water test

[poodles-ponds and gardens]

OK. As I was waiting for the foam to cure on the spout to the water falls, I checked my water just to see what it was before I started the pump. It was 3PM and full sun on the pond.I got the following readings.
Nitrate and Nitrite 0 ( no surprise there as there are no fish yet)
Alkalinity was 120 ("ideal")
PH was somewhere in between 7.6 and 8.0
Total hardness was 150
Any thing I should do to alter these results. Will any of them change with the institution of the filtration? Any recommendations welcome!
Also, how many feeder comets should I start out with? (about 2 inches each) I also bought some bacteria to inoculate the filter. My pond is about 650 gal.

 

[anitapond]

PP&G, my experience with ponds is just over a year, but to me, those parameters are really good for goldfish. One suggestion: pH is a very important test, and it seems from your results you are using a "strip test." I would highly recommend a drip test as they are much more accurate. Make sure to get the "high range" pH test kit, which was a mistake that I made last year.

You didn't mention any pond plants in your post. They should be the first thing added for a few weeks, then fish. I would just start with a few fish so the system doesn't get overloaded. It's better to add a few at a time to gradually condition and mature the filtration system.

Hope this helps from a "fellow Buckeye." I'm in Northeastern Ohio - the lake effect snow belt of Lake Erie.

 

[koiguy1969]

if you added bacteria you can go ahead and add a few fish..no fish, no food for the bacteria, and the colony will have a hard time sustaining itself...circulating water thru a filter with no food for filter is a long process to cycle. if you dont add fish add ammonia drops to feed the filter. if you used microbelifts plgel filter innocculant, you can add 4or 5 5" fish no problem...i started my filter with it and put 12 3" to 4"fish in in 3 days....trouble free. the pond was 450 gals.

 

[poodles-ponds and gardens]

Yes, I'm using a strip test. It was the only test kit I could find at the time. I plan on getting a better set up soon. My big concern was the "hardness" but since then, I have read that koi and goldfish prefer "moderately hard" water. As far as plants in the lower pond, I currently have 5 water hyacinths, some duckweed and 10 bunches of hornwort, in the little bog I have 1 small water forget-me-not, a small obedient plant and a large potted impatiens, in the upper pond I have a potted water celery and an aquatic mint. I'm still working on getting my fitration up and going as it is connected to the water fall and I still have a few leaks to fix between the rocks. I test it, mark the leaks, wait for the area to dry so the foam will stick, spray the foam and then start all over again. In the mean time I am running a small pump as a bubbler just to keep the mosquitoes at bay. By the time I get the whole thing finished I'll let out a whoop that Dr. Dave will probably be able to hear clear in CA!