Another great vid mate, I had a nightmare last year, my PH dropped to 6.2, 15 years running it and never had an issue with PH in all that time, I lost five koi when this happened, still gutted about it. I actually test PH daily now due to being a bit paranoid since it crashed and I can sort of predict my KH from my PH reading, I still test KH properly weekly to be sure but I have seen a pattern between PH and KH as you mentioned, again another great vid mate, looking forward to the next instalment.
Hi Michael, it sounds like you have a handle on it now 👍 It can happen to anyone mate and it seems to come completely out of the blue when it does. Hopefully if people have seen this video they will know what is happening straight away and be able to react to it quicker.
Thanks. Your channel is the go to channel for me whenever I need to know something. I just trust that all you say is bang on, I just know it is. Thanks for doing this for us.
Very true. I used to ignore it myself but when you see how the pH affects ammonia toxicity and you see someone go through a pH crash it hits home just how important it is 👍
Greatly informative videos Daz, very helpful. 28 years keeping koi and I’ve recently lost all koi due to an otter attack so I’m starting from scratch with fresh water so I was looking for some figures fish bicarbonate of soda as my PH 7.5 GH 1 and KH 3 (Colombo drop test kit). great videos, look forward to more.
Thanks mate, I appreciate that. Sorry to hear about your disaster, very sobering to think that no matter how much we think we are doing the right things, nature can still pull the rug from under us and there is nothing we can do.
@@DazzleKoi - If you get time in the New Year would you consider doing a video on koi parasite / illness and best treatments. Cheers Jon - Have a good Christmas.
Absolutely, yes, its on my list. I guess the time when that would be needed most is the spring when the water starts to warm up and we risk the typical spring problems so I'll make sure to do it in the first month or two of the New Year. 👍👍👍
Well done tackling what is probably the most difficult to understand subject in the hobby. I had all the family and friends once for a BBQ, amused at the new pond and koi, we overfed the koi. The next day boom... PH crash. Koi were injured soldiers but luckily all survived. Very difficult to forget once it happens.
LOL, when I started reading that I thought you where going to say you had all the family and friends round to watch the video 🤣 Yeh it can be quite catastrophic when it happens. It is quite often a long time for people to realise what is happening too so the damage is compounded.
Two great video's Daz. KH seems to have increased in my tap water recently and so pond has increased but only too 11.2. Thought that was too high as usually 7 -8 and its raised pH from my usual 7.6/7.8 to between 8.2/8.5. But like I just read in the comments should drop a bit when the feeding gets going again.
Hi Matt, yes mate, it should drop a bit once the temps get up and feeding increases. All the biological activity kicks in. Worth just keeping a closer eye on it for a few weeks though 👍👍
Thanks Karl, much appreciated. I'm working on a little video of the pond and setup. Should be up mid week. I'm also doing a longer video, probably split over a few short vids actually, on how I built it. I hope it will be a kind of walkthrough of the construction that people can follow if they want to build something similar. I just wish I had made videos and took more pictures during the construction. That one will be a few weeks away yet though.
In my aquarium (ponds may be totally different) . I keep a ph of around 5.4, RO water no KH added (on purpose) just remineralize with GH. Plants are thriving (most of my plants prefer it) Fish are happy and breeding. I know with koi you need that KH but its not detrimental to plants to have a lower PH , most prefer it which is why I don't add KH. I have a whole vid on my channel about keeping a 0KH aquarium and the chemistry of it. I know ammonia is less toxic at a lower PH but I'm confident I have a cycle going at a PH of 5.4 , Just sharing my experience.
Interesting stuff mate. As you say, very different to koi ponds although RO can and is used on ponds as well but not to the same extent. That's a very acidic water you have. I do know that there are some tropical fish that need low pH , even down to 4, but koi would be dead long before that.
