Following the spawn last week, my ammonia went to the highest color (7-8
ppm) and nitrites to the reddest (5 ppm). With the 0.1% salt that I
routinely run, I was not worried about the nitrites, but using Amquel that I
had in stock, and the purchase of ChlorAm-X, I am hoping to keep the ammonia
neutralized. The small 2000 gallon pond was covered, every square inch, at
least one egg deep and the top of the pond looked like the head on a poorly
drawn beer. Due to the cost of the ChlorAm-X, I will continue to use ST for
normal water changes, and save the good stuff for the annual party, or a
filter failure.
--
RichToyBox
http://www.geocities.com/richtoybox/pondintro.html


"Lee Brouillet" wrote in message
...
I have ST also. But my water supply has chloramines. ST only "kills" the
chlorine and breaks the bond, leaving the ammonia "free". A lightly
stocked
pond with very good filtration can/will handle the free ammonia,
processing
it like it was just another fish added to the pond *during routine water
changes*.

But if you have an overstocked pond, compromised filtration (meds can be
one
reason), or need to do a massive water change, the filters are unable to
process the additional ammonia. Then you need something to bind the
ammonia,
rendering it harmless to the fish, but still available to the filter to
process as it can. I keep the ST to treat water in tubs used to rinse
filtration media, to neutralize chlorine bleach used to sterilze nets and
such, etc. If you need the ammonia binding properties, ChlorAm-X is the
cheapest way to do so. The buffers keep it active in your pond for an
average of 3-4 days, sometimes longer. It's very useful in the event that
you have to refill a pond and add the fish immediately, or are bringing a
new filter on line. The ammonia is "bound", not eliminated. The filter
will
still process the ammonia and produce nitrItes, etc.: it does not interfer
with "The Cycle". My water utility has the awful habit of thinking that if
3
ppm chloramine is good, then 6 ppm must be better - and I tested it at 9
ppm
once after a watermain break. That will wreak havoc with your water
parameters.

Lee

wrote in message
...
I just order the plain ol sodium thiosulfate from AES. Ingrid