The ph test were 8.8 at 730 pm and 8.5 at 7 am. I have a good grasp on the nitrogen cycle because I have several lined & filtered ponds for koi.

I'm wondering why the ammonia is so high with no fish present and this being a new pond. Could it be from the cottonseed meal? also, why would the 40 ppm Nitrate from my well be consumed in this pond? I have read that most types of algae and water plants would consume ammonia before nitrate. Not sure if that was correct info..

I was hopeing that letting the pond mature for a season whould build a good amount of zooplankton for next year but with the ammonia present will any of those survive?

Travis