Sick Koi

Sick Koi but good water parameters in outdoor Koi Pond??

Hello,

I’m currently babysitting my parents’ outdoor koi pond and will be doing so for about 2 weeks. It’s quite a large pond (10,000 gallons and spans half of our backyard). We have several large koi (length of adult forearm) and several smaller goldfish (length of adult palm) and based on the number of fish, the pond may be overstocked. The outdoor temperature in Vancouver has been quite variable this summer (16 – 32 degrees Celcius. Low-mid 20’s this week but the temperature was up to 30 degrees over the last 2 weeks). For some reason the pond is losing about 4 inches of water each day so we refill the pond with a bit of fresh water each day (like a 5% daily partial water change!). My parents have had this pond for about 5 years.

At first glace, the fish look relatively healthy (full scales/fins) but there are always a few fish in the pond that have finrot, sores on the body or strange growths. Some fish have had raised scales, pineconing and died not having released their eggs. The fish have been exposed to salt and antibiotics many times. Sometimes the treatment works, but on average about 1 fish dies each month and my parents replace them. At the moment, one very large fish currently has sores on one side, some raised scales and prefers to swim at the bottom of the pond and doesn’t seem interested in food. Another strange observation: when I fed the fish this morning, I noticed that 3 smaller fish appeared to be chewing/biting another small fish of similar size in a corner of the pond. When I threw food at them, all of them swam away. What does this mean??

Seeing that there are always ill fish, I assumed that there must be problems with the water quality. However, when I tested the water parameters of a sample of pond water today, they seemed ok:
Ammonia: 0-0.1
Nitrite: 0-0.1
Nitrate: 5-10
pH: 7.2-7.4
KH: 10
GH: 20
Phosphate: 1

I came across your site and thought that the garlic may help. My parents usually feed Hikari pellets twice a day, so over the last 2 days I have been feeding a mix of presoaked pellets and cooked peas but I think only the smaller fish were able to see the crumbled peas because the large koi swam right through the small bits.

I have attached some images of the pond. Please let me know if you have any ideas

Thanks!!

-M

 

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235 comments

  1. The pumps must sit on the floor of the pond in order to remove gases from the water. Co2 hangs heavily on the bottom where waste settles. I would bet the pumps are pulling a lot of it up, but considering you’re feeding on the quiet end; the fish are probably spending a great deal of time in water that’s low in oxygen

    Next time you test, pull water from the depth instead of the top. In most cases you can get a good general reading of the pond water from water at the top, but obviously, not in this case

    Tonight I visited a pond very close to your size if not a little bigger. They had a major kill, drained the pond, and in the process the pumps dried. The cycle broke, and during the cycling event they lost a lot more fish

    They’re really lucky. The town they live in has excellent water quality; top of the comfort zone for GH and KH. Their only problem is not enough water movement. They have green water algae, and a little blanket algae as well; easy fix by adding additional pumps. These types of algae lower oxygen levels by taking up space, much like Co2

    They’re having a lot of evaporation right now, and KH is really high, but the fish are taking it well

    They were grossly overstocked with over three hundred Koi. The fish were only a foot long, but you have to consider the fact they’ll grow up to three foot long, and have offspring. I think they’re down to about 75 fish now; just about right for the pond size

    Water movement is all important for so many reasons

  2. If not algae, then anaerobic bacteria? Would it help to first install proper pumps on the pond floor? One at the shallow end and another on one of the sides of the deeper middle pond?

    1. I tested the pond parameters on 4 corners of the pond and they appear to be consistent. I do see the fish staying at the top of the water appearing to gasp for air though. This is when I’m not nearby and they can’t see me. Some koi hang around the water pump near the shallow end and are pretty motionless (float in one spot) until we walk to the pond and then they begin to swim and beg for food

  3. There’s a lot of bad info out there. Algae doesn’t have a foul odor, but a pleasant woodsy one. Algae is a plant, although it’s unusual in the fact it’s made up of diatoms; microscopic organisms, but very healthy ones

