Fish pond water kills all fish within 24 hours.
 

Hi Tim, I just caught up with this thread going back to the 8th of Aug. See
my guesses below:

On 14 Aug 2003 14:46:44 -0700, (Timothy Tom) wrote:
TEST RESULTS of Deadly Pond Water:

O.K. I tested the pond water which killed a goldfish within two hours.
Please note that this water has been sitting there for over 48 hours,
so it is not exactly the same water that killed the fish.

The pH measured at 7.7 using Tetra test kit, the nitrate measured at
perhaps 1 PPM (color between zero and the 2 PPM color on the color
scale) using Salifert test kit, the total ammonia measured at between
.25 and .5 PPM using a Tetra test kit.

Nitrate is definitely not the problem. Since your test measures from 1 to 2
ppm I'm sure it is nitrate and not the nitrite test which measure in 0.00.
A nitrite number would be nice. With no fish for 48 hrs and a reading of
ammonia either means you have chloramines that you're not detoxing with the
right product and after 48 hours those number are lower than what they
originally were when first filled and treated with just a dechlorinator. If
you don't have chloramines in your water system, then I'd definitely say
that leak you've found, is adding fertilizer and who knows what.

Last year there was a mystery fish kill of a pond that a vendor ran a story
on. Turned out it was the feather rock in the pond, all these fine
microscopic glass particles coming off the rock and ripping the fishes'
gills up. ~ 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

Fish pond water kills all fish within 24 hours.
 

Hi Tim, I just caught up with this thread going back to the 8th of Aug. See
my guesses below:

On 14 Aug 2003 14:46:44 -0700, (Timothy Tom) wrote:
TEST RESULTS of Deadly Pond Water:

O.K. I tested the pond water which killed a goldfish within two hours.
Please note that this water has been sitting there for over 48 hours,
so it is not exactly the same water that killed the fish.

The pH measured at 7.7 using Tetra test kit, the nitrate measured at
perhaps 1 PPM (color between zero and the 2 PPM color on the color
scale) using Salifert test kit, the total ammonia measured at between
.25 and .5 PPM using a Tetra test kit.

Nitrate is definitely not the problem. Since your test measures from 1 to 2
ppm I'm sure it is nitrate and not the nitrite test which measure in 0.00.
A nitrite number would be nice. With no fish for 48 hrs and a reading of
ammonia either means you have chloramines that you're not detoxing with the
right product and after 48 hours those number are lower than what they
originally were when first filled and treated with just a dechlorinator. If
you don't have chloramines in your water system, then I'd definitely say
that leak you've found, is adding fertilizer and who knows what.

Last year there was a mystery fish kill of a pond that a vendor ran a story
on. Turned out it was the feather rock in the pond, all these fine
microscopic glass particles coming off the rock and ripping the fishes'
gills up. ~ 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

Fish pond water kills all fish within 24 hours.
 

Timothy Tom wrote:
TEST RESULTS of Deadly Pond Water:

O.K. I tested the pond water which killed a goldfish within two hours.
Please note that this water has been sitting there for over 48 hours,
so it is not exactly the same water that killed the fish.

The pH measured at 7.7 using Tetra test kit, the nitrate measured at
perhaps 1 PPM (color between zero and the 2 PPM color on the color
scale) using Salifert test kit, the total ammonia measured at between
.25 and .5 PPM using a Tetra test kit.


-- that amount of amonia is deadly if i remember correctley





John Rutz
Z5 New Mexico

Experience is something you don't get until just after you need it.

see my pond at:

http://www.fuerjefe.com

Fish pond water kills all fish within 24 hours.
 

After all the tests and dead goldfish, I believe that I have
determined a possible cause. When adding a large trash bag filled
with ice to cool the pond, I caused considerable waves in the pond. I
noticed that there was a small puddle next to the pond which moved in
sync with the pond water disturbance. I believe that there is a leak
in the pond somewhere (difficult to tell with this black preformed
liner) which is in equilibrium with water which has collected under
the pond. The water under the pond must have some toxic substance in
it which is contaminating the pond. This conclusion makes sense to me
since water taken directly from the auto-refill does not kill fish,
but water coming from the auto-refill system into a freshly cleaned
pond liner does quickly kill fish.
I think you have probably found the problem. I had preformed ponds for my
first two ponds, hooked together with a short stream. The ponds cracked on
the third season. My ponds were located above the septic system leach
field, and I was having a lot of problems that I think may have come from
the exchange of water between the pond and leach field. If this is the
case, then you could be getting significant amounts of hydrogen sulfide in
the water which is very toxic to the fish, and is not one of the usual tests
that we perform. Check for the leaks.
--
RichToyBox
http://www.geocities.com/richtoybox/pondintro.html

Fish pond water kills all fish within 24 hours.
 

