Can I use Zeolite to reduce ammonia if I have salt in my pond?

Yes. However, if you have added Zeolite to remove ammonia in your water, and then add salt at 0.3%, approximately 30% of the ammonia will be released back into your pond. On the other hand, if your pond water is already salted at 0.3% with ammonia present, and you add Zeolite at the recommended dose, it will remove approximately 70% of the ammonia.

There has been a lot of controversy about this subject over the years, and I'm going to try and clear it up.

If you have ammonia present in your pond water this is very detrimental to the health of your fish. Zeolite will effectively remove the ammonia from your pond water by absorbing it. You should use 1 1/3 pounds of Zeolite per 100 gallons of water to remove 1 ppm of ammonia.

If you are using Zeolite to remove ammonia from your water it should be regenerated each month by soaking it in a brine solution. Dissolve ½ pound of salt (100% salt, no additives such as Iodine or YPS) in five gallons of water. This represents a 3% solution give or take a percent or so. Remove the Zeolite from your filter and soak it overnight

You can add Zeolite directly to your filter. If you do this I suggest you put it in the last stage of your filter. I personally use it in a separate container and let the water run through it after the filter.

If you leave the Zeolite in your filter without regeneration it makes an excellent filter media. Once the water temperature has reached about 60 degrees F. Nitrosomonas bacteria will begin to colonize the Zeolite and convert the ammonia into nitrite. As the water temperature continues to rise Nitrobacter bacteria will develop (around 70 degrees F.), and convert the nitrites into nitrates.

Please note that the temperatures quoted above aren't exact. Nitrosomonas bacteria can be present at lower temperatures, but they aren't as active. These numbers are what I've found to be most effective.

Here is a scenario that may help explain what I'm trying to get across:

I have a tank containing 600 gallons of water and a new biological filter. I put six large koi (16"-18") in this pond. The water temperature is 60 degrees F. In this situation there will be an ammonia problem. To counter this I use eight pounds of Zeolite to remove the ammonia. There will also be a problem with nitrites. I add eighteen pounds of 100% salt to reduce the harmful effects of the nitrites. Considering the water from the well I use already has a salinity of 0.1% this would bring the salt content to approximately 0.4%. The salt will also kill 75% of the parasites that cause your fish problems, increase their slime coat, and help their respiration.

I also placed a large bare rooted Umbrella Palm in the pond to help with excess nutrients. Once I started using the Umbrella Palms the nitrites were gone after two days.

These six koi were kept in this tank for five weeks. I then boxed them up and drove them to Michigan. The trip took twelve hours. At last report they are living happily in a 2,000-gallon indoor pond. Below is a link to a picture of them just before transport.

Picture of Koi

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Last modified on Tuesday February 15, 2000