Keep A Healthy Garden Fish Pond And Test Pond Water Regularly
Frequent Pond Water Testing Will Identify Potential Pond Problems
Pond testing can be likened to making an appointment with the dentist. It is one of those things that should be undertaken at regular intervals, but is sadly often left for another day, when trouble actually starts. At this point there is a mad rush to get an instant fix to the problem.
The number of pond test kits sold in the USA alone is in the hundreds of thousands. I wonder what percentage of these kits are actually used before the use by date is reached? ... Quite a high percentage I am willing to bet! This is exactly the problem with pond testing; people only do it when they think the have a problem.
The vast majority of pond keeping and water gardening books advocate that you should test your pond water as soon as you suspect that there is a problem; erratic fish behavior, dead fish, for example. This is good, sound, common sense advice. The only problem here is that you have nothing to compare the results with. For this reason it is important to carry out regular pond water tests, using a suitable pond test kit.
The problem with acting on the results of one test alone is that your pond may be a perfectly safe, healthy environment, even though your pH readings, ammonia reading etc is slightly away from the perceived norm. If you do not have a history for comparison purposes then you may fix what isn’t broken!
The results of pond water tests are difficult to understand at the best of times. This is further compounded by the fact that it is not always clear as to what you should do next. Pond water has many variables and these variables often different depending upon the time of day. Pond pH will be different at night than it will be during the day.
The Best Way To Carry Out Pond Water Tests
Unless you are prepared to carry out frequent pond water testing then do not do it at all. You do not need to write a copy of war and peace, simply make a recording in a diary or if you want to be more technical in a spreadsheet. A spreadsheet is a good idea as it is easy to produce a chart. You will easily be able to see when there have been significant changes; time of year, time of day etc.
TIP! Always take your measurements at the same time of the day. This will help to avoid common daily fluctuations, such as pond Ph, ammonia and nitrites. The pH of the pond is generally lower in the morning (acidic) due to the increase in the levels of carbon dioxide (acidic) produced as a result of your aquatic plants and algae respiring. Towards the end of the day your pond water will more than likely have a higher pH reading (alkaline), due the plants and algae photosynthesizing. Ammonia and nitrite levels will nearly always increase just after you have fed your Koi and other pond fish.
If you are looking for further information on exactly what pH is and how it affects garden ponds then please read this article for further information and advice ...
It is also a good idea to always use the same brand of pond water testing equipment. Always keep an eye on the use by date. If the product has expired then you may not be able to rely on the results given.
Tetra Pond Laborett Test Kit
Provides accurate measurements for water pH level for both freshwater and pH saltwater, carbonate & general water hardness levels, nitrite, ammonia and carbon dioxide levels. This complete pond testing kit includes 2 x test vials, water withdrawal syringe, color scales, instruction booklets with recommendations and helpful hints.
USA Visitors Click Tetra Pond Laborett Aquarium Test Kit | UK Supplies
Important parameters such as pH, ammonia and nitrites within the pond itself change during the day and especially just after feeding. Test results thereof will also change depending on time of day and when you fed the fish for example.
The Problem With Testing Your Garden Pond Water Infrequently
You get a result and it indicates that there is a problem with the pond water quality. What do you do?
The natural reaction is to do the text book thing! You therefore add another chemical to the pond water, to fix the original problem. You later perform another test to see if the problem has been fixed. It hasn’t! You therefore add more of the chemical! The increased dose still hasn’t helped. You will eventually go around in circles, and will more than likely do more long term damage.
Now if you had kept a record you may have noticed that the pond readings are the same day in and day out. There was no need to panic and the fish are still swimming around, and all appears to be okay. Keeping a log is a very good idea and will avoid pond hassles and highlight the norms for your unique pond environment.
The best test kit by far is the behavior of your fish.
When choosing a pond test kit always buy the best that you can afford. You nearly always get what you pay for, particularly with pond keeping equipments and pond testing products.
