Whether planning or already keeping a pond, these Care Sheets will help you keep it in tip top shape and guarantee a full season of trouble-free, outdoor fishkeeping enjoyment.

Part 9 : REMEDIES & TEST KITS

NOTE : Since this list was prepared some of these known aquarium
                treatments, together with some of their active ingredients, may have
                been withdrawn from the market or now not be generally available.

Click HERE for Conversion Charts

ACRIFLAVINE: (not the hydrochloride type).
                        Stock Solution (SS) = 3mg in 330cc distilled water store in
                        the dark. 2cc a litre of SS immerse for 3 days.
                       Repeat in a week if required. Supply aeration.
ALUM: 2 x 5 ml teaspoons in 1 litre of water. Soak plants for 5 minutes, then
            thoroughly rinse in clean water. This will not kill snail spawn or
            the eggs of other pond insects. Remove with your thumbnail or pick off
             the leaf.
ALGICLEAR: A commercial Green Water controller that flocculates the algae.
                    N.T. LABORATORIES.
ALGOFIN PLUS: A commercial Blanket Weed controller. TETRA.
ALGOREM: A commercial Green Water controller. TETRA.
AMMONIA TEST KIT: INTERPET.
ANTIFOAM: A commercial product for eliminating foam and bubbles
                      in ponds. N.T. LABORATORIES.
ANTI FUNGUS: A commercial Fungus and General Bacteria treatment.
                         TETRA.
ANTI PARASITE: A commercial White Spot and Slime treatment. TETRA.
ANTI ULCER: A commercial ulcer treatment. TETRA.
AQUAFIN: A commercial tap water conditioner for removing chlorine and                    rendering poisonous heavy metals harmless. TETRA.
AQUA TEST: A commercial freshwater test kit that tests pH,
                      KH (carbonate hardness), GH (total hardness), NO2 (nitrite),
                      NO3 (nitrate). eSHa.
BARLEY STRAW: Works 50% of the time. Allow 20 grammes for each
                             cubic metre of water (1000 litres) in a clean nylon net
                             sack suspended in the pond just below the water.
                             Effect if any, will begin to show after three to four
                             weeks. Lift, and agitate the straw periodically to assist
                             decomposition and enzyme production.
                             Replace the straw when well rotted in pond or filter.
BARLEY STRAW POUCHES: N.T. LABORATORIES.

BELL BATTERY: Strip 150mm of insulation from 1m Bell Wire.
                            Connect to the positive end of a 9v battery.
                            Place the stripped wire at one end of the tank. Do the same
                            with the negative. Leave working for 1 hour.
                            Repeat 3 times at 2 week intervals.
                           Following each treatment, change 25% of the water.
                           Please Note: This treatment will affect the plants burning
                           off any brown or dead parts.

                           All snail treatments must be repeated at least three times
                            at fortnightly intervals as snail eggs are not affected and
                            one must wait for them to hatch.
BIO-START: A commercial product that enhances and accelerates filter
                       biological action in decomposing waste. INTERPET.
BLANC-KIT: A commercial product to control Blanketweed. INTERCEL. CLARIFIN: A commercial Pond Water Clarifier. Clears cloudy water,
                    accelerates decomposition. TETRA.
CONTRASPOT: A commercial treatment for White Spot. TETRA MEDICA.
COOKING SALT: A 2% solution = 20 grammes per litre of water.
                           Immerse fish for 8 hours.
                            Remove sooner if fish shows distress.
                           Raise temperature, supply aeration.

