New pond cycling questions

[Neekybog]

Hello ! I am currently cycling a new pond. Been at it since May and no nitrite until a few days ago. Have been managing higher ammonia levels with water changes and occasionally API aqua essential if ammonia reached .30 ppm or higher

Fish are doing well they are all acting normal. But I worry lol

This morning
Ph 8.4 on api high ph test
Ammonia 0.25-.30 ppm on api test but seachem card is somewhere between safe and alert
Nitrite for sure 0.25 ppm on api test. Maybe higher. Hard to read the color. Was between 0 and .25 for the last few days but looks darker today
Nitrate 0.20 ppm. I used the Hanna checker for this reading and I have never used it before so no idea if that is correct
Temp 19.3
Salt 0.002% this is natural from our well water. Used salt meter for this reading
Kh 11 drops = 196.9
Gh 6 drops = 107.4
Reduced feeding to approx 2 tbsp once per day

Pond is between 3500-4000 gallons but we are not sure. We have 6 6 inch koi and 2 12 inch koi. So far we have oase gravity filter and skimmer. with plans to add aqua uv ultima 6000 to our system in the spring. We have no gravel or rocks in pond. We have a couple water lilies and water hyacinth.

As I mentioned I have been doing 10-15% water changes to manage but recently we had a major storm and change in weather patterns and our well water went from being consistently 8.3-8.4 ph to 7.1! The pond also went from 8.4 to 8.2 but now back to 8.4 in the last day.

How do I handle getting this pond to cycle? How do I do water changes now? I am afraid if there is an emergency I can’t do a big water change because of the difference now in the ph levels.

Thank you for your advice it is appreciated

[*Ci*]

My source water is lower pH, kH, and gH than my pond so for water changes I add baking soda (to increase the kH and therefore pH), calcium chloride and magnesium sulphate (to increase gH) while I am filling.
I mix up the baking soda into a pitcher with water and pour a bit in every few minutes - it takes me about 20 min. to refill after a water change.

As far as your cycling goes, yes it is taking a longer time than usual, but not impossibly long. It could be that your Oase filter is simply not big enough to handle the amount of ammonia put out by your system. How often do you flush the filter? Can you add more biofiltration now, instead of waiting till next year?

[Neekybog]

Hi - thank you for your response!

The filter is the Oase Screenmatic 18,000 with UVC clarifier. The information in the manual says:
Maximum Pond Size: (Light Fish Load) 18,000 Gallons
Maximum Pond Size: (Medium Fish Load) 9,000 Gallons
Maximum Pond Size: (Heavy Fish Load) 4,500 Gallons

which is why I figured it would be ok to have this the first year then add the second stage of filtration next spring at startup. I live in Canada so the time to cycle a new filter now is getting short and I am hoping I can put these babies to bed for the winter with no worries. I may have set the filter back by adding API ammonia Lock once when the ammonia first started to climb? Maybe I have also set it back by doing all these water changes. It does seem like a long time. I test the water every day first thing in the morning. I also read somewhere not to clean the filter too much when trying to establish bacteria but now I clean it every 6-7 days. I just use pond water and I squish the foams and refill the filter 2-3 of times and drain. The filter does a good job removing solids with the screen, I am impressed with that.

How do you know how much baking soda to add? Do you add it to the skimmer? Where is the best place to add it?

Doing a water change - is it better to flush (take out the same amount as adding in) or drain and then add?

Should I continue using API aqua essentials every 2 days until the numbers come down?

[fly4koi]

Use SeaChem safe, should be a lot cheaper, just make sure that the KH is well buffered at > 100 ppm and give it time to cycle, I say, maybe another couple of weeks should do it.

[Neekybog]

Thanks! Unfortunately in Canada it is hard to get products for koi/pond care and I live in a rural area which is even harder. I cannot find access to Seachem safe except small containers for aquariums at the pet store. I will look online

[*Ci*]

Amazon .ca carries Seachem Safe.
Where in BC are you located?
I know you have a fairly light fish load right now, but I do not feel that the Oase screenmatic filters have nearly enough bio capacity for what they are rated. They might work well as a prefilter, similar to an rdf, but I would put an additional shower, moving bed or even a barrel full of static bio media on the circuit.

There is an alkalinity calculator under the “Koi Calculators” menu at the top of the page, but here is the direct link:

https://www.koiphen.com/forums/koicalcs.php?do=calckh

This will help you figure out how much to add to raise your kH to desired levels. You can pour it into the skimmer or right into the pond itself, doesn’t matter. For a water change it is better to drain and then add (if you add new and drain at the same time, then some new water may go out with the old).

If your ammonia levels are high, then yes, keep adding an ammonia binder until the number goes down. These binders will not affect the length of the cycle, as the ammonia is still available to feed bacterial colonies.

[kdh]

Amazon .ca carries Seachem Safe.
Where in BC are you located?
I know you have a fairly light fish load right now, but I do not feel that the Oase screenmatic filters have nearly enough bio capacity for what they are rated. They might work well as a prefilter, similar to an rdf, but I would put an additional shower, moving bed or even a barrel full of static bio media on the circuit.

There is an alkalinity calculator under the “Koi Calculators” menu at the top of the page, but here is the direct link:

https://www.koiphen.com/forums/koicalcs.php?do=calckh

This will help you figure out how much to add to raise your kH to desired levels. You can pour it into the skimmer or right into the pond itself, doesn’t matter. For a water change it is better to drain and then add (if you add new and drain at the same time, then some new water may go out with the old).

If your ammonia levels are high, then yes, keep adding an ammonia binder until the number goes down. These binders will not affect the length of the cycle, as the ammonia is still available to feed bacterial colonies.

His kh is 196.9 ?