Not at all mate. Foam is protein or DOC's (dissolved organic carbons) which come out of the water when its agitated. Aside from a protein skimmer there isn't a lot you can do really. It will get a bit better over time, especially if you regularly skim it off with a fine net. And some times of year it will be worse than others. It is also made worse by the food you feed. So if you feed a high protein food and a lot of it ends up in the water as waste, or you feed cheap food, it will be worse. If you switch to a good quality wheatgerm such as hikari (if you're not already) it should improve it too 👍
@@DazzleKoi cheers mate really appreciate your replies.mixing the Hikari with a queni koi wheatgerm just to use it up but might try just the Hikari to see if that helps.thanks again👍
Another good video mate. My water comes out of the tap at 7 with a low kh of 2. So i buffer with bi carb now. I had 3 big bags of lithaqua in but iv taken it out because at times i was getting a ph reading of 9.
Hi Ric, that's bang on pH for your koi but its a big risk to run that low. I think you do the right thing by buffering the KH up . Better safe than sorry 👍
I am glad I watched this. You explain very well. Could you maybe show some action testing? Does one need to know exactly the volume in a pond to change? I always learned it was better to treat little at a time. Rather than all once.
Hi Clark, I will definitely look at doing that, thanks 👍 With this you dont need to know the pond volume EXACTLY but if you have any doubt just use a bit less the first time until you see what effect it has. Definitely little at a time is best. Best wishes 🎅🍻🎅
Its very interesting to learn my Kh out of tap one drop turns yellow so when I do a water change I just add 30 grams of bicarbonate soda and the kh comes up again. Thank you for video Carol
Hi Carol, thanks again for taking time out to comment, its really appreciated. I've been lucky with my tap water so far so I feel for you. It sounds like you have it all under control though 👍
Hi thanks for the information, I lost quite a lot of koi last season due to taking my eye off the water testing so will not make the same mistake again
Hi there, no , low KH wont cause fish to flash. Your KH can be zero and it is no problem for your koi directly, but it does mean that you are at serious risk of your pH crashing and this in term will cause flashing and in many cases death.
I'm lucky enough to have a bore hole, in a hard water area (tested yearly and perfectly ok to use as drinking water), I have a constant PH of 8.5 & KH 10, I'm worried these levels are a bit high? On the plus side it doesn't fluctuate, I trickle in 25% a week (it's free after all!). Could I trickle in even more as I can or is that a bad idea? In case it makes a difference the pond is around 10,000g. Brilliant channel by the way, been keeping Koi on and off for 30 years, I'm learning a lot of stuff I never knew about.
Hi mate, thank you very much 👍 I wouldn't say they where a problem but they are up at the top end of the acceptable range. If they are consistent though that is very desirable so it isn't a problem at all. Do you know what the pH of the bore hole water is? Also, do you know what your nitrate is? If 25% is enough to keep your nitrate low I would stick with what you have. If your nitrate is high and could do with a bit more diluting, and as long as your bore hole pH is lower than your pond pH of 8.5, then it would be beneficial to increase your trickle a little bit.
@@DazzleKoi Just tested it, 8. Looked at the last water test for the bore hole and that says 8. Checked back on my records from a few years ago when on tap water and it was 8.5, so slightly higher than the bore hole water. Nitrate shows as 5 on my main pond, 2.5 on my grow on, using NT Labs test kit.
So your nitrate is nice and low already. Its up to you really then, you will see a small lowering of pH from increasing the trickle in but not a lot. Depending on the nitrate level in your bore hole water, you may see a small drop in nitrate but again not a lot. There really isnt big gains to be had but I would probably increase the trickle in a little bit, say to 30% and give it a week or so and re-test. Keep in mind also that pH will be a little higher at this time of year anyway as it goes up when you stop feeding a pond. Once spring kicks in and feed increases it will drop a bit on its own.
Excellent information. My pH is steady at 7.6, but I’ve always had to add carbonates. I add sodium bicarbonate regularly, and I have cockle shells in my filters. I still struggle to get my KH above 5, so settle for 5 as my satisfactory level. My GH is around 4, which is is also a problem. I add clay regularly too.
