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SPRING
POND MANAGEMENT
If needed, clean the pond. (See Pond Cleaning under Pond Maintenance)
Top off the pond with water if necessary; rememeber to use a Dechlorinator if using non-well water. Use Stress Coat or Ammo-Lock if chloramine is used in your area.
Add Beneficial Bacteria to your pond and filter to assist in the breakdown of decomposing materials and fish waste in the pond. This will also effectively set up colonies of beneficial bacteria for the pond season.
Turn on Pump and start Filters (where applicable).
Raise Plants to their proper depth. (Refer to the detailed descriptions of specific plants)
WATER QUALITY
"Jump-start" your Biological Filter with Beneficial Bacteria.
Test pond water for ammonia, nitrite, pH, and salt (if needed) using a Test Kit between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m..
Adjust pH if necessary with pH Up or pH Down being careful to not raise or lower the pH too abruptly (about one point per day is sufficient).
If ammonia levels are unsafe, conduct a partial (25%) water change, and neutralize with Ammo-Lock; however, be aware that while the ammonia in the pond is non-toxic after treatment, a test will still show the presence of ammonia in the water (the ammonia will still be present, but in a non-toxic state).
If nitrite levels are high, the best course of action is a partial (25%) water change, followed by a dose of salt to maintain the salt level at .001% (up to .003% in ponds without plants). Ammonia and Nitrite levels will eventually naturally be controlled biologically as the nitrogen cycle comes full circle.
Replace U.V. Bulbs if necessary.
FISH CARE
As your fish are coming out of dormancy, feed them a food low in protein, such as our Three Season Food.
When the temperature of the pond water reaches 60 degrees F, you can gradually feed the fish a food higher in protein such as Lilypons Koi Cuisine. Use a Pond Thermometer.
As a precautionary measure, the treatment of the pond with Rid Ich will prevent many parasites which may have built up in the pond during winter, but without killing off the beneficial bacteria. Since the fish have been through a good deal of stress, it helps to lessen their chances of an infection.
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