If I had to summarize the topic this week it would simply be that “chlorine kills fish”.
Not a happy topic to be sure but it’s a reality that sometimes mistakes happen.
If you have a fish pond you’re likely well aware that municipal tap water is not ideally suited to fish health.
Most tap water contains disinfecting chlorine and chloramines, both of which are quite toxic to fish, so when you refill a pond or add water to replace losses from evaporation, it’s a common practice to use dechlorinating tablets or liquids to neutralize these substances.
But not everyone may be aware of this fact or remember to use them.
A long time customer wrote a few weeks ago that she had a friend helping to take care of her pond during a time when she was unable to do so. She got a call one day from her friend that her fish were not looking very well and within a few days, all of her fish were dead.
In the end, she discovered that her friend had added water to the pond but did so without using any dechlorinator whatsoever and as a result, some very large, beautiful, and vibrant koi were lost. It was simply heartbreaking to hear about this and no less devastating to experience it.
Which leads me to an important reminder: Be diligent, not only in your own routine chores and processes as you manage your pond (because we all can make a mistake now and then), but also be thorough in training and guiding someone who’s offered to help you care for your pond. Don’t assume that they understand the various aspects of pond and fish care…it’s simply too risky.
How To Avoid Chlorine Contamination
After hearing about my friend’s loss, we traded emails in which she asked about a way to avoid something like this in the future. It then came to mind for me to suggest the use of a dechlorinating filter which goes on a standard garden hose. Of course she asked if we carried one and I sadly had to say no. But this led me down a path of researching the possibilities to find a good supplier who could produce a great, easy to use filter, at a reasonable price.
I’m now happy to say we’ve found one that makes removing chlorine very easy.
This dechlorinating filter removes all detectable traces of chlorine and chloramines, as well as heavy metals, and a number of other undesirable substances that you might find in tap water. (It works great on well water too). By using this filter routinely when you refill a pond or add water to a pond in the summer, you virtually eliminate the risk of chlorine toxicity (and other contaminants) from entering your pond…and that’s very good for your fish.
To learn more about this filter simply watch the video below or click here for more information.