Keeping the Balance of Nature: Pond Water Maintenance
June 22, 2007
You might be tempted to let Mother Nature, tend to your backyard pond, and who could blame you? After all, she does a pretty good job of taking care of really big ponds, so why would your backyard ecosystem pose much of a challenge to her?
Unfortunately, the fact is your backyard pond is only going to get some cursory attention from Mom; the rest of the work is going to be left up to you.
In the “real world” chlorinated water doesn’t find its way into ponds very often. “Big” pond water passes through a great many natural filtration and oxygenation systems, and the various fish and flora work together to keep the pond clean and fresh. Our backyard ponds don’t have quite that much help, so here’s where you need to step in:
If you are going to keep fish then you absolutely must remove all traces of chlorine from your pond before your favorite Koi set up housekeeping. Pond fish cannot live in chlorinated water so don’t even try. There are many products available to remove chlorine quickly, or you can opt for the old-fashioned, natural way if you have the time to spend.
Fall Pond Cleaning
June 21, 2007
Doing a full pond cleaning during the colder winter months can be very stressful on your fish. However, if the pond is really dirty and full of ‘muck’ - then you may want to consider it because all of the decaying organic matter in the pond can cause problems if the pond ices over, and this begins to de-gas and rot.
So, I think the best solution, and what we used to do for our clients was do a partial Fall pond cleaning.
Here’s how to do it:
First, get a container that will hold roughly 100 gallons or so, or up to half of your pond volume (bigger is better). Then take a pump with a hose, and pump out the relativel ‘clean’ water from your pond by holding the pump just beneath the water surface. Keep as much of the ‘old’ pond water as you can. Then, catch your fish (if possible) and place them into the holding tank of their own (clean) water.
Then you can either net out your leaves and dispose of them, along with any muck that you can get out also. Alternatively, you can then pump out the remaining water and do a thorough clean out, including vacuuming out the pond with a large wet/dry vac (this works great!).
Hot Feeding Tips
June 20, 2007
Summer is the most enjoyable water gardening season and the time to watch for potential problems caused by high water temperatures during extreme or extended hot periods.
It’s important to feed food that is easily digestible so fish benefit from fully absorbing the nutrients. Fish that actively seek food should be fed 1-3 times a day. To ensure they’ve consumed all of their food, feed small amounts at each feeding in the summer heat. This will prevent uneaten food from decomposing at the high temperatures and polluting your pond water. If your fish show no interest in food, don’t feed them!
The solubility of oxygen depends on temperature. In the winter, oxygen readily dissolves into cold water, readily available for fish. In the summer, as the water temperature rises oxygen becomes increasingly insoluble. When fish feed in extreme summer heat, their movement also uses more oxygen, which is a problem if there isn’t a sufficient oxygen supply in the water.
It is best to feed in the morning?the coolest time of day. Also, take steps to increase water movement, such as ensuring there is good water circulation, add a fountain to aerate water, and add oxygenating plants.
Fertilizing Your Water Lilies…
June 19, 2007
Unfortunately, sunlight is not enough.
Your water lilies will grow, thrive, and bloom much better if you get in the habit of fertilizing them regularly.
The good news is — It’s Easy!
you can either remove your water lily from the pond to fertilize them, your sometimes you can even do it with the plants still in the pond…
I prefer to remove them so I can inspect to see if they are becoming overgrown, and possibly need dividing. This is really the best way, and a good time to kill two birds with one stone.
So, first - remove the pot from the pond. Then drain out any excess water, so you can see the surface of the soil and Rhiozome..
Next, here’s a trick I use to fertilize my lilies quickly and easily…
Have a fairly wide tipped flathead screwdriver nearby, and then use it to punch a clear path into the soil and through the existing roots. Then give it a good twisting to hollow our your hole.
You’d be surprised how hard it can be to push a fertilizer tab down into a dense root pack - so try this next time and tell me if it isn’t 100% easier.
Protecting your Garden Pond from Pesky Predators
June 19, 2007
Notice any fish disappearing lately? While herons are present year-round, water gardeners notice the challenges they bring to the pond in spring and early summer when herons feed their young.
An adult heron needs about 13 ounces of food daily, which is equivalent to three 6″ koi. If herons find an easy source of food (i.e. colorful fish in a shallow pond), they’ll return on several consecutive days. They can quickly decimate your fish population.
They’re generally shy birds who typically visit early in the morning or in the evening, when everything is quiet.
Prevent herons from attacking your fish with these simple precautions. If you do lose some fish, don’t resort to harming or killing the herons; they are a protected species.
? Netting: The most effective deterrent for herons is to suspend a net 6″-12″ above the pond surface. Make sure the net is taut and cannot fall into the pond if the heron tried to land on it and spear the fish through it.
? Heron Scarers: Some work on a “trip-wire” basis, producing a loud noise while others use a sound inaudible to the human ear. Others sense the presence of heron using infrared detection, and scare them away by spraying a high-pressure jet of water.
