Haaaaa?

[bagu]

maybe someone tied a knot in the fish

 

[Duck and Dive]

All the filter bacteria on the sides of the pond. Simple really. Thats why there is no ammonia, as filter bacteria can live on any surface even the sides of your tank, gravel, bogwood etc.

 

[Bebobb]

All the filter bacteria on the sides of the pond. Simple really. Thats why there is no ammonia, as filter bacteria can live on any surface even the sides of your tank, gravel, bogwood etc.

I was going to say this but I though I might look like a total idiot. Because bacteria usuallt lives where the water is ppassed throught over and over again.

 

[rdd1952]

It seems like it would dillute with one gold fish in a 180 gallon pond. But I don't know much on this topic.

I still haven't gotten clarification if it is 180 gallons or 18 gallon. I've never heard of an 18 gallon pond. My pond is about 150 gallon and that seems tiny.

 

[matchstickman47]

i got a 30 gallon pond... with like 4 fantail nymphs and some frogs

 

[three-fingers]

So an 18g pond with one goldfish hasn't had a water change for 3 weeks? Does it usually get water changes? How long has it been set up for?

Not hugely surprising, being outdoors and probably with a decent amount of mulm and dirt in the pond, doesnt sound like a hard job for bacteria. Especially if the fountain is turned on at times. Also, don't underestimate algaes appetite.

Also, as mentioned, the pond could over flow, and the ammonia test could have just been wrong anyway.

Still, 18gals is too small an outdoor pond for a goldfish in this climate, and especially unsuitable with the fountain turned off and no plants.

This pond must look pretty bad too...fountain turned off and no plants, why not just put the fish straight into a cats dish or in a bowl on a bird table?

Its's in more than just the fishes interest to fix this pond...I'm just picturing a large stagnant puddle, not an attractive garden feature.

 

[Keithoms]

Yep, im afraid its an 18gal! It had 2 goldfish. Apparently one died of "Fungus". It's apparently been set up for 3-4 weeks and has never had a water change. Unless it swims to the surface, you can't see the fish. Apparently it has alot of plants (i couldn't see any though). I took the ammonia test twice, both came at 0.

"Its's in more than just the fishes interest to fix this pond...I'm just picturing a large stagnant puddle, not an attractive garden feature."

-Pretty much sums up what it is.

Now that the ammonia test came out wrong he thinks im big headed and that i always think im right etc etc and now wont listen to me in anything and has now decided that since the stats came out fine... it doesn't need any water changes.... Arrgghh some people.

 

[Geoff1991]

It is possible that the ammonia is being used up by the plants/algae and there could be some bacteria on surfaces in the pond...

 

[Bebobb]

Yep, im afraid its an 18gal! It had 2 goldfish. Apparently one died of "Fungus". It's apparently been set up for 3-4 weeks and has never had a water change. Unless it swims to the surface, you can't see the fish. Apparently it has alot of plants (i couldn't see any though). I took the ammonia test twice, both came at 0.

"Its's in more than just the fishes interest to fix this pond...I'm just picturing a large stagnant puddle, not an attractive garden feature."

-Pretty much sums up what it is.

Now that the ammonia test came out wrong he thinks im big headed and that i always think im right etc etc and now wont listen to me in anything and has now decided that since the stats came out fine... it doesn't need any water changes.... Arrgghh some people.

Amasins. Beats me. I don't think that a 18 gallon is a pond really. Just a stagment pool, espically if there is no filtration. I think that the bacteria might grow on the sides. Or if there are a WHOLE bunch of plants, then they might control it. It might be algae also.

 

[matchstickman47]

Also, as mentioned, the pond could over flow, and the ammonia test could have just been wrong anyway.

backed up

 

[rdd1952]

I agree that it's not a pond. My 150 gallon is tiny and not really big enough. An 18 gallon isn't even a good sized tank. For a tank the general rule of thumb is 20 gallon for the first goldfish and 10 gallons for each additional one.

That's off topic though. In some cases, if the ammonia is too high, the test may look to be negative. I once tested a tube of ammonia just to see the results. Came back as a pretty yellow meaning no ammonia which I obviously knew was wrong. Usually, the water in a pond is too green from the diatoms to really test it and get a good result. It is quite possible that the rainfall is keeping the ammonia low and maybe he isn't feeding it very often so not as much waste. I guess the algae could also be using some of the ammonia in it's pure form.