I live on the Central Coast in California. It almost never rains here. The past 2 days, it's been raining like crazy! Is rain water a concern for my pond? What problems could it cause? I'm pretty sure it won't screw with my bacteria because it's just water, but still. It's got me a little worried since I just added 3 nice new fish. Anything special I should do?
Rain in a pond?
- Thread starter PallasAthena
- Start date
You might want to hand little cocktail umbrellas out for the fish... otherwise they might get wet. 
You don't need to worry about the rain. Bacteria live on solid surfaces and in the filter- they won't get killed by the rain- nor shall your fish.
You don't need to worry about the rain. Bacteria live on solid surfaces and in the filter- they won't get killed by the rain- nor shall your fish.
Rain water will do things, all good things.
The tops of the clouds, being exposed to major increases of UV will generate measurable quantities of hydrogen peroxide and ozone. Some of this will be present in the rain water, this is beneficial to a ponds health. Accumulated toxins and excess concentrations of minerals will be diluted, this is beneficial to the pond. The water, being "rammed" against the air for thousands of feet, will contain high concentrations of oxygen, this will be beneficial to the pond. Etc.
Mother Nature is simply "doing her thing" ...
Regards,
TA
Thanks! Logically this seemed correct, but I still was a little worried about my fish buddies. I mean, it never rains here! It is a pond, though, after all. Ponds do get rained on!
I wonder if all the wet and rain will bring me a frog. I hope so.
I noticed that the water was looking pretty green yesterday evening after the all-day rains. I suppose this could be an algeal bloom caused by the extra oxygenation?
Oh, and Wycco? Thanks for making me laugh so hard that I snorted hot chocolate into my nose! Cocktail umbrellas! :laugh:
I wonder if all the wet and rain will bring me a frog. I hope so.
I noticed that the water was looking pretty green yesterday evening after the all-day rains. I suppose this could be an algeal bloom caused by the extra oxygenation?
Oh, and Wycco? Thanks for making me laugh so hard that I snorted hot chocolate into my nose! Cocktail umbrellas! :laugh:
The biggest concern you have about rain water is not the water itself, but any chemicals it picks up as runnoff water if your pond is below ground level. For instance, lawn fertilzers, insecticides, etc etc than my be on your lawn if your pond is built in such a way that water can travel over your lawn then enter your pond. Ph swings in your pond should be minimal unless you have a very small pond and are in the middle of a monsone (in which case you may have bigger worries).
Rain water is typically around a PH of 7.0 (unless you live next to a large coal burning powr plant). But more importantly its KH is next to zero as well. When it combines with pond water, the impurities of the pond water mix with the rain water resulting in a ph much closer to that of the pond water than the rain water. For instance, a mixture of 50% pond water with a KH of 150 and Ph of 7.8 with that of 50% rain water will result in a net Ph much closer to 7.8 then 7.0.
The one exception to this rule will be if your KH in the pond water is dangerously low, which should never be allowed to happen in the first place IMHO.
Any swings in Ph level caused by rainwater are usually minimal and quite a gradual process that the fish can handle quite easily. your main concern should be run-off.
Rain water is typically around a PH of 7.0 (unless you live next to a large coal burning powr plant). But more importantly its KH is next to zero as well. When it combines with pond water, the impurities of the pond water mix with the rain water resulting in a ph much closer to that of the pond water than the rain water. For instance, a mixture of 50% pond water with a KH of 150 and Ph of 7.8 with that of 50% rain water will result in a net Ph much closer to 7.8 then 7.0.
The one exception to this rule will be if your KH in the pond water is dangerously low, which should never be allowed to happen in the first place IMHO.
Any swings in Ph level caused by rainwater are usually minimal and quite a gradual process that the fish can handle quite easily. your main concern should be run-off.
We're built uphill from everything else, so no runnoff! Also, the rain we get here is pretty minimal, so it sounds like it's mostly just a bonus.
Everyone got happy afterward, and the pond water turned green from all the oxygen, so all is well I think!
Everyone got happy afterward, and the pond water turned green from all the oxygen, so all is well I think!