Hi Paul, it sounds like you are doing all the right things. Clay will add minerals to boost the GH but I wouldn't worry too much about it to be honest. My pH is 7.5 out of the tap and the KH is 3 but I'm happy to live with it at that. I wouldn't recommend that level though, building it up to 5 as you are as perfect.
@@DazzleKoi I’m a great believer in looking after the water as a priority. If the water is good, the fish usually stay healthy. If the water is poor, the fish will always have problems.
Hi i'm new to keeping koi. I been using nt labs test kit. my pond been running fine for 12 months and when i tested today my kh was 1 and ph 7. so i was advised to use a kh buffer. I added 100ml to my 1000 ltr pond and the kh is 6 and the ph is 9. 4 of my koi have died naw and i dont know what to do next ?. thank you and love the videos
Hello there. Koi should be fine at pH 9 but it could be that it changed to quickly. It takes a bit of effort to adjust to different pH levels so it needs to be gradual. The key to everything in koi keeping is consistency so try to get a routine and stick to it. I think you need to measure everything again to understand where you are. Try to change nothing for several days so that everything can find its natural balance. pH varies from evening to morning so measure it both times of day and also measure your tap water so you know what you are adding when you put fresh water in. In theory it should revert back to pH 7 and KH 1 in time. If so, you will need to add a small amount of bi-carb or similar on a regular basis, say once a week. If so, add the same small amount on the same day each week and measure regularly to track what is happening with your KH through the week.
Help. Never tested for KH before. My reading after hearing what you explain were all readings ok except KH which were showing zero. Live on Anglesey where water is soft. Have been loosing koi fry at an alarming rate which I have never had before. All fully grown koi have coped fine. 4000 gal pond have now put in 400 gms sodium carbonate, remaining koi fry are now swimming about looking OK. But my reading is still only 1, Is is safe to keep adding more. Tom Barlow
Hi Tom, yes its safe to continue adding more until you build up a safe buffer. Try to stick to a single dose every day until you get it where you want it and then you will learn what you need to add to maintain it. Thisis because it can be harmful to bring it up too quickly 👍
very interesting video m8 i have all ways struggled with KH my PH has always been between 7 and 7.6 but as soon as i add biccarbonate my PH GOES TO 8 and 8,5 can you advice me on what to do for the best i have a trickle in trickle out on a declorinator thanks and regards gary
@@DazzleKoi it shows on the test none thats what i cant understand but when i put some carbonate in i will get up to 4drops the next day then my PH goes up to 8 8.5 thanks for the reply m8
It sounds like you have quite a small window to operate in but its no problem. First thing with any measurement is to confirm that they are absolutely correct. I don't know what kit you use but make sure you are absolutely confident in your mind that they are the correct readings. If you are, it looks like you are going to have to add a small amount of bi-carb regularly (say once a week) and its trial and error to find out what that amount needs to be. 3 to 4 drops is a good safe area to be in for KH so focus on that and the pH is just going to be whatever it is. As long as its not up around 9 its fine. When you get more confident you may risk dropping your KH a bit if you want a slightly lower pH but I honestly wouldn't. The risk is not worth the reward as pH of high 8's is fine. Keep in mind also, pH will change depending on how much you are feeding etc. pH will be higher at this time of year as it goes up when you reduce/stop feeding a pond. When you start throwing food in again in the spring the pH will drop lower.
Hi Jim, yes indeed, that's a great point. I have no experience of using them myself but I know they use them a lot in Japan where the water tends to be a lot softer than hours. I think they start to soften and break down when the KH is low and thus top it back up. As I say, I can't comment from experience of them but if the Japanese use them they must work. It may be a good option to put some in your system if you are prone to low KH or pH swings as a safety net.
Dazzle hope all is well! Question is there such thing as to high kh mine is running at 16 so I’m a little concern but nothing mentioned in this video about high kh ?
Hi mate, yes all good here, thank you 👍 How about you? Regarding KH, that's pretty high. Do you know what KH you have in your tap water? Its not harmful so its not a problem, but if it goes above 20 it can start to get that way.
