- A Basic Guide to Maintaining a Healthy Pond & Pond Fish
- Koi Owner's Manual
- Water Testing: Confusion Hopefully Clarified

K.I.S.S. Your Pond... It's simple!
- A Basic Guide to Maintaining a Healthy Pond & Pond Fish.
by: Donita Blalock

Keeping It Simple Silly, is not always that easy but I'll try to make this as painless as possible.

Pond and Koi keeping are naturally intended to be relaxing. When was the last time that you heard someone come back in from a nature walk say, "Gosh, that little pond was so complicated that I just don't know how Mother Nature does it!"

Mother Nature has her own way of taking care of her creatures, and it's not working herself to death either!

When we try to replicate a natural system, we have to look at the whole picture.

Close your eyes, think of a pond out in nature. Now add a stream, some rocks for the water to flow around and over. Nice sound isn't it? There that's just what I want in my backyard!

90% of people will now go home and dig a hole, fill it in with water, and poof... an instant pond!! WHOOPS! they forgot the stream. So they go grab any old pump, it doesn't matter which one right?... as long as it has lots of water coming of... of... oh, yeah right! The waterfall and the stream.

Whoa!! Nature doesn't go through all of this, does it???

Why yes, actually IT DOES!!

The absolute have to haves of the pond are:

1. Adequate water circulation (good Pump)
2. Proper Filtration
3. Oxygen circulation (Waterfall, air Pump, etc.)
3. Good Water
4. Good Food
5. Maybe a few plants

Mankind has always revered bodies of water, because they are clean, clear and inviting. But how did they get that way? And how can I replicate nature's process into the backyard??

PUMPS!! You must keep them on 24 hours a day!! They are the HEART & LUNGS of the Pond!! Remember that stream we envisioned earlier? That streams runs 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and 365 days a year, day in and day out and never stops!!

This is where the PUMP comes in, because you can't run your pond stream and/or waterfall without one!! The PUMP will cause the falls to run, the FILTER to filter, the fish can now breath... and you will have that wonderful stream in your backyard. Movement of the water captures oxygen. More on that later. FORGET that urge to turn the pump off at night! Your pond needs it! When was the last time you went camping alongside a stream and at 10pm the stream stop? Think about it... quite ridiculous isn't it? So run that PUMP (an effecient PUMP) 24 HOURS a DAY!

Ok, so I need a proper PUMP. Which one should I get??

There are many different PUMPS available. Refrain from buying "short-term running pumps" such as "sump" PUMPS. They are not effecient for the amount of water they turn over versus the amount of electrical consumption they take. If some "friend" gives you an "old and cool" PUMP to save you money, tell them thanks but no thanks. The new PUMPS are going to cost a bit to buy, however, they will cost about a quarter of that "old" PUMPS electrical consumption. The new PUMPS are engineered better. Make sure to get a PUMP that has a good service record in the field, that is recommend from someone with field experience, and that is backed from the manufacturer. It's also recommended to get a PUMP that will turn your ENTIRE pond volume, 1 to 1 1/2 times per hour. You need that proper circulation to keep your pond clean and healthy!!

So now I need a FILTER too? What kind should I get?

FILTERS are the DIGESTIVE SYSTEM of the Pond! They come in many shapes and sizes. Some are good, some are bad, simply because they do not work, or they may you work.

Good FILTERS are:

- Always larger than you really need, because your fish are going to grow, then there will be more waste to take care of and process. Therefore, a larger FILTER is needed for room to grow.

- Outside the Pond (external FILTER). Try to get an "external" FILTER!! They are much more effecient, and a lot easier to clean and maintain.

- Biological. Which means that aerobic (means needs air to live) bacteria will find suitable media to colonize upon, setting up housekeeping to process all the waste material provided by the fish in the pond.

- Mechanical. Which means that the water will be physically filtered of particles, however it will not take out and process the waste from the fish (ie: ammonia which will convert to Nitrites, Nitrates, etc.).

Bad FILTERS are:

- Inside the Pond (submersable FILTER). FILTERS inside the pond (submersible) are more difficult to clean and are not nearly as large as they should be. You have to pull them out all the time to clean them so that the PUMP will keep pumping. So try to avoid them!!

- Mechanical only. FILTERS that do not provided biological filtration and only mechanical filtration will not provided the proper filtration you need. So make sure to ask for a "Biological" FILTER!!

