basic water quality problems

[outdoork9lady]

Ammonia Tests Positive............. Inadequate Biological Filtration / Nitrosomas Bacteria Not Established

further elaboration availble here:
http://www.ponddoc.c...agnoseWater.htm

This was the best information that gave me the reason why my ammonia hit an unusual high while the other numbers stayed at a good level.

I have copied it and the link for future reference.

I cleaned out both my pump and aerator filter (a floater with a plant in it, dumped all it's dirt and debris into the pump, silly me it was floating right above it), I still need to get to my box filter that holds my spitter pump (currently under my fall and hard to get to while I recover from back surgery).

 

[outdoork9lady]

I'm frustrated......

Tap water is crap.....5 ppm Nitrites

Water is disinfected with Chloramines, so I bought the filters specifically for it. Tested the water out of the filters....0 Nitirites.

Begin the fill of the newly 45mil lined pond, testing as I go, before and after the non-chlorinator with metals extrators as well.....tests out at .25 ammonia and .5 Nitrites.

I rinsed out the liner before I put it in the pond......I'm half filled, but will drain if necessary.

Anyone?

 

[koiguy1969]

I'm frustrated......

Tap water is crap.....5 ppm Nitrites

Water is disinfected with Chloramines, so I bought the filters specifically for it. Tested the water out of the filters....0 Nitirites.

Begin the fill of the newly 45mil lined pond, testing as I go, before and after the non-chlorinator with metals extrators as well.....tests out at .25 ammonia and .5 Nitrites.

I rinsed out the liner before I put it in the pond......I'm half filled, but will drain if necessary.

Anyone?

outdoor9lady...
try using a good liquid or powdered " pond dechlorinator"..... like KORDONS AMQUEL PLUS" (one of the better ones).. they get rid of chlorine, chloramines, nuetralize heavy metals, nitrites and nitrates. heres a link to product:→ http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=23812&cmpid=11csepg&ref=3475&subref=AA
this will solve your dilemna...

 

[outdoork9lady]

I can but the real question is, could the liner be giving off some kind of gas? I'm going to retest my water as it leaves the hose at two different speeds. I tested it at a pretty good clip after the filter exit and it showed 0 nitrites. I was told slower was better, so I slowed it down for the fill ( 220 gal in 4 hours).

 

[koiguy1969]

not likely a "fish safe" pond liner is leeching anything. are you filling a bucket from the hose and testing? or trying to test right off the hose's flow?... a filter that removes chlorine and says it "breaks the chlorine-ammonia bond" in chloramines leaves the ammonia in the water. just get the right stuff and your problem is solved. leave the inline water filter for doing small water changes... the pond's filtration can remove the ammonia and nitrites once its established.
** i'm assuming your using activated carbon or "charcoal" filters for your filling... they break the bond, absorb chlorine, and leave the ammonias.

 

[outdoork9lady]

Yea not the liner, it's the water. I tested again and it's reverting back to as if I had no filtration system. Of course it's a 3-day'r, so I won't get any answers as to why the filters died in less than 100 gal. I was to get 20,000 gals. It came out at zero nitrites and now back up to 1ppm and climbing. I'm tired right now, pure tired! I poured in a bunch of non-chlorinate, says it also detoxifies ammonia and nitrites. Nothing to lose. I stopped filling, gonna play with the dog, take a walk away from it and test the water this evening. If it comes up the same, it's on hold until Tuesday.

Egads! Auto correct changed a lot of words. Edited to clean up the clean up.

 

[sissy]

You may be frustrating your self over thinking it .What is your filter made of .You may need to filter your water coming out of your hose .

 

[sissy]

I find keeping plants in my filters really helps clean and get rid of stuff as water is going into the filter .I had to redo my one filter to build a bigger one and used the filter media from the old filter .But since I run my filters all year round there could have been some good stuff still left so figure try it take advantage of what might still be in there

 

[koiguy1969]

the discussion is about an inline 'inhouse' style water filter that's hooked up to the hose to remove chlorine and chloramines while the poond is getting filled FOR THE FIRST TIME, and apparently not doing so great. not a pond filter.
i say.. forget it, return it if you can... and just use pond dechorinator. its that simple!!

 

[outdoork9lady]

You are all right...I just felt that if I could put in the best water possible at the start, than between plants and filters, etc.....I had a good start. I got a great heart thumping woo hoo at the beginning, however, it lasted about 50 gallons, then the first filter was a chocolate brown, the second one still like new. Right now the water that comes out of the hose, is dirtier than the water in my small garden ponds that are way over stocked with fish. The issue is when I go to clean the filters/small water changes, which I have to do as I have moved my fish over while this larger one was built, I have WORSE water to put into the tank than what I expelled. Thought the filter from garden hose was the answer so that I didn't have to use so much of the non chlorination like Amquel Plus....guess not. Disheartening.