Hi mate yeah all well my end just wanting these covers off now and to start feeding again!!! So I just tested the water out the tap for kh and it’s the same at 16. I did test kh round October and it was at 12 so I’m assuming the water round here must have high kh but more so at the moment for some reason. Ph is 8.2 but has always been around that the last two years. Am I right in thinking that level of ph could stunt growth? I was considering ro a while back but winter makes you less involved well it does me with these bloody covers lol! Ta mate
Hi mate, yeah tap water does vary a lot throughout the year despite it supposed to be connsistent. Chlorine for example can increase a lot when they know demand will be high, around big summer events like world cups etc. While your KH is at the higher end its still well within the acceptable range and at least its towards the safe end rather than being low which is much more problematic. pH of 8.2 is absolutely fine. It wont stunt growth or anything like that. Up to about pH 8.7 they can adapt to and live quite happily. Also, when you start feeding again the pH will come down. I'd expect it to be around pH 8 👍👍
Hi mate I live an hour away from u so quite similar water. My koi are not happy so i checked my water values n my ph is somehow at 9. The only thing i can think of is that its the sun n algae. What do u think? The kh is now at 6 to avoid any further huge swings. I plan to shade the pond with a sheet until i can afford to build a pergola next year. What r ur thoughts am i on the right track wud u say? Any advice wud be appreciated 👍🐟😊
Hi mate, check your tap water pH to to make sure its not gone high. You're right in that pH can increase due to algae, particularly the stringy weed stuff. Measure it at night and measure it again the following morning. Algae uses carbon dioxide during the day for photosynthesis and this causes the pH to drop. At night there is no sun so no photosynthesis and so the carbon dioxide increases again and so to does the pH. Its normal for pH to hit 9 in the early evening and be back down to 8 the next morning. If that is what is happening in your pond then its best to leave it alone and address the algae problem 👍👍
@@DazzleKoi thanks for the advice 👍 I've created some temporary shade to see if this helps the issue. It was at 8.5 last time i tested the ph. Think i will build a pergola next year. Thanks again 😊🐟👍
The ph has been at 9 through the day at times. From what I've read and been told 9 is panic stations koi may die. But what u have said is reassuring. So if it moves gradually between 8 n 9 its not a worry? Yes thanks I'll have to combat the algae issue 👍
pH of 9 is ok short term but it is the absolute maximum. If its just reaching 9 during the day and dropping again overnight you will be fine. Your pH will also be lower when you increase the amount of food going in. pH increases in winter when the koi are not being fed as much.
Best informational channel on CZcams. Great video. Again
Thanks a lot Kent 👍
Another great vid mate, I had a nightmare last year, my PH dropped to 6.2, 15 years running it and never had an issue with PH in all that time, I lost five koi when this happened, still gutted about it.
I actually test PH daily now due to being a bit paranoid since it crashed and I can sort of predict my KH from my PH reading, I still test KH properly weekly to be sure but I have seen a pattern between PH and KH as you mentioned, again another great vid mate, looking forward to the next instalment.
Hi Michael, it sounds like you have a handle on it now 👍
It can happen to anyone mate and it seems to come completely out of the blue when it does. Hopefully if people have seen this video they will know what is happening straight away and be able to react to it quicker.
Thanks. Your channel is the go to channel for me whenever I need to know something. I just trust that all you say is bang on, I just know it is. Thanks for doing this for us.
Thanks for your kind words Tony, its very much appreciated Sir 🍻🍻🍻
Excellent follow on to pt1. One thing I always suggest to pond owners is to know if your water is hard or soft so they can test and treat accordingly.
