Ammonia Problems/Water Changes

[Sandi_W]

I've been following Ta2ude's thread and have a question. I didn't know if I should add this to his thread or start a new one??

I understand the need for water changes. That being said, this is what I don't understand. My pond is 5 monthes old and I've had no ammonia at all (according to my tests). For the past 2 weeks, we've had some really cold, for us, weather and I assume my bio filter is not working as well or at all. When I had my first ammonia reading of .25 I added Amquel Plus to get it back to 0. I have continued to test every other day and have had ammonia readings of .25 every 2 or 3 days. No nitrites. Yesterday, finally, my ammonia was still 0. Water from my tap shows an ammonia reading of .50. In THIS instance, why would I do a water change to get my ammonia down?

Obviously, you all know I don't know much about any of this, but I know you do, so I'm asking.

Sandi

[Terri]

Water from my tap shows an ammonia reading of .50. In THIS instance, why would I do a water change to get my ammonia down? You wouldn't, what ammonia you remove is only replaced with the source water. In such cases it would be best to treat the water before addition to the pond - with airation and a binder(detoxifier) such as Kent Marine Amquel Plus or Ammonia Detox, or Prime or prefilter the water (Zeolite or Ammo-Carb). Under 'normal' circumstances the addition of more filtration can help, but in cold water this makes removal biologically more difficult.

What test kit are you using? Test ktis that measuer both NH3 and NH4+ independantly are probably best in this type of situation as they test free Ammonia(NH3 - toxic) and ionized Ammonia (NH4+ non-toxic form).

[Sandi_W]

Terri,

Thank you for your help. I didn't state my question well enough. What I should have asked is if my pond water shows .25 ammonia and my tap water is .50 ammonia why do a water change when I would treat the pond for only .25 and have to treat the tap water for .50? I know I would have to treat the tap water before adding it to the pond. I don't understand the concept of water changes in these conditions. I don't think I'm asking this the right way yet either. :uhoh:

I'm using Aquarium Pharmaceuticals testing kit. It measures NH3/NH4 as one. What is a good test kit for ammonia that measures these separately?

Sandi

[Ta2ude]

Sandi I may be wrong but I don't think the aquarium pharmaceuticals kit is compatible with amquel and you will end up with false ammonia readings. I am not sure exactly what kit you are using but I have the aquarium pharmecueticals master liquid test kit for ponds and it isn't compatible with the amquel + I have been using to detoxify my water.
Like I said I could be wrong but if I am I trust someone here with more knowledge will correct me. !bonk :grin:

[Jackie Ramo]

Sandi, in your case as in mine the source water is often worse than the problem so you end up adding more binder. Chasing ones tail in a way. My tap water can test as high as 0.1 in summer, Terri and Ian are on well water. Water changes for them are a different matter than for us who have to deal with city water.

So in your case I'd use the binder to keep the ammonia reading down to 0 and just do the weekly water changes. Now water changes for fresh water are needed but for chasing numbers I don't think it works for everyone.

Also I'd be looking to why your readings are higher. Are you feeding?

[Sandi_W]

Ta2ude, I thought I understood that Aquarium Phar. ammonia tests were NOT Nessler, but I'm googling now to find out more info.

Jackie, I stopped feeding when it got so cold, but before then I was feeding them VERY little on the warm days. I thought it was strange that I had ammonia readings in both ponds of .25 all of a sudden and had been keeping on top of things before this. There's no expiration date on the test kit that I bought in July.

Sandi

[Sandi_W]

Sandi, in your case as in mine the source water is often worse than the problem so you end up adding more binder. Chasing ones tail in a way.... So in your case I'd use the binder to keep the ammonia reading down to 0 and just do the weekly water changes. Now water changes for fresh water are needed but for chasing numbers I don't think it works for everyone.

Jackie, I forgot to add, I know I didn't state my original question well enough, but somehow you understood what I was trying to say. Thank you for your help. I know it must be really hard for knowledgeable people to understand some of my questions.

Sandi

[Jackie Ramo]

Sandi the cold weather could have knocked your filtration back a bit, the bacteria like the fish slow down. This usually balances out but in your case it has not.

I'm sure you have already addressed the issue of debris in the pond bottom but I have to mention it anyway. Also in another thread we talked about fish load and I know you are pretty close to max if not at max now. This also impacts the filtration. Although I am not a big fan of things like Zeolite they do serve the purpose in some cases. An addition of zeolite to your filter may hold you over the cold season. Now, you can not use salt with zeolite, which is why I don't like it, but it does absorb the ammonia.

[Jackie Ramo]

Sandi I don't think Terri Ta2ude, or I had any problem understanding your question. All gave you the same advice I did just worded differently.

Also IMO one doesn't need to treat the water before adding it to the pond, treat the pond first with the dechlor/binder and then add tap water. The binder is in the pond to capture any ammonia or chloramains released with the tap water.

[Sandi_W]

Jackie,

I have 8 goldfish in abt 340 gallons +40 gallons filtration (prob abt 32" of fish). That doesn't seem like a lot.

I have "Ammo Chips". Will this work or do I need to go buy Zeolite? I don't have any salt in my pond.

Sandi

[Jackie Ramo]

No Ammonia Chips are Zeolite... They have probably absorbed all they can absorb and now need to be recharged. Salt makes them release the ammonia they are holding which is why one doesn't salt the pond. Remove the chips and soak them in salt water to recharge them... not sure how long it takes but there should be instructions that came with them somewhere. Then rinse and reinstall. Friend of mine had this problem this summer fixed her up just fine.

[Sandi_W]

Jackie, Then the problem was MY understanding of what everyone was trying to tell me. I didn't mean to offend anyone and if I did, I apologise. :uhoh: I appreciate everyone's help. I sure need it.

Sandi

[Jackie Ramo]

I don't think there is a need to apologise to anyone. Hope the recharging of the ammonia chips solves the problem.

[Sandi_W]

Thanks to Ta2ude, Terri and Jackie for your help. I have the Ammo Chips in the filter now.

Sandi

[Jackie Ramo]

:lol: See I thought you already had them in the filter... anyway, take a measure and I'm sure they will fix the problem in the short term for you.

[Sandi_W]

Jackie, I didn't have the ammo in the filter. I just had some here "in case". :wink: I put it in the filter after you told me to.

Sandi

[Jackie Ramo]

That's great Sandi. Just remember that it in there if for any reason you need to salt the pond and also that it does need to be recharged. I'd take it out in spring when your biofiltration should kick up to normal and recharge it then.

[Sandi_W]

Thanks Jackie. I'll check to find out how long it should be ok before it needs to be reactivated.

Sandi

[Jackie Ramo]

How's the ammonia level today Sandi?