Maverick Contracting wrote:

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Must of been the Zinc or copper based stuff

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 I sure HOPE so !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Check THIS out !

 

Use of Copper in Freshwater Aquaculture and Farm Ponds ¹

Introduction

Copper has been used for many years as a chemical tool in freshwater farm ponds and aquaculture operations. It is both an effective algicide and a parasite treatment. The problem with the use of copper is that there is a thin line that separates effective treatment levels from overdoses, which can kill fish. This fact sheet is designed to explain when copper is used, how it is used, and some precautions to take before using it.

Copper can be used to control algae in ponds, including filamentous and higher algae such as Chara ("Stink weed"). There have been some efforts to use copper to reduce the abundance of algae that cause off-flavor in catfish, but not enough is known yet to make any definite recommendations. Copper will also control most external parasites of fish, including "Ich" [see UF/IFAS Extension Circular 716, Introduction to Freshwater Fish Parasites and UF/IFAS Extension Circular 920 Ichthyophthirius multifiliis (White Spot) Infections in Fish].

Copper comes in several forms which can be used in water. The cheapest and most commonly used form is copper sulfate, which is available either as a crystal or a powder (often known as "Bluestone" or "Blue powder"). Copper sulfate is water soluble, and dissolves fairly easily when mixed with water. Several companies market copper in liquid and crystal forms.

Before you use any form of copper treatment, you need to measure the total alkalinity of your water (NOT HARDNESS OR pH), since the toxicity of copper to fish increases as the total alkalinity decreases. A good rule of thumb is to divide the total alkalinity (in parts per million) by 100 to get the concentration of copper sulfate to use in parts per million (1 ppm = 1 milligram/liter) (see Equation 1).

 

 

If the total alkalinity is less than 50 ppm, copper treatments are not recommended because of the high risk of killing fish. If the total alkalinity is over 250 ppm, do not use more than 2.5 ppm of copper sulfate. Florida's waters are extremely variable in alkalinity, so if you don't know the alkalinity of your water, find out before you treat with copper. In the literature you will see many different values for copper dosages, but experience has shown that the above formula is best for determining the dosage rate.

To use copper sulfate, it should be first dissolved in water. After weighing the amount of copper sulfate needed to treat the volume of your water, mix it in water, making sure that it all dissolves. Copper sulfate is much heavier than water, and if you just throw the crystals or powder into the pond, it will sink to the bottom where pond muds will chemically bind with it, locking it up. It is recommended that you dilute the copper sulfate as much as possible and take great care when distributing it, avoiding the creation of areas with higher concentrations, commonly known as “hot spots.”

When using a commercially formulated copper, follow the label instructions for dosage rates. The liquid forms can be applied directly to the water, but it is recommended that they are first mixed with water to dilute them. As with copper sulfate, great care should be taken to evenly disperse commercial formulations over the entire pond area, avoiding the creation of hot spots.

Precautions

In a pond with algae, copper treatments can cause oxygen concentrations to drop, which may result in fish kills. Pond algae is a major source of oxygen production and by removing it this source of oxygen is also removed. In addition, oxygen will be consumed as the algae decomposes. If you are treating to kill algae, either treat in a series of smaller doses over time or have emergency aeration available.

Copper is also toxic to invertebrates, such as snails, and also most of the zooplankton in a pond (daphnia, rotifers, etc.), so if you are relying on the zooplankton as a food source (i.e. fry ponds), you may not want to use copper.

The use of copper in indoor tanks, where algae and zooplankton are absent, does not present the same problems. However, you still need an accurate measure of the total alkalinity before safe dosages can be determined. Indoor tanks and systems typically have much less organic matter (dirt, detritus) than do outdoor systems usually resulting in the copper remaining in solution longer. To avoid toxicity to fish, water changes are recommended after 4-8 hours of treatment for indoor situations.

In conclusion, copper treatments are very effective for certain situations, and are relatively inexpensive compared with other treatments. Caution must be exercised due to its effects on fish and other life in the water. If your water is low in alkalinity, or if you have a heavy algae bloom and no aeration, copper treatments are not recommended.

WE need someone like our own Chuck  Bergman who lives down there to go find OUT WTF happened!

We did a house this spring where a few of the downspouts could not be bagged and all the gutters feed a pond with a ton of goldfish, told the HO there might be some floaters from the run off, we diluted at the drain line and still had some SH smell in the creek feed to the pond, I would have bet you money that we had a few belly up, told the HO upfront, and told him it was 50/50. He said spray, F the fish, they all came from the fair and the raccoon's love them. Clean my roof.

Not one fish was dead and it cleaned up the moss on his creek rock. Goldfish are tough MF'ers.

Somebody's head should roll on this one. TALK ABOUT RED TIDE!!

This is the latest news on the roof cleaning fish kill. I just got off the phone with Charlotte County Facilities Management 8-9-2012.
The Jail fish kill was NOT caused by the roof cleaning company at all.
They had the University of Florida Biology Dept take water samples, and examine the dead fish, for cause of seath.
The 5400 Catfish died from Heat. It has been so hot lately, that low oxygen levels in the water and the heat killed the fish.

I was told that some Sheriffs Deputy in Charlotte County jumped the gun, and blamed the run off from the roof cleaning, for the fish kill.

Trust me as a former fish farmer (hence the name sweetwaterfish), you can loose a pond of fish to oxygen loss in a heartbeat this time of year!

I need more info. We did a roof cleaning last year. All the downspouts fed into the pond. Last guy that washed his roof fuked up his fish. we didnt.

Took every downspout apart. Rinsed all the gutters. Put them back together.

It's here somewhere at the RCIA.