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Pond Chemicals Don't Cause Fish Kill

28 Aug 2016

A pond problem that no pond owner wants to experience is fish kill.  Unfortunately, fish kill is sometimes a part of owning a pond.  One of the most frustrating parts of providing pond products is explaining that pond chemicals don’t cause fish kill unless they are used improperly and existing pond conditions aren’t taken into consideration.  All of our products are approved for use in an aquatic environment.

The fact of the matter is that I have never met a pond owner that had a fish kill and when asked what the condition of their pond was prior to introducing product they answered, “It was beautiful!”  Typically, people purchase pond products because there is something wrong with their body of water and they are trying to correct it.  The water is turning strange colors, they have excessive growth, or a foul odor is rising from the body of water.  At this point the fish are already at risk.

Fish Kill 

Certain pond products like algaecides and herbicides are used to control growth.  However, when ponds become choked with growth oxygen levels are extremely fragile.  Treating too much of the body of water at one time will be the tipping point for the pond.  If your pond has excessive growth it is very important that an aerator be installed and treatment is done a 1/3 of the pond at a time to avoid oxygen depletion issues.

Other products like pond dye and beneficial pond bacteria are maintenance products and won’t harm ANYTHING!!  Even when used at twice the recommended dosing, these products won’t kill anything.  Dark, murky water is usually an indicator of pond turnover.  Pond owners will see or smell the change in their water which leads them to purchase products like pond dye and pond bacteria.  Pond owners apply the product and fish start dying shortly after.  As a pond owner it would be difficult not to point the finger at the pond product, however, you have to consider the conditions of the pond prior to introducing the product.  The health of the body was already at risk and there is nothing that can reverse the effects of pond turnover.

The only other time I have head of pond chemicals being blamed for fish kill is when product is applied and a heavy rainfall followed.  The next morning the pond owner experiences a fish kill so they automatically turn to the product.  When in fact, the rainfall had much more impact on the pond than the gallon of pond dye.  Heavy rainfalls bring in fertilizers and pesticides from surrounding property that is very harmful to fish.  Heavy rainfalls also stir up a pond and can be the cause of pond turnover.

For more information on fish kill or our aquatic grade pond product contact us today.