- Undersized for your Pond. A FILTER thats too small for your pond will cause a lot of stress on your fish and will be a nightmare to maintain. Make sure to get a FILTER that is recommended for your pond size. And remember, a bigger one is ALWAYS better in this case!

- Runs only partially throughout the day. * You will realize the error of your ways when you restart a FILTER which has been down (stocked) for a few hours... because there will be an odor of biblical proportions! The condition has occured as a result of the FILTER (ultimately the PUMP) not being run 24 hours a day. Water flow has been diverted from the FILTER or it has been severely stopped up so as to prevent water flow through the FILTER... and now the FILTER is "dead"!! You know this because (anaerobic does not need oxygen to live, but will eat it) bacteria has taken over, hence the odor of biblical proportions mentioned bfore!! Think of the last diaper... toxic waste crossed with velcro. YEP! Thats the odor alright! Okay, off to the soap box!!

Now that I have a FILTER and a PUMP, how do I maintain my WATER QUALITY?

Good WATER... it's the Life's BLOOD of the Pond! Where does Mother Nature get her good WATER? She makes it by FILTERING the water through media (rocks & gravel).

But when mankind gets a hold of water, it really isn't fit for man, nor, beast, nor fish! Especially the fish! All the additives that the Water Districts add to the water to purify (read STERILIZE, read KILL) WILL KILL YOUR FISH!

This is why you MUST Dechlorinate and/or Dechloriminate your new WATER each and EVERY TIME you add fresh water to the pond. It's also good to add Ammonia-Ease (Ammonia REDUCER) everytime you add fresh water as well. Sometimes the water has ammonia in it straight out of the tap, and that combined with the ammonia from the fish waste could easily turn into a devastation quickly! So start getting into the habit of doing these 2 very important things each time you add new water to the pond.

Your Pond will also need some beneficial/good Bacteria. These aerobic bacteria is what processes the Fish waste in your pond and FILTER. Without these beneficial bacteria, your FILTER will not be able to take care of the water conditions on it's own, and your FILTER will be "dead". You can find beneficial bacteria in either a powder or liquid form, and in many different brands and varieties.

If you're starting a new pond, make sure to do everything mentioned above and have your PUMP and FILTER running 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with Good WATER that has been dechlorinated, been rid of ammonias, and that has had beneficial bacteria added to it FOR AT LEAST 2-4 WEEKS BEFORE YOU ADD ANY FISH!!

TRUE or FALSE:

1. Automatic Fill Valves are a good thing in a Pond?

FALSE. These are the greatest killers of fish. They let water into your pond when you don't know when the Water District has added what to the water, and you don't know how much water the valve is adding. DO you have a leak? Who knows?! If water is continually being added by the float valve, you'll never know!

2. Just a little water added will not hurt the balance of my pond water, and it can't possibly hurt my fish, and I won't have to use that DECHLOR stuff... right?

FALSE. ANY Water which is added to the pond MUST be treated to prevent the build up of harmful chemicals and additives to the pond. Different Salts will also build up to the point which will hurt the fish.

3. I can just get that cheap stuff or those "crystals" to treat my water. It doesn't matter right?

FALSE. Remember, you get what you pay for! Some products which are 20 years old now, are no longer effective against the chemical additives of today's Water Districts.

The "crystals" (Sodium Thoisulfate) are a component of the mixtures, but the use of the crystals by themselves are irritating to the fish's slime coat, it elevates the pH of the water, and if you use too much of it, can contribute to the smell of your pond, and at some temperatures can scavenge oxygen.

Prepared solutions are formulated so that they enhance the chemistry of the pond to eliminate chlorine/ammonia bond, add a couple of slime coats to the fish, and detoxify heavy metals.

4. Water is water right? If it's CLEAR it's GOOD, right? (This one is our favorite!)

FALSE, WRONG, NOPE, ERROR!! Whew! Boy have I got some swamp land for you! There are many things which are CLEAR, but that doesn't mean that they are good, harmless, or nonexistent!!

The following are CLEAR. Which one would you like to live in as a Fish?

- Vinegar
- Ammonia
- White Gas
- Vodka
- Gin
- Karo Syrup
- GOOD, FILTERED 24/7, dechlorinated Pond WATER *

5. I will just fill up my trash cans and let the water set for a week and then add it to my pond. That way i wont have to use any chemicals, the bad stuff will naturally evaporate out of my water right?