On Fri, 15 Aug 2003 01:32:37 GMT, "RichToyBox"
wrote:

After all the tests and dead goldfish, I believe that I have
determined a possible cause. When adding a large trash bag filled
with ice to cool the pond, I caused considerable waves in the pond. I
noticed that there was a small puddle next to the pond which moved in
sync with the pond water disturbance. I believe that there is a leak
in the pond somewhere (difficult to tell with this black preformed
liner) which is in equilibrium with water which has collected under
the pond. The water under the pond must have some toxic substance in
it which is contaminating the pond. This conclusion makes sense to me
since water taken directly from the auto-refill does not kill fish,
but water coming from the auto-refill system into a freshly cleaned
pond liner does quickly kill fish.
I think you have probably found the problem. I had preformed ponds for my
first two ponds, hooked together with a short stream. The ponds cracked on
the third season. My ponds were located above the septic system leach
field, and I was having a lot of problems that I think may have come from
the exchange of water between the pond and leach field. If this is the
case, then you could be getting significant amounts of hydrogen sulfide in
the water which is very toxic to the fish, and is not one of the usual tests
that we perform. Check for the leaks.

3rd yr. huh... bummer.

Well, ......*sigh*........I guess i will have to dig another pond in
the next 18 months. You know, with a liner and all...SEG

Fish pond water kills all fish within 24 hours.
 

Thank You, John .... your vote of confidence means alot.

Nedra
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Pines/4836
http://community.webshots.com/user/nedra118

"john rutz" wrote in message
...
Timothy Tom wrote:
TEST RESULTS of Deadly Pond Water:

O.K. I tested the pond water which killed a goldfish within two hours.
Please note that this water has been sitting there for over 48 hours,
so it is not exactly the same water that killed the fish.

The pH measured at 7.7 using Tetra test kit, the nitrate measured at
perhaps 1 PPM (color between zero and the 2 PPM color on the color
scale) using Salifert test kit, the total ammonia measured at between
.25 and .5 PPM using a Tetra test kit.


-- that amount of amonia is deadly if i remember correctley





John Rutz
Z5 New Mexico

Experience is something you don't get until just after you need it.

see my pond at:

http://www.fuerjefe.com

Fish pond water kills all fish within 24 hours.
 

"john rutz" wrote in message
...
Timothy Tom wrote:
TEST RESULTS of Deadly Pond Water:

O.K. I tested the pond water which killed a goldfish within two hours.
Please note that this water has been sitting there for over 48 hours,
so it is not exactly the same water that killed the fish.

The pH measured at 7.7 using Tetra test kit, the nitrate measured at
perhaps 1 PPM (color between zero and the 2 PPM color on the color
scale) using Salifert test kit, the total ammonia measured at between
.25 and .5 PPM using a Tetra test kit.


-- that amount of amonia is deadly if i remember correctley

John Rutz
Z5 New Mexico


Tom,
I don't buy the ammonia theory.
0.25 -0.5 ppm ammonia is not that severe, certainly not bad enought to kill
so quickly.
If it were no fish would ever survive a cycle, right?
Temp & pH factor into toxicity of ammonia, but extrapolating from table in
http://faq.thekrib.com/begin-cycling...w-much-ammonia
pH of 7.7, even at 83F, 0.5 ppm is not off the chart, is it?
Count me in the leaching septic or fertilizers camp
~ MattO

Fish pond water kills all fish within 24 hours.
 

