water testing

[hewhoisatpeace]

I'm still toying with the idea of adding trace amounts of salt. Anyone out there with more knowledge than me (not hard) please chime in. As for baking soda, the stuff is great for raising pH, and stabilizing it with elevated kH. I mean, it's sodium bicarbonate, can't help but raise carbonate hardness.

That said, I think calcium carbonate is a better buffer. I also like the trace elements found in bentonite clay (AKA pure clay clumping cat litter). But that may be just me, and I'm the new cat here anyway. Any experienced responders, please feel free to put me in my place.

 

[KennethO]

Same. I've not used salt. But I'd like to give it a try. If its really that good for their health at only .1%. Would be nice to have the benefit of less chance of sickness. I'd just be worried about over salting. Would it be worth getting a digital meter for something like that?

 

[addy1]

Some of the drop test kits (ebay they are cheap) test for salt levels. I am looking at the different ones right now, just buy from one of the trusted sellers.
The guy taking care of my pond in arizona, does it professionally, and usually only takes on commercial ponds. He took mine on since I lived near him and it is a big pond (around 15+ thousand gallons with a 40 foot stream). He suggested the salt to help with the electrolytes in the water. He suggested the kosher, so it is just salt no additives. I have renters, but don't have them do any of the yard, pool or pond maintenance.

 

[lauraleellbp]

I use the API master freshwater test kits, and usually get mine from www.BigAlsOnline.com, about $30. And you definitely need to add on a kH/gH test kit if you're planning on trying to adjust your water hardness and pH- quick water parameter changes aren't good for fish, so you'll want to make adjustments slowly. I recommend shooting for a target kH and gH for your pond (probably in the neighborhood of 5-7 dkH should be enough to maintain a stable pH) rather than trying to chase a particular pH since there are so many things that can affect water's pH (dissolved gas levels, organic decomp, etc), and it's really the total dissolved solids that have the most immediate and dramatic impact on fish internal systems.

Another way to help maintain a stable kH is to add some carbonate-based substrate (like crushed coral/shells/aragonite) into your filter. Depending on what type of filter you're running, you might even consider replacing some sand/gravel with a buffering substrate.

The big problem once you start trying to adjust your water parameters to something different than your tap water parameters is how to maintain stability over time, especially factoring evaporation into the equation, since the solids won't evaporate out so you'll always have to test your parameters to see if you need to add any more bicarbonate or if you actually may need to lower your kH/gH with a water change due to buildup over time.

Whether or not to keep salt regularly in the water with freshwater fish is an ongoing debate across the fishkeeping hobby. Some people do, some people do not. I personally do not as I always have live plants in with my fish, and salt isn't the greatest thing for most plants. I use salt only temporarily for medicinal purposes, and then do big water changes to remove it when I'm done.

 

[DoDad]

That's a good price for that test kit.

I use the API master freshwater test kits, and usually get mine from www.BigAlsOnline.com, about $30. And you definitely need to add on a kH/gH test kit if you're planning on trying to adjust your water hardness and pH- quick water parameter changes aren't good for fish, so you'll want to make adjustments slowly. I recommend shooting for a target kH and gH for your pond (probably in the neighborhood of 5-7 dkH should be enough to maintain a stable pH) rather than trying to chase a particular pH since there are so many things that can affect water's pH (dissolved gas levels, organic decomp, etc), and it's really the total dissolved solids that have the most immediate and dramatic impact on fish internal systems.

Another way to help maintain a stable kH is to add some carbonate-based substrate (like crushed coral/shells/aragonite) into your filter. Depending on what type of filter you're running, you might even consider replacing some sand/gravel with a buffering substrate.

The big problem once you start trying to adjust your water parameters to something different than your tap water parameters is how to maintain stability over time, especially factoring evaporation into the equation, since the solids won't evaporate out so you'll always have to test your parameters to see if you need to add any more bicarbonate or if you actually may need to lower your kH/gH with a water change due to buildup over time.

