1. Add water to the system.

2. Use Dechlorinator Plus. This will eliminate chlorine and other harmful chemicals found in tap water, while adding needed nutrients for fish and nitrifying bacteria.

3. Add Microbe-Lift Bacteria concurrently. This will establish nitrifying bacteria that eat ammonia and nitrite.

4. Add salt! Two (2) pounds per 100 gallons in the spring and One (1) pound per 100 gallons in the summer.

5. Let you pond filters run two weeks before adding fish. Then you can add a few fish to start with. You may add more fish later.

6. Ammonia is introduced to the water when your fish urinate. Keep the pH low (6.8 to 7.5). Keeping the pH level around 7.5 is ideal for startup and also best to maintain for KOI and Goldfish health. PH and ammonia combined will kill your fish very quickly. It is recommended that you purchase a Master Test Kit (which contains an ammonia, nitrite, salt, and pH test) in order to test your water on a regular basis.

7. Feed your fish very sparingly; no more than they will eat in 3 minutes. Until you have completed Nitrifying Cycle.

8. Keep a record of your water test results. Testing your water on a regular basis and keeping a chart of the results will be your primary indicator of the health of your fish and plants.

9. Add a Barley Bale to prevent the growth of String Algae. Once String Algae begins to grow in you pond you will need to begin treatment with Barley Extract and a sludge-eater. (It is easier to prevent the growth of String Algae in advance by using a Barley Bale.)

10. Once you have completed The Nitrifying Cycle it will be time to begin feeding your fish. For the first four weeks of feeding you will need to feed your fish a medicated fish food. After the initial four weeks you may feed your fish standard fish food. It is important when deciding upon fish food to consult the weather. In the fall/winter you will want to feed your fish a low protein diet, such as wheat germ.

Detailed Information:

Salt helps your fish build up a protecting barrier called a "slime coat" which protects them against certain diseases and from some of the burning that occurs when ammonia levels become high. IMPORTANT FACT: Salt will kill seven (7) of the nine (9) harmful adverse parasites that could harm your fish.

Microbe-Lift Bacteria will reduce the length of time to develop your Nitrifying Cycle (from 4-6 weeks down to 18-20 days). The Nitrifying Cycle is when nitrifying bacteria have colonized on the filter media and your ammonia and nitrite readings are 0. During this time period it is best to test your water every day (for ammonia, nitrite, and pH) until your have NO NITRITE and NO AMMONIA. It is best to start your system off with only a few fish (variable upon the size of your pond). Adding too many fish will not help to develop your nitrifying cycle, but instead increase the ammonia levels (which can kill your fish). When testing your water for ammonia and nitrite take samples from as close to the bottom of your pond/system as possible because these compounds are heavier than water. If nitrite is present you must do a partial water change to dilute the water until your nitrite test reads 0. Each and every time you do a water change you will need to re-add salt and Dechlorinator Plus to maintain the hea lth of your fish.

NITRIFICATION CYCLE The nitrification cycle is the process that transforms a non-functional biological filter bed into a biologically established filter. The standard length of time for this cycle is 48 days (minimum). However, the toxicity levels and number of days until cycle completion is variable dependant upon pond size, amount and species of fish, amount of oxygen in the water and quality/efficiency of the biological filtration.

The cycle does not begin until fish are introduced into the pond. Initially the pond should be lightly populated with inexpensive, hearty fish (some fish may not survive the cycle). Fish waste, fish respiration, and the decomposition of uneaten food will begin to produce ammonia. Once ammonia is detected no other fish should be added to the pond/system. At this point, DO NOT perform partial water changes or ammonia binders unless multiple fish deaths occur. Water changes and ammonia binders will prolong the nitrification cycle.

During this cycle a species of nitrifying bacteria will convert the toxic ammonia into equally toxic nitrite. Then nitrifying bacteria converts the toxic nitrite into fairly harmless nitrate (an excellent plant food). Once this cycle has ended you will be able to add more fish and commence with regular (partial) water changes.