help fish dying

[LHB]

Help! I recently had to build a new 6,000 gallon pond because my mud bottom pond with only a fountain for aeration started to leak badly. All seemed fine until the transferred Koi and goldfish started to die. Water testing showed nothing extreme: pH-7.4. NH3-0.35. NO2- 0 NO3-5.0 . New pond has EPDM bottom, washed river rocks and 3 waterfalls with big pump capacity, bubblers and skimmer working. Lots of foamy stuff on top but fish number is small. Nets cover both pond and waterfalls and no debris is decaying in the pool. We have teated with beneficial bacteria, and antifungal products and water clarifiers. Fish continue to die. Any suggestions?

 

[brokensword]

Help! I recently had to build a new 6,000 gallon pond because my mud bottom pond with only a fountain for aeration started to leak badly. All seemed fine until the transferred Koi and goldfish started to die. Water testing showed nothing extreme: pH-7.4. NH3-0.35. NO2- 0 NO3-5.0 . New pond has EPDM bottom, washed river rocks and 3 waterfalls with big pump capacity, bubblers and skimmer working. Lots of foamy stuff on top but fish number is small. Nets cover both pond and waterfalls and no debris is decaying in the pool. We have teated with beneficial bacteria, and antifungal products and water clarifiers. Fish continue to die. Any suggestions?View attachment 146102View attachment 146103

typically foam that remains and doesn't quickly dissipate is from DOCs in the water, be it from spawning or rotting debris. Your ammonia should be zero if everything is good. Look for more plants, see if you have any large rotting debris/condition on the bottom, or even something that died but is hiding from you. What you're going to find is many of these 'chems' will hurt your fish, despite being told otherwise. I'd suspect them right off. That's why many of us don't use them. Change out some water, get whatever is in there diluted, take more readings and see if you can lower the ammonia.

 

[LHB]

typically foam that remains and doesn't quickly dissipate is from DOCs in the water, be it from spawning or rotting debris. Your ammonia should be zero if everything is good. Look for more plants, see if you have any large rotting debris/condition on the bottom, or even something that died but is hiding from you. What you're going to find is many of these 'chems' will hurt your fish, despite being told otherwise. I'd suspect them right off. That's why many of us don't use them. Change out some water, get whatever is in there diluted, take more readings and see if you can lower the ammonia.

Thanks for the advice. The only thing that could be rotting is a few dead fish which might be trapped under the stone shelves. I have scooped out all the dead fish as soon as I saw them. We just got 8" of snow so after it melts I'll try the water changes. I have no plants in it yet as it's barely 3 weeks old. Should I use aquarium supplies to lower the ammonia?

 

[brokensword]

Thanks for the advice. The only thing that could be rotting is a few dead fish which might be trapped under the stone shelves. I have scooped out all the dead fish as soon as I saw them. We just got 8" of snow so after it melts I'll try the water changes. I have no plants in it yet as it's barely 3 weeks old. Should I use aquarium supplies to lower the ammonia?

I think the chem to use is Prime (need @WaterGardener backup on this!) but it'll just bind the ammonia and make it safe for your fish temporarily; you'll still have to change water or wait until the good bacteria can catch up. Again, I don't use any chems; it just seems like rolling the dice.

 

[Lisak1]

If you moved them at the wrong time and the change was too extreme, there may be nothing you can do. Fish like homeostasis - water temp and water chemistry being as close to the original as possible. A big change in temp or pH or almost anything can shock and kill them.

 

[addy1]

I have no plants in it yet as it's barely 3 weeks old.

If your pond is that new, that may be the reason the fish are having issues. There is not enough bacteria etc to deal with their waste. It takes a bit of time for a pond to cycle and be ready for a fish load.

 

[WaterGardener]

Yes, Brokensword is correct. Prime will bind the ammonia and nitrite so it can't harm the fish. It is also a dechlorinator.

However, it will only bind those compounds for 48 hours when it will need to be dosed again. If that is not done, all the bound ammonia and nitrite will be released back into the water, not something you want to happen.

Do you have a filter of some sort?

I agree with Addy that your pond may not be fully cycled yet. It can take a couple of months, even more for that to get established, especially in colder weather.

By the way, the bacteria you buy off the shelf is not the type you need for starting a cycle. Those bacteria don't live long enough without oxygen to be bottled, shipped and sit on a shelf for any length of time before it is used.

Sorry for your fish loss. Prime will help with the ammonia problem, but as Lisak1 said, the shock of moving them at this particular time could be a factor as well, but it seems you really had no choice there.

Beautiful pond by the way.

Thanks for moving my post to the correct thread. Sorry for putting it in the wrong place to start with. I'll try to pay better attention in the future!

 

[brokensword]

Yes, Brokensword is correct. Prime will bind the ammonia and nitrite so it can't harm the fish. It is also a dechlorinator.


Thanks for moving my post to the correct thread. Sorry for putting it in the wrong place to start with. I'll try to pay better attention in the future!

C'MON WG; ya not gettin' enough coffee or sumthin'???? heh heh, gotta ride shotgun on the herd, don'tcha know, Boss!

 

[WaterGardener]

Could be it. I've cut down to one cup a day instead of more than one pot. Must be taking a toll. I feel like I'm walking around in a fog now. Might need to make some adjustments there.

 

[brokensword]

Could be it. I've cut down to one cup a day instead of more than one pot. Must be taking a toll. I feel like I'm walking around in a fog now. Might need to make some adjustments there.

my wife likes to add some khalua...jus' sayin'!!

 

[WaterGardener]

Nice idea. Not sure that wouldn't make me more foggy though! Might need to just add some chocolate to breakfast or just make chocolate and coffee breakfast.

 

[brokensword]

Nice idea. Not sure that wouldn't make me more foggy though! Might need to just add some chocolate to breakfast or just make chocolate and coffee breakfast.

ha, it's so funny; in the winter, my wife and I play a game called 'Scribbage' which is like Scrabble but a bit different, and she's ALWAYS tellin' me, when she's losing btw, I need to add more khalua to my drink! Thinks she plays better that way!

 

[mrsclem]

Can you list the exact chemicals you used? The antifungals and water clarifiers have been issues in the past. How were the stones cleaned? any chemicals used there?
BTW- Welcome to another Marylander!

 

[brokensword]

Can you list the exact chemicals you used? The antifungals and water clarifiers have been issues in the past. How were the stones cleaned? any chemicals used there?
BTW- Welcome to another Marylander!

oh geez;, you mean we gotta start ANOTHER subchapter???? @addy1 , I want a raise!

 

[Mmathis]

@LHB Have you tested your water parameters yet?

(off track here, but I love your kitty — looks like my Tonkinese)