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Tests on the incoming water supply to the Detling Showground in Kent in advance of the 2014 All England Koi Show (South East Koi Club’s Koi Show)
Second sample
This second sample was collected first thing on Monday morning (15/09/2014) to take account of any variation in parameters over the weekend compared with weekday parameters. There were no significant changes since the first sample and so the comments below are the same:
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Test date: 16/09/2014
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Sample no. 2
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Vat
Temp °C
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Ammonia mg/L
Max Actual
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Nitrite
mg/L
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Nitrate
mg/L
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pH
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KH
mg/L
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GH
mg/L
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PO4
mg/L
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TDS
mg/L
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Cu
μgm/L
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Fe
mg/L
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NaCl
ppt
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Total
Cl2
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16 °C #
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0.7
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0.0
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0.0
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13.0
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7.85 Ø
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250
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313
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7.7
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343
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< 5
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< 0.1
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0
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0 ♦
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# 16 °C is expected average vat temperature during show
Ø pH value after dechlorination
♦ Value after dechlorination
Abbreviations
- mg/L milligrams per litre (the same as the old expression - parts per million)
- μgm/L micro grams per litre (1 μgm/L = 0.001 mg/L)
- ppt parts per thousand (1 ppt = 1,000 mg/L or 0.1%)
- KH carbonate hardness; a measure of water’s capacity to resist changes in pH
- GH general hardness; chiefly a measure of dissolved calcium and magnesium
- Cu copper; dissolved not particulate
- Fe iron; dissolved not particulate
- PO4 phosphate
- TDS total dissolved solids
- NaCl salt; NaCl ppt is a measure of salt content or salinity
- Cl2 chlorine; (total chlorine is the total of ordinary free chlorine plus chloramine)
- < less than; e.g. Cu μgm/L < 5 means that the level of copper was less than 5 μgm/L
Comments
Ammonia:- The maximum allowable (total) ammonia value is calculated from the vat pH and its temperature and it will vary as the temperature and/or the pH changes. Therefore the maximum value in the results above isn’t a constant value that can be assumed at any time other than when the tests are done. It should also be remembered that the maximum allowable ammonia value (at any particular pH and temperature) is the maximum value that will not harm your koi and that the ideal value is as near to zero as is possible. An average vat temperature has been used to predict maximum allowable level but actual vat ammonia levels during the show will be kept as low as is possible consistent with reasonable water changes so as not to unnecessarily stress the koi in the vats.
Nitrite:- There will be no increase in the level of nitrite in the vats during the show above the level in the incoming supply which is zero.
Nitrate:- Nitrate is virtually non toxic except at high levels well above 300 mg/L. In the home pond, nitrate is best kept as low as is possible as real evidence is now emerging that supports the long held belief that the lower the nitrate level in the pond, the better the skin quality and overall development. The nitrate level in the supply to the showground supply is very low and is typical of water supplies in the Kent area.
pH:- The pH of the supply water was measured after the sample was dechlorinated and aerated for 24 hours to allow dissolved gasses to normalise. The actual pH of the vats during the show can be expected to be very close to this value.
KH & GH:- These are typical of the hard water supplies in the Kent area.
Phosphate:- This is a relatively low value and is typical of water supplies in the Kent area.
TDS:- This value is mainly due to the hard water supply in the Kent area and is not a threat to koi.
Copper:- Copper is an essential mineral for koi but is toxic to them at high values. It is common at trace levels in water supplies. The measured value in the sample of < 5 μgm/L is well below the level that would be a threat to koi.
Iron:- The value < 0.1 mg/L was below practical detection level.
Salt:- The salinity of the supply was too low to be measurable. No salt will be added to the vats before or during the show.
Chlorine:- Before dechlorination the free chlorine level was measured at 0.4 mg/L. There was no chloramine in the supply. After dechlorination the chlorine value was zero. The water in the show vats and the spare water reservoirs will obviously be dechlorinated to a zero value.
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