  4. Hi Venus,

    I’m quite sure the foul odour should be hydrogen sulfide
    I’ve read in a few places that pond algae can have this egg kind of smell. My parents clean the sponges about every 2-3 weeks.
    There shouldn’t be a gas leak because there were several inspections done in the yard before the pond was constructed. I should mention though, that the pond is not the same depth throughout. It’s roughly rectangular, with 2 shallower ends (higher up on the ground) on either side, one shallow end has the water fall and the other shallow end is where the half dipped pond pump is. The middle and main body of pond water is much deeper. There is no pond pump in the middle of the pond where it is most deep… The added pond pump does not even touch the bottom of the shallow end… So, I really think anaerobes could be the problem…

    1. Also, the pond people didn’t discuss the placement of the pumps. My parents placed them themselves because they thought they would look aesthetically pleasing…

  5. I’m wondering if we should drain the pond; the sooner the better. I don’t think we’re going to get things completely under control until the leak is fixed anyway. We need to know what’s at the bottom of that pond

    Find out about the underground pipes

    I’ll guide you through the process so you won’t lose the cycle or any fish. It’s not a bad idea to get the fish in a smaller container so we can evaluate them, and treat them more effectively

  6. That’s definitely an issue; the pumps at half mast. You can bet the bottom of the pond is filled with Co2; meaning the bottom of the pond has little to no oxygen; meaning a great breeding ground for bad bacteria, however, if the pumps are powerful enough, they’ll pull a good portion of the gases from the bottom

    Did your pond guy place these pumps? I’ve learned that people that build ponds, all too often know nothing about fish

    Thing is; Co2 is odorless. Foul water in a pond smells strongly of rotten fish, not eggs

    Your sponges need to be cleaned weekly, and should smell woodsy and unoffensive

    I know it’s far fetched, but could it be possible there’s a gas pipe under the pond. Did the pond guy check for lines below grade before digging. We have a service here in the US called dig rite that will come out for free, and show you where your lines are located. By law we have to call them before digging for any reason. It’s also possible you have dead fish on the bottom, but again, the odor would be fishy

  7. Hi Venus,

    I’ve taken samples from 2 sides of the pond before but I’m thinking I should do that for 4 corners now…
    The gas happened in the evening but O don’t think it’s been that malodourous before. The reason I thought it was hydrogen disulfide from bad bacteria is that it smelled very strongly of rotten eggs or something decaying. This smell is usually present in the canister sponges not pond water. The gas happened right after I activated an old pond jump which made me think we pushed some bugs/gunk around.

    I’ll ask my parents if they can put the pumps at the bottom of the pond and if it’s possible. Right now I think they’re dangling at mid height. Could that cause anaerobic bacteria to sit at the bottom?

  8. Your remedies should arrive Monday. I combined the garlic with dandelion and aloe. It’s heavily concentrated. I ended up with a little more than what fit in two 8 oz bottles, so I used a jug. Mix in up in a bucket of pond water, before adding to the pond. Add it to the quiet end, and then feed the fish

    I doubled up the gel food in one bottle, so pour the dry mix into a bowl to prepare. The bottle is probably too small to mix it up well

  9. Are you quite certain the fish weren’t begging for food? It’s common for pond fish to come to the surface when they see their keepers, but if you notice the fish at the surface gasping when you’re not close to the pond, or it’s not time for supper, there’s a reason, however, the reason may be nature taking its course

    Most fish associate the presence of their keeper with food; one reason why people think their fish enjoy their company. If you feed on a schedule, and visit the pond other than feeding times regularly, the fish will pretty much ignore you. If you bring food every time you approach the pond, well, you get the picture

    What time of day was it you saw the fish gasping? If you have algae in the pond, and most ponds do; carbon dioxide is released from the vegetation as the sun sets. This is a natural occurrence, and if the water is heavily oxygenated, the temporary loss of O2 shouldn’t effect the fish. If oxygen levels are low, and the plant life in abundance, this could effect the fish. When you see this, test KH and pH against levels tested in the light of day

    This is one reason people believe plants oxygenate water. Plants absorb Co2 in light, and release it in darkness (why don’t we say lightness? lol) As the Co2 is cleared from the water, space is created for oxygen to enter

    This is just another reason to never settle for anything less than the high end of the comfort zone for KH and pH. It seems to me your pH rises along with KH as its being buffered. This tells me the oxygen levels are as healthy as KH allows; a good thing

