Worried

[Fisher]

so I don't know if I should post this here but I'm scared my koi aren't eating and the water is pretty clean, is the ph too low? Or are they sick I don't know anybody to take a look at them

 

[Dave 54]

You need to buffer your Ph up to 7.5 baking soda is the quickest way to bring it up again what is your Ph level at the moment please @Fisher .
Then the shurest way of keeping both your Ph and Kh would be to buy a product made by Kusuri Koi called Lithaqua and put a bag of it in your filter , Lithaqua is what I use in my own filters its basically calcified seaweed and is great for maintaining both your Kh and Ph .
You can buy it from a good koi dealership online ,however if you cant get that then buy crushed oystershell and put a bag of in your filter :-

http://www.bwkoi.com/Lithaqua/Lithaqua-p-236.html


The koi arent sick at the moment but if you dont get the Ph level up soon they will be

Dave

 

[sissy]

Dave they sell dried seaweed at the health store is that the same as what you are talking about .Thought since I saw it last week and you posted this I would ask .Because when I read the package it said fish safe .Wondering about that statement on the package

 

[Smaug]

We shouldn't even begin to give advise when the OP gave zero pertinent information. PH is seldom the culprit behind any pond issue.Dave maybe I missed something but the OP didn't even mention a PH number.,or ammonia,or nitrites, or nutrates,size of pond, how many fish. Cmon now .

 

[sissy]

To ask for help they should add everything but some new ones don't know what they should include .water temps. ,did you test water ,how many gallons is the pond ,how many fish and how big and what kind of fish and how do you filter the pond and what have you added to the pond lately to cause a change .Is there enough aeration and what sized pump and more

 

[Smaug]

I agree sissy,which is why NO ADVISE should be given about what to do until we know what the problem is. I also like to keep my advice limited as to what is available quickly from the average pet shop.

 

[sissy]

Even pet shops here don't carry anything hardly for ponds .I order online ahead of time for everything that could happen but my main thing is always keep a good liquid barley product and a good medicated fish food .Which I give a little out each time in the spring when there are so many changes to the pond .I know ponding has a big learning curve and I have seen some that just give up after awhile .I was lucky I found all my dads notes for his pond ,even if they are old they are still useful because back then you did not have all these so called quick fixes and my dads pond was clear and we never lost a fish .We had a area by the Raritan canal that had snapping turtles but they would come up lay eggs in the garden and leave ,never went near the pond that we saw .These quick fixes are just killers in disguise and only money makers .Sad that they do this to people .Filters and air are your friends

 

[Smaug]

The truth is that really very few items are NEEDED at all. There are alot of knee jerk reactions with new pond keepers . As for pH ,a whole lot more damage is caused messing with it then any damage that is cause by leaving it alone .

 

[Dave 54]

We shouldn't even begin to give advise when the OP gave zero pertinent information. PH is seldom the culprit behind any pond issue.Dave maybe I missed something but the OP didn't even mention a PH number.,or ammonia,or nitrites, or nutrates,size of pond, how many fish. Cmon now .

The Op is a newbie smaug and is frightened if you noted I suggested baking soda which is used to raise Ph in an emeragancy thats all.... I then go on to mention a way through the use of Lithaqua of raising it permanently along with the ponds Kh.....
As such when the OP answers we can go into the ponds readings then .
Are you an expert on how long it takes to order and pay for on the internet "NO" it takes at least three days when I order...
It can also take at least three days to track down crushed oystershell which then it takes even longer to work as it needs to start breaking down first .
I've been away for more than a few months I'm only just getting back nto the swing of things so please get off m,y back, I see nothing wrong with my post nor the advice I've given .

Dave

 

[Meyer Jordan]

I have to agree that the OP's original post is quite vague. The term "low" could apply to a fairly wide range of pH depending on what the OP believes is "high" and what they believe is in an acceptable tolerable range. Granted, most that are new to this hobby are not familiar with the importance of determining exact water quality parameters, This Forum is where they could begin the learning process. Advising how to adjust a parameter without determining first if the parameter does indeed need adjusting seems a little ahead of the facts, especially if this "low" pH is not really low. The OP will believe that this 'within range' pH level needs adjusting and in doing so may create problems that don't presently exist. The old saying applies-"If it ain't broke don't fix it", but first determine if it is really broke.

 

[Meyer Jordan]

so I don't know if I should post this here but I'm scared my koi aren't eating and the water is pretty clean, is the ph too low? Or are they sick I don't know anybody to take a look at them

If you have already tested your water please post the numeric test results. If not, please test.

 

[sissy]

Seems so many new ponders do not get test kits and that is the first of many newbie mistakes .Mine was getting koi ,my big mistake .Bought a liquid test kit before I boiught fish and even had the pond filled for over 2 months and still made a mistake .It happens .

 

[Dave 54]

That is why I try to the best of my ability to give the best information I can , even though a newbie he has the test kits howelse would he understand that his Ph is a problem
As a newbie myself I quickly learned the quickest way to bring your Ph into the 7.0 - 7.5 zone was to add baking soda as an emergency measure now that for me was a very long time ago but to this day I keep a can of baking soda in my koi first aid kit .

Dave

 

[sissy]

It is also good for peoples ph .I keep it and add it to my bath with peroxide and it soothes sunburn and body aches and corrects your body ph so imagine what it can do for a pond .Simple items can do a lot .

 

[Smaug]

Beer is the best pH adjuster for your body Sissy.

Anyhoo! It seems this subject was more important for us then the OP!