This is how you achieve the right value

What pH value needs to be for a healthy pond

Soft water is generally proclaimed cheaper for washing clothes and for the skin. In soft water, i.e. water with a low pH value, soaps are more easily dissolved and there are no limescale deposits. Because soft water is usually cheaper than hard water when watering plants, one might think that the water in a garden pond should also be as soft as possible. But it's not that simple.

In fact, too high a pH is not good for a garden pond. In interaction with other chemical processes, it can lead to an explosive multiplication of algae, i.e. the dreaded algae bloom.

However, water that is too soft is just as critical. Because even if many fish and plants prefer soft water, too low a pH value in the Pond lead to a sudden drop in value all the way down to the basement due to the lack of buffering. This in turn can be fatal for fish.

To note:

• Pond water must neither be too soft nor too hard
• Too high a pH value increases the risk of algae bloom
• Too low a pH value can lead to extreme waste and fish death

How to achieve the correct pH value for the pond water?

So water that is neither too hard nor too soft is ideal for a pond. Specifically, the value should be between 7 and 8.

Which water to use for filling?

In order to achieve such a medium-hard environment, you should neither fill your pond with soft rainwater nor with calcareous tap water. Of course, if the tap water in your area has a suitable pH, you can use it. But if it is calcareous, a mixture of rain and tap water is recommended.

Regulate the pH value over the long term

Later you should regularly check the pH of your pond water. This is very easy to do with test strips from specialist retailers. To compensate for a value that is too low, lime can be added to the water. If it is too high, with the large volume of water that a pond has compared to an aquarium, you can work with a peat bag that is hung up for a few weeks.