Water levels

[lily]

I bought a test kit today which consisted of tablets to add to vials of pond water and leave for five to ten minutes depending on the test.
My small wildlife pond that now temporarily contains one fish was PH between 8.5 and 9. ammonia o.1mg, nitrate 0mg, and nitrite 0.0 to 0.1 (clear with only the vaguest tinge of pink which no else noticed but Im sure was there)

The slightly bigger fish pond containing 'fish'....had exactly the same readings.

What can we do about the PH reading as it was between 8.5 and 9?

Both ponds, regardless of the volume or lack of volume of fish are high.

I cant give you a temperature reading as I dont yet have a water thermometer but we are in England and it isnt sweltering with perhaps an average recent air temperature of 19 degrees.

 

[lily]

I bought a test kit today which consisted of tablets to add to vials of pond water and leave for five to ten minutes depending on the test.
My small wildlife pond that now temporarily contains one fish was PH between 8.5 and 9. ammonia o.1mg, nitrate 0mg, and nitrite 0.0 to 0.1 (clear with only the vaguest tinge of pink which no else noticed but Im sure was there)

The slightly bigger fish pond containing 'fish'....had exactly the same readings.

What can we do about the PH reading as it was between 8.5 and 9?

Both ponds, regardless of the volume or lack of volume of fish are high.

I cant give you a temperature reading as I dont yet have a water thermometer but we are in England and it isnt sweltering with perhaps an average recent air temperature of 19 degrees.

 

[DrDave]

This will make some people cringe. You can lower the PH by titrating acid into the pond. Swimming pool acid (Muriatic) is fairly safe to hande. This must be done slowly (that is what titrating means). Check every couple hours and don't try to do it all at once.
Do not do this where the fish hang out.

 

[DrDave]

This will make some people cringe. You can lower the PH by titrating acid into the pond. Swimming pool acid (Muriatic) is fairly safe to hande. This must be done slowly (that is what titrating means). Check every couple hours and don't try to do it all at once.
Do not do this where the fish hang out.

 

[lily]

thanks DrDave, they are tiny ponds in comparison with most on here so the fish hang out everywneher really.
Perhaps we could get round this by diluting it further.

 

[lily]

thanks DrDave, they are tiny ponds in comparison with most on here so the fish hang out everywneher really.
Perhaps we could get round this by diluting it further.

 

[DLWyman]

I just dilute the granular stuff and add it to the filter. And yes, only a tiny bit and keep checking the readings.