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Thread: Keeping ph stable
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20-09-2020, 09:01 PM #1
Keeping ph stable
So I run a ph of roughly around 7.7 but don’t keep to much of an eye on it if I’m honest but would like to add something to the pond to keep it more stable as I’m learning it can jump around throughout the day. I know people use oyster shells but woundered if there is anything else I can use? Also where is it best to place it? Cheers guys
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freddyboy Thanked / Liked this Post
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20-09-2020, 09:41 PM #2
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jphamill Thanked / Liked this Post
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20-09-2020, 11:50 PM #3
What is your KH charco? And how much pH variability are you actually getting on sunny days?
It’s unlikely adding more bicarbonate will improve your stability unless your KH is currently very low.
Ive had most success at getting nice steady pH levels by having no plants and little green algae in the pond, since it’s the midday and afternoon photosynthesis that tends to push the pH up then as dissolved CO2 gets consumed. Providing shade over your pond can help with this.2016 new 6000 gallon pond
https://www.koiforum.uk/pond-construc...ghlight=feline
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22-09-2020, 03:06 AM #4
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22-09-2020, 03:14 AM #5
Hi mate thanks for the reply. I have to be honest I have never tested for kh. I do have 3 floating plants in the pond which is something that I love so wouldn’t get rid of them. And I don’t have a roof over the pond but it does get some shade through the day from the filter shed beside it. But it is mainly in direct light. I just know that perfect ph is around 7.0 and I’m running higher than that and keep hearing about oyster shells to stabilise it etc. I don’t want a roof or to get rid of the plants as I want the fish to get the sunlight and I do want the plants for the wildlife side of it. But do want to keep my ph as stable as poss. I’m even considering next year doing a ro unit on the pond as I hear that drops ph.cheers mate and sorry for the late reply
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freddyboy Thanked / Liked this Post
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22-09-2020, 11:49 PM #6
I think that you should look at getting a KH test kit so you know where you are with that, and can also check your mains water KH.
There is no ‘ideal’ pH for koi, they do well at a wide range of pHs so long as it’s stable over a 24 hour period. 6.9 to 8.5 are fine. But daily fluctuations of more than 0.3 they don’t like.
Ammonia is more toxic at higher pH’s which is one reason why some of us like to run a lower pH. But it is expensive to do unless you have very soft mains water, and risky as pH crashes can easily happen if you take your eye off the ball even for a short time.
Unless you are running RO with all the monitors that go with that, it’s easier to keep your KH at at least 4 for stability. Most people pH will be at least 7.5 at that kind of KH level.2016 new 6000 gallon pond
https://www.koiforum.uk/pond-construc...ghlight=feline
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freddyboy, Manky Sanke Thanked / Liked this Post
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23-09-2020, 03:21 AM #7
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freddyboy Thanked / Liked this Post
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19-10-2020, 08:53 PM #8
So I bought a Colombo test kit for kh today and tested at 8 o’clock this evening it tested at kh 12 drops till turned yellow and my ph tested at 7.8 (I think I struggle reading the ph color). From what I have read a optimal result for a ponds kh should be 6-8... so I had a look on the web and apparently it’s not a danger to fish between 4-20 anythink out of this is classed hazardous. So my question is am I ok with a result of 12 or should I try to act on lowering it and if so how? As I’m right in thinking khbuffer increases it doesn’t it? But what if I wanted to lower it. If it’s ok as is it’s fine il leave it but just after some advice really. Cheers guys
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freddyboy Thanked / Liked this Post
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19-10-2020, 10:50 PM #9
If you wanted to lower it you would have to run RO.
Before even considering that, you would need to decide what it is you are hoping to achieve. It’s easy to spend hundreds of pounds a year for no good reason if you haven’t got a specific aim. Are you on metered water?2016 new 6000 gallon pond
https://www.koiforum.uk/pond-construc...ghlight=feline
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freddyboy Thanked / Liked this Post
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19-10-2020, 11:03 PM #10
My PH tested via the Hana meter is 8.6. Ph tested via the API test kit is 7 to 7.5.........which one is correct?
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freddyboy Thanked / Liked this Post
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20-10-2020, 12:25 AM #112016 new 6000 gallon pond
https://www.koiforum.uk/pond-construc...ghlight=feline
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freddyboy Thanked / Liked this Post
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20-10-2020, 12:29 AM #12
I’m just investigating it feline, I’m more after advice if I should act or if it is ok to leave the way it is! I never really looked in to kh so want to know what people on here would do if they ran a kh of 12. I just want the fish to be happy really. And know my options and then I can view prices etc.
