ProVital
Pond Peat
softens tap water and stabilises pH. By inhibiting the growth of algae,
fungus, blanketweed and duckweed, it provides ideal living conditions
for fish and plants.
What is ProVital?
ProVital is a blend of selected natural peats which have taken many
thousands of years to mature. The ideal climatic conditions in which
ProVital is found ensures it is packed with the essential ingredients
necessary to perform its function. ProVital is rich in humous acids
and other vitamins. The high content of humic acids present in the peat
is very beneficial to your aquatic plant life. ProVital also softens
the pond water giving an environment that your fish will enjoy.
How does ProVital work?
ProVital properties are such
that they will work against the alkalinity and hardness of your pond
water, slowly releasing naturally occurring humic acids and vitamins
into your pond...beneficial to your water, plants and fish.
Green Water
Green water is caused by microscopic
organisms like algae etc., in the water. Blanket weed is just a more
advanced life form. The nuisance Duckweed can spread so fast that it
can completely cover the entire surface of a pond to a depth of 50mm
in days, at extremes, giving rise to a depletion of the oxygen content
in the water and killing the fish. All these algae thrive in water which
is warm, high in pH. levels and in strong daylight. ProVital will make
life much more difficult for the algaes to survive. ProVital is completely
natural. No artificial chemicals are added which can harm your fish
or plants.
Fungicide
ProVital contains a mild naturally
occurring fungicide. This protects it from decay. In your pond ProVital
will slowly release this fungicide. It is completely harmless to plants
and wildlife and gives added protection to your fish and plants, and
improved colouration.
Checking your pH.
An ideal pH. level for your pond
fish is between 6.7 to 7.5. Checking the pH. once a week is a worthwhile
exercise. pH. test kits are available from Kockney Koi dealer and are
relatively cheap and easy to use. Remember, sunlight and temperature
affect pH. Try to take the readings at the same time of day for consistency.
If the pH. level is over 8 you may add a further bag or bags of ProVital
until it stabilises. ProVital will take several days to affect the pH.
which is ideal for your fish. Whatever you do, do not be tempted to
suddenly add chemicals to alter the pH. of your pond. Your fish can
tolerate quite a wide range of pH. both high and low. What they cannot
tolerate is sudden changes. This could kill them. ProVital with its
long term action slowly alters the pH. at a rate your fish can withstand.
Do not add ProVital to water that has a pH. level lower than 6.4.
ProVital Pond Peat is easy to use.
Soak and sink bag in pond or
filter chamber, anchor net bag down with a stone if necessary, the bag
is left untied for this purpose. Tie with the string provided to an
object at the edge of your pond. This helps when you have to change
a bag. The used ProVital can be spread on your garden this helps to
condition the soil.
How do my pond plants benefit?
Fish waste, dirt in the air,
uneaten fish food combined with warm water and sunlight will make a
feast for algae. ProVital will establish detrimental conditions for
the algae. This means more waste food is available for the natural biological
process to convert to nitrate. Nitrate (nitrogen) is the natural food
for your plants. So your plants benefit! Most pond plants also prefer
a more acid (i.e. a lower pH) softer water.
How do my fish benefit?
All fish need a stable pH content
in their water. They are able to adapt over a long period to quite adverse
pH conditions, but this is not advisable. Without ProVital your pond
could develop dangerously high pH alkaline levels. Although your own
fish may have had time to adapt to the hostile conditions in your pond,
any new fish added will certainly suffer seriously and could die. In
warm days without ProVital there can be occasions when very large amounts
of algae and bacteria bloom in the water. This is due partly to the
high pH level and partly due to the excess of micro organisms available
for the bacteria to feed on. The reproduction level of the bacteria
can be so prolific that the bacteria can consume all the oxygen in the
water in a few hours. Soon the bacteria itself will die, but before
that your fish could be suffering and dying. This often explains the
mystery why a perfectly healthy-looking pond can become a graveyard
overnight. Good filtration, moving water, waterfalls etc. help to reduce
this, but ProVital gives your pond that added protection. It is known
that many of the harmful bacteria and parasites that attack fish dislike
the humous acids emitted from ProVital. Whilst pond fish prefer the
stable lower pH levels. Beneficial nitrifying bacteria in your filtration
system are able to adapt to the effects of ProVital so your biological
filters are not affected.
The reasons for using Provital
Much of the tapwater in the British
Isles passes through layers of limestone, chalk and other alkaline based
minerals before it is collected for use. This has the effect of making
the water very hard and alkaline, with a very high pH content. Local
water authorities do what they can to restore the natural balance before
we drink it, but exposure to strong sunlight, fish waste etc, soon brings
back the problem of an unacceptably high pH level. Harmful chemicals
like chlorine are also added, to sterilise the water for drinking. ProVital
will neutralise these toxins. Always
use ProVital in new ponds, or when partially or totally changing the
water in your pond. ProVital properties are such that they will work
against the alkalinity and hardness of your pond water, slowly releasing
naturally occurring humic acids and vitamins into your pond... beneficial
to your water, plants and fish.
How do I use ProVital?
Simplicity itself. Just take
the stocking from inside the poly bag, and submerge it in the pond so
that it rests on the bottom. Nylon string is attached to the bag so
that you can anchor the bag to the side of your pond. This makes changing
bags much easier. This bag will treat a 500 gallon pond for about 8
weeks. Much depends on the amount of fish, feeding amounts, daylight
and temperature. The expired contents of the bag may be mixed with your
garden soil to improve your garden plants so there is no wastage. You
may, if you wish, place the ProVital in your biological filtration tank.
The dosage is not critical and up to 200% overdose is permitted. If
you have a pond of only 250 gallons, this bag will suffice, and will
probably last longer than 8 weeks. If you have a much larger pond, just
add more bags evenly placed around. Even one bag in a 2,000 gallon pond
will have some benefit. To control duckweed, ProVital is best used from
the start in new virgin water. If your pond is already well established
and the problems have got a good hold it is recommended you do at least
50% or even total changes to your pond water. Remember the spores are
still on the plants, sides of your pond, your filtration system etc,
so ProVital will have to work harder to combat the problem and will
take longer. You may decide to increase the ProVital amount by 50% to
speed things up and give ProVital a fighting chance
