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Thread: pH

  1. #1
    Senior Member Rank = Yonsai Dudley's Avatar
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    pH

    I am about ready to start transferring my fish from a grow tank to a new pond. The pond was filled with mains water only about 6 weeks ago and although filtration is on and seeded with medium from my grow tank I doubt it’s doing much yet.
    My issue is pH. Water tests obviously show 0 for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate but my pH is high at 9.3.
    My grow tank is 7.5.
    Should I have the pH nearer to each other before I transfer any fish?
    A point to note is that algae is quite high now in the new pond, not in the water, the water is very clear, but all the stone and rock is covered with green, and there are patches of green slime accumulating on the surface. Although it looks like blanket weed, when I reach in take hold of what looks to be strands, they just disintegrate in my fingers, it is soft and breaks down into a paste between my fingers to nothing. It’s not at all fibrous like blanket weed. But to be honest, I have never studied how blanket weed starts.
    And as my tap waters pH is 8, I think it must be this algae that’s caused it to go up to 9.3
    I plan to move my 100w UV over from the grow tank to the pond (I don’t have two) filter but difficult to do that due to the plumbing of the grow tank so was waiting until I move the fish out to do that.
    But I really need to get some fish in the pond to get the nitrogen cycle going.
    Am I worrying too much about the pH should I just get a few sacrificial fish in there and get the cycle going?



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    Last edited by Dudley; 22-04-2019 at 03:08 PM.

  2. #2
    No, Dudley, you're not.

    That level is well above the usually recommended range for koi and it would be best to have a lower value. Photosynthesis from algae or other plants will remove some or all of the dissolved carbon dioxide if you had any fish in the pond and this would allow the pH to rise to the value if fish aren't present but you don't have any fish in it at the moment so that isn't happening and I would look for a different reason.

    Are any of the rocks in your pond limestone because leaching from this type of rock will raise the pH considerably?

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  4. #3
    Senior Member Rank = Yonsai Dudley's Avatar
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    pH

    Thanks for the quick reply Manky
    No limestone, I made sure all rock was Kent Rag. It’s a very common rock around here and easy to get hold of.
    Should I do a couple of complete pump outs and refills and see if that helps.


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    Manly Sanke
    You may have hit the nail on the head with the mention of lime.
    My waterfall construction was done with the use of some sand and cement, not a lot, but some to hold the larger rocks in place, and mostly out of the water line, but in a few places some water will be in contact with it.
    Therefore some lime could be leaching out and washing into the pond.
    I do know you have to seal or glass concrete ponds, I just thought this minimum amount would not be an issue. My father once built a complete pond in concrete, no sealing or glassing, and just did multiple water changes until he got rid of the lime issue.
    I’ll do a few total water changes.



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  7. #5
    And there was me starting to write a post saying that, if it isn't limestone, it's often exposed cement or concrete.

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  9. #6
    Senior Member Rank = Yonsai Dudley's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Manky Sanke View Post
    And there was me starting to write a post saying that, if it isn't limestone, it's often exposed cement or concrete.
    But it was you that made me think of it.
    I’m already pumping it out. pH


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  11. #7
    Senior Member Rank = Yonsai Dudley's Avatar
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    pH

    Well so far so good.
    Emptied pond and gave a thorough wash out and refill on the 22nd and so far no sign of algae returning and daily pH readings show it has settled at 8.5 and been 8.5 for a few days now. Unlike last time when pH shot up to 9.3 in 7 days of filling.
    Fingers crossed it was just lime residue from the cement I used a bit too liberally on the waterfall construction.
    Coincidentally I have a spreadsheet of my grow tank set up from day one, and my tap water pH was then 7.5 as well and after I filled the grow tank it went up to 8.5 after just a few days, and it stayed at that until just only just recently really when it dropped back to 7.5, today it’s 7.8. Presumably that was part of nitrogen cycle and that my moving bed recently started rolling, and my nitrogen dropped down, or maybe because I fitted a UV a while back and it killed off the algae that had built up in the tank.

    Anyway, do I chance moving some lesser quality fish over into the pond to ease the pressure on the grow tank and start the nitrogen cycle?
    Decisions decisions!!!
    This is the pond water today. As you can see not green with algae as the other photo on the 22nd.

    I also started dropping the heat in the grow tank a couple of weeks back, to get the water more to ambient water temp. I was running it at 22c, it’s now 16.8c and my pond is a nice 16.7 at the surface, so I’m thinking a good temperature to move them without shock.
    Also, If you think moving a few fish is ok, do you guys recommend I add some salt to the pond like I did when I put the babies in the grow tank?



