Treating The Pond
by Dr Eric Johnson
One word of caution on adding medications to your entire system. Most of them sterilize, or go a long way towards, sterilizing the filter bed of beneficial bacteria that live there. Most definitely, adding antibiotics will kill large numbers of the Nitrosomonas and Nitrobacter bacteria which will result in deteriorating water quality. Salt
Use non iodized salt. It will eliminate 7 out of 9 parasites that are commonly found in a koi pond. It can be added at the rate of 2.5 pounds per 100 gallons ( yes, 25 lbs per 1,000 gallons). It should be added over a three day period in order not to "shock" the fish. Salt should remain in the system for at least 14 days. If it becomes necessary to do a water change, replace the amount of salt that would have been discarded with the water change. Overdose is just about impossible until you have tripled the given dose. Plants often do not relish this dose of salt and should be removed when ever possible. Formalin
This is basically Formaldehyde in a water mixture. The most commonly available concentration is 37%. It is important to remember that the use of Formalin in freshwater binds free oxygen. For every 5mg/L of Formaldehyde, 1 ppm of Free Oxygen will be used. Formalin's primary use is in the treatment of fungus, odinium and gill flukes or if the use of salt will harm the plants. The dosage for continuous use is 1 cc per 10 gallons of water (25ppm). Be very careful with the use of Formalin, it is a carcinogen for humans. Tetracycline
This anti bacterial can be used as a one hour bath at the rate of 500 mg per 2 gallons of water. Do this daily until the lesion begins to skin over. Potassium Permanganate
Caution should be taken with the use of this drug. The correct amount to be used depends on the hardness of the water. A simple test should be performed to determine the dosage needed for your particular water. First dissolve 1.0 grams of potassium permangante in 1 litre of distilled water. This is your stock solution. In 10 jars, add 1 litre of pond water to each jar. Number the jars 1 through 10. Now add 1ml (cc) of the stock solution to jar 1. Add 2 ml (cc) of the stock solution to jar two, continue to jar ten. (Note that jar one contains 1PPM and jar two contains 2PPM) Mix each jar well and after 15 minutes compare the colors. The jar having the faintest pink color represents the proper demand. This dosage plus 2 PPM residual should be added to the pond.Organophosphates
The Oraganophosphates are used for the treatment of Flukes, Anchorworm, and Lice. Most hobbyists are familiar with Masoten, Fenthion, Neguvon and Dylox. Malathion has the same spectrum as these other compounds. Care must be taken when using any of these drugs as toxicity and death is easily accomplished. To use Malathion, the dose is .25 ppm ( based on and active ingredient of 50%) in other words 2 cc of a 50% solution for 1,000 gallons. This should be used 3 times over a 14 day period. You no not need to make water changes between additions. Dimilin
Can be used for the treatment of Anchorworm (Learnea) and Fish Lice (Argulus). There is no need for any water changes, and it is almost impossible to overdose your fish. Add 0.1 ppm to the pond water. The half life, although in dispute, is irrelevant considering toxicity starts somewhere around 100 ppm thus, addition of this drug monthly for three months is acceptable. Tincture of Iodine
I recommend that you swab lesions with iodine, but Malachite, Merchurochrome and Panolog all work well. Do not allow these to run under the gill cover. Swab ulcers only once as medications like Iodine are caustic and may result in deep burns if over used.