How to Introduce Fish to Pond Water

Nothing makes a pond more beautiful than brilliantly-colored fish darting about through the breaks in the water. Koi and goldfish are luminous in a garden pond, and can live for many years if properly cared for. When adding fish to your pond, there are just a few steps you should take to ensure that the fish has a gentle transition to its new life.

Things You'll Need

  • De-chlorinator
  • Net
  • pH testing kit
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Instructions

    • 1

      Chlorine burns fishs' delicate gills and makes the water unpleasant, even deadly, for them. De-chlorinate the water using a standard de-chlorinator, available at any aquarium. Read the instructions and pour the recommended amount into the pond. If you already have fish in the pond, it wont affect them.

    • 2

      Test the pH, ammonia and nitrites in the pond water by using a basic pH or pond kit, available at your local aquarium. There shouldn't be any ammonia or nitrites. The ideal pH is between 7.3 and 7.8.

    • 3

      Without opening the bag your fish came in, place the fish and the bag in the pond, and let it float there for half an hour. This brings the temperature of the water in the bag to the temperature of the pond.

    • 4

      Open the bag and let about a cup of pond water flow in. Let the fish adjust to the new water for another half-hour.

    • 5

      Open the bag and let the fish swim out into the pond. Use a net if your fish has trouble getting out.