~PH at least 7.8 or higher ? will that reduce the growth of plants ?

[spanishleprachaun]

that client from the other post reports her PH test kid goes as high as 7.8 and it's at least that.
no salt ever in the water ..... could this be the culpruit ? this PH ?

c

[tranquility]

no I've had as high as 9 on ph and that pond grew plants just fine....
Lawanna

[reddad35]

Does the old pool have a screened roof? Is it a UV rated screen? I would ask if they have ever cleaned the screened porch but her fish are living.

[frogman3]

I would check it with a wide range liquid test kit that has range of 5.0-9.0 PH. If it maxes that test it could very well be her problem. I would also check the Phosphate levels.  Have her if she can check both, three times in one day, morning, noon and evening. On sunny days the PH will be at it's peak in the afternoon and the lowest in the AM. With a high PH over 9.0 and high Phosphates it discourages higher plant life growth and incourages singe cell algae growth. Whatever you do even if it is over 9.0 PH do not use PH down. It is very hard to add the correct amount and very easy to cause a PH crash which is a sure way to kill her fish. There are other ways to buffer her PH to a lower stable level with out putting her fish at risk.

[Desertponder]

Yes, you have to get one of the ph test kits that has a higher range. Mine would be over 10 at times when I had problems with the plants.
That was years ago when I first started ponding. Lived in the desert and you couldn't have flowers, plants, gardens etc. as nothing would grow. So, I thought my answer was ponds but had just as many problems because the water was so bad. It was explained to me back then that the higher the ph, the less the plants are able to absorb any nutrients and they die.