After all the tests and dead goldfish, I believe that I have
determined a possible cause. When adding a large trash bag filled
with ice to cool the pond, I caused considerable waves in the pond. I
noticed that there was a small puddle next to the pond which moved in
sync with the pond water disturbance. I believe that there is a leak
in the pond somewhere (difficult to tell with this black preformed
liner) which is in equilibrium with water which has collected under
the pond. The water under the pond must have some toxic substance in
it which is contaminating the pond. This conclusion makes sense to me
since water taken directly from the auto-refill does not kill fish,
but water coming from the auto-refill system into a freshly cleaned
pond liner does quickly kill fish.
I think you have probably found the problem. I had preformed ponds for my
first two ponds, hooked together with a short stream. The ponds cracked on
the third season. My ponds were located above the septic system leach
field, and I was having a lot of problems that I think may have come from
the exchange of water between the pond and leach field. If this is the
case, then you could be getting significant amounts of hydrogen sulfide in
the water which is very toxic to the fish, and is not one of the usual tests
that we perform. Check for the leaks.
--
RichToyBox
http://www.geocities.com/richtoybox/pondintro.html

Fish pond water kills all fish within 24 hours.
 

On Fri, 15 Aug 2003 01:32:37 GMT, "RichToyBox"
wrote:

After all the tests and dead goldfish, I believe that I have
determined a possible cause. When adding a large trash bag filled
with ice to cool the pond, I caused considerable waves in the pond. I
noticed that there was a small puddle next to the pond which moved in
sync with the pond water disturbance. I believe that there is a leak
in the pond somewhere (difficult to tell with this black preformed
liner) which is in equilibrium with water which has collected under
the pond. The water under the pond must have some toxic substance in
it which is contaminating the pond. This conclusion makes sense to me
since water taken directly from the auto-refill does not kill fish,
but water coming from the auto-refill system into a freshly cleaned
pond liner does quickly kill fish.
I think you have probably found the problem. I had preformed ponds for my
first two ponds, hooked together with a short stream. The ponds cracked on
the third season. My ponds were located above the septic system leach
field, and I was having a lot of problems that I think may have come from
the exchange of water between the pond and leach field. If this is the
case, then you could be getting significant amounts of hydrogen sulfide in
the water which is very toxic to the fish, and is not one of the usual tests
that we perform. Check for the leaks.

3rd yr. huh... bummer.

Well, ......*sigh*........I guess i will have to dig another pond in
the next 18 months. You know, with a liner and all...SEG

Fish pond water kills all fish within 24 hours.
 

Thank You, John .... your vote of confidence means alot.

Nedra
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Pines/4836
http://community.webshots.com/user/nedra118

"john rutz" wrote in message
...
Timothy Tom wrote:
TEST RESULTS of Deadly Pond Water:

O.K. I tested the pond water which killed a goldfish within two hours.
Please note that this water has been sitting there for over 48 hours,
so it is not exactly the same water that killed the fish.

The pH measured at 7.7 using Tetra test kit, the nitrate measured at
perhaps 1 PPM (color between zero and the 2 PPM color on the color
scale) using Salifert test kit, the total ammonia measured at between
.25 and .5 PPM using a Tetra test kit.


-- that amount of amonia is deadly if i remember correctley





John Rutz
Z5 New Mexico

Experience is something you don't get until just after you need it.

see my pond at:

http://www.fuerjefe.com

Fish pond water kills all fish within 24 hours.
 

"john rutz" wrote in message
...
Timothy Tom wrote:
TEST RESULTS of Deadly Pond Water:

O.K. I tested the pond water which killed a goldfish within two hours.
Please note that this water has been sitting there for over 48 hours,
so it is not exactly the same water that killed the fish.

The pH measured at 7.7 using Tetra test kit, the nitrate measured at
perhaps 1 PPM (color between zero and the 2 PPM color on the color
scale) using Salifert test kit, the total ammonia measured at between
.25 and .5 PPM using a Tetra test kit.


-- that amount of amonia is deadly if i remember correctley

John Rutz
Z5 New Mexico


Tom,
I don't buy the ammonia theory.
0.25 -0.5 ppm ammonia is not that severe, certainly not bad enought to kill
so quickly.
If it were no fish would ever survive a cycle, right?
Temp & pH factor into toxicity of ammonia, but extrapolating from table in
http://faq.thekrib.com/begin-cycling...w-much-ammonia
pH of 7.7, even at 83F, 0.5 ppm is not off the chart, is it?
Count me in the leaching septic or fertilizers camp
~ MattO

Fish pond water kills all fish within 24 hours.
 