FALSE. Chlorine and chlorimines DO NOT dissipate (go away) in 1 week, or 2 weeks, they are present for 3 weeks before the bond is broken leaving 2 components in the water, namely CHLORINE and AMMONIA. And since the water has been sitting stagnant for that long, it now has little to no oxygen available for your fish. This will stress your fish, your water chemistry and your filter.

Fish have to breathe. How do my fish get their oxygen??

Oxygen is introduced to the water through many different ways, and yet only a few are constant. Pumping your water over rocks and dropping it will cause CRASH and SPLASH which will aerate the water. As a bubble is formed, gases accumulate upon the outer surface of the water. Upon reaching the surface of the water, the bubbles burst and release the gases, while at the same time capturing oxygen as the water surface is ruffled. Movement of the surface of the water is critical to the health of your fish and your aerobic bacteria in your FILTER. This provides CONSTANT OXYGENATION OF THE WATER.

Any pressurized system MUST RETURN ABOVE THE SURFACE OF THE WATER to prevent total saturation of gases in the water molecules. The fish will react as divers with the bends, same thing, and this will be evidenced by the presence of bubbles of gas under the skin and the fins of the fish, and erratic behaviour, due to the pain just before DEATH.

PLANTS are also oxygenators of the water, but with a cruel twist.

During the daylight hours, plants do all these wonderful gas/oxygen exchanges, which are vital to their well being and as a side note are also beneficial to the Fish. Until...

Until the Sun sets, then the plants reverse their process, and they respire!! That's right they breathe at night! PLANTS are a much more primitave organism than are fish, and as such are more highly effecient at the removal of oxygen from the water than the fish. What does that have to do with the fish breathing?

Remember that the oxygen availability will fluxuate with the time of day, (all plants breathe at night), climate changes, weather, heat and cold, all affect the saturation of oxygen in the atmosphere.

And remember, that the water gets it's oxygen from the atmosphere. Night time has a lower oxygen content than day time. Anyone who has ever had a cold will know that it is harder to breathe at night. The pond and fish will have the same problem!! There will be some nights when you will see the fish being very lethargic, and possibly at the top of the water trying to breathe, gasping for air!

Should you have an overabundance of plant life (and that includes ALGAE), without a good rate pump, YOUR FISH MAY DIE BEFORE MORNING! Because plants breathe air at night, and that includes Algae cause its a plant as well.

So now, we have the HEART & LUNGS of the pond (the PUMP), and we also have the DIGESTIVE SYSTEM of the pond (the FILTER), and the BLOOD of the pond (the Good Oxygenated WATER). We now have a LIVING ENTITY, your Koi Pond! Your Pond will also need to take in nutrients. These will be introduced to the system via feeding the fish.

What do the Fish eat and how often should I feed them?

Fish obviously need to eat FISH FOOD. For our fish here at the store (Koi, Goldfish, Shubunkin, and Mosquito Fish), we feed them Koi & Goldfish food. These normally come in a stick or pellet form. You can find numerous different kinds and varieties of Fish food. You can also try feeding your fish snacks like Krill. But keep in mind, these are just snacks and are meant to be given along with a proper feeding diet.

A good, nutritional diet is a must for the growth and health of your fish & pond. There's an old saying, the difference between food and feed, is that food is what you give to living things to eat, feed is a fertilizer. How true that is!! Our fish eat basically what we should eat, namely fruits and vegatable, proteins in the form of fish or shell fish, and some grains.

Because our Koi can have their color enhanced, we must also be careful to not feed them a food that will cause an off color in their white.

There are many species of animals that are effected by the colors of what they eat. Flamingos turn pink when fed their proper diet of shrimp, a red shrimp, not brown. If they are fed brown shrimp or no shrimp, they will be white. White feathered, and haired animals either, equine or bovine, will pull color out of their diets. If fed yellow corn or brown wheat they may have a yellow, or brown cast to their feathers or hair. When fed white grains, they will produce white feathers and hair on the next molt of shed.

Our Koi are the same. If given a color enhanced diet, they pull up more color in their reds and oranges due to caritinoids, and azathanthans contained in the make up of the foods. They will also pull brown color, which will effect their whites from brown grains, and fish meals, such as USDA Fish Meal and Anchovies. Also, if the Koi are given a diet too rich in color enhancers, it can turn their whites pinkish. This looks much different then a stressed, injekted pink, which comes from illness, water quality, or some other stress.

