Over Stocking the Water Garden

Beginner water gardeners often will overstock fish in the water garden when the use of how much water is in the pond is not compared to how much water a fish really needs to thrive. Water gardeners who stock their pond with fish that are replicating and not removing any additional fish can also find their pond overstocked in just a matter of a few years, causing fish to become sickly, die, water that is ‘yucky’ looking, and water that is hard to clean.

What can you do if you find that your pond is overstocked with fish? Depending on how overstocked your water garden really is there are long term and short term tasks you can perform to control how fast the population in your pond is growing.

If you have too many fish in your water garden, change the water to control how much the nitrates and debris in the water is affecting the fish in the water.   

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Temperatures– Koi and Goldfish

You have been constructing and building your water garden for days or weeks, now detailing your water garden and controlling the environment for both your koi fish and your gold fish will be the next most important things on your mind.

Temperatures, light, oxygen levels and even bacteria can affect your fish and without a little bit of research you could lose your entire fish crop without much notice. Always be on the look out for problems, even if you only visit the water garden once a week, at least watching the water and the fish will be a great start in prevention.   the rest of koi and goldfish temperatures

Year Round Care

Taking care of fish is an year-round job so it’s a good idea to know how to take care of your fish in different water temperatures throughout the year. 

 

In January and February your fish are living on stored food that they’ve kept on reserve in their bodies. Allow them to rest and do not feed them. Even if there is a warm day here and there, you should not feed them until the water temperature reaches and has stabilized at 50 degrees Fahrenheit because the slow metabolism of the fish can’t handle digesting food. Don’t let your pond completely ice over to allow the exchange of gas. Do not break ice because this can cause extreme stress or death to your fish. 

 

During March, provide additional aeration in the water if you see your fish coming to the surface often. Fish will remember where they’re fed so if you see them gathering there then feed them, but lightly. Avoid high protein foods. If you pond has been covered, remove the cover on sunny days. If you plan on draining the pond for spring cleaning, be sure to carefully move and keep your fish in a proper holding tank. Keep them out of direct sunlight and treat the water with a Stress Coat and/or salt product to relieve stress.

 

In the months of April and May, your fish may be more susceptible to parasites due to temperature changes. Keep an eye on your fish to watch out for suspicious signs. Temperature changes will also promote spawning. Chasing or bumping into each other isn’t fighting, but part of normal mating rituals. If you want fry, netting them and keeping them in an aquarium until they’re big enough to survive on their own may be in your best interest. Begin feeding protein food at this time in the year. 

 

Periods of heat or rain in the month of June may affect the water quality. Be ready to provide additional aeration to the pond if you notice fish surfacing to the top and chomping for air. When feeding, only feed the fish what they’ll eat in five minutes. The food should be high in protein at this time. Add in salad greens or celery to supplement their diet.

 

More so in July and August, oxygen depletion can occur. Constantly keep an eye on the behavior of your fish for odd behavior. Spraying the top of the pond with some cold water from the hose will help to lower the temperature as well as aerate the pond. Feed the fish as needed.

 

September and October are the months to move any fish that are sensitive to cold weather indoors. Decrease feeding as the temperature lowers and the fish slow down. Feeding should taper down to every two to three days by the end of October. Replace the high protein food with wheat germ varieties. If the water temperature falls below 50 degrees Fahrenheit during this time, stop feeding all together. Keep the pond clean of fallen leaves and dying vegetation. 

 

During the colder months of November and December, keep the feeding down to once weekly until the water temperature gets back up to 50 degrees Fahrenheit once more. If you keep the pump running through winter, raise it within a foot of the pond’s surface to prevent overcooling of the lower water. Don’t let the pond ice over completely.

Spring Maintenance for Your Pond

Happy Spring!

Springtime is when your pond will seem to come back to live. It is a critical time to get your pond back into the beautiful condition it once was in. Because of the temperature rise and falls, this is the best time to help stabilize your pond.

Once your pond water has reached the temperature of 50°, your fish will begin to develop immunities. It is best to start feeding the fish sparingly and very early in the morning. This is recommended so that the fish can process the food before nightfall and the temperature lowers again. If you took care of your pond throughout the winter, the season transition should go very smooth. This is also the best time to clean and prepare pumps and pond filters for the upcoming season.

