Good idea about borrowing a filter pad. Thanks.

Didn't know that the filter needs good KH. I've been putting some
into the system, just verrrry cautiously. Maybe I'll get a little
braver.

Ammolock doesn't make the ammonia available to the filter? Shoot, the
manufacturer advertises that it does. It's hard to get stuff around
here; I live in the boonies, but there's always mail order.

Thanks a lot for your thoughts/suggestions.

Joan

If you know any other pond keepers, or aquarists, see if you can borrow one
of their filter pads to rinse out in your pond. Whatever killed the filter,
should have been removed, dilluted, or otherwise made innocuous, but getting
the new filter started again seems to need some help. You might do better
with Amquel, Prime, Amquel Plus, ChloAm-X or Ultimate than Ammolock. They
do a good job of making the ammonia non-toxic, but still available to the
filter. If the ammonia has been converted to ammonium with one of the
above, the pH can safely be raised. The filter really needs the KH
carbonates to work, and will cycle faster with high KH. The KH can be
raised with baking soda.