The good news is, the small pond with the Koi that will be in the larger pond, is o nitrites and I have used the tap water to refill what had to be expelled....so using that same system (only larger for the larger pond) I should be fine once its all settled in. Angry since it's going to probably take a good month for it to be healthy enough to put in my Koi.

 

[koiguy1969]

doesnt sound like your tap water is anything i would want to bathe in, let alone drink!

 

[outdoork9lady]

Bought the amquel, took a few cups (dropped the correct amount for my gallons, waited a few hours, no change, repeated until a light purple on the nitrite scale). I then took the pressure flo system, didn't clean it from the over stocked pond (which had finally turned a light blue, yay), dropped it in and waited a day. Looked a light purple, almost blue, made sure no UV then tossed in good bacteria. Tossed in the goldfish so they didn't die in the now zero filtered itty bitty pond. Today the pond is in zero nitrites, .25 ammonia, zero nitrates, zero phosphates, PH 7.6. Lots of plants, added an old water fall which are currently housing some plants, dropped in another filter (floating), and it's butt ugly, for now. I'm hoping to cull the goldfish out and drop in the koi, hopefully in a couple of weeks. By then the stainless steel weirs should be done along with the corner plant boxes. Playing around with the actual size and finished look before I make them.

The city water tests ame in and the water came in at .77 mg/L NO2. They said it was showing acceptable levels. My API Freshwater test system shows me at 5ppms. I don't get it.

Edited the iPad edits

 

[Dave 54]

Koi Guy thanx for mentioning your sense of smell as a pointer to detect bad water quality issues , the last time I saw this written down as to using as a tool was in a book was by an author called Frank W Orme in his Book Goldfish and koi ISBN 0862300207
Strangely never since .
This deserves a sticky my friend and I believe it got it

Dave

 

[FrankQuinn]

@kolguy1069
Thanks for posting such a great info.

 

[Koiguyjoe]

Diagnose Pond Water Quality Problems

Use this handy page to find problems with your pond water's quality and clear them up. Most of the time there is a simple solution. Every pond should have good water quality and it's for certain

Symptom:....................................... What It Is:
Green Water / Pea Soup................... Algae Bloom
Smells Like Rotten Eggs.............. Accumulation of Sludge (high levels of anaerobic bacteria)
Small Floating Debris .......Filter Needs Cleaning / Insufficient Mechanical Filtration / Use Coagulator
White Hazy Water........... Bacterial Bloom
White Foam................ Protein Buildup / Spawning
Brown Cloudy Water............ Often Rain RunOff / Dirt in Water / Use Coagulator
pH Tests High (over 8.0).......... Pond Too Alkaline
pH Tests Low (under 7.0).......... Pond Too Acidic
Ammonia Tests Positive............. Inadequate Biological Filtration / Nitrosomas Bacteria Not Established
Nitrite Tests Positive................ Inadequate Biological Filtration / Nitrobacter Bacteria Not Established
Oily Residue on Surface..........Oil "Spill" / Oil-based Product Used in Pond
Algae Clumping on Top........... Blanket Algae
Algae Strands Growing on Rocks............... String Algae


further elaboration availble here:
http://www.ponddoc.com/Topics/DiagnoseWater.htm

further info on bacteria here:https://www.gardenpondforum.com/bacteria-just-basics-t4827.html

Diagnose Pond Water Quality Problems

Use this handy page to find problems with your pond water's quality and clear them up. Most of the time there is a simple solution. Every pond should have good water quality and it's for certain koi and goldfish cannot live without it.

Symptom:....................................... What It Is:
Green Water / Pea Soup................... Algae Bloom
Smells Like Rotten Eggs.............. Accumulation of Sludge (high levels of anaerobic bacteria)
Small Floating Debris .......Filter Needs Cleaning / Insufficient Mechanical Filtration / Use Coagulator
White Hazy Water........... Bacterial Bloom
White Foam................ Protein Buildup / Spawning
Brown Cloudy Water............ Often Rain RunOff / Dirt in Water / Use Coagulator
pH Tests High (over 8.0).......... Pond Too Alkaline
pH Tests Low (under 7.0).......... Pond Too Acidic
Ammonia Tests Positive............. Inadequate Biological Filtration / Nitrosomas Bacteria Not Established
Nitrite Tests Positive................ Inadequate Biological Filtration / Nitrobacter Bacteria Not Established
Oily Residue on Surface..........Oil "Spill" / Oil-based Product Used in Pond
Algae Clumping on Top........... Blanket Algae
Algae Strands Growing on Rocks............... String Algae


further elaboration availble here:
http://www.ponddoc.com/Topics/DiagnoseWater.htm

further info on bacteria here:https://www.gardenpondforum.com/bacteria-just-basics-t4827.html

Any place where you have a "how to" handle these problems? I have in aglae problem and I'm looking for a good spot to find some info on how to handle it.
Thanks
Joe