75 000 litre pond was completed 2 months ago. At the moment, it houses about 150 koi.
Problem is, due to the extensive concrete work in and on the pond (it is styled in similar fashion to those Chinese water gardens with waterfall, spillway etc.), the ph of the water keeps rising. The pond builder said this was normal, and the water will have to be monitered for the next six months or so while the cement cures (he did spray sealer on the cement, but like I said, it does have alot of intricate cement work).
He told me to add acid in the pond to keep the ph from going too high. I have found that if I did not add acid for 2 days in a row, the ph climbs to 8.5, and on one occasion even 9.
What I have been doing is adding a cup of hydrochloric acid (diluted and slowly dripped into one of the spillway) a day, keeping the ph at around 7.5
My question is, does adding all this acid to the water slowly poisen the fish, or is the acid neutralised by the cement and rendered harmless? I would use normal aquarium ph adjusters, but with the size of the pond, the cost would be prohibited over the long term.
Any suggestions?
Some one suggested I add shellgrit or bicarbonated soda as a buffer, but doen't they help to keep the ph high? I have added shellgrit in my fishtanks to stop my ph from falling with success. Or does shellgrit work the other way as well, ie keep the ph from climbing?
(Should this be in the pond section?)
Problem is, due to the extensive concrete work in and on the pond (it is styled in similar fashion to those Chinese water gardens with waterfall, spillway etc.), the ph of the water keeps rising. The pond builder said this was normal, and the water will have to be monitered for the next six months or so while the cement cures (he did spray sealer on the cement, but like I said, it does have alot of intricate cement work).
He told me to add acid in the pond to keep the ph from going too high. I have found that if I did not add acid for 2 days in a row, the ph climbs to 8.5, and on one occasion even 9.
What I have been doing is adding a cup of hydrochloric acid (diluted and slowly dripped into one of the spillway) a day, keeping the ph at around 7.5
My question is, does adding all this acid to the water slowly poisen the fish, or is the acid neutralised by the cement and rendered harmless? I would use normal aquarium ph adjusters, but with the size of the pond, the cost would be prohibited over the long term.
Any suggestions?
Some one suggested I add shellgrit or bicarbonated soda as a buffer, but doen't they help to keep the ph high? I have added shellgrit in my fishtanks to stop my ph from falling with success. Or does shellgrit work the other way as well, ie keep the ph from climbing?
(Should this be in the pond section?)
