How long does it take for ammonia to be broken down to nitrite/nitrate in a
new filter? I have had my new drip filter going for approximately 4 weeks
and so far my tests only read ammonia. Isin't it about time that the tests
show some nitrite buil-up?

160 gal. rubber lined pond, 72 deg. F, four 8" koi...

Rich

On Tue, 18 Jan 2005 08:16:10 -0500, "Richard Holub"
wrote:

How long does it take for ammonia to be broken down to nitrite/nitrate in a
new filter? I have had my new drip filter going for approximately 4 weeks
and so far my tests only read ammonia. Isin't it about time that the tests
show some nitrite buil-up?

160 gal. rubber lined pond, 72 deg. F, four 8" koi...

Rich

Usually a drip system gets going faster than others, and I would expect by
4 weeks you would be seeing improvements. How are you managing the ammonia?
This could be the problem. What is the pH? ~ jan


~Power to the Porg, Flow On!~

Ammonia being checked by adding AMMOLOCK every two days. Fish are better.
Water change every week.


"~ jan JJsPond.us" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 18 Jan 2005 08:16:10 -0500, "Richard Holub"
wrote:

How long does it take for ammonia to be broken down to nitrite/nitrate in
a
new filter? I have had my new drip filter going for approximately 4 weeks
and so far my tests only read ammonia. Isin't it about time that the
tests
show some nitrite buil-up?

160 gal. rubber lined pond, 72 deg. F, four 8" koi...

Rich

Usually a drip system gets going faster than others, and I would expect by
4 weeks you would be seeing improvements. How are you managing the
ammonia?
This could be the problem. What is the pH? ~ jan


~Power to the Porg, Flow On!~

On Thu, 20 Jan 2005 07:00:21 -0500, "Richard Holub" wrote:

Ammonia being checked by adding AMMOLOCK every two days. Fish are better.
Water change every week.

Are you using a 2 bottle test kit for ammonia or a 1 bottle kit? If 1
bottle that's your problem. It reads both toxic and treated ammonia.
Whereas the 2 bottle test won't do that. ~ jan


~Power to the Porg, Flow On!~

No...just using the two bottle. I didn't even know that there was a one
bottle test.

Rich
"~ jan JJsPond.us" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 20 Jan 2005 07:00:21 -0500, "Richard Holub"
wrote:

Ammonia being checked by adding AMMOLOCK every two days. Fish are better.
Water change every week.

Are you using a 2 bottle test kit for ammonia or a 1 bottle kit? If 1
bottle that's your problem. It reads both toxic and treated ammonia.
Whereas the 2 bottle test won't do that. ~ jan


~Power to the Porg, Flow On!~

~ jan JJsPond.us wrote:
On Tue, 18 Jan 2005 08:16:10 -0500, "Richard Holub"
wrote:

How long does it take for ammonia to be broken down to nitrite/nitrate in a
new filter? I have had my new drip filter going for approximately 4 weeks
and so far my tests only read ammonia. Isin't it about time that the tests
show some nitrite buil-up?

160 gal. rubber lined pond, 72 deg. F, four 8" koi...

Rich

Usually a drip system gets going faster than others, and I would expect by
4 weeks you would be seeing improvements. How are you managing the ammonia?
This could be the problem. What is the pH? ~ jan

Agreed, something should be happening with the nitrifying bacteria by 4
weeks. I wonder though, exactly how much ammonia are you reading? People
who have tried fishless cycling in aquariums have found that high levels
of ammonia seem to prolong or even stall the growth of the bacterial
colonies. Usually this happens over 5ppm ammonia from what I've read of
the accounts, but that's also at aquarium temperatures. Might happen at a
lower level at lower temperatures.

It would also be worthwhile to verify that your test kits are still fresh
(most start giving bad readings after several years) by taking a sample of
water to an LFS to test. Nitrite kits I've found to be somewhat more
sensitive to age than ammonia kits. I have a several year master test kit
where the ammonia reagent is still fine, but the nitrite reagent stopped
giving reliable readings a year ago.

