Pond water testing

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

While its not a reef tank, I recently used a commercial "mail away" kit to test a pond, and since it's pretty chemistry intensive, I thought I'd post my experience in case others may be interested.

I was testing a spring fed, man made pond on my property. The pond itself is about 1/10th acre and is 70 years old, but the house and property have been around for 220 years and was often used as a farm. Hence, there was concern about all sorts of things that might have been used on the property since 1800.

The SafeHome Ultimate kit tests for 200 different chemicals and properties, including more than 150 different pesticides and other organic compounds using EPA methods. It is intended for tap and well water, but I used it on the pond.

I got it from amazon for $399. Very expensive compared to reef water ICP testing, but many more tests are involved.

It comes with several collection bottles of different types, some with preservatives in them, that you fill and send back to them in a prepaid shipping ice chest in a box. There was no need to use ice packs since the temp was not higher than their suggested limit for simple shipping in their box. I sent it back via a local UPS store.

It also includes a bacteria test that you do yourself. I haven't used that test since I'm sure the pond is loaded with natural bacteria. Hundreds of wood frogs had a mating frenzy in the pond a couple of weeks before I sampled (when the pond was still partly ice covered) and now the water is filled with thousands of pollywogs.

I got the results back about 3 weeks after I sent it in. The pdf report is attached and folks can see what was tested for and how they show results.

From the report, it appears (to me) that the water is in great shape and is even drinkable (after boiling to sterilize) in case of serious natural or man made emergencies that disrupt the local water supply. No detection of any of the organics evaluated. All of the inorganics meet EPA requirements for drinking water except slightly high iron and manganese just above the upper limit of EPA guidelines.

I'm happy with both the results and the testing experience.

 

[WVNed]

You have a very nice healthy pond. We miss the amphibians and turtles. Our old property had water. I dug the holes and things came to live in them. Ducks and wading birds came. I placed koi and mosquito fish in one.

Now we live on top of a dry hill.

 

[Eagle_Steve]

While its not a reef tank, I recently used a commercial "mail away" kit to test a pond, and since it's pretty chemistry intensive, I thought I'd post my experience in case others may be interested.

I was testing a spring fed, man made pond on my property. The pond itself is about 1/10th acre and is 70 years old, but the house and property have been around for 220 years and was often used as a farm. Hence, there was concern about all sorts of things that might have been used on the property since 1800.

The SafeHome Ultimate kit tests for 200 different chemicals and properties, including more than 150 different pesticides and other organic compounds using EPA methods. It is intended for tap and well water, but I used it on the pond.

I got it from amazon for $399. Very expensive compared to reef water ICP testing, but many more tests are involved.

It comes with several collection bottles of different types, some with preservatives in them, that you fill and send back to them in a prepaid shipping ice chest in a box. There was no need to use ice packs since the temp was not higher than their suggested limit for simple shipping in their box. I sent it back via a local UPS store.

It also includes a bacteria test that you do yourself. I haven't used that test since I'm sure the pond is loaded with natural bacteria. Hundreds of wood frogs had a mating frenzy in the pond a couple of weeks before I sampled (when the pond was still partly ice covered) and now the water is filled with thousands of pollywogs.

I got the results back about 3 weeks after I sent it in. The pdf report is attached and folks can see what was tested for and how they show results.

From the report, it appears (to me) that the water is in great shape and is even drinkable (after boiling to sterilize) in case of serious natural or man made emergencies that disrupt the local water supply. No detection of any of the organics evaluated. All of the inorganics meet EPA requirements for drinking water except slightly high iron and manganese just above the upper limit of EPA guidelines.

I'm happy with both the results and the testing experience.

Thanks for this Randy. I have been looking into this test for my well water/pond I use for the cattle. I have had some similar test done by our local Farmers Co-Op, but they are no where near as in depth as this. In short, I do not have common to here pesticides is about all it tells.

