Hi Chris:
See excellent this study of salt tolerance of pond plants:
http://www.koivet.com/html/articles/...m=salt%20plant
It shows death of water hyacinth and lettuce at 0.1%
I've always heard the rule of thumb of 0.1% for ponds with salt.
Now I don't believe it. I've been maintaining 0.05% but never get
more than a month or two from either water lettuce or hyacinths.
I also maintain about 30 ppm potassium (Potash) - it doesn't help.
I'm in the process of lowering my salt closer to 0.025% with hopes
that this will solve the problem. (Yes, I have test kits for salt
and potassium, as well as iron - which is lacking in my tap water.)
As far as the high GH goes, my tap water is _twice_ that so I add
only softened water which results in my dGH and dKH riding around 12,
good levels I believe, the best I can get without adding distilled
water! But... my father's pond - he lives next door so I know his tap
water is the same as mine - dGH = 76! Why? His pond has no drain so
he just keeps topping off. Evaporation keeps jacking up his GH.
But... his plants do fine! His salt is at 0.03%. So, are you just
adding water when the level gets low, or are you doing some percentage
water change at regular intervals?
Steve J. Noll | Ventura California
| Glass Block Pond
http://www.kissingfrogs.tv
On Fri, 4 Jun 2004 14:44:48 +0100, "ciel"
wrote:
Hi all
Newbie here please advise.!!
Pond is about 9 months old with a 55Gal Biofilter + (UV installed this week)
Plus a newly setup Veg filter 300gals
Plus 2 waterfalls (in and out of veggie filter) for oxygenation
2000 Gals in total
Water Temp 60 degrees (Noon today)
Amonia= 0
NO3= 0
NO2= 0
PH= 8.5
dKH= 4.5
dGH= 21.....................????!!!
Salinity= 1%
15 fish all under 9" mostly Koi
Water Hyacinths are browning and curling up at edges as is Water
Lettuce.....!
Although yesterday having read various postings on web I added 1 tablespoon
Potash
This dGH reading is worrying me ..what is it telling me?
Anyone have a solution please
Many Thanks
Regards
Chris
Steve J. Noll | Ventura California
| Glass Block Pond
http://www.kissingfrogs.tv