[Neekybog]

Yes our KH out of our well is 11 drops using the API test. Will adding baking soda to increase PH increase the KH too much?

[*Ci*]

Ok, I thought you said you were adding significantly lower pH/kH water for your changes and you were concerned about that. Only add enough baking soda to bring that new water up to where the pond water is.

[richtoybox]

As has been mentioned, get the Seachem Safe. It will bind/neutralize the ammonia, not get rid of it, but make it non-toxic. Then use the Seachem Ammonia Alert Card to tell you when to add more Safe, and allow the total ammonia to increase, giving higher feed rates to the bio bacteria, will help it get a better start. You can clean the screen, but leave the foam media unwashed until completely cycled and then clean about 10-20% per week, allowing the remainder to house a good level of bacteria.

[kdh]

Ok, I thought you said you were adding significantly lower pH/kH water for your changes and you were concerned about that. Only add enough baking soda to bring that new water up to where the pond water is.

kh 11 from well. He is worried about ph as his well water is at 7.1 vs pond water of 8.4. I stand corrected by Ci.

Is it normal for your well to fluctuate in ph like this? Shallow well that mainly catches rainwater?

Slow down water changes and filter cleaning well help as mentioned by Rich.

Your temps are not the best for bacteria to grow quickly. 60s slow down to about 50%. Upper 70s to low 80s are optimal.

Nitrobactor a little more sensitive to higher ph in the 8s. And not good for nitrasomonas either. Its nothing to worry about but little things do add up.

They need lots of oxygen. 4 parts oxygen for 1 part oxidation. So good aeration is important.

Should not be an issue for you but they also need magnesium and phosphorus.

[Neekybog]

Thanks ��
The well water ph dropped from about 8.4 to 7.1 due to the heavy rain so I am worried about water changes with the significantly lower ph. The kh has been and still is around 10-11 drops.

[Neekybog]

kh 11 from well. all is good, No baking soda needed. He is worried about ph as his well water is at 7.1 vs pond water of 8.4. I stand corrected by Ci.

Is it normal for your well to fluctuate in ph like this? Shallow well that mainly catches rainwater?

Slow down water changes and filter cleaning well help as mentioned by Rich.

Your temps are not the best for bacteria to grow quickly. 60s slow down to about 50%. Upper 70s to low 80s are optimal.

Nitrobactor a little more sensitive to higher ph in the 8s. And not good for nitrasomonas either. Its nothing to worry about but little things do add up.

They need lots of oxygen. 4 parts oxygen for 1 part oxidation. So good aeration is important.

Should not be an issue for you but they also need magnesium and phosphorus.

The well ph usually does not fluctuate like this but the last couple of years we have noticed this change after heavy storms. Could be due to now having drought conditions for many weeks between these torrential downpours. Not sure?

I do have a big aerator in the middle of the pond as well as a small waterfall and 2 water blades. I did actually contemplate putting my spare small areator into the oase filter until it cycles. Wonder if I should do that?

Unfortunately here in BC fall will be here soon so temps are already coming down. I test in the morning so the temp does rise a little throughout the day. Why didn’t this happen in July lol

[kdh]

Thanks ��
The well water ph dropped from about 8.4 to 7.1 due to the heavy rain so I am worried about water changes with the significantly lower ph. The kh has been and still is around 10-11 drops.

Add some baking soda as Ci has suggested to the new well water if your going to make a large water exchange. Of course the larger the water exchange. The more fluctuation with ph. And problems well arise. As it can be a sudden shock to them and they dont have time to regulate the ph shift in their system without causing some stress. You well know you have a problem if the fishes behavior is different. Small water changes with no behavioral problem should be fine without adding BS

[kdh]

adding more air. Doing a lot of filter cleaning, water changes and changing feeding habits creates a unstable environment for new bacteria to grow and cycle. There are times this is a good idea but based on your low fish load and size of pond. I would let it mature on its own. Its important to have some stability when a pond cycles.

[richtoybox]

I suspect the lower pH in the well water is due to an increase in carbon dioxide. Many wells have pH values that are down close to 6 or even lower but if the KH is above about 6, once the water is aerated, the pH bounces back to the 8.3/8.4. Take some of the well water and put it in a bucket with an air stone bubbling for an hour or so and see what happens to the pH from start to finish of the time.

[kdh]

I suspect the lower pH in the well water is due to an increase in carbon dioxide. Many wells have pH values that are down close to 6 or even lower but if the KH is above about 6, once the water is aerated, the pH bounces back to the 8.3/8.4. Take some of the well water and put it in a bucket with an air stone bubbling for an hour or so and see what happens to the pH from start to finish of the time.

I did this little experiment with my well water. It changes to normal levels less than 15 minutes.

[kdh]

You can put a sprayer on the end of the hose and put it over the water. This would help remove carbon dioxide as you add your water.

[Neekybog]

I suspect the lower pH in the well water is due to an increase in carbon dioxide. Many wells have pH values that are down close to 6 or even lower but if the KH is above about 6, once the water is aerated, the pH bounces back to the 8.3/8.4. Take some of the well water and put it in a bucket with an air stone bubbling for an hour or so and see what happens to the pH from start to finish of the time.

Wow I didn't know that - I will give it a try thank you

[Neekybog]

Good morning,
Well the cycling is progressing I think. This morning
Ammonia down to below 0.25ppm
But Nitrite is up to 0.50ppm now.
Kh 11 drops and gh 6 drops
Salinity meter reads .002%

Should I raise the salt to prevent nitrite poisoning? Or just continue to use api aqua essential every 2 days?

Wondering what level of salt would set my filter back?

I did as Rich suggested and aerated the water out of the well in a bucket and the ph came back up in 15 min. Thank you for that info!!