Pond Boss Forums GENERAL QUESTIONS Water chemistry What Test kit do I Need

2 year old pond in NW oklahoma. No apparent issues but would like to test the water to make sure it's as happy as possible. Bob mentioned Hach for test kits but no idea which kit I need. Or should I even worry about it?

I have used both the API and LaMotte Kits. Both test for similar items.

API was less expensive shipped in housed in a small plastic container.
LaMotte was more expensive and has a form fitted briefcase style container with form fitted foam for each of the bottles and chemicals.

My regular testing includes Alkalinity, Hardness, and PH. The LaMotte test kit does have a DO test, Nitrate, Nitrite which I am not using regularly.

Outside of the test kits I also log water temps and secchi disk readings along with personal observations of anything I see visually (algae bloom, plants in the water, wildlife, fry in the water, feeding times with success for failure, additional forage additions....). All of the info gets logged in the pond journal for future reviews on what we did, saw, treated or need to order.


I think almost all of the information I have seen on test kits is that the test strips are not very accurate.

Hope it helps!

Thanks for the info!

Great suggestion on logging, I log some general information and use the Fish spreadsheet to see how well the fish that I catch measure up to the standard.

Pond that was completed in August 2022. Stocked Channel Catfish and bluegill (have only caught green sunfish, no bluegill) in September of 2022. Stocked Bass in June of 2023. They came from the Byron State fish hatchery about 5 miles from my house. Oklahoma has a free fish stocking program for new ponds. Bass are already 15 inches and right on track.

How often should I test?

Found the answer in one of Bob's video. Test temps in January, April and the middle of summer.

If the state supplies the fish, is it a requirement that you have to let the public fish in the pond if they ask?

Nope, Very few requirements. Any pond owner is eligible to apply if the pond is at least a half-acre in surface size and contains no existing fish populations. There can be no fee charged for fishing the pond and the owner must have a current fishing license and the pond’s owner must agree to allow law enforcement personnel to examine the pond prior to stocking and check licenses of those fishing at the pond. Which I found odd because I thought they could do that anyway.
https://www.wildlifedepartment.com/lands-and-minerals/pond-management/stocking-program

I guess the State figures that catching state supplied fish means they still own them. A fishing license is just another tax.