I may end up doing this test for my house well and the pond well, as just curious to what is in them both. I know the house well is at least "safe" to run through an RO/DI system, as that is what I make all of my water for tanks from lol. Luckily, I have no CO2 issues with it. Still curious as to what is in the 42-55 TDS for it. The biggest concern is the pond well. It is over 550 TDS, but is also close to a local river and I am sure shares water with it in some form.

As for the price, that is not too bad in reality. It would cost me about 500 bucks to get one well tested by the UT Knoxville Ag. Dept. About 450 by the same dept. at MTSU.

 

[Miami Reef]

Do you have a picture of the pond?

 

[Tonycass12]

Private ponds are the best no matter the season! Bummed out this spring looks like we had a massive die off and lost most if not all of our perch due to low O²

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Here’s a video I took in March as well as the wood frogs in action.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Looks like I can’t post videos directly from my phone. Here’s a still photo that I took to document a tree that began to fall on the far side.

 

[Dennis Cartier]

Ah, Reef Pond, I like it! The reef that uses pond water. What a great premise for a reef tank.

No RODI needed, just some filtration to keep the organics (tadpoles) out! Although I think you might need to take extra care for disposal of water change water. Dehydration and safe disposal of the resulting solids would be the biggest concern. Cause you don't want a brackish pond!

Of course a fuge would be recommended with that Iron and Manganese content.

Now what to call the new tank .... Reef Pond or Pond Reef? I think Reef Pond, Pond Reef sounds too much like a Vulcan mating ritual, lol!

Do it. Think of the children science!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Now we live on top of a dry hill.

Sad. lol

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Oh, the videos I posted did work, just not on my phone.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Private ponds are the best no matter the season! Bummed out this spring looks like we had a massive die off and lost most if not all of our perch due to low O²

Nice pond!

 

[knightnsd]

Well at least I found a couple others with ponds. I am looking for some dwarf sturgeon for my pond if anyone has seen a vendor for them? I'm thinking the sterlet sturgeon perhaps as they do not get very large but would look at a couple other options as my pond is 35 by 25 by 8 feet in Arizona at about 6,000 feet in elevation so the water stays cool but doesn't freeze with circulation.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Sorry, I won’t be able to help. We have visiting otters and resident snapping turtles that make keeping fish impossible long term.

 

[knightnsd]

How much for an otter? I watched the video of an otter eating a snapping turtle, pretty gory and Im guessing one would eat all of my fish as well as my painted turtles and freshwater clams that I have already.

 

[Eagle_Steve]

How much for an otter? I watched the video of an otter eating a snapping turtle, pretty gory and Im guessing one would eat all of my fish as well as my painted turtles and freshwater clams that I have already.

That would be sooo cool to have an otter, but lord know how many federal laws that breaks lol.

 

[Tonycass12]

Sorry, I won’t be able to help. We have visiting otters and resident snapping turtles that make keeping fish impossible long term.

Thats pretty lucky! We have otters in our neck of the woods as well but they stick to the rivers in sleeping bear National lakeshore. We only get the bigger guys coming to hang at the pond. Home is where the wild things are....

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

The three otters were a big surprise. They only stayed one day, eating something they kept loudly chewing. lol

I hope his attachment works!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Well, here's a screenshot from the video of two of the otters...

 

[knightnsd]

That is a beautiful wood duck photo, no ducks in my pond, the brittanys would never stop chasing them. They stay further down the hill in the golf course pond and creek but I have alot of the canyon tree frogs that are pretty enjoyable to listen to. It reminds me of Hawaii between the birds and frogs at least till the snow comes

 

[Tonycass12]

Thanks we have a pair that returns every spring and nests in a box on the edge of the pond. I keep my dogs fenced in up by the house, I doubt we would see as much of the wildlife if I didn't.

That is a beautiful wood duck photo, no ducks in my pond, the brittanys would never stop chasing them. They stay further down the hill in the golf course pond and creek but I have alot of the canyon tree frogs that are pretty enjoyable to listen to. It reminds me of Hawaii between the birds and frogs at least till the snow comes