Hi NewbieBill,

So far I've had to adjust my pH/KH every spring in my lilypond. I do this
after clean out before the frogs start spawning and I've removed all fish.
I think my post starts with Algae a few days back, regarding this.

Anyway, I agree, it is a balancing thing. Treat what's causing the rise by
adding muriatic acid, about 1 cup/1,000 gallons and let it sit for a few
days, if the pH comes back up add another cup, if not, add Baking soda to
bring the pH back up and put the buffer back in. (Remove any critters
before doing this.) Then monitor thereafter. ~ jan

See my ponds and filter design:
http://users.owt.com/jjspond/

~Keep 'em Wet!~
Tri-Cities WA Zone 7a
To e-mail see website

On 30 Mar 2004 20:36:49 -0800, (NewbieBill) wrote:

I will probably be posting regularly for a while untill not only my
pond is in balance but my understanding of it all I have been
bringing this pond back to life for the first time, for me. I am in
sunny Austin, Texas. I felt like I was making excellent progress with
the 'health' of my pond till the last 3 or 4 days. Since then I have
noticed String Algae developing (water is clear) and my ph rising
steadily. Ammonia, Nitrates are at 0, Nitrates minimal if any. Don't
have a hardness test. While I haven't been testing it very long I
felt like my ph WAS normally around 8/8.2, apparently about the norm
around here. Now I am getting readings at bottom of my chart which
only goes to 8.8 and I suspect my color is higher than that. I may
have done (at least) 2 things wrong. Most of my numerous plants and
lillies have only been there a few weeks. When I potted them I did
use a topsoil mix which had no vermiculite, fertilizer etc. but was
somewhat loamy, sandwiched top and bottom by pea gravel. Perhaps no
coincidence 2 days after building a little in-pond stack of river
rocks and Moss Boulder to create a simulated waterfall splash (from my
outflow pipe) I noticed my ph rising (also so did the temperatures and
sunlight). I have been using the same material to raise my pots. So
I guess this post I am soliciting advice as to a direction to attack
first. Most likely the rocks, soil or other things. My first 'bloom'
I really panicked and I don't want to repot all my plants, put them on
what and take away my waterfall, if this is just a balancing thing
that requires smaller adjustments. Thanxx - Bill