Very true. I used to ignore it myself but when you see how the pH affects ammonia toxicity and you see someone go through a pH crash it hits home just how important it is 👍
I’m definitely learning, lots to remember, that’s what makes this hobby so interesting, great video. 👍
Thanks Anthony, I agree with you there, there is something for everyone in this hobby 👍🍻👍🍻👍
Greatly informative videos Daz, very helpful. 28 years keeping koi and I’ve recently lost all koi due to an otter attack so I’m starting from scratch with fresh water so I was looking for some figures fish bicarbonate of soda as my PH 7.5 GH 1 and KH 3 (Colombo drop test kit). great videos, look forward to more.
Thanks mate, I appreciate that. Sorry to hear about your disaster, very sobering to think that no matter how much we think we are doing the right things, nature can still pull the rug from under us and there is nothing we can do.
Brilliant for both - pH and KH - cheers.
Cheers Jon, best wishes 🎅🎅👍🎅🎅
@@DazzleKoi - If you get time in the New Year would you consider doing a video on koi parasite / illness and best treatments. Cheers Jon - Have a good Christmas.
Absolutely, yes, its on my list. I guess the time when that would be needed most is the spring when the water starts to warm up and we risk the typical spring problems so I'll make sure to do it in the first month or two of the New Year. 👍👍👍
Well done tackling what is probably the most difficult to understand subject in the hobby. I had all the family and friends once for a BBQ, amused at the new pond and koi, we overfed the koi. The next day boom... PH crash. Koi were injured soldiers but luckily all survived. Very difficult to forget once it happens.
LOL, when I started reading that I thought you where going to say you had all the family and friends round to watch the video 🤣
Yeh it can be quite catastrophic when it happens. It is quite often a long time for people to realise what is happening too so the damage is compounded.
Thanks for these videos. Very informative in a ever evolving hobby.
Cheers Andrew, I appreciate that 👍🍻👍🍻👍
Excellent video again, cheers 👍
Well delivered. Very informative.
Thanks Gary 🍻🍻
Another great informative video.
Thanks a lot mate 👍
Brilliant well explained as always 🙂 thankyou
Thank youuuuu, how are things going
Great video! Very informative and easily laid out :)
Cheers Luke, best wishes 🎅🍻🎅
Thanks for video knew about nitrogen cycle but this is next level learning for me ta
Thanks Aaron, much appreciated 👍👍👍
Two great video's Daz. KH seems to have increased in my tap water recently and so pond has increased but only too 11.2. Thought that was too high as usually 7 -8 and its raised pH from my usual 7.6/7.8 to between 8.2/8.5. But like I just read in the comments should drop a bit when the feeding gets going again.
Hi Matt, yes mate, it should drop a bit once the temps get up and feeding increases. All the biological activity kicks in. Worth just keeping a closer eye on it for a few weeks though 👍👍
Nice 👍👍👍
Thanks very much 👍
Thankyou so much for this. So helpful.
Thanks Suzy, much appreciated 👍👍
Great channel great info love your pond 👌👌
Thanks Karl, much appreciated. I'm working on a little video of the pond and setup. Should be up mid week. I'm also doing a longer video, probably split over a few short vids actually, on how I built it. I hope it will be a kind of walkthrough of the construction that people can follow if they want to build something similar. I just wish I had made videos and took more pictures during the construction. That one will be a few weeks away yet though.
Very informative thanks 👍
In my aquarium (ponds may be totally different) . I keep a ph of around 5.4, RO water no KH added (on purpose) just remineralize with GH. Plants are thriving (most of my plants prefer it) Fish are happy and breeding. I know with koi you need that KH but its not detrimental to plants to have a lower PH , most prefer it which is why I don't add KH. I have a whole vid on my channel about keeping a 0KH aquarium and the chemistry of it. I know ammonia is less toxic at a lower PH but I'm confident I have a cycle going at a PH of 5.4 , Just sharing my experience.
Interesting stuff mate. As you say, very different to koi ponds although RO can and is used on ponds as well but not to the same extent. That's a very acidic water you have. I do know that there are some tropical fish that need low pH , even down to 4, but koi would be dead long before that.
As usual explained very well
Thanks Baden 👍👍
@@DazzleKoi hope you don’t mind me asking a unrelated question Darren.installed a Bakki shower last weekend and ever since there’s been loads of foam?
