Why are my fish dying?

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I would like to suggest you test your source water, be it tap or well or whatever. Maybe there is ammonia in it.
yes your right there diesilplower its added to the water as part of the process of chlorinization

Dave
 
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Dave are you threatening to tell mommy on me because I disagree with you? That's hilarious!
If this site didnt have ladies on it my friend I'd give you a piece of my mind in Naval terms your the one that keeps harping on about things TurtleMommy asked us to get back on track will you stop being petty your the one who made a slur on my good self not I, morphine or no morphine we sometimes make mistakes when reading things I did the other day .
I know my faults I've had to live with the results of a motorbike accident these drugs precribed as they are will probably shorten my life but hey at least I've seen the world met some really nice people and have a beautiful lady who I love and care for by the way she has to take morphine too "want to make something of that too my friend" your a man who just doesnt know when to call it quits thats so sad and if I have too yes I will take this further
I've been nice I corrected you in a statment so that was all say sorry and this will all be forgotten by me if not well be that on your own head


Dave
 
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I'm almost a afraid to jump in here with this bickering going on, but we are trying to help a new member and this is not a good impression. Its irritating me just reading this.

Back to the topic:

I had a similar problem to this some weeks back in an aquarium, my ammonia was off the charts, same as yours. Another member (Charles) was offering lots of good advice and nothing was working. This is almost an exact thread to mine with Charles saying "change 50%, I said I did it, ammonia still off the charts, I did another water change its not going down .... what's happening? Are you over feeding? Okay, I'll stop feeding." ..... You get the picture.

Eventually I just drained the whole tank and started over new. Turns out the bottom of the tank had lots of rotting roots and some dead fry buried in the rocks.

Now I realize this was just a small tank, BUT it seems the same problems I had in my tank could be magnified in this pond. You've already found one dead fish, there could be more, plus I'm guessing lots of uneaten food and lots of dead leaves etc. Judging from the plant you pulled out there has to be a lot of decaying matter in that pond.

I know a few people are against draining the pond, but at this point your fish are dying any ways, the water is clearly toxic. Perhaps we should start a discussion around the pros and cons of draining it and starting over.

For the record I am a newbie at this (6 months in) - and I rely on the members above for advice, but I thought I would jump in since I had a similar experience on a smaller (gallons) scale. If it was my pond I would find a big container fill half with pond water and half with fresh water. Drain the pond down a bit more, catch the fish. Drain your pond almost all the way to be sure you can get the majority if not all the debris off the bottom (just the bottom, no need to clean the sides - just get the gunk off the bottom), add new water and reintroduce your fish. And of course clean your filter.

I use tap water (and it is heavily chlorinated - I can smell it) to hose my filter and media off, I haven't had a problem and I've always done that.



Its a big chance but at this point its worth it.

I'm sorry you are going through this. I know it must be really hard just inheriting a pond and now this big mess.
 
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QUOTE]
I'm almost a afraid to jump in here with this bickering going on, but we are trying to help a new member and this is not a good impression. Its irritating me just reading this.

Back to the topic:

I had a similar problem to this some weeks back in an aquarium, my ammonia was off the charts, same as yours. Another member (Charles) was offering lots of good advice and nothing was working. This is almost an exact thread to mine with Charles saying "change 50%, I said I did it, ammonia still off the charts, I did another water change its not going down .... what's happening? Are you over feeding? Okay, I'll stop feeding." ..... You get the picture.

Eventually I just drained the whole tank and started over new. Turns out the bottom of the tank had lots of rotting roots and some dead fry buried in the rocks.

Now I realize this was just a small tank, BUT it seems the same problems I had in my tank could be magnified in this pond. You've already found one dead fish, there could be more, plus I'm guessing lots of uneaten food and lots of dead leaves etc. Judging from the plant you pulled out there has to be a lot of decaying matter in that pond.

I know a few people are against draining the pond, but at this point your fish are dying any ways, the water is clearly toxic. Perhaps we should start a discussion around the pros and cons of draining it and starting over.