Some other things that should be on your checklist are.
Add algaecide to help kill the algae or scoop out the algae clumps by hand.
Test water regularly for ammonia and nitrites.
Replace a part of the pond water.
Provide shelter for fish until plants begin to grow again
Monitor fish healthy daily
Following the given checklist and other suggestions will help your pond make the season transition without a casualty.

Water Testing for a Healthy Pond

Once your pond gets in a rhythm and everything seems to be running smoothly, it can be easy to get lazy when it comes to testing your water on a regular basis. Even if your water is crystal clear and your fish are swimming around and look healthy, it’s important to continually test your water and maintain your pond to avoid future issues.

 

Abrupt changes in temperature filter channeling, growth of bacteria and other factors can lead to issues in your pond. Testing your water is the only way to catch these changes before they can turn deadly. Check the water temperature to know how much protein to feed your fish. Keep in mind that what goes in and out of your fish will greatly affect your bio-filter and its effectiveness. That said, it’s also important to clean the filter on a regular basis to keep it running smoothly. If applicable, clean the skimmer in the same fashion.

 

Keep any loose debris out of the pond. Debris can settle at the bottom of the pond. Sticks and leaves should be scooped out as needed. If you have a bottom drain, cleaning the settled debris will be easy. Without a drain, a vacuum will be needed to get the job done. Along with cleaning up the bottom of your pond, the debris that will be collected can also be used as fertilizer in your garden. 

 

If done on a regular basis, these steps will help keep your pond in tip-top shape and will save you a headache later on.

Choosing Koi

When shopping for koi for your pond, it’s important to have an idea of what you’re looking for, how much you want to spend and more importantly, to go to shops and suppliers who know their stuff. Not only will properly trained and knowledgeable staff be able to answer any questions you have, but you can be confident the koi they sell are taken care of and in good condition.

 

Koi personnel will be able to help you choose the kind of fish you have in mind for your pond. They can help you to save yourself from making mistakes that will hinder you in the long run. One thing you will need to have somewhat of an idea of is how much money you’re willing to spend, and when you’re being ripped off. 

 

When scanning over tanks of koi to choose from, first notice if there is a proper filtration system flowing. Then you can change your focus onto the fish. You’ll obviously want the best looking and healthiest koi. The healthy koi will be swimming all around the tank, have even healthy skin, clear eyes and flowy fins.

 

Once you pick out your favorites, you can usually ask the staff to isolate each koi, one at a time, to get a better look. This is the time to look carefully at the quality of fish you’re dealing with. Be sure to take advantage of the staff at this time so you can get as much information as possible to make a good choice.  

Spring Cleaning

Spring cleaning; in most cases this brings up thoughts of garage sales, basement overhauls and sweating it out in your home while ridding of the grubbiness that crept in throughout the winter months. While all those things may need to be done, for pond owners it’s also a time to clean and refresh your pond to help in welcoming a warm, beautiful summer. Just don’t wear your Sunday best because this endeavor is a messy one.

 

Along with the satisfaction of cleaning your pond, this is also an opportunity to get up close and personal with your fish and to see how they have grown since the winter sent them into hibernation. Some sort of container will be needed to hold your fish during cleaning. Try to clean your pond just as spring is starting so it’s still cool enough to keep your fish as stress-free as possible. A kiddie-pool or a large livestock watering tank will suffice; just make sure it’s clean first. 

 

Fill the holding tank with water from the pond, not from a hose. Cover the tank with netting because the fish will most likely try to jump out. If one does manage to get out, be sure to wet your hands before handling them. Once you’re ready to gather the fish, lower the water so it’s easier to catch them. After the koi are in the holding tank, empty the pond all the way in preparation to clean. 

 

If you don’t have a bottom drain, use a sump pump to get all the water out. After that is done, give your bio-filter a good cleaning. Power spray systems work excellent for this. Then, if applicable, turn on the UV sterilizer and any fountains or waterfalls and then begin refilling the pond. As your pond is filling, add salt (follow directions by size and water for your pond). Use a de-chlorinator. Even if you used non-chlorinated water or well water, a good de-chlorinator will remove heavy metals. Test the water before re-introducing your fish because too much chlorine will kill your fish and plants. 