Not at all mate. Foam is protein or DOC's (dissolved organic carbons) which come out of the water when its agitated. Aside from a protein skimmer there isn't a lot you can do really. It will get a bit better over time, especially if you regularly skim it off with a fine net. And some times of year it will be worse than others.
It is also made worse by the food you feed. So if you feed a high protein food and a lot of it ends up in the water as waste, or you feed cheap food, it will be worse. If you switch to a good quality wheatgerm such as hikari (if you're not already) it should improve it too 👍
@@DazzleKoi cheers mate really appreciate your replies.mixing the Hikari with a queni koi wheatgerm just to use it up but might try just the Hikari to see if that helps.thanks again👍
Worth a try mate, I find very little waste from the Hikari
Another good video mate. My water comes out of the tap at 7 with a low kh of 2. So i buffer with bi carb now. I had 3 big bags of lithaqua in but iv taken it out because at times i was getting a ph reading of 9.
Hi Ric, that's bang on pH for your koi but its a big risk to run that low. I think you do the right thing by buffering the KH up . Better safe than sorry 👍
@@DazzleKoi yeah especially with all the rain we get too.
Good video thanks
Thanks Collette, much appreciated 👍
I am glad I watched this. You explain very well. Could you maybe show some action testing?
Does one need to know exactly the volume in a pond to change? I always learned it was better to treat little at a time. Rather than all once.
Hi Clark, I will definitely look at doing that, thanks 👍
With this you dont need to know the pond volume EXACTLY but if you have any doubt just use a bit less the first time until you see what effect it has. Definitely little at a time is best.
Best wishes 🎅🍻🎅
@@DazzleKoi Thank you
Its very interesting to learn my Kh out of tap one drop turns yellow so when I do a water change I just add 30 grams of bicarbonate soda and the kh comes up again. Thank you for video Carol
Hi Carol, thanks again for taking time out to comment, its really appreciated. I've been lucky with my tap water so far so I feel for you. It sounds like you have it all under control though 👍
Really thanks for that cheers
No problem 👍
Hi thanks for the information, I lost quite a lot of koi last season due to taking my eye off the water testing so will not make the same mistake again
Sorry to hear that Paul, hopefully you are all sorted now 👍
@@DazzleKoi yes thanks now enjoying my koi and also keeping up with the water checks 👏
great vid pal
Thanks Andy 👍
Does low KH cause koi to flash?
Thanks for the informative video learned a lot.
Hi there, no , low KH wont cause fish to flash. Your KH can be zero and it is no problem for your koi directly, but it does mean that you are at serious risk of your pH crashing and this in term will cause flashing and in many cases death.
I'm lucky enough to have a bore hole, in a hard water area (tested yearly and perfectly ok to use as drinking water), I have a constant PH of 8.5 & KH 10, I'm worried these levels are a bit high? On the plus side it doesn't fluctuate, I trickle in 25% a week (it's free after all!). Could I trickle in even more as I can or is that a bad idea? In case it makes a difference the pond is around 10,000g.
Brilliant channel by the way, been keeping Koi on and off for 30 years, I'm learning a lot of stuff I never knew about.
Hi mate, thank you very much 👍
I wouldn't say they where a problem but they are up at the top end of the acceptable range. If they are consistent though that is very desirable so it isn't a problem at all.
Do you know what the pH of the bore hole water is?
Also, do you know what your nitrate is?
If 25% is enough to keep your nitrate low I would stick with what you have.
If your nitrate is high and could do with a bit more diluting, and as long as your bore hole pH is lower than your pond pH of 8.5, then it would be beneficial to increase your trickle a little bit.
@@DazzleKoi Just tested it, 8. Looked at the last water test for the bore hole and that says 8. Checked back on my records from a few years ago when on tap water and it was 8.5, so slightly higher than the bore hole water.
Nitrate shows as 5 on my main pond, 2.5 on my grow on, using NT Labs test kit.