    Bad bacteria (anerobic bugs) thrive in water low in oxygen. They’re not the cause of low oxygen in water, but the result of it. Before we started buffering, did you ever see gasping at the surface? Oxygen destroys bad bacteria, whereas good bacteria thrive in oxygenated water. I doubt anerobic bugs had anything to do with the gasping. As long as KH value is good, and pH is good, nothing to worry about as far as oxygen goes. I would say the bad bugs in the water were destroyed days ago by the increased oxygen levels

    Yes, it’s important that the pumps sit on the bottom because this is where the waste your fish produce is found. The waste creates gases (mostly Co2) that take up space, keeping oxygen from entering. The gases are heavy, and must be pulled from the bottom and pushed to the surface where it’s expelled. This action clears the body of water, allowing oxygen to enter from the surface. At the same time, the waves the action create pulls oxygen from the air, into the body of water. If your pond is deep, this just means you need bigger pumps

    These gases may be the reason some experts believe bad bugs rob the water of oxygen; it does in a way, but the process is unrelated to bad bacteria

    The one way to determine if you need more pumps is to take samples of pond water from all around the pond. Test KH and pH. If both are healthy, you don’t need any more action. Remember, pH is a combined reading of KH and O2. If KH is healthy, and pH is healthy as well, this tells you oxygen levels are good

  10. Update:

    I noticed fish gasping for air and googled that the malodorous gas was probably produced by anerobic bacteria. I must have disturbed them? I added 5 x 16oz hydrogen peroxide, mixed with pond water in 5 buckets. This probably means we should add another pump? Do you think it’s the same bacteria making th fish sick? I found that the fish preferred to swim in the middle/bottom of the pond after I added hydrogen peroxide instead of at the top, does that mean not enough oxygen usually?

    1. I should also ask, where is the best place to put a pond pump? Should they all sit at the bottom of the pond? I’m not sure we can fix ours at the very bottom for a pond as deep as ours

  11. Hi Venus,

    Thank you. I will continue with Epsom. I added 4 pounds of Epsom today after I measured GH to be 120. KH is holding at 110, probably because we haven’t added much water over the last 2 days. Hopefully we won’t have to add as much Epsom once the shells arrive.

    Tonight I noticed the waterfall wasn’t as strong as usual so I toggled the water switches/levers a bit. I activated an extra pump that wasn’t working before, but soon after, a foul smell came out of the pond water. My parents said it smelled like bad algae or the gunk in the filter canister sponges. I’m guessing gunk previously clogging the pump got dislodged into the water? I measured ammonia levels to be higher than usual about 1 hour later. We topped up with more tap water and I added enough prime to treat 10% of the pond water (100mL). I’m hoping that was the way to go? Would hydrogen peroxide have help too?

  12. If you feel you should stop using Epsom, then that’s what you should do, however, this would be a mistake. Your fish must have magnesium

    I will say, they’re right in one way. If someone is adding Epsom without measuring GH, their fish could be overdosed and poisoned by the mineral. You’re measuring as you go, and levels are well below the comfort zone. What is a comfort zone? A comfort zone is determined by the experts for mineral content in water that fish require; please note the word ‘require’

    Magnesium is required. The standard comfort zone in the industry is 200 to 400 ppm

  13. Actually, the people I spoke to and ordered the shells from directed me to articles they wrote. I’ve skimmed several articles. Some are quite informative, some are selling products. But it does seem that they have put a lot of time into their method of fish keeping too.
    In particular, one article about GH mentioned Epsom and it being magnesium sulfate. What concerned me was that the artcle mentiond that long-term use of Epsom can cause osomoregulation issues and slowed heart rate. http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/AquariumKH.html
    Having used Epsom for several weeks now, of course, I was taken back when another aquarium supply ownwer/experienced fish keeper emailed to ask how I planned to use the wonder shells and questioned my use of Epsom for GH.

    Being a novice in this area, I’m being redirected everywhere I go to purchase fish supplies. My goal is to get the pond water and fish healthy again. I trust your experience, and I am learning actively. What better way to learn than to question, validate and reinforce new knowledge?

  14. The person you talked to is uninformed. Epsom is pure magnesium. Magnesium makes up two thirds of GH (general hardness) which is critical to good health. The person you talked to has heard of Epsom, but has no idea that it’s magnesium. The shells they sell have magnesium because this mineral is a part o total hardness as well as general hardness

    By now you should have more confidence in what we’re doing here

  15. Hi Venus,

    I contacted the Wonder Shell guys and they are advising that I buy a pack of 12 large ones to test out with 4 shells first.
    They seem a bit startled that I’m using Epsom regularly and say that it should only be used for therapy. They are saying to use the shells instead?
    Is there harm to exposing koi to Epsom long-term?

