Using lime for PH control

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I have heard that using lime will greatly help with PH swings. Has anyone ever use this and does it work ? If so what type of lime (pellets , powder ) and do you put it in a mesh bag or just dilute in water. I have a 2500 gal pond and would like to know how much to use. Thanks
 
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I know @addy1 uses crushed oyster shells, but you first need to understand why you're dealing with pH swings. For example, hers was a source water issue with a low pH that killed all her fish. Adding the crushed shells is the buffer that her water needs. So in that case it makes sense to use something to get pH into a safe range. But that's not pH shifts per se.

A stable pond - all things being equal - should not experience dramatic pH shifts. Small shifts are normal - from morning to afternoon for example. What kind of numbers are you dealing with? How and when are you measuring?
 

addy1

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After I finally got the hardness up from very very soft water (would not even read a level with the liquid test) to around 100 level .The ph swings etc went away. And my ph sits right around 7.6

Our well water is very soft and very acidic, 5.4

The crushed oysters shells were put into my bog for around 3 years, 100 lbs at a time. I put a net bag of them in my 300 gallon hot tub pond, which stabilized it. I think also as the bog matured, the plants grew the pond helped reach its own balance.
 
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I know @addy1 uses crushed oyster shells, but you first need to understand why you're dealing with pH swings. For example, hers was a source water issue with a low pH that killed all her fish. Adding the crushed shells is the buffer that her water needs. So in that case it makes sense to use something to get pH into a safe range. But that's not pH shifts per se.

A stable pond - all things being equal - should not experience dramatic pH shifts. Small shifts are normal - from morning to afternoon for example. What kind of numbers are you dealing with? How and when are you measuring?
My ammonia levels were off the chart due to bacteria level in my bead filter was depleted. Talked to Greg (owner ) of Aquadyne filters and he said to use Amquel plus to lower ammonia levels. First dose did not seem to work but noticed Ph level was down to 5.0 which was caused by Amquel. Yesterday I quickly took out 1000 gal. and now in the process of refilling . ( on a well ) . Need to resolve this issue before cold weather as I live in MD. Appears problem was the filter was low on beads which in turn made it not filter properly. Sixty lb. of new beads on the way. I have had this pond for 11 years and never had an issue like this. I can not imagine losing any of my beautiful koi. Any thoughts are greatly appreciated.
 

addy1

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Sissy a member here, not on line for awhile now, used something they use in horse stalls to wipe out ammonia without harming the fish or water quality. I do not remember what it was called, but it worked great
 
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If you pH is 5, the beneficial bacteria in your filter is most likely dead. It cannot live in acidic water. You had a pH crash, probably because your KH as depleted in your system.

I and others use baking soda to raise the KH to stabilize the pH. It will also raise the pH, so you should do it slowly. You can buy baking soda from large box stores, like Costco, in big bags for a lot less than you can find it in a grocery store.

Baking soda dissolves easily in water. Lime will cloud the water, so I would not use it.
 

mrsclem

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Have you tested you well water ph? I believe the product Sissy used was PDZ, its used to control ammonia in barns. It is actually zeolite. Crushed oyster shells will help raise kh to keep ph stable. Both items available thru Tractor Supply,
 
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If you pH is 5, the beneficial bacteria in your filter is most likely dead. It cannot live in acidic water. You had a pH crash, probably because your KH as depleted in your system.

I and others use baking soda to raise the KH to stabilize the pH. It will also raise the pH, so you should do it slowly. You can buy baking soda from large box stores, like Costco, in big bags for a lot less than you can find it in a grocery store.

Baking soda dissolves easily in water. Lime will cloud the water, so I would not use it.
Thank you for your response. That's what I thought . Still adding water to bring level back to normal. Also adding Beneficial Bacteria
to filter to start the cycle. Will test water to see results after large water change. Fingers crossed.
 

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