So your nitrate is nice and low already. Its up to you really then, you will see a small lowering of pH from increasing the trickle in but not a lot. Depending on the nitrate level in your bore hole water, you may see a small drop in nitrate but again not a lot. There really isnt big gains to be had but I would probably increase the trickle in a little bit, say to 30% and give it a week or so and re-test.
Keep in mind also that pH will be a little higher at this time of year anyway as it goes up when you stop feeding a pond. Once spring kicks in and feed increases it will drop a bit on its own.
Excellent information. My pH is steady at 7.6, but I’ve always had to add carbonates. I add sodium bicarbonate regularly, and I have cockle shells in my filters. I still struggle to get my KH above 5, so settle for 5 as my satisfactory level. My GH is around 4, which is is also a problem. I add clay regularly too.
Hi Paul, it sounds like you are doing all the right things. Clay will add minerals to boost the GH but I wouldn't worry too much about it to be honest. My pH is 7.5 out of the tap and the KH is 3 but I'm happy to live with it at that. I wouldn't recommend that level though, building it up to 5 as you are as perfect.
@@DazzleKoi I’m a great believer in looking after the water as a priority. If the water is good, the fish usually stay healthy. If the water is poor, the fish will always have problems.
Very true 👍👍
Hi i'm new to keeping koi. I been using nt labs test kit. my pond been running fine for 12 months and when i tested today my kh was 1 and ph 7. so i was advised to use a kh buffer. I added 100ml to my 1000 ltr pond and the kh is 6 and the ph is 9. 4 of my koi have died naw and i dont know what to do next ?. thank you and love the videos
Hello there. Koi should be fine at pH 9 but it could be that it changed to quickly. It takes a bit of effort to adjust to different pH levels so it needs to be gradual. The key to everything in koi keeping is consistency so try to get a routine and stick to it.
I think you need to measure everything again to understand where you are. Try to change nothing for several days so that everything can find its natural balance. pH varies from evening to morning so measure it both times of day and also measure your tap water so you know what you are adding when you put fresh water in.
In theory it should revert back to pH 7 and KH 1 in time. If so, you will need to add a small amount of bi-carb or similar on a regular basis, say once a week. If so, add the same small amount on the same day each week and measure regularly to track what is happening with your KH through the week.
Help. Never tested for KH before. My reading after hearing what you explain were all readings ok except KH which were showing zero. Live on Anglesey where water is soft. Have been loosing koi fry at an alarming rate which I have never had before. All fully grown koi have coped fine. 4000 gal pond have now put in 400 gms sodium carbonate, remaining koi fry are now swimming about looking OK. But my reading is still only 1, Is is safe to keep adding more. Tom Barlow
Hi Tom, yes its safe to continue adding more until you build up a safe buffer. Try to stick to a single dose every day until you get it where you want it and then you will learn what you need to add to maintain it. Thisis because it can be harmful to bring it up too quickly 👍
very interesting video m8 i have all ways struggled with KH my PH has always been between 7 and 7.6 but as soon as i add biccarbonate my PH GOES TO 8 and 8,5 can you advice me on what to do for the best i have a trickle in trickle out on a declorinator thanks and regards gary
Hi Gary, when your pH is 7 - 7.5 , what is your KH?
@@DazzleKoi it shows on the test none thats what i cant understand but when i put some carbonate in i will get up to 4drops the next day then my PH goes up to 8 8.5
thanks for the reply m8
It sounds like you have quite a small window to operate in but its no problem. First thing with any measurement is to confirm that they are absolutely correct. I don't know what kit you use but make sure you are absolutely confident in your mind that they are the correct readings.
If you are, it looks like you are going to have to add a small amount of bi-carb regularly (say once a week) and its trial and error to find out what that amount needs to be. 3 to 4 drops is a good safe area to be in for KH so focus on that and the pH is just going to be whatever it is. As long as its not up around 9 its fine. When you get more confident you may risk dropping your KH a bit if you want a slightly lower pH but I honestly wouldn't. The risk is not worth the reward as pH of high 8's is fine.