For the record I am a newbie at this (6 months in) - and I rely on the members above for advice, but I thought I would jump in since I had a similar experience on a smaller (gallons) scale. If it was my pond I would find a big container fill half with pond water and half with fresh water. Drain the pond down a bit more, catch the fish. Drain your pond almost all the way to be sure you can get the majority if not all the debris off the bottom (just the bottom, no need to clean the sides - just get the gunk off the bottom), add new water and reintroduce your fish. And of course clean your filter.

I use tap water (and it is heavily chlorinated - I can smell it) to hose my filter and media off, I haven't had a problem and I've always done that.



Its a big chance but at this point its worth it.

I'm sorry you are going through this. I know it must be really hard just inheriting a pond and now this big mess.
Thanks for that post Priscilla your learning well I'm pleased :D

Dave
 
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Someone who has always rinsed their media off with heavily chlorinated water and has not had a problem does not mean that they wouldn't be even better off if they didn't use the chlorinated water.
 
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Someone who has always rinsed their media off with heavily chlorinated water and has not had a problem does not mean that they wouldn't be even better off if they didn't use the chlorinated water.

I agree. But that's what I do. My pump doesn't have enough pressure to really clean it up, so that's the way it is for me. If my well water pump had enough pressure I would use that, but its just trickles.
 
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You have the evidence before you written by an expert in SA, I've been as nice as I can in my replies , so please do as your asked and leave it as weve been asked to so drop it I have.
So why do you keep harping on about it please help me understand your need to belittle people ?????

Dave
 

Mmathis

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I'm almost a afraid to jump in here with this bickering going on, but we are trying to help a new member and this is not a good impression. Its irritating me just reading this.

Back to the topic:

I had a similar problem to this some weeks back in an aquarium, my ammonia was off the charts, same as yours. Another member (Charles) was offering lots of good advice and nothing was working. This is almost an exact thread to mine with Charles saying "change 50%, I said I did it, ammonia still off the charts, I did another water change its not going down .... what's happening? Are you over feeding? Okay, I'll stop feeding." ..... You get the picture.

Eventually I just drained the whole tank and started over new. Turns out the bottom of the tank had lots of rotting roots and some dead fry buried in the rocks.

Now I realize this was just a small tank, BUT it seems the same problems I had in my tank could be magnified in this pond. You've already found one dead fish, there could be more, plus I'm guessing lots of uneaten food and lots of dead leaves etc. Judging from the plant you pulled out there has to be a lot of decaying matter in that pond.

I know a few people are against draining the pond, but at this point your fish are dying any ways, the water is clearly toxic. Perhaps we should start a discussion around the pros and cons of draining it and starting over.

For the record I am a newbie at this (6 months in) - and I rely on the members above for advice, but I thought I would jump in since I had a similar experience on a smaller (gallons) scale. If it was my pond I would find a big container fill half with pond water and half with fresh water. Drain the pond down a bit more, catch the fish. Drain your pond almost all the way to be sure you can get the majority if not all the debris off the bottom (just the bottom, no need to clean the sides - just get the gunk off the bottom), add new water and reintroduce your fish. And of course clean your filter.

I use tap water (and it is heavily chlorinated - I can smell it) to hose my filter and media off, I haven't had a problem and I've always done that.



Its a big chance but at this point its worth it.

I'm sorry you are going through this. I know it must be really hard just inheriting a pond and now this big mess.

No expert myself, either, but that doesn't sound like a bad idea -- draining the pond -- at least under these circumstances. @TheFishNovice do you have anything like a large plastic kiddie pool [or some other large, clean container] that you could temporarily move the remaining fish into?

If you could do that, it would give you a chance to completely drain the pond and clean it of any sludge, overgrown plants, and decaying plant or animal matter. It would also give you a good opportunity to count, examine, and evaluate your fish. And it would give YOU a chance to breathe and maybe feel a little more in control.

Best wishes! We've all been-there/done-that and feel your pain!
 

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