Find here the essentials and best sellers for our pond owners.
Find here the essentials and best sellers for our pond owners.
RedOx potential or oxidation-reduction potential , is a rather complex chemistry term, but worthy of importance in the context of bodies of water. Thus, the RedOx potential will not fail to be mentioned during analyses of the water of the basin, pond or swimming pool.
In this micro-guide, we will try to "popularize" some terms in order to make maintenance work in ponds and basins a little easier. If you would like more technical explanations, do not hesitate to consult our sources at the bottom of the page or to contact us!
We will also see how to increase the RedOx potential of a pond and maintain it.
⭐ You may be interested in: our article which explains how to analyze the water in your pond
In simplified terms, the RedOx potential is the oxidation capacity of water. It is also an indicator of the oxygen available for the biology of the pond.
The RedOx rate is also known as oxidation potential , and ORP ( or Oxidation-Reduction Potential in English ) . It therefore describes the ability to lose an electron by a molecule, an atom or an ion; to gain an electron by another molecule, atom or ion.
Without this ability to gain electrons, many minerals could not be properly absorbed or assimilated. Especially during times of stress.
What is oxidation ? It is a reaction of materials with oxygen. Basically, we measure the oxidation reaction to get the redox potential .
To measure the redox potential, optical or other probes (redox meter) are often used. It can also be tested with other methods.
It's a bit like a pH probe, it needs to be calibrated regularly. It is important to measure the RedOx potential at several strategic points in your pond and at the same depth.
It is necessary to try to carry out the analysis under similar conditions for:
To consider a pond clean and favorable to the development of biodiversity, we will target a redox potential with values of 300 mV to 450 mV. We consider that bacterial activity is zero if it is below -150 mV.
When we reach a rate of -100 mV in a body of water where we have raised the redox, we can start to add specific bacteria to promote bio-augmentation. During the day, there can be variations of 50 mV to 100 mV, without it being problematic.
In pond water, organic matter is particularly important, especially in natural ponds.
These organic materials come from:
We generally analyze the COD (Chemical Oxygen Demand) , which will allow us to have more information on the state of the pond.
To put it simply, a high RedOx rate is often the result of a pond with clean water. A low value is a sign of polluted water with a high COD rate (although there are exceptions).
This decomposition is carried out by the nitrogen cycle which you can find in the diagram below. The decomposition uses a lot of oxygen. This decomposition ends with the creation of NO 3 -.
Do you have this information in mind? We have already won points!
Remember! Even though it is a natural pond whose biology has been present for decades, it is not uncommon to find signs of poor health and eutrophication.
⭐ You may also be interested in: our tips for preventing and getting rid of slime
The more correct the redox potential, the more the water will be able to oxidize the organic matter in your pond.
It is said that water will be able to treat organic matter more easily and eliminate it. The more the oxidizing power is used to treat waste, the more it will tend to decrease.
It is not uncommon to come across a pond with an ultra-low redox potential. Meaning that there is little oxygen available for aerobic activity in that pond.
The goal is to raise this potential . It is just as important to have a minimum RedOx potential of -150mV to add bacteria that will accelerate the nitrogen cycle (the biology of your pond).
As soon as we add too many organic materials, with pollutants that increase the COD, we lower the level of dissolved oxygen in the water.
The factors are numerous, and vary depending on the context of the body of water:To increase the redox potential, it is recommended to carry out several water tests (pH, GH, KH, NO 2 , NO 2 , NH 3 , COD, etc.). With these parameters in hand, we will already have information to balance the water if necessary.
To raise the redox potential, here are the first things we can do:To increase the redox more quickly (but be careful with fish), it is sometimes necessary to call on specialists. They have powder-based mixtures (sodium nitrates mixed with calcium carbonates), or calcium nitrates in liquid form.
These formulations should only be used with professional control and spreading.
If nothing is done to maintain a good redox rate in the pond, and the water begins to smell bad or turn black, there is a real danger for the fauna and flora. We move into eutrophication with a significant cycle of putrefaction, harmful and toxic for the animals.
If a pond is not managed properly, it may one day turn into a swamp, a polluted wetland or even a damp undergrowth. This is a natural process that has been occurring for thousands of years.
While large lakes can take thousands of years to fill, small garden ponds can disappear in just a few years!
If, despite everything, the redox is really too low and you end up with a eutrophic body of water, you should call on a specialist company to analyze the pond .
You can also contact us by email , so that we can already start helping you remotely 😉 But there you go, no more scaring you, we are here to be positive and maintain our ponds and pools as best we can 🙂!
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