Hi everyone it's been a mild winter here and I have a few questions to ask. 1 is I was told that I should add baking soda to the water a 1/2 box for my pond size, but i've never done that before can some one explain why I should do this or if I have to. And the second question I have is that several days there is a foam around the heater and then it dissipates. And then maybe a few days or a week later it's back, what could it be. The fish seem fine , since it really hasn't gotten below freezing they are more active in previous winters. Thanks for any help and comments.
winter water quality
- Thread starter cinder
- Start date
- Joined
- Sep 3, 2013
- Messages
- 639
- Reaction score
- 299
- Location
- Long Island, NY
- Showcase(s):
- 1
- Hardiness Zone
- 7b
- Country
Hi Cinder - There are many questions such as what type filter do you have, do you shut it down for the winter, what is your pH and kH, what do you buffer the pH with, how many gallons is your pond? If you keep your pH high at 8.4 normally as I do, then
baking soda which has a natural pH of 8.4 is fine. I assume you'd be doing this to buffer the pH by raising the kH. I keep my kh at 150 - 200. My pH is consistently 8.4 all year round as baking soda is my buffer. If your pH is lower or neutral and you are using baking soda as a buffer to raise your kH, you want to do it slowly. For ex: going from 7.2 to 8.4 immediately is a shocker to the fish. Maximum increments of .3 should be adhered to such as 7.2 to 7.5 each 24 hours and so on until you reach the 8.4. You would actually do this over 4 days using 7.2 as a pH guide. If my pH becomes low, I'm not concerned how much I use at once as I already know my pH is in the same range as the baking soda's 8.4 pH. ALSO, this depends on whether baking soda and 8.4 are your choice. It's been mine for over 20 years. Everyone is different. nIf you have a large, planted naturally balanced pond with a consistent pH and higher kH, then possibly nothing is needed. Depends on your perimeters over time and many other variables. I'm probably an exception to the rule at an 8.4 pH. For every single digit change above neutral, there is a 10x factor change so that is why one must go slow raising or lowering pH. The kH does get used up and needs replenishing regardless of how it is done. One half cup of baking soda per 1000 gallons raises your kH by 20ppm and that is the basic rule of thumb.
As far as the heater? / de-icer? , the foam or bubbles around it shouldn't be a concern. I've used 1000 watt de-icers by my skimmer which runs all year and the pond nor the falls where it returns never freezes up and I've noticed when it is on, there is bubble formation around it about a 1/4" wide. Possibly some pond detritus is just forming around the object.
Meyer Jordan
Tadpole
- Joined
- Oct 10, 2014
- Messages
- 7,177
- Reaction score
- 5,675
- Location
- Pensacola, Florida
- Hardiness Zone
- 9a
- Country
Before adding anything to your pond that may change or alter a test parameter, determine exactly what the current parameter levels are with a test kit. Baking Soda will affect the Alkalinity of pond water. Alkalinity provides buffering for pH preventing any wide swings in ph values. Test your KH (alkalinity) first. Many pondkeepers (like Barryian) prefer a high alkalinity and this is OK. I prefer a KH range of 80 to 150. This is the range usually suggested for Aquaculture applications and provides sufficient buffering to prevent any wide swings in pH values.
The point is- if your pH is relatively stable, leave it alone. Everything in your pond has adapted to that particular pH. Changing the pH will only 'upset the apple cart' so-to-speak.
The point is- if your pH is relatively stable, leave it alone. Everything in your pond has adapted to that particular pH. Changing the pH will only 'upset the apple cart' so-to-speak.
Is I
Sorry I was wondering is DOCS harmful to the fish? I have never added anything but the microblift for autumn / winter. But today I lost my 1 fish I had for about 4 years. The fish looked real bloated. I check them all the time and they were fine last night. The other fish were around there house but now they all are hiding. I know that alot of people don't like the test strips but thats all I have and they seem to be the same readings and nothing out of wack! Does anyone know if I should add the microblift ph now. I don't keep my pond running . I have a 2 stone aerator and a heater and also a pond breather. I'm really sad at my loss and I'm not really sure what to do now. Any suggestions? Thanks
Meyer Jordan
Tadpole
- Joined
- Oct 10, 2014
- Messages
- 7,177
- Reaction score
- 5,675
- Location
- Pensacola, Florida
- Hardiness Zone
- 9a
- Country
DOCs would need to be extremely elevated to cause problem in Koi or Goldfish.
Are you sure that you are adding Microblift pH and not Microblift PL. Microblift pH will alter the pH in your pond...a risky thing to do unless completely necessary. Microblift PL will is purported to work at water temperatures below 55F, but in doing so will only increase the DOCs in the pond which will remain until Spring thaw, only to support algae blooms as water temps warm.
As to your fish, this bloating sounds like Dropsy which can be triggered by different vectors, water quality being one of them.
Sorry i was wrong its the microblift pl. Now should i continue to add the microblift pl or not do anything until spring? I don't know alot about ponds, i keep learning more and more and until this past year i hadn't lost a fish since i got them. But its been a rough year for me. I appreciate all your comments and help thank you. So forgive if i see a little dumb but is Dropsy something that the other fish will get or what do i do to prevent any more losses?
Meyer Jordan
Tadpole
- Joined
- Oct 10, 2014
- Messages
- 7,177
- Reaction score
- 5,675
- Location
- Pensacola, Florida
- Hardiness Zone
- 9a
- Country
Could you post more information about your pond. Size(gallons)? Number and type of fish? Latest water test results? Current temperature of pond? Type of filtration? Any other pertinent information?
My pond is about 1000 gallons and i have shubunkins , there are 4 fish and 2 babies.my test strips were normal the ph was about 7.0 the nitrates are 0 the hardness is 120. The filters have been turned off for the winter as i have been for the past 4 years. I have a 2 stone aerator running and a pond breather running now, along with a pond de icer. Not sure of the temperature i'll have to check in the morning i couldn't see it very well. Thanks again for your time.
Meyer Jordan
Tadpole
- Joined
- Oct 10, 2014
- Messages
- 7,177
- Reaction score
- 5,675
- Location
- Pensacola, Florida
- Hardiness Zone
- 9a
- Country
Do you have much in the way of sediment accumulation on the bottom of the pond?
Do you have means to isolate the 'bloated' fish' i.e. quarantine tank?
Do you have means to isolate the 'bloated' fish' i.e. quarantine tank?
I'm sorry i wasn't making myself clear , that was the fish i lost. And not really alot of sediment on the bottom of the pond. I can see the stones on the bottom. There is some algae in the pond, I've tried to get most of it out when i took the pumps out but i think it has bloomed alittle . There isn't alot of algea but there is a little. Its attached to the sides of the pond and a little on the top around the edges. When you look in the pond the water is really clear. Today the temperature outside was about 45 but yesterday part ot the pond was frozen. But the center was not. Because it was so warm today it melted all the ice.
- Joined
- Jun 11, 2012
- Messages
- 7,046
- Reaction score
- 7,240
- Location
- Water Valley, Alberta
- Showcase(s):
- 1
- Hardiness Zone
- 2a
- Country
Foam around a floating heater is normal, but if you are you already using a pond breather, the floating heater is not needed.
I advise against adding the Microblift.
I advise against adding the Microblift.
Ok thanks for the info. I haven't added the microblift since early dec. Since it was in the 60's. But it is cold here now! Wow that's some greenhouse you added on awesome! THANKS FOR sharing.
Smaug
God makes perfect. I just dug the hole
Don't worry about removing any algae it is completely harmless. Sorry about the loss of your fish though. How is your feeding schedule around this time of year and what type food do you feed?