Adding Water With Fry

[MattG]

I have a small pond. It’s been estimated at about 1000 gallons. We have anachris, lily's and a handful of goldfish.

With the summer heat, there’s been a lot of evaporation. The pond needs a considerable refill. Probably two or three hundred gallons. (if not, more)

I went to add water but noticed we have fry so I opted out of the refill.

Our “city” water has chlorine, or chloramine. When I add water, I usually use a water conditioner and de-chlorinator.

With the baby fish, should I avoid adding water? Or is it safe to add the water and the water conditioner?

Thanks

 

[Mmathis]

Hello and welcome! Where are you located?

To answer your question, I would add the water and definitely use a conditioner to handle both chlorine & chloramine [we have both in our water, as well].

Is there any chance you could net the fry and keep them in a separate container, like a kiddie pool?

Do you do water changes on a regular basis or do you just add water to compensate for evaporation?

 

[MattG]

I'm located in the San Francisco Bay Area...Northern California.

Your advice would be to go ahead with the water fill and use the water conditioner?
My primary concern is the fry and whether or not the fill up will affect them.

There's no way to catch them. We have a ton of anacharis (which also should be reduced; but that's a whole other topic).

I have never done a "water change", per se. But I do add water on a routine basis. More in the summer, and less in the winter months. Four or five times a year.

 

[Dave 54]

Hello and Welcome from Plymouth UK , would you believe it we had a simmilar discussion the other day about this very subject chlorine and chloromines .
My wife Val and I have the same size pond as your good self and the same evaporation your getting at present.
In the UK many koi keepers use filters on our hose pipes to take both out prior to the water going into the pond thus not harming fish or fry:-

http://www.vyair.com/scripts/prodView.asp?idproduct=68

I hope this goes a long way and helps you in finding the correct way forwards and answer's your question Matt

Dave

 

[Mmathis]

@MattG If you add the chemicals and add the water slowly [adding it slowly will give the pond water and the added water a chance to equalize temperatures without causing added stress on the fish], you shouldn't have a problem.

Right now you have extra fish and this means extra excreted waste products. Your pond has been "balanced" up to this point. This will get worse as the babies grow. So adding water will help dilute this.

But you might want to think about water changes down the road. Most of us do those on a regular basis. See, what happens when you have evaporation is that you lose the water, but all of the chemicals & minerals that are disolved in the water don't evaporate -- they stay in the water and can build up to levels that are harmful to the fish/plants. With a water change, you remove some and add some [always using your chemical, of course].

Best wishes with your fry! I've managed to salvage a few over the past couple years and it's fun watching them grow and change colors.

 

[Mmathis]

@Dave 54 I have a filter on my faucet, as well, but I still add de-chlor / de-chloramine chemicals, just to be on the safe side.

 

[Dave 54]

@Mmathis Maggie I trust our freshwater filter to remove all the chlorine prior to it entering the pond . I've even drunk the water coming out from it as a taste test for chlorine [tasted like cool clear water should with no chlorine].
Chloromines arent used in our area of the UK so we dont have to worry about them and the filter doesnt need chnging for 100,000 gallons imperial.
However we never get that far into the gallonage they claim it will filter prefaring instead to renew at the start of every season .
Cost to replace each filter £8.00 UK

Dave

 

[Big Lou]

Welcome Matt

 

[Mmathis]

Welcome Matt

Lou, he's a person!

 

[Big Lou]

Lol!

 

[MattG]

Thank you, folks.
Based on the conversation, I think I will start to add water in stages. Rather than filling it to the brim, as I've done in the past, I'll try to a 100 gallons (or so) every few days, along with the supplemental water conditioner.
Thank you for the advice.
It's much appreciated.
Kind Regards,
Matt

 

[Big Lou]

It's obvious you are a caring pond keeper.