Whether or not to keep salt regularly in the water with freshwater fish is an ongoing debate across the fishkeeping hobby. Some people do, some people do not. I personally do not as I always have live plants in with my fish, and salt isn't the greatest thing for most plants. I use salt only temporarily for medicinal purposes, and then do big water changes to remove it when I'm done.

 

[koisRus]

Actually looks like Big Al's is $17.99 for the Freshwater Kit or $18.99 For the Pond Kit.

 

[lauraleellbp]

Oh they're on sale again- snag one for sure!

 

[addy1]

Also, I'm not 100% sure, but I think you need to be careful on the salt you use. Make sure its the kind without iodine. And make sure you add the right amount for your pond size. You should only run about .1% salt. And anything over .3 kills plants. I've never ran salt so someone will have to chime in more on that.

Good luck.

Thanks, I have over 8000 gallons, close to 9, I added 2 lbs, which is no where close to 1 cup per 100 gallons. This was done per the advice of my pond keeper in arizona.

 

[addy1]

I use the API master freshwater test kits, and usually get mine from www.BigAlsOnline.com, about $30. And you definitely need to add on a kH/gH test kit if you're planning on trying to adjust your water hardness and pH- quick water parameter changes aren't good for fish, so you'll want to make adjustments slowly. I recommend shooting for a target kH and gH for your pond (probably in the neighborhood of 5-7 dkH should be enough to maintain a stable pH) rather than trying to chase a particular pH since there are so many things that can affect water's pH (dissolved gas levels, organic decomp, etc), and it's really the total dissolved solids that have the most immediate and dramatic impact on fish internal systems.

Another way to help maintain a stable kH is to add some carbonate-based substrate (like crushed coral/shells/aragonite) into your filter. Depending on what type of filter you're running, you might even consider replacing some sand/gravel with a buffering substrate.

The big problem once you start trying to adjust your water parameters to something different than your tap water parameters is how to maintain stability over time, especially factoring evaporation into the equation, since the solids won't evaporate out so you'll always have to test your parameters to see if you need to add any more bicarbonate or if you actually may need to lower your kH/gH with a water change due to buildup over time.

Whether or not to keep salt regularly in the water with freshwater fish is an ongoing debate across the fishkeeping hobby. Some people do, some people do not. I personally do not as I always have live plants in with my fish, and salt isn't the greatest thing for most plants. I use salt only temporarily for medicinal purposes, and then do big water changes to remove it when I'm done.

I added very little salt, did add baking soda, am going to get a carbonate-based substrate to add to our stream, might put some where the bog overflows into the pond for continuous water movement. Ordered some test kits, slow process of getting this pond built and going. At least the frogs and water bugs like it!

 

[jethro13]

I'm Just wondering with all the discussion on salt what about softened water? Just about everybody around my house that has well water has a water softener, I was just wondering if anybody uses softened water in their pond or is this insane? Just a thought.

 

[addy1]

We don't have on our house, some softeners use potassium, some use salt.

 

[lauraleellbp]

I've always heard it's not ideal, but I use softened water in all my fish tanks and will use it in my pond also.

I think it's better than the alternative at my house, since we live in an agricultural area and there's lots of risk of fertilizer and pesticide runoff. Plus the sulphur smells awful!

 

[addy1]

The pond is still reading a good ph from just adding the baking soda, but will be looking for some oyster shells to put into the system.
Water is added from the well every day, not a lot, but the hose runs for 30 minutes, soon it will fill less as the days cool. The bog evaporates a lot faster than the pond ever did.

 

[addy1]

Well the drop kit got here, my kh gh are 89.5 and 53.7 test strips say 76
ph is 7.6 test strip says 7.6
our well is 6 test strip says 6
ammonia is 0

At least our test strips are accurate, at this time and the pond is in good shape.

 

[hewhoisatpeace]

Addy, your kH is actually kind of low to act as a really effective pH buffer. I always shoot for 150 or higher. Maybe that's just me. Maybe you could find some calcium carbonate cheap somewhere, that seems to bring the kH up without affecting pH.