String Algae and dead fish

by Pat
(Ontario)

My fish are dying and I have string algae. I have scooped out tonnes of algae and I think my water is too acidic. So what do i do now? I read somewhere you can put salt in the water - what will that do and how will it help?

Doug says - take a deep breath. Relax. You're removing the algae by scooping it out. Fine - that's stirring up lots of pond gunk and maybe messing up your water quality.

How do you know you have acidic water? Guess? *Before* you go adding anything to the pond on a guess, you had better get yourself a water quality test from a pond store or pet store.

Salt is sometimes added in very small quantities to aquarium fish - I wouldn't be dumping salt into my pond on some kind of guesstimate basis.

Get a water test.

Get your pump and filter going to clarify the water and suck out the crud. Clean out the pond if there's a lot of overwinterd crud in it.

You didn't say if you had added water (cholorine?) or how much this spring. But the bottom line is that before you go adding anything or having a panic attack - get the Oxygen levels up by getting pumps and filters going and get a water test done by a reputable pond/pet store to give you a base line.

Fish die for a multitude of reasons and dumping salt into the pond isn't going to cure them.

Did I mention to get a water test? :-)