|
||||
pH PH is only a measurement of the free Hydrogen ions in the water and is very, very dynamic. The pH can change overnight...In particular, the pH is prone to fall, and "crashes" are quick, and fatal. Interestingly, many people say they checked the pH last week, and are surprised to find that the pH can change overnight. In simple terms, the pH is supported in range by the carbonate activity of the water (measured in Total Alkalinity) and when the carbonates are exhausted, or overloaded, the pH plummets to 5.5 and kills filter bacteria and fish. In other situations, the pH can glide downward very slowly over months and thus your resident fish can survive a low pH but the new fish you keep buying perish quickly as they enter the water with a very acid pH. Check the pH regularly, and also, to get a grip on your 'safety net', measure the water's carbonate activity as Total Alkalinity as well. Buy carbonates for the pond in a sensibly priced pH Buffer. Buy a Total Alkalinity test kit.
|
|
|
||||||
| Koivet.com Koivet is a venerable, long lived koi and pond fish health site started by Dr Erik Johnson in 1994 as an off shoot of his first few websites at Mindspring.com. Now Koivet is full of information and movies and more. Koi Beginner DrJohnson.com Fishdoc.co.uk Fish Medicines PondCrisis.com KoiCrisis.com Buying Domestic Koi Buying Imported Koi Koi Filtration - Bead Koi Filtration - Natural Koi Food & Feeding Koi and Pond Hard Goods Finding Reputable Dealers Books on Koi Diseases Help With Koi Problems |