Pond Water Quality Spikes – 10 Step Correction Plan
Below is a list of steps to take at home when you notice a water quality spike in ammonia and nitrite. Not only can spikes in ammonia and nitrite kill fish rapidly but when moderate levels go undetected for extended periods of time, chronic exposure to these toxins will open your fish up to disease. Quick action and regular water quality testing is imperative to ensure your fish stay happy and healthy and most importantly disease free.
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As taught at university “The solution to pollution is dilution”.
Start with 20-30% initially, repeat daily (between 10-20%) until values have dropped.
Performing a big water change in one sitting will exert excess stress on your fish, it is much safer to adjust water quality gradually.
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For mild to moderate spikes reducing the food ration or switching onto a lower protein diet can help reduce values. For major spikes in water quality stop feeding all together. Fish will do just fine without food for a couple of weeks if necessary.
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Assess whether anything is stopping the filtration systems from working at the optimal level. Consider bottoms drains, sludge build up, mechanical faults and plumbing!
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Does the media look normal?
Is there a build-up in sludge?
Have you got enough media?
Is the moving bed, moving?
Is there enough aeration in the moving bed? -
Some antibiotics, antibacterials and anti-parasitic medications have the potential to kill the biofilter. Have you used anything recently?
Remove excess chemicals via water changes, activated carbon or Zeolite or bind excess medications using detoxifying/chelating agents.
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Several liquid products are available that when added to the pond, bind and detoxify waste products like ammonia (handily they often bind nitrite, nitrates and various heavy metals). Examples include SeaChem ‘Pond Prime’ and Sera ‘Toxivec’.
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Temperature, pH, KH and nitrates will all have a negative impact on the nitrogen cycle if outside of the normal parameters. Correct accordingly.
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Add live cultures of nitrifying bacteria to your filter to enhance the action of the nitrogen cycle and increase the rate of waste product break down.
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For ponds where spikes in water quality are a regular occurrence, consider whether you can add an additional filter to the system to aid waste product breakdown.
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In some cases where water quality can’t be controlled using the steps above, it may be necessary to reduce the stocking density of the pond. Less fish will mean less waste and ultimately happier and healthier resident fish.
The solution to pollution is dilution
