A fish kill is one of the most tragic occurrences that can befall a pond owner. It is a painful loss of aquatic life, it smells awful, it looks disgusting, it is a public health concern, and is altogether devastating to the pond ecosystem. One of the most painful things about fish kills is that they can almost always be avoided.
That's why in this instance we are offering you a special opportunity: Stop fish kills from happening in your pond by learning from mistakes that have already been made.: This way, you can avoid making those same mistakes, and protect your fish for years to come.
Click on the headlines to see the articles chronicling the fish kills and their potential causes.
Chicago Fish Kill
In January of 2011, Chicago suffered a large fish kill, which was blamed on a cold front that was followed up quickly by a thaw. This lead to a fluctuation in the water temperature that shocked the ecosystem and resulted in the deaths of thousands of fish. This same occurrence that happened in Lake Michigan has also been seen in the Chesapeake Bay on multiple occasions. Many smaller bodies of water, such as local ponds or lakes, can suffer this same consequence. It often occurs in the spring and the fall - during pond turnover. However, this problem can certainly be avoided if the water is properly treated.
Temperature Fluctuation Fish Kill Solution:
The best way to avoid these types of fish kills is to make every effort to assure that a uniform temperature exists across the water body. In order to secure this type of temperature uniformity a thorough circulation of the water column must occur constantly. This mixing action between the lower layers of the pond and the surface layers will decrease the chances of this type of ecosystem temperature shock from occurring.
The most effective way to do this is with a pond aeration system. In this case it is very important that the aeration system can both mix and aerate, as it will then not only decrease pond stratification and prevent temperature shock from occurring, but will also be able to provide oxygen and make sure it is spread evenly across the pond.
Private Pond Owner Suffers Fish Kill
This article is written by a private pond owner who personally suffered a fish kill in the 1-acre pond that he has on his property. The most probable cause of this fish kill was that the hot, dry weather of mid-summer resulted in a depletion of the oxygen supply in the pond. The higher the temperature of the water, the less DO it can naturally hold. This can cause major problems when there are a number of very hot days in a row. In these cases the DO level is prevented from getting very high during the day, and then at night aquatic plants and algae use that oxygen during respiration. The result is a constant decrease in the amount of DO available for the fish, and if the process is allowed to continue unabated it will often culminate in a fish kill.
Low Dissolved Oxygen Fish Kill Solution:
If a body of water, be it a pond, lake, stream, etc., does not have an adequate oxygen supply naturally, it needs to obtain it by other means. Once it becomes clear that the DO content is not at a healthy, livable level (an indication of this is fish collecting at the surface of the water in search of oxygen) it cannot be assumed that the ecosystem will somehow generate that oxygen on its own. Another source of oxygen needs to be secured. Diffused pond aeration is the best way to do this - you get the most benefit for your pond ecosystem, and certainly the most bang for your buck in terms of oxygen transfer. Some obviously offer more benefits and more effective treatment than others, but once DO begins to decline and fish begin to suffer, anything is better than nothing. It should also be noted that this process does not have to be extremely expensive. Many systems are very efficient in terms of power consumption, and warranties will protect your purchases. It's true that a pond aeration system may have more up-front cost than you would hope, but it is an investment that will last for years to come, and will continue to provide you with healthy and happy fish.
Massive Fish Kill in Louisiana
In September of 2010, there was a massive fish kill in a Louisiana waterway near the Gulf of Mexico. It is possible that this fish kill was yet another adverse side affect of the BP oil spill, but the more likely scenario is that these fish suffocated due to catastrophically low DO levels in this waterway. This low DO level was probably caused by extremely high levels of nutrients.
Unfortunately, fish kills like this are rather commonplace around the Gulf Coast due to the extremely high influx of nutrients. These high levels of nutrients suck all of the oxygen out of the water, because decomposing bacteria need that oxygen to break down those nutrients. When the bacteria use all of the oxygen for these processes, the fish are left with nothing to breathe. So, instead of water filled with oxygen, fish struggle to survive in water that is saturated with nitrogen, phosphorous, and a slew of other nutrients. These areas are known as "dead zones."
How it applies to you:
In the case of the Gulf Coast, these nutrients come barreling down the Mississippi River in droves. In private ponds and lakes these nutrients enter in the form of runoff from buildings, streets, and lawns. Either way, the nutrients enter the water and begin to harm the ecosystem by forming pond algae, depleting oxygen, and making life for fish a struggle.
High Nutrient Fish Kill Solution:
In cases such as these, the nutrients need to be controlled, and the oxygen needs to be increased. The first step is to investigate whether or not the influx of nutrients can be stopped or slowed. If the source of the nutrient load cannot be eliminated, the water itself must be treated. Aeration is the best way to assure that oxygen level is being raised. Increased oxygen will help bacteria to break down the nutrients more quickly and efficiently, without problematic byproducts such as sulfur and methane. Pond aeration in private ponds can do wonders for the health, size, and activity level of the fish. By increasing the dissolved oxygen level and thereby decreasing the nutrient level, the ecosystem becomes all the more healthy and livable for fish. A pond aeration system that can both mix and aerate will allow for more sufficient breakdown of these nutrients. This will succeed in eliminating fish kills sparked by "dead zones" and excess nutrient levels like the one that occurred in this Louisiana waterway.
Fish Kill Summary:
Overall, the best way to assure that fish kills will not affect your pond is to make sure that they have an adequate supply of oxygen, the water column is mixed thoroughly throughout the year, and that nutrients are being effectively broken down. Pond aeration is hands down the best way that this can be accomplished with one comprehensive system.
Tim LaBarge is the Aquatic Habitat Manager at Triplepoint Water Technologies, an environmentally friendly water technologies company based in the suburbs of Chicago, IL. The company is dedicated to providing efficient, effective, and eco-friendly solutions to aquatic habitats, as well as wastewater and aquaculture facilities. Learn more at: http://www.triplepointwater.com.
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