  16. O2 works with every remedy because it’s O2

    That should be a chore. I might empty the tea into a large bucket; fill it with warm water and let it sit in the sun for the day, and use next morning. Bad bugs begin to form within 48 hrs, so if you let it sit for a full day; no worries

    I hope the wonder shells are affordable for you, but keep in mind, once the pond is buffered, and you’re not topping off, it will stay buffered much longer, and you won’t have to do much. You’ll use less and less shells over time. It’s not a good time for a leak, but you’re a trooper

  18. Hi Venus,

    I sent an email to the WonderShells link you provided. Hopefully they won’t be very expensive. KH was around 100 yesterday and GH 180.
    I didn’t add any more Soda as I fear a spike. I think I won’t add until KH drops to 80. Will just top up with water.
    The mint tea leaves arrived. I think I’ll try making the tea soon!

  20. No, H202 doesn’t affect KH reading, but your pH tells you KH isn’t too high, so I would go with the low result. H202 does affect pH, so I do find it strange that the pH is low compared to KH result. It should be at 8. min. This tells me the H202 is short lived in your pond; meaning bad bacteria is still present, which doesn’t surprise me at this point. Could also be that substances aren’t well mixed due to low water movement. Did you test again in another area of the pond?

    H202 begins to degrade as soon as it’s added to water with life present. In unhealthy environments, it’s job is much bigger, and so its power is exhausted much faster. If one had the budget and the desire, H202 could be added daily over the next few weeks; until we feel the pond’s health is where it should be. It’s very close now that the mineral value is closer to where it should be

    It’s going to take a lot of shells. The packaging says how many shells per gallons to use, but from what I’ve learned, the shells don’t degrade as quickly in buffered water, so as your water gets to where it should be, the shells last longer. This also means levels won’t get too high, but that being said, you’ll need to test parameters to make sure of it. Every body of water is unique. You might contact the maker of the product; Weco, and ask for pond strength or if you could buy wholesale; meaning quantities. I’m sure they’ll make some arrangement for you

  21. Hi Venus,

    I think I’m going to buy the wonder shells and place them in the pond. How many should I get if ~10,000 gallons? If I place them all in at the same time, will the GH spike?

    After topping water, tonight I tested KH as 120, GH as 120 and pH as 7.8. I added 4 pounds of Epsom. The home test strips are reading consistently with test strips at the pet shop but the liquid drop kit is showing KH as over 200… Is the hydrogen peroxide distorting the liquid test results for KH??

  22. It would be best to have the shells where water was moving, so maybe under the water fall? Try the link again; it works. I looked at the product in the link you attached, and there’s a warning about the stuff causing cancer. I’ve seen only a few packages of gypsum with this warning, and it’s kinda freaky. Maybe it’s made in China. lol

    By local to assure a higher quality and pure product if possible http://www.cavaproject.eu/

    Of course, if you end up getting the wonder shells, you shouldn’t need the gypsom

  24. I’m creating a combination super health remedy with aloe, dandelion and garlic too; condensed enough to treat the entire pond. I’ll be sending the remedies in jugs instead of bottles. I still want you to add to the quiet end before feeding. It will be like a bath for the fish

    These are my favorite remedies, and the most powerful. Dandelion cleanses toxins from the bloodstream, improving organ function; fights infection of the bloodstream, is a powerful antioxidant and is rich in vitamin A and K. Garlic boost immunity by encouraging the formation of friendly bacteria while destroying the bad kind. It also destroys cancer cells and improves heart function; very powerful all on its own. Aloe heals and soothes, is also an antioxidant and reduces inflammation; repairs scales and fins

    The health remedy includes a combination of my favorite herbs that hold many benefits in many ways

    Thank you

  25. Been doing some research, and here’s the solution for calcium. Instead of gypsum powder; gypsum rocks. You’ll never have to add the powder or worry about calcium again, but then again, you may not want to load rocks. I believe the company in the link below sells both, and is located in Vancouver

    http://www.cavaproject.eu/Jun-30/9026/Buy-Gypsum-Powder-Vancouver/

    Don’t forget we discussed buying wonder shells, although I think it would take a lot of product to get levels up and keep them up, but so much easier for your parents. Wonder shells have calcium, magnesium and carbonate mineral

  26. I haven’t gotten to Gypsum yet. Is there some you recommend on Amazon? I’m not very comfortable self-selecting it from a garden center in case I buy the wrong thing. Is it ok if I keep adding Epsom alone?

