Hi guys,
So we are in the middle of a pond renovation and the Koi (3 x 6-8" and 10 x 2-4") are in a pretty big size Intex Pool with the filter running etc. They've been fine for six months, everything is in order with the temp set-up.
The filter box was set up on a table just on the edge of the pool so the return can splash back into the pond. I bought a stone/rock look spray can so in the future once the renovated pond was ready I could spray the black filter box a cream/stone look colour (it would be outside the pond) to blend in with the landscape and surrounding rock work. My younger brother (14) knew this.
Anyway, I'm in the top bedroom and I look outside and he gets the can from the garage and starts spraying the filter box "to help". I run out there and a lot of the spray paint has been blown by the wind onto the surface water of the pool. I'm freaking out at this point because I have no idea what the contents of the spray can are or/and if they can kill the fish but I am guessing the stuff is obviously toxic and would/could cause a massive problem with at best the fish getting sick or at worst them all dying.
Didn't know what to do first. So I put a hose into dilute the water with fresh water. We have an overflow side of the pool where we can overfill and do water changes in/out. I then drain it down a bit and get all the first out. I used tap water (different temperature to pool water but I didn't think at the time) and put the Koi in a couple of separate buckets and large containers. I got someone to go out and bring me dechlorinator and this went into the buckets 15 mins later. I didn't have an aerator so I knew this was an issue which is why I separated the fish load into different large containers. I then drained the pool as fast as possible, refilled which took a couple of hours, put a load of dechlorinator in, got someone to grab me 1000grams of activated carbon which went into the 600 gallon pool in a bag. I read that this can help with the chemicals/heavy metals but I was unsure if this would help with any traces of the spray paint. I was still worried about traces of the paint and if the pond filter was now contaminated or whether my full water change would have diluted whatever chemicals were in there. I mean it wasn't like a bucket of paint but probably enough spray to lightly cover an a4 piece of paper or something.
The fish are now back in, filter running (hope it's not contaminated), and I hope they are OK. I did the best I could with what I had in the heat of the moment. Time will tell.
What do you guys reckon? Koi look OK at the moment. Is there anything else I can do? I'm thinking another 25% or something water change tomorrow.