Another thing to remember: If you're using well water, unless it was
degassed before it went into the pond, the water hasn't "mixed" yet, and the
readings will be all over the place. You probably have zip for oxygen and
really high CO2 readings. The trick with pH is not the actual reading, but
how stable it is. Each of the points is 10X the previous reading (like the
Richter scale for earthquakes), i.e., 7.5 is 1000 times less than 8.5!
Fluctuations in pH are stressful to the fish, the actual reading, if stable,
is not. A high pH is preferable, in my opinion, to a 7.5 reading, especially
of your KH is low. Most people have acid rain: up there in Ohio, I bet yours
is pretty bad. Low pH, have a good rain while you're at work, come home to
dead fish from a pH crash. High is *not* bad, as long as it's stable. RTB
has the right idea: I keep my KH artificially high, and I never have to even
check my pH: I know what it is, and I'm protected from *my* acid rain!

Let the water mix; add aeration, if you can. Don't mess with the chemistry
until it stablizes, or you'll be messing with it for weeks.

If nothing else, ponding has taught me patience! As much as I may want it, I
can't always have it NOW GBG!

Lee

"*muffin*" wrote in message
...
figures,, AFTER I get home from water pond store, I test my water & find
it
is very high in PH/ alkaline.

calling around the stuff they make for ponds , is about $14. per pint & I
would need 4 of them for a 3000 gal pond, ( yes??)(was told they treat 800
gal).

anyway.......can I use the regular swimming POOL chemicals in my pond???
first off I have NO fish or plants in yet ( just filled it ).
if , so how long before it would be safe to put fish in?
or is there a cheaper alternative????