                           7 day treatment programme:
                           1st day 7gm of salt per litre.
                           2nd day drain 50% of the water and top up with fresh
                           water containing 11gm salt per litre.
                           3rd day drain 50% top up with fresh water with
                           13gm of salt perlitre.
                          4th day top up 50% fresh water with 17gm of salt
                           a litre, raise temperature and aerate.
                          Repeat after 7 days if necessary.
CURE BY WATER CHANGING: Change all the water every day.
                           Do this for seven days. Keep any filters running
                           continuously especially the biological type.
                           Raise temperature and aerate.
                           See 'FINCARE' a fresh water neutraliser.
CYCLE: A commercial bacteriological agent that promotes and speeds up the
              natural biological action in the aquarium and filters. HAGEN.
FINCARE: A commercial water neutralising and stress relieving agent.
                HAGEN.
FINROT AQUARIUM: A commercial Finrot treatment. TETRA MEDICA.
FORMALDEHYDE 30%: A commercial wide ranging treatment for various
                                   fish diseases. N.T. LABORATORIES.
FRIARS BALSAM: Dry the area to be treated with baby buds or kitchen
                              towelling. Apply Balsam to area with a baby bud.
                              Repeat several times over an hour to build up a covering
                               of Balsam.
FUNGISTOP: A commercial Fish Fungus treatment. TETRA MEDICA.
GILL-WASH: A commercial treatment for gill flukes and infections.
                     N.T. LABORATORIES.
GREENAWAY: A commercial chemical that controls green water in ponds by
                        flocculation. The coagulated algae which sinks to the bottom
                         of the pond must be removed or the condition will quickly
                         return. INTERPET.
IODINE: Dilute 1 drop Iodine with 9 of water. Remove fish, touch Fish Louse
                or Leech with a baby bud or matchstick dipped in the Iodine until it
                comes off. Do not pull Leech off with tweezers.
                Keep Iodine off of unaffected areas of body. Use Vaseline to cover
                and protect wound from secondary infection.
MALACHITE GREEN: Stock Solution = 1cc in 450cc of distilled water stored
                                   in the dark. Treat with 2cc a litre of stock solution.
                                  Supply aeration. Immerse fish for one hour.
                                   Remove sooner if fish shows extreme distress.
                                  It is reported that this is a mild carcinogenic chemical.
MEDIFIN: A commercial general treatment for pond fishes only.
                 Not to be used with some other treatments. TETRA.
MELAFIX: A commercial treatment for several ailments.
                 AQUARIUM PHARMACEUTICALS
METHYLENE BLUE: Stock Solution = 1 gramme in 100cc distilled water
                                 stored in the dark. Fish to be immersed for 14 days.
                                1st day add 2cc of Stock Solution per litre of water.
                                2nd day repeat dosage. If water colour fades add Stock
                                Solution to colour as required. Raise temperature
                                and add light aeration.
NITRATE TEST KIT: INTERPET.
PHOS-KIT: Phosphate Test Kit INTERCEL.
pH ADJUSTER: Two adjusting kits: one acid and one for alkaline.
                         Use 'Pond Check' to check results. INTERPET.
PIMAFIX: A commercial treatment for viral ailments.
                 AQUARIUM PHARMACEUTICALS
POND BALANCE: A commercial chemical to effect a bacterial balance in
                            a pond and control Blanketweed. INTERPET.
POND CHECK: A test kit to check acidic and alkaline (pH) levels. INTERPET.
POND DISINFECTANT: A general disinfectant for plants and equipment.
                                      Can be used to treat a complete pond without
                                      removing the fish or plants.
POTASSIUM DICHROMATE: Stock Solution = 1 gramme in 99cc of distilled
                                              water stored in the dark.
                                             Add 5cc of Stock Solution for each litre of
                                             water. Raise temperature and aerate.
                                             Immerse fish for 7 days.
                                             Remove sooner if in distress.
REVITE: A stress and recovery chemical aid. Use on stressed fish or those
               that have just been treated for disease. TETRA MEDICA.
VASELINE: Dry ulcer area with baby buds etc. Lightly smear area of ulcer
                   with Vaseline. Repeat on alternate days.
                  Dry area of body to be treated, lightly smear area around wound,
                  Leech orFish Louse, to be treated with Vaseline.
                  Then treat the problem with the chemical.

TOTAL BREAKDOWN: Remove all the fish and other animals and plants.
                                    Disinfect the pond and all filters.
                                    The biological action of biological filters will be lost
                                     until they are re-established.
                                     Treat the fish and plants.
                                    Flush out the pond and filters several times and leave
                                    to thoroughly dry out. See 'CYCLE' to speed
                                    the re-establishment of a biological filter.
ULTRA VIOLET: Fit a commercial encased Ultra Violet (U.V.) tube into an
                           existing filter system before the main filter.
                          Tubes must be the correct wattage for the amount of pond
                           water being treated; they require a 240volt power supply
                          and it is recommended that the tubes are replaced annually.
                          U.V. not only kills algae but also pathogens and parasites
                           and fish become use to this protection and in time are
                          reported to lose their natural immunity.
                          You must ensure that water does not pass through the U.V.
                           too fast for it to have any effect, you may have to introduce
                           a bypass if the filter serves a waterfall.
                          If treating a pond with chemicals switch off the U.V. during
                          treatment, as the U.V. can break down some chemical action.

WARNING: Do not view an exposed Ultra Violet tube with the
              naked eye, when powered up and alight, it will
              damage the retina and can cause blindness.

WOUND SEAL: A commercial waterproof sealant that seals wounds and aids
                        healing following the appropriate treatment.
                         N.T. LABORATORIES.

© FBAS 2004 RCM/RDE                                    Pond Care Sheet 9 1/1

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Last updated July, 2005