What is this??

[fishin4cars]

So, should I do anything about them? Brush the liner, change some water, anything? Also....I think I no longer have any fish or turtles. I haven't bought a pond testing kit yet, not sure where I can buy one where I live, may have to order it online...but I used my pool testing kit and according to that, I have a high PH....might be the reason my fish are dead. Should I do anything yet (buy more fish? change the water? add more plants? Too many plants? Etc?....or is this the cycling process that just has to take place and will eventually balance out???

If you brush them off the pond will get cloudy, it may clear up quickly it may not, They form those strings from mud and sediment that have gotten into the pond. they will disappear once there is more active life in the pond, Cosmetically you can brush them it won't hurt or help. How high is the PH? leave it alone right now if it is between 7.0 and 8.4, much higher and this would probably be the best time to adjust. How long has the water been in the pond now? Do not add any fish just yet, plants won't hurt at all. Right now I would like to see the following test done if at all possible.
PH, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, GH and KH. These are the basic need to monitor tests along with monitoring temp.
If your going to get a test kit I would recommend the Aquarium Pharmicitical Master test kit. Should run between $30-$35 on ebay or Pet store. If you can't get the water tested locally you need this kit. I promise it will be money well spent. Lets see where we stand here. I need to go back and read some of what you have done. Malak has brought up some good points and I want to go back and check a couple of things before going any farther just yet.

 

[vertigo72]

Id like to know how high is high (for your PH). Killing goldfish that fast isnt easy, killing turtles would seem near impossible. If they are all really dead, something is really amiss, and you better find out what before trying again, yet again. Test for PH, ammonium and nitrite at the very least. If it appears normal, then Id take a container or something and fill it with pond water. Then put a (few) goldfish in there, and a lid or net. That way you can keep an eye on the fish, they cant hide, and predators cant get to them. If they die.. you have a (big) problem with the water.

 

[Karen]

True

No more than 20% water change tops and right now I would want to see what the water parameters are before doing that.
adding bacteria supplement could do some good but I would wait and add once the pond is for sure settled down.

Hi....I went out and checked in my skimmer net and yep....2 more dead fish. So I believe that I am out of fish and the turtles are long gone. I'm not sure what I've done. I wouldn't think that 6 small fish and 6 lil' turtles would've created a big problem. I am wondering about the bricks that I added into the pond to raise up my pots when I added my plants. I've been reading that some bricks can lead lye? I just had some bricks laying around from another project and they worked very nicely to raise up my pots...Could they have caused an unbalance in the water. Or could it be the rocks in my waterfall? Going to look at the local wal-mart for a testing kit....Thanks!

 

[Karen]

Hi....I went out and checked in my skimmer net and yep....2 more dead fish. So I believe that I am out of fish and the turtles are long gone. I'm not sure what I've done. I wouldn't think that 6 small fish and 6 lil' turtles would've created a big problem. I am wondering about the bricks that I added into the pond to raise up my pots when I added my plants. I've been reading that some bricks can lead lye? I just had some bricks laying around from another project and they worked very nicely to raise up my pots...Could they have caused an unbalance in the water. Or could it be the rocks in my waterfall? Going to look at the local wal-mart for a testing kit....Thanks!

Should've said "leak" not lead....and also. Since everything has seemed to have died. I could drain the pond for a 3rd time.....if necessary.

 

[vertigo72]

I see no point in draining it again without having a clear idea whats wrong in the first place. If anything, those dead fish will have helped your filter and microbiological life in the pond get started. Not the way youd have want to, but keep the water in unless you find a cause that warrants starting over.

 

[fishin4cars]

OK...totally drained the pond today. WOW! Can't seem to get this right. My pond is 2000 gals. No fish yet. Went today and added some plants and messed that up....Turned the pond into a muddy mess. So....drained it and starting over. How long do I need to wait to add any fish. How many should I start out with? How do you add plants. I do not have a "bog" area. I'll be adding mine in containers. I totally did it wrong. So now my "cycling" has to start all over, etc.......Any advice will be appreciated. Thank you!

Malak, I got to thinking as I was posting, The above post was done a week ago, I thought I remember something like that, this pond is still probably 3 weeks from a complete cycle, I'm hoping that there is at least one or two fish left hiding or at least some tadpoles that have made the pond home, either will keep the bacteria forming even if a fish is dead in the pond it will feed the bacteria so No I would not change a lot of water on this pond. right now the best thing to do is, get a test kit, add plants if you find some, and let things be for now as much as possible, oh and if you get tadpoles right now, no problem, they will do just fine for cycling the pond until it's safe to start adding fish.

 

[vertigo72]

Great minds think alike, but dont type equally fast lol.

 

[fishin4cars]

LOL, was thinking that same thing.
Karen those were 6 feeder type goldfish correct?

 

[Karen]

Yes....bought them from petsmart. Cheap starter fish.

 

[Karen]

What about the bricks? Could they be causing a problem??

 

[fishin4cars]

Bricks could, but kind of doubt that is the problem.Rocks also could be but I would first check the water source you use to fill the pond, You said you used a pool test kit to test PH, how high is it reading?
I have to seriously wonder if the cheap fish may have had a problem to start with. turtles, well i think we know what happened to them and I doubt they died because of anything to do with the pond.

 

[Karen]

Bricks could, but kind of doubt that is the problem.Rocks also could be but I would first check the water source you use to fill the pond, You said you used a pool test kit to test PH, how high is it reading?
I have to seriously wonder if the cheap fish may have had a problem to start with. turtles, well i think we know what happened to them and I doubt they died because of anything to do with the pond.

My pool kit only goes to 8.4 and it was equal to that or higher. But I will order a pond kit...going to look to see if they have any at Wal-Mart, if not I'll check else where and online. Could've been the cheap fish. I know they are not very hardy. So....should I just let the pond run as is... or get some more turtles or a few fish or what?? Would it cycle with what it has now? Probably not. Maybe I should take my son perch fishin' and put some of those in there to cycle it. :regular_waving_emot

 

[Malak]

Don't you guys think it's a tad strange her fish died with such a large volume of water? I suppose if the pH was 9...

I would invest in a pH pen. No more screwing around with test tubes and drops except for the other tests.

 

[addy1]

Good luck karen, best thing is to start with all water parameters, go from there before you drain again.

We lost a bunch of feeders due to a low ph, got that corrected, without dumping the water, and now have fry, goldies, shubies, tadpoles, waterbugs all going crazy.

Five of the feeders made it from last year, now around 4 inches in size, and actually look like nice fish.

 

[vertigo72]

AFAIK a dead and rotting fish produces quite a lot of ammonia, so yeah, it would help cycle. But the problem you are having is not one thats traditional for a new pond, related to the nitrogen cycle, I really doubt those few fish could have produced enough ammonia in such a relatively large pond to poison themselves even without working biofilter whatsoever. I think you have a different problem, but no clue as to what. Getting those tests would be a good first start.

Alternatively, or additionally, here you can go to a pharmacy and have your water tested. Its much more elaborate than you can do yourself, its tested for all kinds of toxins and heavy metals. Its not cheap ($100 or so), but it might be worth to have your water tested this way. If it comes back as drinkable water, then we're back at square one, but at least youd have ruled that out.