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Water Testing

A backyard pond or water garden is a little world and eco-system we created that may need our help occasionally to achieve the natural balance necessary to sustain pond life and healthy pond fish. This is usually not difficult.

It is very important to eliminate chlorine when filling the pond. Many products are available to accomplish this (Pond treatments). Pond fish cannot live in Chlorinated Water. A pond filter is usually necessary if pond fish are present in the garden pond. A pond filters main purpose is to keep the pond fish healthy by establishing a beneficial bacterial colony that converts fish waste into harmless water components. It is important not to clean the pond filter with chlorinated tap water because the chlorine will kill the beneficial bacteria.

Nitrite and Ammonia levels need to be tested regularly, especially in a new pond. It may take a few weeks for beneficial bacteria to establish a colony large enough to handle the waste produced by the pond fish. It is usually advisable to add bacteria to a new ponds (pond treatments) and every spring to established garden ponds. Start out slowly when adding fish to a new pond, no more than two or three a week, so the fish waste does not overwhelm the bacteria colony. Do not feed the pond fish the first few days in the new pond, so the waste produced is kept to a minimum.

Testing for pH levels is also very important. Nothing in the pond will thrive if the pH is too far out of balance. The pH of the pond should be as close to neutral (6.8 - 7.4) as possible. Many good products are available to test and adjust the pH. Other tests, such as salt level and ammonia and nitrite levels can also be performed.

Once the garden pond is established it is usually sufficient to test in early spring and every few weeks after that. The pond will generally take care of itself once the natural balance has been achieved by adding bacteria and Pond Plants, unless substantial water changes are made.

We supply a range of water test kits suitable for you to monitor our ponds health status.

Water test kits
	Pond lab 200 Multi-test kit provides over 200 tests of 6 water parameters (pH, GH, KH, Nitrite, Nitrate and Ammonia) with integral test tube rack for ease of use, full instructions, optimum levels and suggestions for correction. Click here for further information
	Ammonia Ammonia is excreted by the fish as a waste product, too much ammonia will cause major health problems for fish so test for it regularly. Comprises 30 tests Click here for further information
	Nitrite Nitrite is produced by the beneficial bacteria in the pond and filters as they break down the harmful waste ammonia excreted by the fish. Nitrite can affect the health of fish but is not as toxic as ammonia. Comprises 40 tests Click here for further information
	Nitrate Nitrate is produced by the beneficial bacteria in the pond and filters as they break down the fish's toxic waste products (Ammonia and Nitrite). Nitrate is not toxic to pond fish, but excessively high levels can affect their reproduction. Comprises 30 tests Click here for further information
	pH Acidity pH is the measure of the acidity or alkalinty of the water in your pond. Pond fish prefer the water to be between 7 and 8, fluctuations outside thses values can cause stress to the fish. Comprises 40 tests Click here for further information
	Hardness GH & KH test kit combined. GH measures general harness and KH known as total alkalinity measures the buffering capacity of water in your pond. Comprises 40 tests Click here for further information
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