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freddyboy Thanked / Liked this Post
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20-10-2020, 12:30 AM #13
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20-10-2020, 12:39 AM #14
You can run your pond fine with a KH of 12.
It does mean that your pH will tend to be on the higher end of the range for koi, which actually doesn’t matter so long as it’s stable.
Where it does become an issue though is if you get an ammonia spike for any reason- because more of the ammonia is in the toxic form at higher pHs.
But if you make sure you don’t overload your filters with too many fish or too much feeding, and you avoid killing your filter with chemical treatments, then it really doesn’t make much difference.
I suppose the real answer to your question is though that if you become deeply into this hobby and invest in expensive fish, try to keep show quality fish or grow jumbo fish- there are some reasons why you might then consider running RO.
It allows you to choose what KH and pH you run. It’s also about the ‘purity’ of the water, and trying to replicate the extremely low TDS conditions of the mud ponds in Japan. Hard water is believed to cause shimmies, and affect the quality and lustre of the skin, as well as suppress growth. The average hobbyist is not really going to notice this though.Last edited by Feline; 20-10-2020 at 12:43 AM.
2016 new 6000 gallon pond
https://www.koiforum.uk/pond-construc...ghlight=feline
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freddyboy Thanked / Liked this Post
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20-10-2020, 02:26 AM #15
Thanks for the response! Well I’d say I’m over filtered for now until they get bigger so I should be fine for now and for next year. That said I’m planning making a new filter over winter as it’s something I wanted to do for a while now so il probably have a new filter for next year meaning il be well over filtered, but like you say as the fish grow etc it won’t be wasted. I have been looking into ro I must admit. Hard to research though not much out there for info. Don’t you like make it up yourself and work out how many membranes to do the volume you need or something .... I’ll have another look but I was intrested i must admit. That Rasta koi mentions about it quiet abit. Are you running ro on yours ! Cheers
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freddyboy Thanked / Liked this Post
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20-10-2020, 02:45 AM #16
Yes sort of. I say sort of because I’ve not been running my RO system over the past few months since my membrane needs replacing and I’ve been off sick from work on and off.
This time of year I can pretty much get away without running it anyway because I’m holding 22-23C and feeding heavily. The filters bugs are chewing through all the KH in my mains top up so I’m having to add bicarbonate to keep the pH at around 7.3. KH from the tap is 10!
This is current without the RO running (complete with filter house cobwebs), KH is just under 2 DH
My RO setup is one I’ve built myself based on Andy Finch’s original idea of recycling pond water through an RO membrane from the clean side of the drum. I’m using a single 4040 Eco membrane (these are the big 1m long membranes used by pole window cleaners). Andy has now set up his own business building these systems for customers, and he is selling plain RO and recycling RO complete setups that he has made look all tidy and smart- so you can now buy an out of the box system without messing about yourself. I kind of like playing with water, pipes and meters though2016 new 6000 gallon pond
https://www.koiforum.uk/pond-construc...ghlight=feline
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freddyboy Thanked / Liked this Post
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20-10-2020, 06:51 AM #17
My kh was 12/13 for 25 years. This year with the pandemic. It's now 7/8. Tested with API kit. So it shows water boards are doing something to the water.
My fish have always been ok. Got the odd one with shimmis but most are ok. I have grown some to around 80cm
My ph has always been 8.2
But the fish are healthy. And there is 55 fish in the water. Mixed pond. Orfs Rudd tench and 17 koi
And I have not had a problem.
And as feline says. Unless you want high end stock. And massive fish. They will be ok mate.
Fred
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20-10-2020, 02:30 PM #18
Cheers Fredy mate. That’s good to hear then. As long as they are healthy that’s what’s most important. But i still like to see how I can improve. Already looking into new things for next year lol best thing I done was put a pond in the house. I don’t even mind the winter part either still gets me in the garden which is good!
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freddyboy Thanked / Liked this Post
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20-10-2020, 09:08 PM #19
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20-10-2020, 09:15 PM #20
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freddyboy Thanked / Liked this Post
The Daily pond temp thread
Just kept 12 overnight for the first time. Hitting 12.8 in the daytime but bang on 12 first thing...