How to Choose Between Goldfish and KOI
June 18, 2007
Many people have asked us over the years “Should I add goldfish or KOI (or both) to my pond? The answer is “it depends.”
Goldfish are better suited to smaller water gardens and ponds, in the 50 - 500 gallon range. Goldfish are extremely hardy and easy to care for, which makes them the perfect choice for the new pond owner or water gardener.
KOI Feeding
KOI, on the other hand, require a little more knowledge and better water quality in most cases, than goldfish and are better suited to the more experienced pond keeper. KOI generally thrive best in ponds over 500 gallons (the bigger - the better.)
This is becuase KOI can grow quite large and therefore require more water in the pond for proper biological breakdown of waste. KOI are also more expensive (and harder to replace) than goldfish, so this should also be taken into account before filling your new pond full of KOI fish. More considerations…
Goldfish are an excellent choice for the average water garden that is usually also full of a variety of potted plants. Lilies, Lotus, Iris, and submerged annuals - these all do well in a water garden pond with goldfish. Goldfish will not disturb the plants, and will enjoy playing around under the lily pads without disturbing the plants.
Fish Health in Hot Summer Heat
June 17, 2007
Summer is over, but for many of us - the heat remains. Here a couple of things to do to keep your fish healthy and your pond clear going into winter. First, remember to keep your pond well aerated. This is very important to your fish because the pond water actually holds less oxygen at higher pond temperatures. So if it’s still hot in your part of the country, keep those waterfalls and fountains running! This will keep your pond water full of oxygen, and reduce stress on your fish.
If you see your goldfish or KOI gasping at the surface, it’s a good sign that you don’t have enough dissolved oxygen in the water, and this can be dangerous. Especially if you have a lot of green water algae in the pond. This algae can absorb much of the oxygen in the pond water at night and cause very low dissolved oxygen levels during the day - which can be deadly to fish!
One thing we recommend this time of year, is to do a partial water change. Drain off 10 - 25% of your total pond volume, and replace it with fresh, new dechlorinated water. If possible, vacuum or drain decaying organic matter and debris off the bottom to reduce the ponds bio-load.
External vs. Submersible Pumps. Which One Should You Use?
June 16, 2007
For many people, it’s never been a question of whether to use a submersible pump vs. an external pump because most people have smaller ponds and are used to just using a submersible pump. They’re easy to install, and are pretty reliable - so why even consider an external pump?
There are a couple of reasons…
But before we go into that, let’s briefly talk about the benefits of submersible pumps first. For obvious reasons, a submersible pump is named as such because it is designed to be placed in the pond, and submerged under the water.
These are the easiest of all pumps to install, just drop them in the water and plug them in - and you’re ready to do. Of course, you might have some quick plumbing to do, attaching a hose to the waterfall or to a submersible filter (another article entirely), but other than that - that’s pretty much all there is to it.
Submersible pumps range in size or gallons per hour, from 50 GPH all the way up to 50,000 gallons per hour, but for most ponds - pumps anywhere from 350 GPH to 4000 GPH will do just fine…
Building Liner Ponds
June 15, 2007
Surprisingly enough, it is usually in mid-summer that many gardeners begin to think about installing a small pond or water garden. Ponds don’t need to be weeded or watered, and they can supply exuberant color in the form of water lilies and bog plants.
The sound of a splashing fountain or waterfall is more appealing than weeding a flower bed or mowing that section of lawn. Best of all, no matter how hot or wet it gets, the pond just keeps on blooming!
At this point you may start to think about the expense and labor of installing a concrete pond, and our 95 degree days are just about enough to stop this pond daydream in its tracks.
However, with the advent of newer pond liners and pre-formed pools, the misery associated with concrete mixing and finishing is a thing of the past. Heavy duty pool liners with 10 year guarantees are now common, and can sell for as little as $1.00 a square foot.
Preformed ponds in many different shapes and sizes are also an alternative method to create a quick pond at less cost than using concrete. Using these materials, the average gardener can install a decent size pond in less than one day, and have it stocked with plants, fish and fountain by the following morning.
Avoiding Unsightly Algae
June 14, 2007
Excessive organic matter in the pond provides nutrients for algae, contributing to its growth. Algae can obscure the view of colorful fish, and more dangerously, it robs the water of valuable oxygen and releases harmful pollutants.
UV clarifiers also are effective tools that use ultraviolet light to destroy the reproductive ability of suspended algae. Dead, microscopic algae will clump together into particles large enough to be removed by filtration.
Increasing the amount of floating and oxygenating plants in your pond is another simple solution to keeping the water clean, and clear. Floating plants such as water lilies, water lettuce, lotus and water hyacinth provide shade, reducing sunlight in the pond, which helps control algae growth.
Submerged plants, also known as oxygenators, affect the carbon dioxide and oxygen levels of the pond by competing directly with algae for light and food. Oxygenators absorb nutrients from fish waste and minerals through their leaves, helping to starve algae, keeping the water clear. Some examples of oxygenators are Hornwart, Anacharis and Parrot’s Feather.
