I have a very small pond, 300 gallons when brim full. It is loaded with way too many gold fish, at least 25 -- 2 or 3 right at 12 inches and the others in various sizes from 10 inches to babies. A couple or fancy goldfish and they have been in the pond since 1998 and stay out all winter. When it ices over I melt a hole in the ice with a pan full of boiling water so there can be a gas exchange. Sometimes I have to do this 3 times per day in Jan. The pond depth is 24 inches.
Now the weather is warming, the pond temp will reach 90 deg F or a few degrees higher in the summer, the hardness is d 1.5 and the pH is right at 6.7 and I am thankful for this as all the ammonia or most of it becomes ammonium and they can live with that. And I let nature take care of the population, which remains pretty much between 20 and 30 fish. Never ever see any bodies floating.
I have a 15 watt UV and two in the pond filters, one out of the pond filter and that one has a bio converter which is now starting to operate some. It has been too cold before. I presume that the in pond filters contribute to the bioconversion. The water is clear and I can see the bottom, of course it is necessary to clean filters weekly (using in the pond water of course) with the fishload. The UV helps with the algae and diseases. Perhaps I should leave well enough alone ( Don't Fix It If It Aint Broke) but I would like to raise the hardness to at least D 4 and the ph to around 6.8. What would you advise doing differently, if anything.
caudelfin
Now the weather is warming, the pond temp will reach 90 deg F or a few degrees higher in the summer, the hardness is d 1.5 and the pH is right at 6.7 and I am thankful for this as all the ammonia or most of it becomes ammonium and they can live with that. And I let nature take care of the population, which remains pretty much between 20 and 30 fish. Never ever see any bodies floating.
I have a 15 watt UV and two in the pond filters, one out of the pond filter and that one has a bio converter which is now starting to operate some. It has been too cold before. I presume that the in pond filters contribute to the bioconversion. The water is clear and I can see the bottom, of course it is necessary to clean filters weekly (using in the pond water of course) with the fishload. The UV helps with the algae and diseases. Perhaps I should leave well enough alone ( Don't Fix It If It Aint Broke) but I would like to raise the hardness to at least D 4 and the ph to around 6.8. What would you advise doing differently, if anything.
caudelfin
