two koi deaths a day!

[DrDave]

One of the questions that remains unanswered is how many fish were in the pond when this started?
Were they all large?
What was the average size?
Have you ever added any of the "snake oils that a lot of folks are quick to recommend that may have casued a toxic coctail out of your pond? This include all the so called algae cures.

If you have debries on the bottom, something that cannot be tested for might be poisoning them.
Clean the bottom and do not add any chemicals blindly into this pond.

Please answer these questions...

 

[nc0gnet0]

don't forget the fact that the fish seem perfectly healthy during the day and die off at night only......This would suggest a combinations of factors. oxygen depletion/ ph fluctuation coupled with an ammonia spike or disease. It would be nice to know the population density as well as what type of filtration and how large is being employed. An ammonia level at .2 is cause for concern but I don't think it would by itself cause such a large die off. Coupled with one or more other factors however, it could be the proverbial straw..............

 

[csm]

I have the following:

koi 10 - 8" ; 6 - 6",;12 - 3".
Goldfish 20 - 2".
Shibumkins 6 - 4"
Comets 2 - 8"

To the question if I have put in 'snake oils', I have. Over the last 9months, I have put in algae reducers, water clarifers, and natural bio sludge removers. In retrospect, I should have done my own reserach rather than depending on the store folks.

Having put in an air spray pump last night, things are tactically moving in the right direction. The great news is - no dead fish! So oxygen depletion at night was certainly at play. The ammonia level looks like its closer to 0.1ppm.

The larger decision is whether I need to 'start a fresh'. I'm still not sure if the investment will bring about the results in a cost effective manner.

 

[DrDave]

So this is how many are left? If so, with proper pond management 1200 gallons will support these, but no more.

 

[koikeepr]

i think that's a lot of fish....

 

[nc0gnet0]

Am I reading that correctly 56 fish at a rough estimate of 220 inches? Your going to need more filtration than what is standard on a 1200 gallon pond. What are you currently running? Do you have any source or airation prior to the spray bar? Great news on the no dead fish...did you check your water parameters at night yet? Curious as to what the PH fluctuation might be. For what you have spent on algecides and the ilk you could have already purchased a UV clarifier or a larger filter and introduced zero chemicals into the pond with better results.

 

[newday3000]

I agree, that's way too many fish in 1200 G. Ammonia should always be zero or something is wrong. Any ammonia reading can be lethal if the PH rises. An air stone dissapates CO2 which can lower PH at night but the ammonia is still in the water. You are better off reducing the bio load or add filter capacity.

 

[csm]

Thank you to that responded. It has truly been helpful. After I put in the spary bars, the pond seems to have 'normalized' (PH 7, Ammonia 0, etc.) even at night (marginal variation). NO DEAD FISH and the seem to be moving and eating well even at night. I'll heed the advice and not put in any more fish.