| Let's go back to chemistry class shall we? Oh, it's | | | | and will turn a color which can be compared to a |
| ok...it won't be that painful and it might even | | | | chart for pH readings. These are not as accurate |
| prove helpful to your pond or water garden. | | | | as a digital pH reader, but they are much less |
| We want to talk about pH today and as you | | | | expensive and will serve most pond owners well. |
| might recall in our classroom projects, pH is a | | | | In most cases, a pond owner doesn't need to do |
| way to measure both alkaline and acid levels in | | | | anything in terms of adjusting the pH of a pond. |
| pond water. The scale to measure pH runs from | | | | In fact it's probably better that they don't in most |
| 0 to 14 with 7 being neutral. A low number here | | | | cases. If pH adjustment is advised, and if you |
| would be acidic and a higher number more alkaline. | | | | have fish in the pond, it's important to adjust the |
| The normal range for most ponds is from 6.8 to | | | | pH very gradually to avoid shock or stress to the |
| 7.8 with natural daily fluctuations which might | | | | fish. |
| affect a reading. Generally speaking though, a | | | | In many cases, using natural pond products for |
| reading that's a little bit higher or lower than the | | | | algae control and balance won't work very well in |
| normal range should really be considered a | | | | very high or low pH ranges. Therefore if you |
| problem. | | | | depend on products like these, it may be |
| Depending on what part of the country you live it, | | | | necessary to adjust the pH from time to time to |
| your water source could be naturally high or low | | | | a more neutral level. |
| in terms of pH levels. For instance if the ground in | | | | A number of products are available on the |
| your area has a high concentration of limestone, | | | | market to do this, just make sure you use a |
| this can raise the pH level naturally in a pond. | | | | product designed for pond care and not for pools. |
| If you ever want to check the pH in your pond | | | | Pond care products are designed to take fish and |
| or local water supply you can often find | | | | plant concerns into consideration where pool |
| inexpensive test strips at most home and garden | | | | products to not. |
| supply stores. These can be dipped in the water | | | | |