After all the tests and dead goldfish, I believe that I have
determined a possible cause. When adding a large trash bag filled
with ice to cool the pond, I caused considerable waves in the pond. I
noticed that there was a small puddle next to the pond which moved in
sync with the pond water disturbance. I believe that there is a leak
in the pond somewhere (difficult to tell with this black preformed
liner) which is in equilibrium with water which has collected under
the pond. The water under the pond must have some toxic substance in
it which is contaminating the pond. This conclusion makes sense to me
since water taken directly from the auto-refill does not kill fish,
but water coming from the auto-refill system into a freshly cleaned
pond liner does quickly kill fish.
I think you have probably found the problem. I had preformed ponds for my
first two ponds, hooked together with a short stream. The ponds cracked on
the third season. My ponds were located above the septic system leach
field, and I was having a lot of problems that I think may have come from
the exchange of water between the pond and leach field. If this is the
case, then you could be getting significant amounts of hydrogen sulfide in
the water which is very toxic to the fish, and is not one of the usual tests
that we perform. Check for the leaks.
--
RichToyBox
http://www.geocities.com/richtoybox/pondintro.html

Fish pond water kills all fish within 24 hours.
 

On Fri, 15 Aug 2003 01:32:37 GMT, "RichToyBox"
wrote:

After all the tests and dead goldfish, I believe that I have
determined a possible cause. When adding a large trash bag filled
with ice to cool the pond, I caused considerable waves in the pond. I
noticed that there was a small puddle next to the pond which moved in
sync with the pond water disturbance. I believe that there is a leak
in the pond somewhere (difficult to tell with this black preformed
liner) which is in equilibrium with water which has collected under
the pond. The water under the pond must have some toxic substance in
it which is contaminating the pond. This conclusion makes sense to me
since water taken directly from the auto-refill does not kill fish,
but water coming from the auto-refill system into a freshly cleaned
pond liner does quickly kill fish.
I think you have probably found the problem. I had preformed ponds for my
first two ponds, hooked together with a short stream. The ponds cracked on
the third season. My ponds were located above the septic system leach
field, and I was having a lot of problems that I think may have come from
the exchange of water between the pond and leach field. If this is the
case, then you could be getting significant amounts of hydrogen sulfide in
the water which is very toxic to the fish, and is not one of the usual tests
that we perform. Check for the leaks.

3rd yr. huh... bummer.

Well, ......*sigh*........I guess i will have to dig another pond in
the next 18 months. You know, with a liner and all...SEG

Fish pond water kills all fish within 24 hours.
 

Thank You, John .... your vote of confidence means alot.

Nedra
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Pines/4836
http://community.webshots.com/user/nedra118

"john rutz" wrote in message
...
Timothy Tom wrote:
TEST RESULTS of Deadly Pond Water:

O.K. I tested the pond water which killed a goldfish within two hours.
Please note that this water has been sitting there for over 48 hours,
so it is not exactly the same water that killed the fish.

The pH measured at 7.7 using Tetra test kit, the nitrate measured at
perhaps 1 PPM (color between zero and the 2 PPM color on the color
scale) using Salifert test kit, the total ammonia measured at between
.25 and .5 PPM using a Tetra test kit.


-- that amount of amonia is deadly if i remember correctley





John Rutz
Z5 New Mexico

Experience is something you don't get until just after you need it.

see my pond at:

http://www.fuerjefe.com

Fish pond water kills all fish within 24 hours.
 

"john rutz" wrote in message
...
Timothy Tom wrote:
TEST RESULTS of Deadly Pond Water:

O.K. I tested the pond water which killed a goldfish within two hours.
Please note that this water has been sitting there for over 48 hours,
so it is not exactly the same water that killed the fish.

The pH measured at 7.7 using Tetra test kit, the nitrate measured at
perhaps 1 PPM (color between zero and the 2 PPM color on the color
scale) using Salifert test kit, the total ammonia measured at between
.25 and .5 PPM using a Tetra test kit.


-- that amount of amonia is deadly if i remember correctley

John Rutz
Z5 New Mexico


Tom,
I don't buy the ammonia theory.
0.25 -0.5 ppm ammonia is not that severe, certainly not bad enought to kill
so quickly.
If it were no fish would ever survive a cycle, right?
Temp & pH factor into toxicity of ammonia, but extrapolating from table in
http://faq.thekrib.com/begin-cycling...w-much-ammonia
pH of 7.7, even at 83F, 0.5 ppm is not off the chart, is it?
Count me in the leaching septic or fertilizers camp
~ MattO