Keep in mind also, pH will change depending on how much you are feeding etc. pH will be higher at this time of year as it goes up when you reduce/stop feeding a pond. When you start throwing food in again in the spring the pH will drop lower.
@@DazzleKoi my test kit is the API500
I haven't used one myself but I know they are a good kit so as long as its in date you should be able to trust the results 👍
Some people add oyster shells to help with KH. How effective do you think this is?
Hi Jim, yes indeed, that's a great point. I have no experience of using them myself but I know they use them a lot in Japan where the water tends to be a lot softer than hours. I think they start to soften and break down when the KH is low and thus top it back up.
As I say, I can't comment from experience of them but if the Japanese use them they must work.
It may be a good option to put some in your system if you are prone to low KH or pH swings as a safety net.
Dazzle hope all is well! Question is there such thing as to high kh mine is running at 16 so I’m a little concern but nothing mentioned in this video about high kh ?
Hi mate, yes all good here, thank you 👍
How about you?
Regarding KH, that's pretty high. Do you know what KH you have in your tap water?
Its not harmful so its not a problem, but if it goes above 20 it can start to get that way.
Hi mate yeah all well my end just wanting these covers off now and to start feeding again!!! So I just tested the water out the tap for kh and it’s the same at 16. I did test kh round October and it was at 12 so I’m assuming the water round here must have high kh but more so at the moment for some reason. Ph is 8.2 but has always been around that the last two years. Am I right in thinking that level of ph could stunt growth? I was considering ro a while back but winter makes you less involved well it does me with these bloody covers lol! Ta mate
Hi mate, yeah tap water does vary a lot throughout the year despite it supposed to be connsistent. Chlorine for example can increase a lot when they know demand will be high, around big summer events like world cups etc.
While your KH is at the higher end its still well within the acceptable range and at least its towards the safe end rather than being low which is much more problematic.
pH of 8.2 is absolutely fine. It wont stunt growth or anything like that. Up to about pH 8.7 they can adapt to and live quite happily.
Also, when you start feeding again the pH will come down. I'd expect it to be around pH 8 👍👍
Cheers Daz mate appreciate your guidance mate !!!
Hi mate I live an hour away from u so quite similar water. My koi are not happy so i checked my water values n my ph is somehow at 9. The only thing i can think of is that its the sun n algae. What do u think? The kh is now at 6 to avoid any further huge swings. I plan to shade the pond with a sheet until i can afford to build a pergola next year. What r ur thoughts am i on the right track wud u say? Any advice wud be appreciated 👍🐟😊
Hi mate, check your tap water pH to to make sure its not gone high.
You're right in that pH can increase due to algae, particularly the stringy weed stuff. Measure it at night and measure it again the following morning. Algae uses carbon dioxide during the day for photosynthesis and this causes the pH to drop. At night there is no sun so no photosynthesis and so the carbon dioxide increases again and so to does the pH.
Its normal for pH to hit 9 in the early evening and be back down to 8 the next morning. If that is what is happening in your pond then its best to leave it alone and address the algae problem 👍👍
@@DazzleKoi thanks for the advice 👍 I've created some temporary shade to see if this helps the issue. It was at 8.5 last time i tested the ph. Think i will build a pergola next year. Thanks again 😊🐟👍
The ph has been at 9 through the day at times. From what I've read and been told 9 is panic stations koi may die. But what u have said is reassuring. So if it moves gradually between 8 n 9 its not a worry? Yes thanks I'll have to combat the algae issue 👍
pH of 9 is ok short term but it is the absolute maximum. If its just reaching 9 during the day and dropping again overnight you will be fine. Your pH will also be lower when you increase the amount of food going in. pH increases in winter when the koi are not being fed as much.
@@DazzleKoi cheers mate your a fountain of knowledge 👍🐟
What about GH
Hi mate, GH video here czcams.com/video/t00QxCwIu08/video.html