Wonderful World of Water

Water is the most important element in any water garden.  Here are a few helpful tips in keeping everything in balance by controlling your water's health, clarity and beauty.

Water Testing - The key to a healthy pond is establishing and maintaining good water quality.  If you notice cloudy, discolored water or if you have sludge and odor and if fish are stressed or dying, begin your analysis with a water test.

• TIP:  Test your pond water at least every 2 weeks to ensure optimal water health

• TIP:  The Quick Dip^® Pond Test Kit offers a fast, effective way to test for levels of pH, nitrate, nitrite, hardness, and alkalinity.  Follow the recommendations for treatment offered on the package to help keep pond water quality healthy.

Water Evaporation/Water Changes - When replacing water, be sure to add Pond Start^®.  If the water your adding contains chloramines, use Pond Ammonia Chloramine Remover^™ each time.

• TIP:  Both city and well water may contain chemicals or other elements that are toxic to fish.  Be sure to use Pond Start^® to neutralize these hazards with every partial or total water change.

• TIP:  Ponds need a 25% water change on a regular basis to maintain water health.  This exchange keeps your entire pond's supply of water fresh and at it's optimal best, so it's able to better support the biological cycles and maintain the health of your plants and fish.

Cycling Your Pond - If your pond is new or your are re-establishing an existing pond, you may need help to start the natural biological cycle that will help keep your pond clean and clear.

• TIP:  Pond Clear-Zyme^® blocks or Pond Clear Zyme^® Concentrate contain millions of beneficial enzymes and bacteria that help jump start a pond into "cycling" to establish and maintain a healthy biologically balanced environment.

Filter Unclear/Unclean Water - The problem is due to wastes, microscopic animal and plant life, overfeeding, and decaying food or plants.  Make regular water changes using Pond Start^® to keep water clear.

• TIP:  Biological Filtration products, such as Dirt Magnet filters, help keep small ponds cleaner and clearer by establishing a beneficial bacteria that helps keep water clean and clear.  Dirt Magnet filters will not alter the effects of medications.

• TIP:  Chemical Filtration products, such as activated carbon, are used with mechanical filtration to help keep ponds cleaner and clearer by collecting dissolved wastes in removable or disposable filters.

Cloudy Water - Hazy water due to wastes, microscopic animal and plant life, overfeeding, and decaying food or plants.

• TIP:  Use Pond Water Clear^® to clump wastes together for easy removal.

Green Water - Due to algae blooms and buildup.

• TIP:  Use Pond No More Algae^® or Pond Block^® to clear existing algae and prevent new growth.

Water Odor -  Due to wastes, microscopic animal and plant life, overfeeding, and decaying food or plants.

• TIP:  Use Pond Water Clear^® to remove odor.

Yellow Water - Due to wastes, microscopic animal and plant life, overfeeding, and decaying food or plants and ammonia build-up.

• TIP:  Use Pond Water Clear^® to clear water or make a 25% water change and add Pond Ammonia Chloramine Remover^™.

Acidic Water - Fish act stressed, have labored breathing, tremors, hyperactivity, increased mucous production.  Verify the water acidity level with the Quick Dip^® Pond Test Kit.

• TIP:  Use Pond pH Increaser^® to even out water level.

Alkaline Water - White water lines form on sides of pond, fish have frayed fins and cloudiness on skin and gills and plants appear unhealthy.  Verify the water alkalinity level with the Quick Dip^® Pond Test Kit.

• TIP:  Use Pond pH Decreaser^® to even out water level.

Ammonia in Water - Buildup may be due to overfeeding of fish, recent pond cleaning, reduced water flow, chloramines in the water supply.  Signs include fish becoming excitable, stressed, darting around the pond and loss of appetite.

• TIP:  Confirm ammonia levels with Ammonia Quick Dip Test Strips.  Then use Pond Ammonia Chloramine Remover^™.

Chloramine and/or Chlorine in Water Supply – Signs include excitable fish that appear stressed, dart around the pond, gills pumping very fast. Some fish may die.

• TIP: Use Pond Start^® to remove chlorine and reduce stress in fish.

• TIP: Use Pond Ammonia Chloramine Remover^™ to remove chloramine.

Nitrates in Water – Obvious signs include algae growth in pond and stressed fish. Confirm water analysis with the Quick Dip^® Pond Test Kit. To reduce nitrate level, make a partial water change using Pond Start.

• TIP: Add Pond Clear-Zyme^® blocks or Pond Clear-Zyme^® Concentrate.

Nitrites in Water – Indicated when ammonia is present in pond water. Fish activity slows and they stop eating or die without visible symptoms. Confirm water analysis with the Quick Dip^® Pond Test Kit. To reduce nitrite level, make a partial water change using Pond Start^® and add Pond Clear-Zyme^® blocks or Pond Clear-Zyme^® Concentrate.

• TIP: If nitrite is present, so is ammonia. Add Pond Ammonia Chloramine Remover^™.

Hard Water/Alkalinity – This is an important test when setting up a pond or making water changes to maintain stable pH levels for water that will support fish and plants. After testing with the Quick Dip^® Pond Test Kit, adjust the water with either the Pond pH Decreaser^® or Pond pH Increaser^®.

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