"Nedra" wrote in message
arthlink.net...
Looks like it is going to be up to me, BV ... K30a and
Hank have already cashed in. ;-)

I would add KH to measure the hardness of the
water. Lee can explain "why" alot better than I can.... I just
run the tests on KH and usually have to add 1 lb of baking
soda for 1,000 for a series of 3 or 4 days. This buffers
the water and keeps the pH from those wild swings we hear
talked about. Keeps the pH at 8.4 solid on.

I am proud of you BV ... proud that you went out and bought
that test kit!!!
snip

I am not normally a tester. I have a 55gal aquarium that has run great for
years with no odd fish loss. When the alt.rec.fishtank natzi's got me guilty
about not doing water changes, and tests, etc. I started losing fish
constantly.

I know have the 55gal with just a few natural plants, because my barbs eat
everything. So a few fish, and one or two pieces of anacharis, and the
occasional watercress treat, and the tank is healthy as heck. No fish loss
in the past year or so, and I don't think I have changed the charcoal
filters in 3 months. I checked them last night, and they are still white.

So I am trying to keep the same logic on my pond. Get it rolling, and let it
roll. I bought the test kit just to be sure everything was starting off
well. BTW, my aquarium has perfect numbers as well.

KH, eh? I think my pool kit does that. I'll have to check it out.

BV.