[695pfk]

Hi All,

I am worried about my water parameters in my 3,000 gallon unheated pond, the Ammonia & Nitrite levels don’t seem to be dropping. The filter capacity and dwell time are correct and I have been adding Anti-bacteria (A.B.S) for the past month, my readings are as follows:


Date PH Ammonia Nitrite

16/3 8.0 0 0
9/4 8.0 0.20 0
16/4 8.0 0.10 0
25/4 8.0 0.10 0.25
7/5 8.0 0.10 0.25

Do I just have to wait for the filter to start to kick-in and endure this time when the Koi are exposed to such danger? I am not over feeding to mk knowledge and the pond is not overstocked.

Are everyone else’s unheated ponds showing zero levels for Ammonia and Nitrite?

Many thanks

Paul.

[D.]

Hi mate, what sort of test kit are you using? Mine just comes up with colours to compare but I guess these number ones are more accurate, or have you got some meter device.

[shusui:paul]

hi paul
my pond has been in about 6 weeks or so and all parameters are fine (except ph) im surprised your filters are not up and running yet , are your flow rates right , what sort of filter are you running . with your ammonia that high your probarly best to stop feeding or feed just once a day just to give your filters something to work with . are you doing water changes ? i would at that level of ammonia . try 10 to 15 percent every other day and feed an absolute minimum amount . have you introduced any amount of fish recently this could cause a shock to your filters .with regular water changes and minimum feed things should settle down. cheers paul

[695pfk]

Hi All,

I'm using the NT labs test kit purchased this year so it shouldn't have passed it sell by date yet - I hope !

I have a vortex, followed by 4 chambers - the first contains 24 Black knight brushes, the second and third sections contains Jap Matting and the fourth Alfagrog. In total the filter holds 330 gallons of water and the pond some 3,000 gallons. I have a Aquamax 5,500 pump leaving what I thought was an adequate dwell and pond turnover times.

What am I doing wrong ?

Cheers

Paul.

[695pfk]

... sorry forgot to answer the finaly question ...

No new fish for almost 12 months - sad isn't it !

I have got airstones within the Jap Matting & Alfagrog sections of the filter and it bubles away nicely, so I am realy lost as to why my parameters aren't zero.

Cheers

Paul.

[shusui:paul]

hi paul
how high is your head from pump to filter ? . even at full capacity a 5500 l/h ( 1200 gph) pump is going to turn your pond over every 2 and a half hours which is about right , but with a head of say a meter your turnover will be reduced to about 4500 l/h which is just about border line for a 3000 gallon pond any deeper than 1 meter and your turn over will be to slow . what is the flow rate for the filter you have ? . dont worry someone on here will give the right bit of advice and then youll be at zero ratings . cheers paul

[695pfk]

Hi Paul,

The pump lives on the concrete base that the filter lives on and the filter is 30 inches deep - so I guess the head will be this ?

The filter is designed for a flow rate of 1,200 gallons each hour.

Cheers

Paul.

[ritchiekoi]

Hi Paul
may be worth buying another test kit just to confirm whether you get the same readings,then at least you can rule out dodgy test kit,and start looking else where,cheers Richard.

[shusui:paul]

hi paul
i had a problem with my nitrite test kit at the end of last year , it was showing 0 but my fish were stressed and one showed signs of finrot after i purchased a new kit the nitrite was sky high . so it is probarly worth your while to try a new one . cheers paul

[695pfk]

Thanks Brett & Paul - I will "ask" the wife to collect one this afternoon !!

I will post the results

Cheers

Paul.