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Home: KOI Talk: Pond Water Quality:
Nitrite spikes....

 





 


moorejuls
Koi Lover

Jun 9, 2008, 12:17 AM

Post #1 of 3 (824 views)
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Nitrite spikes.... Can't Post
I have a 4200 gallon pond. Average depth 4ft. I am running 2 Oase Filtoclear 4000 Filter, which pick up in all 4 corners plus skimmer with Aquamax SF 3500 Then I am running a Savio SF002 Livingponds Versatile Gravity Filter using a Tornado 3100 GPH Pond Pump. Which first passes through a TetraPond UV-3 UV Clarifier. Plus the filtoclears have uv's on them. I also run a Pondmaster L40 Compressor & 2 Diffuser to oxygenate the pond.

My pond has 2 goldfish and 8 koi all under 10 inches.

Okay my problem is nitrate spiking. It first happened about 4 week ago and so I added the Savio. Things got better I didn't even have a trace of nitrite. Today I have a slit spike about 0.5. I tested the ammonia with strip all is fine. No PH spike. My ph runs around 8.4, which is normal for the water here in Dallas Texas. Salt is @ .03% nitrates 0, alkalinity between 80-120. I know that my bio filter has another 2 weeks to go before is is truly working well, but I don't get it. I do my water changes vacuum the pond. It is clear fish are happy. I have a nice green algae going on the walls of the pond, which are painted with pond armor.

What am I doing wrong. I have turned off 2 of the uv's and will cut the feeding down to once a day.

This pond has been running since last October. Fish were introduced in late April. First spike was in May and again starting yesterday.

Any suggestion would be great.


ouch
Koi Lover

Jun 9, 2008, 6:59 AM

Post #2 of 3 (809 views)
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Re: [moorejuls] Nitrite spikes.... [In reply to] Can't Post
Your first problem is that you are using strips to test for water parameters. Strips are not reliable. Test kits that use drops are far more accurate.

So get yourself a drop test kit, and then post again with results.


tancho_boy
Koi Lover


Jun 9, 2008, 10:36 AM

Post #3 of 3 (796 views)
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Re: [moorejuls] Nitrite spikes.... [In reply to] Can't Post
yes true on the test kit not being reliable. plus if youre already familiar with your pond water parameters, try and find kits with test parameters closer/limits then what you might think your pond should behave (ie pH for 6-9 - because you know for sure your water will not go beyond that).

ammonia seem ok but nitrite existence at least shows your filter is working, maybe not converting to nitrate adequate enough. but nitrite could be a killer!! nitrite poisoning - brown blood/red streaks could crop up suddenly. clean up your filter from sludge, but take care of your filter from chlorine from tap water.

 
 
 



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