Provide the cleanest food for your fish. 2% fiber content is good. Protein will differ according to the temperature. The lower the ash, the better. Too much ash makes the food too "hot" and will cause the fish to burn too much in body reserve. You can actually see an individual fish loose weight if the diet is too "hot".

Give absolutely NO FATS!! That includes Trout Chow, Cat Fish Chow, and ANY other food (feed) with Anchovy, or Brown Fish Meal. These feeds and ingredients are very perishable, and as such go rancid very quickly. If fed after their shelf date they run the risk of making your fish sick, not to mention polluting your pond!

An additional boost not only for your fish, but for your pond filter health as well, is addition of vitamins and minerals. This can be done in several different ways. Some are natural ingredients, others are formulated for addition to your pond which also benifet your bacteria and boost it, as well as add your flora (plants & algae) too. Take caution, some products are not really fish, animal, or people friendly, as they tend to cause irritation. Always remember, "Food Grade" is a degree of safety for you and your pond!

Feed only what your fish will clean up in 5 minutes, approximatly 2-3 times per day. In the Winter season, when the water is cooler, feed less often. When the water is below 50 degrees F, do not feed the fish. In the Summer time, when the water is 85 degrees F or higher, do not feed the fish.

Remember, whatever you feed to your fish, you are feeding it to your living entity, the Pond!!

Keep in mind, that the living entity of your pond relies upon you, solely, for it's survival. In a way, you are Mother Nature's Deputy.

KEEPING IT SIMPLE, really is not all that difficult, providing we use common sense, and think about what really is natural. A properly set up and maintained pond system will make your pond experience more relaxing and enjoyable for you and your fish.

Mother Nature already has this down, but we are getting there!! Just remember... KISS your pond by... Keeping It Simple Silly!!

- edited by: Vince Platte

Koi Owner's Manual
by: Donita Blalock

Most everything has a Owner's Manual supplied upon purchase or aquisition, except for spouses and children... and Koi!!

The newest owner of Koi should be able to start their pond, and enjoy their new pets. Remember Koi are naturally BIG FISH. They can get between 3-4 FEET long in their lifetime, and have even been heard to live over 200 years! In Japan, the Koi Keeper's recommend having 1000 gallons per EACH Koi! But here we recommend having at LEAST 1000 gallons for the first initial Koi, and another 200 gallons for each additional Koi. But Koi will only grow as big as their space permits right? WRONG!! Koi's continue to grow even in a small enviroment. If you put the fish in too small of a pond, they will outgrow the pond quickly, could become deformed and will most likely even die. A too small enviroment is just not enough for Koi. It causes alot of stress on the fish and makes a lot more maintance work for you, and simply just isnt too healthy for your fish or your pond. So make sure to think ahead of time if you plan on having Koi, and make sure you have a proper size pond!

Before Koi are introduced into the system, a few necessary things come first...

- 1. A Pond. This Pond should have:
A. An external biological FILTER and Particulate. (These may be combined or used in unison).
B. Water properly treated and aged.
C. An economical, hopefully quite immersed (open air) pump, which runs 24/7/365. The Pump system must run all the time to maintain the optimum conditions for the inhabitants, namely Koi, of the Pond.
D. A waterfall or some manner of splash created in order to oxygenate the water and help to rid the water of saturated gasses.

- 2. The FILTER.
A must in any system. Biological Filtration is what makes the world go round and this too will keep your pond happy and healthy. The action in a biological FILTER does several very important jobs, and if properly designed can be low maintainance. Any pond or body of water needs a good biological FILTER system for the health of the aquatic animals in the system. Ammonia is converted to Nitrites, and the Nitrites are converted to Nitrates, which is then used by the organisms in the pond, ie: good algae, bacteria etc.

The good bacteria may be cultivated or added organically to the system. We recommend Vita-Clear which will help boost the conversion time and help with equalizing any overcrowding of the pond.

- 3. WATER.
Somne think that, water is water, and that is that!! Well, guess again!! Just because your water is clear, doesn't mean that the water will sustain aquatic life, or even provide a healthy environment for the Koi in which to live and thrive. Proper Water Quality can be achieved by proper Filtration.

However, the water in the public water system must be treated for the protection of the public. That's you and me. But, the way the water is treated will kill bacteria and anything that does not belong in public drinking water systems. Thats your fish!!

