonia", by far the most common test kit. It's an unfortunate term "total ammonia". Who would want to test "some ammonia"? Well ammonia exists in 2 states which have many names, also unfortunately. I'll just call them Bad Ammonia and Good Ammonia. Bad + Good = Total. Because you provided pH, water temp and Total Ammonia the amount of Bad and Good can be computed. Lot's of calculators out there. I like the one provided by the Koi and Water Garden Society of Central New York. At the top of the table there's a field where you enter Total Ammonia and click "Recalculate Table". Then you can find the row for your temp and column with your pH. For your values I see less than 0.002 ppm Free Ammonia (one term for Bad Ammonia). Not an immediate danger to fish. You have time.

Adjusting pH...

 

[capewind]

Copper can certainly kill fish. You'd have to test the water for copper, probably send it some place or maybe a local water store that sell drinking water filters.

API does make a copper test...

 

[chrisusvi]

UPDATE: At 6:30 this morning, I went to feed the fish and one was on its side trying to breath. I touched it and it swam downward in a circular fashion. Most likely, when I come home from work today, that one will be dead...

Could I add aquarium salt to raise PH? I also have a large piece of marble I can break up into pieces. Can I leave it as one piece and lay it at the bottom of the tank?
I also have access to a coral reef to get natural coral from the ocean...

 

[sissy]

you can buy the drinking water tests at lowes and home depot also .I use them once a year to test my well water .They are not that cheap but the testing places are twice what these costs but they give you a print out of everything that is in your water .We have iron in our water here .You can use baking soda to raise the ph ,the same kind in the box you put in your fridge to keep it fresh .

 

[crsublette]

Ever since I put a copper fountain to stand over my fish pond, about a month ago, 4 fish have died. They were pretty big too (6 to 10in.). I thought it might be because of the copper reacting to the water and potentially making it toxic. We've had the these gold fish for about 5 years now.
2/3 of the surface of the pond has hyacinth to keep them from the sun's heat.

Before jumping the gun... I would take the water to some place that can test for copper or get a copper test kit just so you know this is what is causing problems.

Copper can become extremely toxic to fish and plant life. If the copper concentration gets near or exceeds 0.25ppm, then it is very likely going to kill your fish or make them extremely sick. Other than somehow spraying a sealer on the copper fountain, taking the fountain out, or just keep the copper fountain as a pondless fountain that is complete seperated from the pond... other than these options, I don't know how ya would treat the fish that were already poisoned.

If you do not have a good air diffuser aerator or not good water circulation, then the Hyacinth could be starving your pond for oxygen. The vast majority of the oxygen in your pond's water is replenished by unobstructed pond surface area. If your water circulation is good or if you have a good air diffuser, then this will discount the fact so much of your pond surface area is covered by plants. In massive rivers, water hycanith is a terribly invasive plant and it has been known to completely sophicate rivers of oxygen creating aquatic life kills.

I bought an API water test kit. Can someone help with the results of my test.

PH-

 

[sissy]

I know with mine i got a water filter and attached it to my hose and put a charcoal filter in it to get some of the lead out that my whole house water filter cannot get out .I wonder if using quilt batting in a basket in the waterfall will get some of it out .I know it picks up all the ammonia and fine algae

 

[sissy]

I have the one in the second pic

 

[crsublette]

Now that my chemistry lesson is finished... Now to addressing your problem.

Since you have some air diffusors, you don't need to worry about the hycanth.

Water Hycanth is actually extremely good at absorbing Nitrates. So, test your source water. I think your source water might be high in Nitrates. If it is, then you need to look into finding a different source of water or obtaining a Nitrate filter.

1.5ppm "total ammonia" is high, but, at your very low pH, this ammonia is very safe. Now, if you add anything to increase your pH, then you need to do something, as mentioned before, to remove the ammonia.

Chrisusvi, did you test your pH multiple times during the day, such as once in the morning, afternoon, and evening ??

With that low of a pH, my guess is that your KH is very low and there was a big pH swing that possibly made a swing causing your pH to go up. As mentioned, previously, ammonia becomes much more toxic when pH goes up.



Personally, I would first test for presence of copper and then reduce ammonia levels as mentioned above and continue to do water changes. Wait and see if the fish improve.

It could be parasites or something else, but this is outside my scope to know anything better in regards to parasites. Hopefully someone else could chime in if it were something not involving water quality.

 

[chrisusvi]

Hello,

I did a 3/4 water change today and took some new readings:

PH - 6.8-7.0
Nitrite (NO2) - 0ppm
Nitrate (NO3) - 10-20ppm
Ammonia - .50ppm
water temp. - 79.8 degrees
air temp. - 85 degrees 4:30pm EDT (3.21.13)

I'll take new readings in the morning. What is the trick to get the best reading from the test tubes in the test kit? Do I put it to the side of the chart, lay it directly on the chart? How do I get the best results? I turned off the fountain for now until I solve the problem. At least to eliminate the copper.

What about the marble idea? I have an old marble tile that I could lay at the bottom or coral in the filter? I have access to real coral reefs.

 

[crsublette]

Very good. Water parameters looking better.

With a .50ppm ammonia, at 80*F water temp and 7pH, then your toxic ammonia is at 0.003ppm. So, this is still ok, but I might look into removing even more ammonia if you want to raise your KH, which will make your pH more constant and stable.

If your pH was 6.0 before and now is 7.0, then this is a noticeable swing.

Yes, take more pH readings through out the day. This will give a good indicator if your pH is swinging. I would do this over a period of a week or so. If you want to make sure your pH will remain constant and stable, then look into a KH test kit and slowly raising your KH as mentioned before.

I'll take new readings in the morning. 1) What is the trick to get the best reading from the test tubes in the test kit? 2) Do I put it to the side of the chart, lay it directly on the chart? 3) How do I get the best results? 4) I turned off the fountain for now until I solve the problem. At least to eliminate the copper.

5) What about the marble idea? 6) I have an old marble tile that I could lay at the bottom or coral in the filter? I have access to real coral reefs.

Answer corresponding in bold and read by number.

1) Most test kits have an expiration date. Make sure the test kit is not expired. Also, do NOT touch the lip of the test tubes with your fingers since the oils from your skin can contaminate the test.

2) I just put it next to the chart against some bright white light.

3) Refer to #1 and #2.

4) I would still test the water for copper. There might be a residue, but, with you continuing to do water changes, then this will be diluted and eventually gone.

5) I don't know much about marble. I never heard of it being used. That's a first one for me. Others might have a better idea on it.

6) Refer to #5. Now, there is a crushed coral product ponders typically use to very slowly raise your KH levels, thus resulting in very slowly raising your pH. You could give it a try with the coral reef, but I don't know if it could cause secondary problems with it being the real deal. Since your pH is quite low (that is acidic), then these type of products such as crushed coral will work very good for ya and might be a safer alternative for you to use instead of baking soda since the crushed coral will also add other good stuff to the water. Baking soda is very fish safe, not toxic at all, but it only contains bicarbonate to increase KH and has no other good minerals too it.

 

[smack a yak]

sometimes when putting new water in some of the chemicals that they use to treat water from your tap will give you bad reading with that test kit i have the same one and just for fun i tested my tap water and it showed ammonia was present so i looked it up online and and it was just a false positive and have you been useing water conditioner when putting new water in if you dont that will make the fish sick like that