JM350Z

Hi, could anyone tell me if my water tests are ok.

Tested at 9am today

Ph 8
Ammonia 0.2
Nitrite 0.25
Nitrate 40
Kh 178
Gh 391

Thanks

colinkoi

This is a new pond i take it from the readings??

JM350Z

About a year old but I have just changed the filter from small pressurised to multi cyclone and bakki type shower with crystal bio

colinkoi

Make sense your filter needs time to mature, readings are ok but keep an eye on nitrite if gets any higher may be worth salting the pond to help out? google it loads of info

JM350Z

Thank you. What parameters should I be aiming for by the way?

pondy

sorry for playing dumb, but why would you salt this pond? or for that matter salt any pond? are koi brackish water fish then?

are you suggesting that we should add salt to our ponds if we have high Nitrite readings? really?

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faz201283

mr sarcastic today ehh pondy???? thats 2 posts in 4 topics ive read today within 5 mins were a more helpful post would have been better than the ones given, really not what id expect from a mod imo!!

colinkoi

Pondy hear i my findings where are yours against salt in the pond

Reducing nitrite using salt | Koi

pondy

ok, not trying to be sarcastic but more trying to rouse a response.

as far as salt goes there are many trains of thought, most are not well thought out.
before i start i will say what i think and dont want to start any argument as we all have our ways. koikeeping tends to bring this upon us.

i know the Japanese do it but why add salt to your water? is it for a tonic? ive never heard of adding it to change your perameters, but as i said each to their own.

i will never and have never salted my pond. My koi are freshwater fish not brackish. they dont need salt in their water to survive.

did you know that salt doesnt evaporate with your water? so you need to do massive water changes to remove any salt that you put into your pond.

salt does have its benifits as a general tonic and cleaner upper of your koi for parasites, but if you need to salt the koi, dip them in a salt solution in a bowl. dont add it to the pond.

the japanese do add salt in very large quantities to their ponds but they also do some massive water changes. their water build up is very different from most of ours too.

so this is why i asked the questions about the salt.
no sarcasm involved just my way of trying to prevoke conversation and prolonging the topic.

oh and by the way. i didnt ask to be a moderator but i do it for the good of the forum. i can still be human as well.

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colinkoi

i aint bashing you mate but there is a big arguement about salting ponds i personally do to 3 % but like you say if is up to the individual, also you say that the japanese do it!! are they the godfathers of koi and produce some of the best specimens??

I am trying to help a fellow member with a bit of advice whether they take it is their choice? which is why i said google it and make up your own mind.

another view According to www.fishdoc.co.uk: "Salt works well against many protozoan parasites such as Costia, Trichodina and Chilodonella as well as flukes and other ectoparasites. It can also assist osmoregulation problems caused by bacterial ulcers; help clear congested gills as well as supporting fish suffering from stress. Because it works in a different way to most disease treatment, it is safer than many pond treatments and will not adversely affect biological filtration in pond filters. It is generally used at fairly high rates in short-term baths or dips, but can be used as a long-term supportive treatment in ponds."