  27. Hi Venus, I actually took a sample from each end of the pond last night. Both were KH180 so I added tap water immediately.
    Water buffering is a scary thing! I assumed it would be okay to add the same amount of soda I usually add since KH was 90, but the doubling of KH was alarming.
    I will be a lot more careful in the future…

    I tested again this morning after running the tap for 2 hours last night. KH was 140-150 on the quieter end of the pond but still 180 at the waterfall side.
    The larger fish looked well this morning but the smaller ones were gasping for air. I will add more water later.

    I decided to buy more garlic to retreat as I fear much of the garlic will be washed away. I also saw you have a buy2get1free deal going for garlic so I thought it might be good to keep extra on hand. How is the shelf-life of the unopened garlic solution and can I re-treat once the new bottles arrive? What do you have in mind??
    The koi appeared to enjoy the gel shrimp today so I thought it would be good to buy extra too. Can it be fed regularly? Or is it more of an as-needed treatment food?

  28. Next time you get a high reading like that, take some samples from other areas of the pond to compare. My thought is the soda isn’t blended well; more concentrated in one area than the other. Epsom is pure magnesium, and won’t effect KH reading. It’s possible warmer water combined with the H202 is responsible for the jump, but even more likely; you’ve already got the water well buffered, so as it drops; add less soda at a time to keep from going over

    Okay, I see you’ve paid me a rather large chunk of change. Do you just like me a lot, or are you wanting some remedies? lol I’ll get to work on that this afternoon, and try getting them out in the mail tomorrow. Can I give you what I think you need?

    Did you ever get any gypsum ordered? You could add a little more Epsom, although, I have a feeling the gypsum will get the GH closer to where we want it. Gypsum is calcium, and calcium is a part of GH. The goal with general hardness is two parts magnesium and one part calcium

  29. Update:
    KH became 180 and GH became 140. It really looks like the higher GH drastically boosts KH when a small amountof baking soda is added… Or KH is buffering at 100 and skyrockets after more is added?
    Regardless, better safe than sorry. I added 2 hours of tap water just in case. This is very unfortunate given that it is garlic treatment day. But I’ll know not to mess with KH on treatment day next time 🙁 Shall I order another 1-2 bottles of garlic?

  30. Hi Venus,

    I added the garlic treatment with 4 x 16oz hydrogen peroxide tonight.
    Also fed the fish garlic peas/spinach.
    Will be feeding garlic peas/spinach and gel shrimp over the next few days. I’m wondering if garlic can be added to the gel shrimp or pellets too? I saved 2 teaspoons of garlic in case I needed to add it to anything else.

    KH was 90-100 tonight and GH was 100. I added 4 pounds of Epsom and 16oz of Soda. I’m a bit worried about KH spiking because I added the same combo last week and KH doubled overnight. Does a higher GH cause KH to spike? There’s also the hydrogen peroxide and higher weather temperatures too that may contribute this time…

    There’s going to be a heat wave soon with outdoor temperatures reaching as high as 34-36Celcius. Should we be concerned about the pond water?

    I will add mint tomorrow if it arrives in time. Just wondering what the function of mint is? And does the tea/caffeine part of it affect the fish?

  33. The mint looks great. From Egypt? Only the best for your fish

    You can use the mint with the garlic, or use it later. I’ll be interested to know how you prepare 216 bags of mint. The trick will be to add substances gradually, mixing well as you go

    I would feed the peas and gel food until you run out, whenever that is

    Good to know about the softener. That stuff can kill fish if heavily concentrated

    It’s going to be a great feeling after you perform the treatments. You can rest assured your fish are on the mend

    1. I’ll probably throw 20 tea bags into a kettle each time LOL. Then I’ll pour all the tea into a bucket and mix with pond water?
      I aim to add the tea the day after the garlic treatment if it arrives in time!