This may be eliminated very easily with a chemical which breaks the chlorine/ammonia (chloramine) bond. There are many commercial products on the market, some are better than others. We recommend MYDOR's Dechlor Ease, and Ammonia Ease.

- 4. Nets.
Nets are a must in the handling of your fish, as it is just about the only way to capture your fish without killing them. Nets should be of the appropriate length of the bag, about 6-8 inches in depth should be good. And the hoop of the net should be of the size to benefit your fish and not cramp them.

Never lift fish out of the water. Use the net as a guiding tool to guide your fish into the tub or bag that you will be using to move/treat your fish in. If you have a very deep pond, a seine net is a wise investment, as this will not stress the fish or yourself, when catching them is necessary. Several different nets are available. Ask, and we will help you find the appropriate net for your pond.

- 5. Koi Food.
A good diet is essential to the health and well being of your fish. The diet that you feed your fish can be an indicator of the health and balance of your pond. Easily converted foods, are essential, as th Koi do not have a digestive tract like other fishes, they have no teeth (that are of any use), no stomach, and no grinding organ, so all the food that they eat must be easily digested, this means not alot of bulk or filler products.

This is really important. Do not feed food which has any animal fat content. These are "feeds" not foods!! Feeds with a high content of animal fats are more likely to spoil or go rancid. When this happens, the feed becomes inedible and undigestable for the fish, and can cause great problems, not only with your fish, but also your filter. Clumpy or buggy food should not be fed, as they have come in contact with moisture and may be moldy.

Again, there are many commercially produced foods on the market, and as always there are some that are better than others. Ask our Koi Professionals on assistance on your choice of Koi foods.

- 6. Medications just for that emergency.
Medications can include, dechloraminators (chlorine/ammonia chloramine removers), wound dressings, minor antibiotics. This most important is the dechlorinators, as these will be used each time you do a frequent partial water change of the water in the pond system.

- 7. Air Supply.
If your Koi are going to be put into a pond without aeration, (ie: a waterfall, fountain, etc.), then you will need to supply them with movement of the water by means of an air pump with stones to oxygenate the water and enable water to release some of the gasses which can build up. Even if you have a waterfall, etc., you may also want to use an air pump, as this will enhance your biological filter's action in the processing of the gasses, as the bacteria need oxygen as do the fish.

- 8. A good all-around Koi Keeper's book.
This book will provide some information for you on the way that Koi act when they do not feel well. This should also give you some information on the different symptoms, so that when and if you do have a problem with your Koi, you will be able to communicate with our Koi Specialists.

Now that you have your very own Koi Owner's Manual, you too can enjoy your new found pastime.

- edited by: Vince Platte

WATER TESTING: Confusion hopefully clarified.
by: Donita Blalock

Aquatic gardners have for many years "done their own thing" with their ponds. And up to a few years ago, had relatively few problems. Unfortunetly, we no longer live in a pristine world, where clean air and water abound.

Some of the most confused Aquatic Gardeners in the world, are those novice keepers, which remember when their Great Aunt Matilda had fish in a hole and they lived just fine. THOSE DAYS ARE GONE....

ONE of the first things that we as people with Problems with their fish, are asked is "HOW IS YOUR WATER QUALITY ?". And the answer is always the same..'MY WATER IS CLEAR S0 IT'S FINE!" WRONG !! Water is similar to air, in that even though water is clear, there are still contaminants in the water which can effect your fish.

What we will be discussing, is the range of different water tests which you should have and perform, as well as be able to recognize that your fish do have a problem and It may be linked to a water quality problem. THE K.I.S.S. METHOD (Keep it Simple Silly) will be used to prevent confusion for everybody.

WHICH TESTS SH0ULD I DO MOST OFTEN?
This is a very valid question, as there are tests which you need to have current- data on and others can be seen as "secondary" because they are mostly done when there is a problem In the pond environment.

WATER TESTS which you will find the most beneficial as well as the most needed are...
-pH, high or low range, or both
-chlorine/chloramines
-ammonia
-nitrites
-nitrates
-alkalinity

Other tests which important as well, however not as immediately important are...
-calcium hardness
-phosphates
-DiST (dissolved solids)
-DO (dissolved oxygen)

Additional tests are available, however these are generally only necessary when there is a severe problem. Those will be covered at another time.