"Richard Holub" wrote in message
...
How long does it take for ammonia to be broken down to nitrite/nitrate in
a
new filter? I have had my new drip filter going for approximately 4 weeks
and so far my tests only read ammonia. Isin't it about time that the
tests
show some nitrite buil-up?

160 gal. rubber lined pond, 72 deg. F, four 8" koi...

Rich
=========================
Your pond is very overcrowded. Koi, like goldfish produce a lot of waste.
You will need to build a much bigger pond and very soon if you want to keep
koi. You are doing massive daily water changes aren't you? If not the
ammonia will eventually kill all your fish.
--
Carol.... the frugal ponder...
"Eat Right, Exercise, Die Anyway."
Completely FREE softwa
http://www.pricelessware.org/thelist/index.htm
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

On Tue, 18 Jan 2005 08:16:10 -0500, "Richard Holub"
wrote:

How long does it take for ammonia to be broken down to nitrite/nitrate in a
new filter? I have had my new drip filter going for approximately 4 weeks
and so far my tests only read ammonia. Isin't it about time that the tests
show some nitrite buil-up?

160 gal. rubber lined pond, 72 deg. F, four 8" koi...

Rich

Usually a drip system gets going faster than others, and I would expect by
4 weeks you would be seeing improvements. How are you managing the ammonia?
This could be the problem. What is the pH? ~ jan


~Power to the Porg, Flow On!~

"Richard Holub" wrote in message
...
How long does it take for ammonia to be broken down to nitrite/nitrate in
a
new filter? I have had my new drip filter going for approximately 4 weeks
and so far my tests only read ammonia. Isin't it about time that the
tests
show some nitrite buil-up?

160 gal. rubber lined pond, 72 deg. F, four 8" koi...

Rich
=========================
Your pond is very overcrowded. Koi, like goldfish produce a lot of waste.
You will need to build a much bigger pond and very soon if you want to keep
koi. You are doing massive daily water changes aren't you? If not the
ammonia will eventually kill all your fish.
--
Carol.... the frugal ponder...
"Eat Right, Exercise, Die Anyway."
Completely FREE softwa
http://www.pricelessware.org/thelist/index.htm
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Richard Holub" wrote in message
...
How long does it take for ammonia to be broken down to nitrite/nitrate in
a new filter? I have had my new drip filter going for approximately 4
weeks and so far my tests only read ammonia. Isin't it about time that
the tests show some nitrite buil-up?

160 gal. rubber lined pond, 72 deg. F, four 8" koi...

Rich

At aquarium temps my rule of thumb has been a week to 10 days to bring bring
ammonia to 0 and nitrites growing. Double that time again to reduce
nitrites to 0. At cooler temps the nitrite reducing bacteria will probably
grow a little slower. Ammonia reducing bacteria shouldnt be impeded as
much, certainly not a month.

Sorry, but I don't have a solution. At a minimum you should be doing large
water changes to keep your ammonia down. However, while I don't know the
specifics, I have also heard of instances of certain new water conditioners
binding the ammonia to the point that it nitrite bacterial growth is very
slow. If this option is available I would see about transfering your pets
to another pond, possibly reintroducing 1 when the ammonia gets near 0. I
dont adhere as closely to 'the groups' 1000 +100 rule for koi, but I would
definitely agree that 4 8" koi is going to be way too much. My brother in
law had a similar situation and I didnt pond at the time. He complained
they kept jumping out. This was to escape the toxic waters. He still has
one solitary koi - but it is not very happy. I hate to be a nay sayer but a
few comets or shubunkin might be a better fit. If your pond is that warm in
the winter and doesnt get very hot in the summer even some fancy goldfish
might be nice.
Good Luck!
Bill

Get rid of all the chemicals. Replace your well water with my green water and
all problems will be gone, except for the green part...

Richard Holub wrote:

How long does it take for ammonia to be broken down to nitrite/nitrate in a
new filter? I have had my new drip filter going for approximately 4 weeks
and so far my tests only read ammonia. Isin't it about time that the tests
show some nitrite buil-up?

160 gal. rubber lined pond, 72 deg. F, four 8" koi...

Rich