Pond water testing | A pond water test is unnecessary if the pond is set up correctly
Water testing, many pond owners think that once in a while a water test is essential to keep the pond healthy, but this is not necessary at all if the pond is set up properly. Does it seem ideal to you to the water values of your pond water and would you like to know how this is possible? Then read on quickly.
All about pond water testing
- Why water testing?
- How do you test the pond water?
- Water treatment pond
- Disadvantages of water testing pond
- GH Plus and other natural water improvers: a waste of money!
- Setting up pond so water testing is no longer necessary
Why water testing?
Pond owners test the water in their pond to determine if the water in their pond is of good quality and suitable for their pond fish, aquatic plants and other pond life such as frogs and toads. Water quality can be assessed by the water values. When the water values are not stable; PH value, GH value and KH value, it can be concluded that the water in the pond is not healthy for pond life. But what many people do not realize is that the water values in the pond change every day due to weather conditions, for example. This makes it almost impossible to stay informed about the water values in the pond. What many pond owners are also unaware of is that pond water does not need to be tested if the pond is set up correctly.
How do you test the pond water?
To test the water in your pond, you need to buy a pond test kit, collect water from your pond and test the water according to the test kit's instructions. By reading the test results, you can determine if the water quality is okay and if you need to take action to improve the water quality. Consulting a pond specialist can be helpful if you are unsure about the test results or what to do to improve water quality.
Water treatment pond
The only water treatment needed for a healthy pond is adding bacteria 2x a year. To make everything even easier, there is Bacta Clear developed. Bacta Clear contains the right bacteria in the right proportion and is 100% environmentally friendly and not harmful to humans, plants and animals.
Disadvantages of water testing pond
Testing the water in the pond many pond owners often experience as a hassle. But besides being a hassle, it brings other disadvantages that not everyone with a pond is aware of.
- Cost: Buying a pond test kit can be pricey. If you need to regularly test the water in your pond, these costs can add up.
- Time and effort: Testing the water in your pond takes time and effort, especially if you need to do it regularly. Collecting the water, performing the test and reading the results can be time consuming.
- Possible damage to fish and aquatic plants: Testing the water in your pond involves adding reagents to the water, which in some cases can be harmful to the fish and plants in your pond. It is important to follow the test kit instructions carefully to minimize any damage.
These drawbacks apply regardless of the type of pond you have.
Water testing is not necessary when the pond is properly set up
Water testing is something many pond owners do because they think it's the only way to keep their pond healthy. But did you know that testing is not necessary at all if the pond is set up correctly. This is not the only advantage of a correctly set-up pond, you also don't need to buy expensive pump and filter systems when your pond is set up properly! - Simon.
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GH Plus and other natural water improvers: a waste of money!
For pure pond water, you don't need all these expensive water improvers. When you take care of a well-designed pond and take into account enough aquatic plants and the right pond bacteria, your pond will balance naturally. When enough healthy oxygen plants are present in the pond, the pH will gradually rise. After several months, this value may be between 9 and 10 in the afternoon, while the next morning it may be up to 1 to 1.5 points lower. This natural process has no harmful effects on the pond. Claims that fish and plants cannot stand high pH are not true. It is not advisable to artificially lower the pH from 9 or higher to 8 through the use of chemicals, as this leads to degradation of oxygen plants. When healthy plants are present in the pond, testing the water is unnecessary and misleading because plants absorb nutrients directly from the water and the values may drop over time. Testing GH and KH can lead to a yo-yo effect, which can have unnecessary costs and negative effects on pond water quality.
Setting up pond so water testing is no longer necessary
So testing the water values in the pond is a lot of work and in addition it costs a lot of money and can be harmful to pond fish and other aquatic animals in the pond. On top of this, because the weather changes daily, water values will also be different every day, this makes it almost impossible to monitor these values properly.
Are you thinking to yourself right now; "Testing the water in my pond, I want to get rid of this"? Well you can do that by following a few steps! First of all you have to construct pond correctly By thinking about what kind of pond you want and what you want your pond to meet, fortunately we have a nice step-by-step plan for this! After this it is important that the pond should be decorated correctly is done. When these two things are in order then you do not need pumps, filters and skimmers to keep your pond and the animals in it healthy because the combination of the right amounts of pond substrate, pond bacteria and pond plants provides a healthy pond climate. Not only is this better for the environment, but pond plants add biodiversity to your pond and it looks pretty too!
Frequently asked questions about water testing
The kH value, also known as the carbonate hardness of water, is a unit of measurement that indicates the amount of bicarbonates and carbonates in the water. These substances play an important role in stabilizing the pH of the water. In addition to kH, carbonate hardness can also be referred to as dH (German hardness) or CO32. The kH value does not provide information about the amount of dissolved calcium and magnesium in the water.
If you build and set up your pond properly from the beginning, bacteria and algae will not have a chance to pollute the water. When you have not done this and your pond water has become polluted you can solve this in a simple way by adding pond block to the water!

Simon van der Velde
Pond specialist and aquatic plant grower since 1986
Simon's vision is to let nature do its work in your pond. No need to buy all kinds of measuring equipment and water improvers. If the fish are swimming nicely and the plants are growing well, then the water in the pond is of good quality. With a good planting plan and the right approach, you can save a lot of money and maintenance, and ensure a clear, biologically balanced pond that becomes more beautiful every year.