The tadpoles have died, the fish have died. When I switch the fountain on
white froth appears on the surface. Any ideas ?
Ian

On Sun, 23 May 2004 22:32:22 +0100, "Ian" wrote:

The tadpoles have died, the fish have died. When I switch the fountain on
white froth appears on the surface. Any ideas ?

too much yeast and sugar?

Ian wrote
The tadpoles have died, the fish have died. When I switch the fountain on
white froth appears on the surface. Any ideas ?

Check for ammonia with a test kit
available at petstores that carry fish.
I think this might be your problem.

Spawning activity with fish and frogs will provide
more ammonia that the pond's plants and/or filter
can take care of and the pond becomes toxic.

"Ian" wrote in message
...
The tadpoles have died, the fish have died. When I switch the fountain on
white froth appears on the surface. Any ideas ?

Daz?
--
Nick Wagg

Check for ammonia with a test kit
available at petstores that carry fish.
I think this might be your problem.

Spawning activity with fish and frogs will provide
more ammonia that the pond's plants and/or filter
can take care of and the pond becomes toxic.

Thanks for that. If ammonia is present how do I get rid of it ?

"Ian" wrote in message
...
The tadpoles have died, the fish have died. When I switch the fountain on
white froth appears on the surface. Any ideas ?
Ian


Suggest that you leave the fountain on full time - if there is anything
taking away the oxygen in the water this will replace some of it, and if
there are toxic gasses then this will help to disperse them.

You don't say how large the pond is, or how much vegetation you have to keep
the pond healthy.

If there is anything worth saving you could bucket water out of the pond and
replace it with rainwater or tap water.

For a small pond with drainage around it you could even put the hose in and
flush the pond out with running water.

Whatever has happened it looks as though the water is bad and needs
refreshing and/or changing.

If you have any fish left (swimming or floating and twitching) getting them
into fresh water, even a bucket full from the tap, could save them.

HTH
Dave R

Ian wrote Thanks for that. If ammonia is present how do I get rid of it ?

At first you can buy a treatment to get rid of the ammonia. Water changes help
too.
In the long run the pond needs to take care of the ammonia itself.
Normal fish waste produces ammonia.
(Spawning activity causes ammonia spikes and increased population but this is
seasonal.)
Plants will use the ammonia up and/or a bio-filter will convert it.
I filter my pond through plants only. I keep the fish population very low (the
frogs spawn in their own fishless pond - they're chorus frogs (USA) and they
tend to avoid ponds with fish) - you can remove the majority of frog spawn if
it overwhelms your pond and transfer it to a natural waterway.
I plant watercress in the waterfall stream to help filter my pond.
You can add more plants to your pond, if needed, and thin the population down.
Also, if possible, keep the fountain on 24/7.




kathy :-)
A HREF="http://www.onceuponapond.com/"Once upon a pond/A

In message , Ka30P
writes

I plant watercress in the waterfall stream to help filter my pond.

I wonder if the watercress grown in a private pond/stream would be clear
of liver flukes and thus safe to eat?

--
dave @ stejonda

"Ian" wrote in message
...
The tadpoles have died, the fish have died. When I switch the fountain
on
white froth appears on the surface. Any ideas ?

Do you have a biological filter and do you keep it on all the time?

--
Tumbleweed

Remove my socks for email address

"Ian" wrote in message
...
The tadpoles have died, the fish have died. When I switch the
fountain on
white froth appears on the surface. Any ideas ?

You filled it with beer instead of water?

Franz

On Mon, 24 May 2004 21:21:57 +0000 (UTC), "Franz Heymann"
wrote:


"Ian" wrote in message
...
The tadpoles have died, the fish have died. When I switch the
fountain on
white froth appears on the surface. Any ideas ?

You filled it with beer instead of water?

I thought compost activator AKA He*n*k*n.

"Ian" wrote in message ...
The tadpoles have died, the fish have died. When I switch the fountain on
white froth appears on the surface. Any ideas ?

If the dead fish and tadpoles are still in the pond and decaying then your
fountain is acting as a Protein Skimmer, think of the froth on a beach.
You need to drain and clean out the pond completely, it won't be pleasant!
You will then start with a clean sheet and I would suggest you get hold of a
good water quality test kit (Tetra) and test the water ,say, monthly
especially in spring next year to see if it was a water quality problem that
killed the fish/frogs.

Alternatively it may have been a disease, possibly brought into the pond by
the frogs, if so there is a chance it will all happen again next year. Or it
might be a parasitic bloom, Costia does this sometimes in the spring with
devastating results (I speak from experience!) the fish basically suffocate.

I am assuming you haven't done anything silly like feeding the fish too soon
in spring (when water temp under 50°F) or when there are nice juicy tadpoles
to eat so that uneaten food pollutes the water.
You did clean out the pond in the autumn didn't you?

--
Regards
Bob

Some photos of my plants at.....

" At first you can buy a treatment to get rid of the ammonia. Water changes
help
too.
In the long run the pond needs to take care of the ammonia itself.
Normal fish waste produces ammonia.
(Spawning activity causes ammonia spikes and increased population but this
is
seasonal.)
Plants will use the ammonia up and/or a bio-filter will convert it.
I filter my pond through plants only. I keep the fish population very low
(the
frogs spawn in their own fishless pond - they're chorus frogs (USA) and
they
tend to avoid ponds with fish) - you can remove the majority of frog spawn
if
it overwhelms your pond and transfer it to a natural waterway.
I plant watercress in the waterfall stream to help filter my pond.
You can add more plants to your pond, if needed, and thin the population
down.
Also, if possible, keep the fountain on 24/7.


Thanks Kathy, I'll change the water ASAP. Is it worth chucking some "
treatment " in the new water or should I wait and see?

Thanks for all (almost all) of your answers. It's a smallish pond one of
those moulded ones put in last Summer to replace the old dirty one that was
one of those liner ones. There are plenty of plants but no filter. Having
considered all the advice I think the best thing is to empty it out and
start again.
Many thanks
Ian

Ian wrote Thanks Kathy, I'll change the water ASAP. Is it worth chucking
some "
treatment " in the new water or should I wait and see?

Since it is fairly small, and reading the other posts, I'd go with changing out
the water and cleaning, if there is sludge on the bottom. Shouldn't be too much
since you put it in last summer.
You can build a filter around your pump that will act as a bio filter.
Some garden centers sell rigid black mesh water plant baskets, or alternately
you can use any slotted black (makes it less visible) basket.
I use black vinyl window screening and wad it around the pump, loosely, then
place it in the basket and set it up off the bottom of the pond, on a brick.
The screening allows for the growth of benefical bacteria which works to
convert fishy ammonia waste.
The important thing is to make so you can yank it up (attach something for
handles), hose it off and dump it back in the pond for ease of maintenance and
better for your back.


kathy :-)
A HREF="http://www.onceuponapond.com/"Once upon a pond/A