[gardeners] Re: OT (sort of) Carbonate Hardness in water?

Elizabeth (gardeners@globalgarden.com)
Sun, 5 Aug 2001 16:51:09 -0700 

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We had the same problem with the pond at our other house.  The pond and =
waterfall were lined with native limestone (which can add to the water =
hardness). =20
I was alarmed by the high pH the first time I tested.  I did a lot of =
reading, most of which I've forgotten now.  I tried pH + and pH -, which =
didn't do enough, and was only temporary, anyway.=20
A local pet store fish person told me to change about 1/3 of the water =
several times a year, because as the water evaporated, it left more of =
the salts and other stuff that made the water KH so high.  In our hot KY =
summers, I didn't have to change out the water, because it evaporated =
fast enough that I topped it off every so often.
Wish I could remember specifics for you--I may have some of my =
terminology wrong.  Basically, I never changed the water pH =
substantially, or anything else.  I just added fresh water when needed, =
along with chemicals to neutralize the chloramines in our water.  I also =
occasionally added chemicals to neutralize excess nitrites (or nitrates, =
whichever is quickly fatal in excess). =20
Also, the person at the pet store said if you started with smaller fish, =
they could better adapt themselves to my pond's conditions.  That did =
seem to work.  Though I occasionally had a perfectly healthy-looking =
fish floating at the top when I came out in the morning.  Bugged the =
heck out of me!  =20
When our new house is finished, one of my first projects will be putting =
in a garden pond.  :)

Elizabeth
tiarella@bellsouth.net
Zone 6, KY
  ----- Original Message -----=20
  From: Terry King=20
  To: GARDENS@LSV.UKY.EDU=20
  Sent: Sunday, August 05, 2001 10:05 AM
  Subject: OT (sort of) Carbonate Hardness in water?


  Is anyone on the list familiar with the implications of KH (carbonate
  hardness) of water?  Last week I decided to setup a whiskey barrel =
pond and
  include some goldfish.  I have the fish in an aquarium until the pond =
is
  ready.  I've been having a h*** of a time balancing the pH.  I've =
finally
  figured out that the problem is the carbonate hardness of our water.  =
The KH
  is so high (9 dKH or 161.1 ppm) that pH wants to stay around 8.0 and I =
want
  it to be 7.0 (which it is, right out of the tap but becomes more =
alkaline as
  it loses CO2)  Even adding a 7.0 buffer is not helping much.  Does =
anyone
  know of any tricks besides using deionized water?

  Now, I'm also wondering about the implications of carbonate hardness =
on my
  garden soil and plants?  It might explain a few things.

  Terry (off to boil some water for a partial aquarium water change =
wondering
  how my simple whisky barrel pond became so complicated :-/)
  E. WA. zone 4


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We had the same problem with the pond = at our other=20 house.  The pond and waterfall were lined with native limestone = (which can=20 add to the water hardness). 
I was alarmed by the high pH the first = time I=20 tested.  I did a lot of reading, most of which I've forgotten = now.  I=20 tried pH + and pH -, which didn't do enough, and was only temporary, = anyway.=20
A local pet store fish person told me = to change=20 about 1/3 of the water several times a year, because as the water = evaporated, it=20 left more of the salts and other stuff that made the water KH so = high.  In=20 our hot KY summers, I didn't have to change out the water, because it = evaporated=20 fast enough that I topped it off every so often.
Wish I could remember specifics for = you--I may have=20 some of my terminology wrong.  Basically, I never changed the water = pH=20 substantially, or anything else.  I just added fresh water when = needed,=20 along with chemicals to neutralize the chloramines in our water.  I = also=20 occasionally added chemicals to neutralize excess nitrites (or nitrates, = whichever is quickly fatal in excess). 
Also, the person at the pet store said = if you=20 started with smaller fish, they could better adapt themselves to my = pond's=20 conditions.  That did seem to work.  Though I occasionally had = a=20 perfectly healthy-looking fish floating at the top when I came out = in the=20 morning.  Bugged the heck out of me!   
When our new house is finished, one of = my first=20 projects will be putting in a garden pond.  :)
 
Elizabeth
tiarella@bellsouth.net<= /DIV>
Zone 6, KY
----- Original Message -----
From:=20 Terry King
To: GARDENS@LSV.UKY.EDU
Sent: Sunday, August 05, 2001 = 10:05=20 AM
Subject: OT (sort of) Carbonate = Hardness=20 in water?

Is anyone on the list familiar with the implications of = KH=20 (carbonate
hardness) of water?  Last week I decided to setup a = whiskey=20 barrel pond and
include some goldfish.  I have the fish in an = aquarium=20 until the pond is
ready.  I've been having a h*** of a time = balancing=20 the pH.  I've finally
figured out that the problem is the = carbonate=20 hardness of our water.  The KH
is so high (9 dKH or 161.1 ppm) = that pH=20 wants to stay around 8.0 and I want
it to be 7.0 (which it is, = right out of=20 the tap but becomes more alkaline as
it loses CO2)  Even = adding a 7.0=20 buffer is not helping much.  Does anyone
know of any tricks = besides=20 using deionized water?

Now, I'm also wondering about the = implications=20 of carbonate hardness on my
garden soil and plants?  It might = explain=20 a few things.

Terry (off to boil some water for a partial = aquarium=20 water change wondering
how my simple whisky barrel pond became so=20 complicated :-/)
E. WA. zone 4
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