Salt & nitrite poisoning

[DaveB]

As epected my filters have taken a bit of a knock after the recent Cloramine T treatments. I now have a very slight reading on the Palin test kit of less than 0.1 nitrite , possibly 0.05ppm/mg/ltr. Due to regular water changes I have now reduced my chloride content to below 0.1% Tds is now 800 some of which is k.H & G.H.
Will this be sufficient chlorides to protect the koi from nitrite poisoning. I appreciate that the nitrite is very low and hopefully I can keep it low , however in the event I need to do more CT treatments, perhaps I should keep a low level of salt say 0.1% for the time being. What are your thoughts guys.

[kimr]

Hi Dave

A reading of that amount will be diluted by water changes, which I know you are doing at the moment, if the Koi seem happy which they done by coming to the top and feeding then I wouldn't worry about it to much. Also the readings can vary during the day, so maybe you have a slightly higher reading as they have all eaten and there is more annomia in the pond so the filters are catching up. With the CT treatment you have been doing the filters will of taken a bit of a knock which is another reason why you have a slightly higher reading.

I am sure others will put you right if what I am about to suggest is totally wrong, but if I were you while you are treating I would reduce the amount of food, and I would not bother doing any readings at the moment unless you have reason to believe that there is something really badly wrong. The reason I suggest this is, you can drive yourself insane with readings when things are going wrong, the pond is going through a heck of a lot at the moment so you should expect something to give. If I were you I would keep an eye on the Koi and any that have white skin, if they start to pink/red up I would test for nitrite. You are doing everything right and time will help heal with what you are doing, just keep doing the water changes and hopefully things will start to improve for you soon.

[DaveB]

Hi Dave

A reading of that amount will be diluted by water changes, which I know you are doing at the moment, if the Koi seem happy which they done by coming to the top and feeding then I wouldn't worry about it to much. Also the readings can vary during the day, so maybe you have a slightly higher reading as they have all eaten and there is more annomia in the pond so the filters are catching up. With the CT treatment you have been doing the filters will of taken a bit of a knock which is another reason why you have a slightly higher reading.

I am sure others will put you right if what I am about to suggest is totally wrong, but if I were you while you are treating I would reduce the amount of food, and I would not bother doing any readings at the moment unless you have reason to believe that there is something really badly wrong. The reason I suggest this is, you can drive yourself insane with readings when things are going wrong, the pond is going through a heck of a lot at the moment so you should expect something to give. If I were you I would keep an eye on the Koi and any that have white skin, if they start to pink/red up I would test for nitrite. You are doing everything right and time will help heal with what you are doing, just keep doing the water changes and hopefully things will start to improve for you soon.

Kimr As always your input is appreciated . I have already done what you have suggested by cutting down the amount I am feeding. However I do like to monitor things a bit more closely than you have suggested. ie nitite readings have now increased to 0.1ppm which if it gets any higher I will maintain salt levels at 0.1% for the time being. Hopefully as my filters are very mature ( Since K1 first came out) and a BB3 12 years old. The nitrite will soon be back down to zero. I just woundered if I could get away with 500ppm chlorides. Some of which is salt and some of which is callcium chloride ( G.H.)
At the moment this 0.1ppm nitrite does not apear to be effecting the koi ie no stress, or even viening for that matter???

[Duncan]

hi Dave

I would hold fire for the time being , your filters being mature should kick in shortly

with a well matured filter the biofilm is a bit like an onion, lots and lots of layers. The c/t peals/burns away the top layer to reveal another layer of nitrifiers underneath but these are in stasis, this fresh layer will soon wake up and pull back the slack left by the burnt off layer

dunc

[DaveB]

Hi Duncan Thanks for the reply.One week after CT treatments and filters almost back to normal running with nitrite levels almost zero thanks once again for your input

[Gazza]

Hi Dave,

many people seem to panic or have this vision of the bacteria just dying off quick when treating but a well matured system will bounce back to life in no time and the bacteria are much much harder than we give them credit for.

Good news things getting back to normal