  34. Hi Venus,

    My parents tell me that no water softener is added that they are aware of.
    I would like to try the garlic treatment tonight if the water parameters are good.

    We usually feed twice a day. Would you say garlic peas in the morning and gel shrimp in the evening? For a minimum of 7 days??

    Wow, so, 4 bottles of 500mL (2L) hydrogen peroxide in 1 tub of pond water mixed with the garlic solution and all poured into quiet end near pump. Ok!

    How is this Numi Mint Tea from Amazon? https://www.amazon.ca/NUMi-TEAS-Moroccan-Mint-Count/dp/B00FS4DQM2/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1501519993&sr=8-2&keywords=mint+tea 12 boxes would be 216 tea bags? Also placed in 1 tub? how long after the garlic should I use mint?

  35. I would use 2 pounds of peas for the ounce, but that’s a lot of shelling. lol

    I don’t know how many times a day you feed, but I would trade off between the gel food and the peas; every other meal

    The most important thing is the water quality. Sick water is why the fish are in this condition, and no other reason. I suppose you didn’t find any information on the softener. If your parents don’t have someone come out regularly to maintain the filtering system, it probably isn’t an issue. If it were me, I would have it pulled. We all need healthy water, even our pets. The filters are installed to keep the hot water tank from building up limescale, but your KH would have to be extremely high in order for the limescale to build up and destroy the tank before it’s lifespan. Like so many things in the world, it’s more of a gimmick

    Right now as we speak, the fish are on the mend. Let’s not forget your parents were consistently salting the pond, and that’s taken its toll as well as the low KH and GH

    Every little thing you do is going to help as far as tonics and treatments go

    It certainly wouldn’t hurt to perform another round or two of garlic, but you could also do a few other things that would be very effective; tea for example. Pick up a dozen boxes of mint tea; prepare the tea as if you’re going to drink it, and add it to the pond after it’s cooled. Mint is an antibiotic and a great healer as well. In a pond this size, treat the area you feed, and feed just after treating, so the fish will be getting the full benefits

    There are some outstanding herbs that heal and destroy bad bacteria, and most of them come in tea form. That being said, there may be some teas that we shouldn’t use on our fish, so check with me before you get any wild ideas

    There’s not enough remedy in the world to treat a 50,000 gallon pond, but even 10,000 is a lot of water. My thoughts were to treat where the fish are fed so they get a good dose of the treatment, no matter the size, the quiet end of the pond should be an excellent treatment location; treat just before feeding

    In a small pond or aquarium I recommend using one tablespoon to one ounce of H202 per 10 gallons, but in your case, that’s a lot of H202. Just add as much as you can; four to six 16 oz jugs would be good. Whatever you add will benefit

  36. Hi Venus,

    KH was 110 today, GH 80 and pH8. I added 4 pounds of Epsom only. I’m preparing to start th garlic recipe in 1-2 days. I would like to clarify my procedure with you before starting.
    In a bucket full of pond water, I will be emptying most of the garlic solution and mixing with 3% hydrogen peroxide.
    Should I still use 4 x 16oz bottles of hydrogen peroxide, or will one 16oz bottle be enough for the smaller pond volume? I remember you saying it would increase pH.
    I will be pouring this mixture bucket all over the quieter area of the pond with the smaller pond pump.

    Then I will use the remaining garlic solution to mix with peas — how many days worth of garlic peas should I prepare?
    I will also be feeding th gel shrimp recipe.

    Finally, I would like to ask if this one time garlic water treatement is enough, especially given the leak and daily water topup, will the treatment last? Should I order more garlic bottles to have on hand?

  37. No water exchanging. Topping off the water is quite enough. These tests are so generalized, we can’t accept any reading as exact. Right now I have a tub with KH testing at 200 ppm using a drop kit. I have a fan on the tub, and losing a gallon a day due to evaporation. The KH in my tap is 90 ppm. I add distilled water to lower GH and KH, but I also add vinegar once or twice a week, and still, with every water change (3 times a week) the KH is reading high. The fish have been fine all this time, but I’ll really be glad when summer is over

    I haven’t had much loss in the stock tank, but the fan skims over the edge of the tank, and the tank is only half filled. The KH is a little higher than the tap at 120 ppm, but that’s a good thing