DEFINITIONS of the different tests can take up volumes. The following are abbreviaeted and simplified for our purposes here.

pH is the potential hydrogen availablity of a substance. The range is 0-14. 7 is neutral. It's actually very simple, although it doesn't sound simple. pH has many, many different causes and effects which can alter it as well as water chemistry itself. Low pH is said to be "acidic", and high pH is said to be "alkaline, and the later is not incorrect, but can be confusing. High pH should be reffered to as "more base". Water can have a high pH andhave almost "0-40ppm" alkalinity.

The following are just some of the elements which affect, the pH of the water:

-light
-agitation/aeration
-ammonia
-nitrites
-nitrates
-alkalinity
-calcium
-left over food
-plants
-recent repairs
-flower bed drainage.....

And there can be many ore factors which will ef feet the pH. 7.2-7.6 is generally an ideal range, however it will differ according to your area.

CHLORINE/CHLORIMINES are chemicals which are added by our water authorities to protect the population from water borne bacteria and some parasites, which can and do attack the human body.

Chlorine was the first and the least harmful of the chemicals when used In small amounts, as the water could be agitated, and this would dissipate the gas into the air. Then as more chlorine was added to the systems, this became Ineffective, and a dechlorlnator was needed. The acceptable range for this Is 0 ppm.

Now we have the addition of Chlorimines which consist of a.molecule of chorine and a molecule of ammonia bound together and then wrapped in a stabilizer to maintain effectiveness for 3 weeks! Now we must use a dechioriminator for the addition of water to our ponds to protect our fish. TO NOT USE A DECHLORINATOR, IS TO RISK THE LIVES OF YOUR FISH AND YOUR FILTER AMMONIA is not only added to the system by the addition of water to the pond, but by decaying left over food, plant debris, and by tht fish themselves II When the fish breathe, the gills preform a gas/air exchange function, they degas ammonia and other toxins from the body and the y oxygenate the blood.

The gills cannot perform this amazing feat however, If they are Injured, such as a chemical burn from chlorine/chlorlmlnes/ammonia, this will happen when water has not been properly dechloriminated and the filter is not processing the ammonia. The accepted range for this is 0-.25 ppm. .25 ppm will still cause some stress, but is generally not life threatening. 0 ppm is always best. High ammonia is very harmful and dangerous for your fish, and at high pH levels deadly.

NITRITES and NITRATES are separate levels of the nitrogen cycle.a good filter will process these on a regular basis. Testing for these gases should be done on a regular basis at first, then after the filter has set in spot checking is good.

Nitrites are actually more deadly than ammonia, because It Is always harmful, causing brown blood In your fish,,,,toxicity will show by the fish being "pinkish". This is called injected because the fish are "blushing" because the blood vessels are dilated trying to get the blood as close to the outside of the skin as possible the degas the toxins in their bodies.

Nitrites are a by product of ammonia, and nitrates are a by product of nitrites. The nitrates are easily utilized by any algae or pond plants that you may have in the pond. They are not that harmful. And again they should be monitored during sart up of a system, because they will show you when your filter has" popped".

As with ammonia and chlorine, 0 ppm is always the best, because this shows that your filter is working well and processing the wastes in the pond

ALKALINITY is the alkaline quality or condition of the water above a 7 pH. Alkaline conditions has a relatively low concentration of hydrogen ions (contrasted with acid, especially as a characteristic of soil). However, as stated before, this is confusing, high pH is more base as the pond water can have a HIGH pH and 0 ppm ALKALINITY!!

TESTING your water on a reguiar basis, particularly at first will give you a better Idea of how your pond filter works, and how your fish are doing or not as the case may be.

TESTING will also help you to better understand the requirements that your fish and pond need to have met.

WHEN DO I TEST MY WATER?
IT IS BEST TO MAKE A TIME THAT IS CONVENIENT FOR YOU TO TEST ON A REGULAR BASIS. ALWAYS REMEMBER THAT pH WILL ALWAYS BE LOWER IN THE MORNING AND HIGHER IN THE AFTERNOON. SO PICK A TIME OF DAY, AND TEST, TEST TEST!!

HOW OFTEN DO I TEST MY WATER? AT THE BEGINNING OF STARTING YOUR POND, TEST A COUPLE OF TIMES A WEEK. ANYTIME YOU ARE HAVING TROUBLE OR A PROBLEM WITH FISH HEALTH, TEST EACH DAY. YOUR FISH WILL LOVE YOU FOR IT!!