    I have zoomed in with the camera but to give an idea of water clarity the depth of water here is between 300-600



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    Last edited by Dudley; 30-04-2019 at 03:00 PM.

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  13. #8
    Short answers - "yes, go ahead" and "no unless you're planning to keep cod in there"

    More sensible answers - since the pH is now stable at 8.5 due to the alkalinity of your supply water then, by all means, start slowly transferring fish but only feed very sparingly so that your biofilter rematures correctly and that you don't have an ammonia spike and/or a nitrite spike.

    Don't add salt to a pond. Salt is an ideal medication for many health problems as a short term dip or as an aid to healing as a medium term treatment in a quarantine or hospital tank. However, it has a detrimental effect on the normal kidney function so it is no longer recommended as a long term addition to a pond except where the whole pond has to be treated when there isn't any other option of isolating sick fish after which it should be diluted out as quickly as possible.

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    Senior Member Rank = Yonsai Dudley's Avatar
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    Many thanks Manky.
    So its low temperature issue then really?
    My situation is I have about 80 koi in a 1000L IBC. I bought 100x1" fry last autumn and other than a few die they have flourished well. There are about 10 that are still only 2-3" but most are 5-6" and one in particular is at least 6-7 possibly 8" Ammonia in the IBC is 0 nitrite 0.25 and nitrate is about 10.
    I am pumping to a large 220L vortex to take out solids (works really well) then to a 220L bio filter and into a moving bed with K1 and back to the IBC. I am moving about 1200 lp/h through this filter. And have an additional small pump pushing water to a shower filter in top the IBC. So I have a good amount of filtration for a 1000L tank.
    Fish are looking good, and no health concerns, very hungry even though temp is now down to under 17c, and they do not look over crowded.

    As I dropped the IBC tank temperature I have reduced feeding a bit, basically to twice a day, not 4-6 times a day. So would you think I should hold fire on moving any fish just yet, in fact put some heat back on a bit and get them growing on again and wait until the pond warms up a bit? If I detect a water issue, I could quickly move them to the pond. But I doubt another month in the IBC will be a problem?
    Thanks Steve.

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  17. #10
    They will do better in a large volume of water so I would get them all into the pond as soon as you can, especially as the nitrite in the tank is higher than the maximum tolerable level but, of course, bearing in mind the usual precautions about not causing ammonia or nitrite spikes in the pond.

    I would dramatically reduce the amount of food you feeding in the grow on tank and do some large water changes until the nitrite is at near zero. Could you split the K1 and put some into the pond biofilter to help kick start it maturing?

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    Senior Member Rank = Yonsai Dudley's Avatar
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    pH

    I will do that Manky.
    I don't intend to keep all these fish. After I select a dozen or so of my favourite fish I was going to put the rest out into a large natural clay mud pond that have. But the other day there was a visitor to that pond, so I best put them all in the new pond for this summer at least as that is close to the house and will be netted
    Thank you.

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  21. #12
    Extreme Koi Member Rank = Supreme Champion john1's Avatar
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    Agree with Manky there Steve,as the temps are nearly the same I would get them in there.
    Maybe a dozen one day and leave for a day or two then some more.

    They will grow a lot better in there Steve.
    John

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  23. #13
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    pH

    Well pH has remained stable and all other water tests are good. The few sacrificial fish I deposited in the pond are thriving and as UK Power Networks have told me I have to move all the remaining young koi out of my grow tank tonight I best get busy.
    And as I have yet to choose the best (some still a bit small) they are all going in the new pond.


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    Last edited by Dudley; 21-05-2019 at 07:36 PM.

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  25. #14
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    pH

    Oh why have I got to shut down the grow tank? Because I will have no powers for air, filters etc tomorrow.

    Hi, this is a message from UK Power Networks. I am calling to remind you of the Planned Power Cut which is scheduled for 22nd May 2019 in the TN27 postcode area.

    I must sort out some kind of back up power if I’m going to keep a grow or Q tank.


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    Christ Dud dont know what to say.
    Maybe a 12v small compresure from car to give air.
    John

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  29. #16
    Senior Member Rank = Yonsai Dudley's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by john1 View Post
    Christ Dud dont know what to say.
    Maybe a 12v small compresure from car to give air.
    Thanks John
    Im just going to move them.
    pH


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