POND WATER QUALITY

Testing your pond water

In general, everything you should know about your pond water is available in some sort of simple pond test kit. Most kits are very easy to run. You can buy these test kits at your local shop or online. Run them at least weekly during the first part of pond opening but monthly or more during the season.

If fish ever get sick or start acting funny, you should know that SEVENTY PERCENT of fish health problems, INCLUDING vulnerability to disease-causing organisms – are related to WATER QUALITY.
Important: DO NOT make the mistake of not testing for pH and ammonia at the first sign of trouble.

• Ammonia
  One of the most important pond water test, is testing for deadly Ammonia.
• Nitrite
  Nitrite binds fish Red Blood Cells causing gasping and brown blood disease.
• Nitrate
  Nitrates are a natural by-product of the bacterial “reduction” or removal of Ammonia and Nitrite in the natural pond’s ecosystem.
• Koi Pond pH
  The pH can change overnight…In particular, the pH is prone to fall, and “crashes” are quick, and fatal.
• Carbon Dioxide
  CO2 can exist in water independently of dissolved oxygen. If the level gets too high, even with normal dissolved oxygen levels, illness will result.
• Dissolved Oxygen
  Oxygen is obviously essential to fish health, but how much or how little?
• Hydrogen Sulfide
  The smell is one of rotting eggs. Losses may be great and they will continue after theH2S is long gone.

Please remember: SEVENTY PERCENT of your fish health problems are related to your pond WATER QUALITY.