Important
Information—Please Read Before Treating Your Pond or Lake
Water Changes When To Make Them?
After Winter
In the Spring
it is always wise to do a gradual partial water change of 20-40%,
this is because during the
winter months
with cold weather a lot of the ponds natural bacteria will die, also
as the water cools their rate of reproduction also slows. Therefore
the water will have a heavier carbon loading than normal which is
not good for aquatic life.
Before Using a Pond Treatment
If you have
used a different pond treatment in the last 6 months it is always
wise to do a partial water change (10-20%) before using a new
treatment. This is because different manufactures treatments have:
1) Different
chemical formulas and they may not be compatible with the product
you are about to use.
2) Some
products, even so called natural biological products contain metals
such as zinc, copper,
aluminium
etc. These metals will build-up over a period of time in your
pond. They do not evaporate so
you can
only remove them via water changes.
Doing the Water Change
Remember, do
not change more than 20% every other day, this is to give fish time
to acclimatise to the different water conditions.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION - Oxygen Requirements For Fish
Assess your
pond before using any water treatment - check levels of oxygen,
ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH, general hardness etc. Many fish
fatalities are due to lack of oxygen in the water, for example koi
need 6 ppm dissolved oxygen at rest and higher levels when active,
most ponds require 8-10 ppm dissolved oxygen. In all ponds, the
biological filter and plants demand dissolved oxygen first and the
fish survive on the residue, in most ponds supplementary aeration is
vital to fish welfare.
Any water
treatment can lower dissolved oxygen levels and water conditions may
decrease it still further.
WARM WEATHER
CAUTION - The higher the water temperature is the lower the level of
dissolved oxygen present therefore in warm summer months adequate
aeration is essential. The factors below all affect pond water
oxygen levels. Do not shut pond pumps and aeration devices off at
night.
Oxygen
levels, derived from photosynthesis rise during the day when
sunlight shines on plants and green algae in the water.
Oxygen
levels, drop at night because pond oxygenating plants and algae are
not producing oxygen but consuming it as well as the fish and
bacteria, therefore do not use pond treatments in the evening or
early morning.
Muggy,
overcast summer days often precipitate oxygen depletions. During
cloudy weather, the intensity of light reaching surface waters is
greatly diminished, resulting in a marked decrease in oxygen
production from photosynthesis. Oxygen consumption, however, remains
unchanged. This results in a net loss of oxygen over each 24-hour
period.
The recent
use of another pond product increases the risk of an oxygen deficit
especially medical treatments and water de-chlorinators.
Fish
species vary with the volume of dissolved oxygen they need for
survival and fish such as large Koi have a much greater requirement.
The larger the fish the more oxygen it needs.
A waterfall
or fountain moves the water but fails to produce the minute air
bubbles that provide oxygen. An air pump (sized for your water
volume) which adds oxygen via air stones / diffusers is recommended
for all ponds.
Test kits
are available from aquatic outlets to test water parameters.
If despite
precautions, fish rise to the surface and gasp—use a hosepipe to
introduce oxygenated water temporarily while an air pump is
immediately installed.
Which Order to Use Hydra Products?
When treating
your pond with multiple Hydra Aquatic products do not mix products
but use the products in the following order:
1) Quartz. 2)
Crystal. 3) Water Dyes. 4) Bio Aquatic Bacteria Boost. 5). Phos-Gone. 6).
Silt-Less.
As with all
pond treatments only use when you can observe fish - in the unlikely
event of an adverse reaction.
Always leave at
least 5 days between adding different treatments to ensure the
previous treatment has been completely exhausted. If using the
Quartz and Crystal in the same pond do a 10-20% water change after
using the Hydra Quartz. No need to do a water change when adding
other products listed above.
In lakes
because the volume buffering capacity is much greater there is no
need to do water changes.
Activated
by water the product immediately starts to electrically charge
individual algae cells so that they clump together. They either
sink to the bottom of the pond where the filter system will
clear them or float to the top. Best time to apply is late
morning to early afternoon.
Do Glass Test Before Applying To Pond
Take a
sample of water from your pond into a clear glass. Add a pinch
of Hydra Product (as in pinch of salt) to glass and stir with
spoon. The water will initially go cloudy then you will start to
see clumps forming as it pulls the green algae out of the water
(within 30 minutes). Leave overnight and depending on product
used you should be left either with a fine sediment at the
bottom of the glass or algae floating on the surface with the
remainder of the water crystal clear. N.B.
If for any reason the above does not happen or the water
remains brown, please speak to our Technical Helpline on
01908-265889 before using the product.
During Treatment
Ensure adequate aeration by water pump and or air pump. Remember algae
is adding oxygen to your water, therefore removing it will lower your
oxygen levels. Allow plenty of time to observe fish - in the unlikely
advent of an adverse reaction. Clean mechanical filters before starting
treatment and keep these filters clean during treatment. Either dose
Hydra Product at pump outlet, broadcast over pond surface, or dilute
with tap water (do not use pond water) and add as a slurry. If powder
floats on surface use hose with spray jet to mix into water body.
Circulate treated water thoroughly for even mixing and distribution.
Leave UV and pump switched on. If you find that the algae floats on top
of the water (as a scum) during treatment it is important that this is
removed from the pond, using old tights, sheet or towel to line a
net. Bring this underneath the algae and net algae out. If this is not
removed it could interfere with the normal air / water exchange of
oxygen.
In extreme cases if no improvement is seen - repeat application (after
48 hrs). Before retreating always take a sample of your pond water into
a clear glass to check that it is in fact green and not simply suffering
from suspended solids.
Treat ½ of pond / lake only, 48 hours later treat other ½. Remove
blanket weed when it comes to surface.
During treatment
Ensure adequate aeration by water pump or air pump. Remember algae is
adding oxygen to your water, therefore removing it will lower your
oxygen levels. Allow plenty of time to observe fish - in the unlikely
advent of an adverse reaction. Clean mechanical
filters before starting treatment and keep these filters clean during
treatment. Easy to use simply sprinkle onto affected areas. UV lights
can be left on during treatment. In extreme cases if no improvement is
seen - repeat application (after 48 hrs).
Initial Treatment Dilution Rate 1:10,000. (100g treats 1,000
litres water). Second Application (if necessary) - Dilution Rate 1:10,000. Do a
10-20% water change before re-applying at above rates (not lakes). Maintenance Dosage—Dilution Rate 1:50,000. (1,000g treats 50,000
litres of water).
When To Use at
Maintenance Dosage
Use every 1-2 month at maintenance rate to keep pond clear of blanket
weed.
N.B. Do not use if the pond is clear of blanket weed (wait
until it starts to appear). If you have to repeat any Quartz treatment
leave at least 48 hours between consecutive treatments and change 10% of
pond volume before subsequent treatment.
ALL PRODUCTS - Heavy Scum Layer on Water Surface
Should you have a heavy scum layer on the surface and the fish are
showing any signs of distress, remove this scum and agitate the surface
as much as possible. Either run all pumps including air pumps, raise air
stones (if available) closer to the surface, play hose from height onto
water surface to break surface tension of water
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