Tips on Bog Ponds

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A bog pond is a ‘tiny’ body of water in your garden or in your landscape that creates a space that will draw wildlife to your area. All animals need water and when you create a bog pond that keeps water available to them in times of drought or even in high heat, you will create a spot that you can enjoy watching the animals come and play.

You most likely already have a place picked out for your bog pond, but to make sure, you should not pick an area that is in full shade because you can have mold and bacteria growing in water that does not get any sunlight at all. You will want at least partial sun during the day to keep molds and bacteria at bay. You also might want to consider keeping our bog pond away from the near tree line because trees right on top of the pond will make a pile of leaves in your water when the fall months come.

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Starting the New Pond

Starting the new water garden you should start out with just a few small feeder fish, like the hardy and inexpensive feeder goldfish. As you are starting to create the water garden using an under supply of fish is going to be a bit more tricky to clean out and balance your water garden, but you are not going to stress out the fish that cost more and that are a bit more delicate to handle, giving you the edge in stocking your water garden at a later date. The first fish that you put in the water garden should be about ½” long for every foot of water that you have. That means if you have fish that are four inches long, they will need four square foot of water. Do this for all the feeder fish that you are stocking with so you leave additional water space for fish at a later date.

Guppies and minnows are going to work well when you are first working with your water garden, balancing the environment. If you are going to purchase minnows for your water garden, be sure to buy minnows with clear skin, clear eyes, and the minnows that are most active, swimming in the water. If you are building the very large water garden, using the Japanese koi in the pond will give you colorful fish that you can enjoy, and feeder fish that will balance out, cleaning the water garden constantly for your other delicate fish.

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Ratios in the Water Garden

Your water garden is a combination of plants, fish, water and external environmental factors. The number of fish and plants that you have in the water garden is going to be a determining factor of the success in your water garden. Ratios of fish and plants in your water garden are basic starting levels when you are first stocking your water garden. Because it is important to start balancing the water garden when first creating the water garden you don’t want to over stock the water garden when you are first starting out.

A good supply of floating and submerged plants will provide a good oxygen level for the fish that are living in the pond. At the same time, too many fish can be difficult for the water to handle all at one time. Increasing the fish population over a few weeks is easier when you already have balanced the environment so you don’t put additional stress on the fish that are living in the water.

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Pricing out a Water Garden

There are many sizes and types of water gardens that you can choose to create in your landscape that it is important that you set a budget and decide exactly how much you are going to spend on your garden before ever digging the hole for the water garden.

Your water garden is going to be a relaxing and an enjoyable addition to your landscape. So if you find that your available budget is not going to cover the size and type of garden that you want most, you should put off your water garden construction until next spring or summer when you really do have all of your budget in line so you can create the water garden that you are going to love for years to come.

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Fall Seasonal Care

Autumn is one month that your own environment can be a bit unpredictable as the weather changes fast, hot one day and cool and damp the next. Water temperatures in the fall months are going to be affected by the changing temperatures outdoors. The water is going to remain warmer a lot longer than the outdoor air is going to be warm, so you don’t have to worry to much about the fish as the temperatures drop and change quickly.

For the koi fish, they will begin to eat more as the weather gets cooler and the temperatures begin to drop because they are going to want to fatten up as they realize winter is setting in.

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Pond Filters and Construction

Choosing building materials for your pond is often difficult if you are just starting out in learning about ponds and construction but the more you read, the more you will understand your choices, and that you can make the right ones for your environment and the type of pond that you want to build. The type of building materials that you will choose will be one of the most important decisions you can make next to where to place your water garden.

Every type of material that you consider using in constructing your water garden will bring you different advantages and disadvantages. One thing that is most important, if possible, do not think about the cost of the pond you are building, but the long life, and the easy care of the pond that you are building so you enjoy your water garden for as long as possible without the worry of repairs or replacement of portions of the water garden.   

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Placement of a Water Garden

You will find that there are many considerations when you are deciding on where to start a water garden on your property. One of the first things that you will need to decide is where you would most like to have a water garden. Away from the house, away from where the children play, near enough to your other gardens to be considered an extension of your gardens, and then you will have to consider light, the soil combination, and sources of water when you are considering where to place your water garden.

A water garden is best when you design it around or in your other water gardens but within the limitations of nature in your setting.   more of Water Garden Placement

Indoor Water Gardens

You can take a bit of summer indoors and create a water garden area that will help you relax and enjoy your space indoors. There are many types of water gardens that you can enjoy indoors and a few of these include water falls, water gardening in containers, and the use of larger aquariums to create the entire water garden that you want.

There are waterfalls, water rock gardens and so much more where you can use your imagination and enjoy the sounds of water in the home.

One of the most exciting things about water gardening is the continued life that is found in the water garden. Even the continuous flow of water is a constant reminder of life in your own world.

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General or Mixed Pond

(Happy Columbus Day!)

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When you are first building a pond in your backyard you need to decide what kind of pond it will be. Will it be a general pond that just has some plants or a mixed pond that contains both plants and fish? Both types can spice up the yard.

The advantages to having a mix garden may out weigh the disadvantages. An advantage would be that you are able to have a wide range of fish and plants. A mixed garden is usually smaller and takes up less time to build. It does not take a lot of care or money when you are dealing with a mixed pond. A disadvantage is the extensive researching that you would have to do so that your fish and plant are compatible for each other. The freedom and amount of choices that you have are endless. This can lead to overstocking or cluttering the pond with plants.

General ponds are an excellent choice to take up space. Usually They do not need to be that big, but they take up more room than a mixed pond. When it comes to a general pond, the water is usually not that deep, around two feet. Sunlight is incredibly important for the plant life.

To sum general and mixed ponds; both are just as good as the other is. It depends on the personal preference of the owner. If you research and you may find that mixed ponds are what you want. Fish add a flare to a backyard pond. The area in which the pond is placed accounts for most of your decision. If it has too much sunlight than a general pond is best. Either one can be small or big. It all depends on your setting and your preferences.

taken from PondSupply.com

Formal Water Gardens

The formal water garden is a place of reflection, relaxation, and enjoyment. A formal water garden is one that often is used to decorate the landscape more than for picnics. The formal water garden is more of a work of art that is enjoyed from a distance than to be enjoyed in a family atmosphere.

A formal water garden is going to be successful only when it is gauged by size according to your landscape. The larger your landscape, the larger your formal water garden should be in order to look ‘properly’ in place. For smaller areas, your formal water garden should be more in proportion to the smaller size. A large sized water garden in a very small area is going to make your formal water garden seem out of place.

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