    If water evaporation was your problem, the KH would be high even with a low reading in the tap. This tells us you definitely have a leak, which is going to be quite an ordeal. I’m not sure how many Koi you have, but it sounds like a large school. With some luck, the leak will be at the top, not the bottom. One way to find out is to let the water table lower, and see if it gets to a stopping point before getting too low for the fish. If this is the case, the repair could possibly be made with the fish in the pond

  38. Thanks Venus, that’s reassuring to know.

    I haven’t observed clamped fins/white scales but I was afraid the high KH would get to that point. The reason I got the pet shop test is because my KH liquid test was testing higher than 160 and it terrified me.
    I’ll top up the pond tonight and retest tomorrow. I’m guessing you would not recommend changing any water? Just retest?

  39. I doubt the fish would feel any burning at these levels. If you remember, KH testers read about 20 ppm higher than the actual amount, and they can easily withstand readings of 160 ppm. If your fish have clamped fins, have you tested ammonia? Besides, the pet shop probably used strips, and they always read high

    No, the fish aren’t being shocked. Raising GH and KH won’t shock the fish

    The readings are probably much closer to the low end than the high

  41. Venus,

    I haven’t been adding much baking soda/Epsom these 2 days as I’ve been busy but I also haven’t added much water and it’s been warmer out.
    Today I took the pond water for a test at the pet shop and KH tested to be a shocking 120-180, GH 150-300 and pH 8.4.
    I’m topping lots of water as we’ve lost quite a bit over the last 2 days….
    Are these levels toxic?? Is the sudden pH reduction from tap water going to be very shocking?

  42. Excellent. You’ve got a ways to go with GH, but you’re there with KH. The trick is to keep it there. If one test reads a little higher, and one a little lower, that’s okay. If you could get the high test to 120 or 140 ppm just for the duration of the treatment that would be great. After that just try keeping the high test at 100 to 120 ppm. Of course levels are going to drop lower before buffering, but that’s okay. Some of the experts say a low pH is better than an unstable one; this is because they don’t understand the value of pH.

    If readings get a little higher that’s okay, as long as it doesn’t get above 160 ppm. The only way you can add too much is if levels get well above the comfort zone, and then, the comfort zone is just that; a little over doesn’t make for a dangerous environment; it’s just a guide. I think you know what you’re doing now

    No adjustment is necessary with the garlic. If you remember me saying to treat the quiet side just before feeding the fish, do the same, only now we know the treatment will go a little farther and do a little more good

    Yes, agreed; give it a few days, and see if you can keep KH up. The healthy levels will make a world of difference with the remedy

    No two test kits are going to read the same, and in your case, using two or three different tests is a great way to make sure the levels aren’t too low or too high. I would go with the middle road

  43. Hi Venus,

    I havent been tracking how much epsom/soda I’ve added but I’ve posted each time I’ve added on this blog. Are there dangers of adding too much?
    Yesterday night KH was 80 and GH was 100 so I added 2 pounds of Epsom and 32oz baking soda.
    Tonight according to the Nutrafin liquid test kit, GH was 140, KH was 100 and pH 8.4
    According to the test strips, GH was 180, KH was 120 and pH was 8-8.5
    Due to the discrepancy, I didn’t add any more Epsom or soda tonight and only added water to the pond.
    Will bring a water sample to the pet store tomorrow to verify accuracy.
    What should I target now for KH and GH?
    I got the hydrogen peroxide. I plan to buffer the water at the desired parameters for a 2 more days before starting treatment. We may need to adjust the treatment dose from what we previously discussed due to the 9500 gallon size?

  44. I know it’s disappointing, but to be expected with all the water loss. Have you kept track of how many pounds of each you’ve added to the pond? It’s an impressive amount

    I wonder if your parents could tell you if water softener is ever added to their filter. There could be a compartment on their filtering system where the softener is added. It’s uncommon these days, here in the states, but let’s check just to be safe. You could call the supplier or service people to ask if you’re unsure about the mechanics

  45. Hi Venus,

    After the events of today, the KH and GH readings decreased. They are as follows:
    Ammonia: 0.1
    Nitrite: 0.3
    Nitrate: 5
    KH: 60
    GH: 80

    Will add 4pounds Epsom and 48oz soda and retest tomorrow night.

    You will be pleased to know my parents added a new pump to the side of the pond opposite to the waterfall.

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