 

At this time you can add bacteria to start up your bio-filter again. After that, you can re-introduce your fish back into the pond. Although your pond is all up and running and sparkling clean, your fish are not quite ready to go back in. You’ll have to introduce them into the pond the same way you did when you brought them home for the first time. This is not to be rushed. Your fish will be happy and stress-free which in turn should leave a sweet taste in your mouth as well. Now sit back, relax and enjoy your newly cleaned and improved pond. 

 

Imitating Nature

As if planning and building a pond isn’t difficult enough, actually making it natural or as close to natural as possible can be even tougher. The best way to erect a believable copy-cat of nature is to do just that, imitate nature. Keep the following facts in mind when planning your backyard water garden to keep things simpler and more efficient.

 

Water, in rivers for example, flows constantly. Of course your stream will not be as big and as powerful as a river but you can still give the effect of water running in from one end and out from the other. Water could rise from a cluster of rocks for example or from under a large boulder or slab. This will give the impression of a buried stream and it will appear to run out of the garden in the same fashion.

 

Water streams generally cut into hillsides. Water won’t run over the top of soil. For a believable look, dig a channel into the landscape for the water to run through.

 

Waterfall cascades will equal the slope of the slopes surrounding it. If you have a minor slope with a major Niagara sized fall, the effect will be uneven looking and unbelievable. Consider a series of smaller falls that will be proportionate to the surrounding slopes. The cluster of falls will create enough water movement and noise to be a focal point.

 

Watercourses follow the lowest points of the land. Water naturally flows downhill, cutting a channel into the earth. To avoid the collection of leaves and pollution at the lowest point of your streams, position your streams in low spots but not at the lowest. Bog plants will be the most suitable in the lowest point of your garden.

Sources for backyard lighting

Lighting for your backyard oasis will add a relaxing feel and will make your garden enjoyable at all times of the day as well as night. Along with different styles and varieties, there are also different types of light sources made for outdoor use.

 

Standard Tungsten bulbs are usually the most least expensive and have a warm yellow glow. Unfortunately, they can get quite hot which limits the size of the bulb. These will generally be used in low-voltage lighting situations.

 

Halogen bulbs are becoming increasingly popular for their long time use. They are reasonably sized but cast a bright white light. Halogen bulbs are more expensive but give out much more light than equally rated tungsten bulbs. They are used for low-voltage setups.

 

Mercury bulbs give off a bright bluish white light that fortunately shows off colors and details well but tends to be rated as a little harsh.

 

Sodium bulbs give off a nice amber light and are fairly efficient to run. They are ideal for lighting vast areas and floodlighting for buildings and warehouses.

 

Metal halide bulbs give off an intense white light that can be compared to daylight. They are also useful for floodlighting large areas but are more expensive to buy than mercury or sodium bulbs. Mercury, sodium and metal halide bulbs all have a common disadvantage in that they each take awhile to heat up before reaching full capacity and they all require heavy duty starting equipment.

 

Planning ahead for plants

When drawing up plans for a new backyard pond, it’s important to think ahead about what you’re going to need and want to achieve your goals. Planning ahead for plants is important because although they only require light and water, different plants need different amounts of each.

 

 All ponds should ideally get sun for at least half the day. A full day of sun will promote plants to grow at their best but sun all day long can be fatal. Constructing different levels within the pond will be the best way to provide a variety of environments for different plants. Be sure to take in consideration the size and amount of plants you want to keep in your pond. Shelves should have a width that is deep enough to accommodate different plant basket sizes to avoid over-hanging. 

 

Most marginal plants are suitable to grow on shelves. Building shelves on the south side of the pond will be of benefit to you in sunny weather because you can place plants there that will in turn provide shade to the pond and help cut down on green algae. Water lilies vary in size but most prefer up to 10-16 inches of water coverage so placing them on the bottom of most ponds will suffice. 

 

If you see a waterfall or fountain in your future, keep in mind that many water plants, including lilies, don’t grow as well in moving water. Therefore, keeping waterfalls in a separate part of the pond, away from the plants, is something to consider. If a big part of having a pond is to grow water plants, know that space and plenty of room to grow is an important key in your plants future to grow to their best potential.