The first set of tests for 2023 are looking good. The water is cool (7.6 °C), fairly clear, and with good oxygen levels (10.6 mg/L; 88.6 %). Phosphate, nitrate and nitrites are all undetectable, and ammonia levels are very low, with a pH stable at 8.3. Lake water levels are Read more…
The latest water quality measurements taken today all look normal and the temperature is now well below 10 °C. There is perhaps a slight increase in phosphates, but very small, and should not be a major issue at this time of year because of the low temperature suppressing any weed Read more…
Water quality at Darlow continues to look good. We have seen a small increase in ammonia to trace levels (0.04 mg/L, pH8.2), but they are not a major cause for concern at this stage and is probably a result of the disruption of silt during the weed removal process. All Read more…
We’re now well in to September and the good water chemistry continues to be maintained in Darlow; phosphates, nitrates, nitrites and ammonia are all currently undetectable, which is excellent news. Oxygen levels are also good (8.1 mg/L, 82.7 % sat.). pH is 8.3, which is fairly normal for Darlow. The Read more…
Water temperature has been extremely high over the last month, with a maximum recorded temperature of 24.9 °C on 09-Aug-2022. So, it has been a tough Summer for any stock remaining in the lake with water levels also very low (at least 20 cm below zero on the water gauge). Read more…
After that very hot spell last week our water temperatures have risen sharply and are still very high. The water temperature was 23.5 °C today (Thursday, 21-Jul-2022) at 0900, which is clearly going to be very stressful to our trout, which can be seen at the surface and in large Read more…
The latest water chemistry tests have been carried out at Darlow and ammonia levels are still low, with perhaps a trace amount detectable (0.03 mg/L, pH 8.4) – this could become more of a problem if the temperature rises, but at present levels are safe. Phosphate, nitrate and nitrite are Read more…
The temperature is rising rapidly, but the water chemistry is still looking fairly good. Phosphate, nitrate and nitrite are undetectable; we have a very small amount of ammonia (0.03 mg/L, pH 8.5), but this may just be a temporary fluctuation, and it is not so high that it is a Read more…
Today’s water testing brings us some good news in that the levels of total ammonia have reduce to undetectable levels, which means that ammonia is no longer a toxic risk to the fish. Last time we saw this was during the summer of last year. Turbidity of the water has Read more…
Latest water tests have shown that ammonia levels have decreased again (0.14 mg/L, pH 8.2), which is great news, but it is important that this continues to fall to zero. All other tests look good, with oxygen levels high (10.1 mg/L, 89 % sat., 9.7 °C).