Summer Maintenance of Garden Ponds

Happy July 4th

Summer is the season where most action takes place in or around your garden pond. Plant growth is at it’s best and feeding demand is at it’s highest. As a result of this, you must deal with the heavy waste load.

Testing for ammonia and nitrate will show you if your filter is keeping up or not. If it is not, you may have to reduce your fish stocks and scale down on your feeding. Regular cleaning of pre-filter sponges or the equivalent should also be carried out during the season. High summer temperatures may cause fish to lose their appetite as a result of excessive metabolic demands in an environment where oxygen levels may be lower than normal.

Plant pest activity is at it’s worst in the summer. Keep a watch daily and take action promptly because under warm conditions in the summer, problems can spread very quickly. Remove all dead and damaged leaves. Even in healthy plants, dead leaves and blooms should be removed regularly. Healthy plants may also be thinned out as appropriate or desired. Water-borne and other predators may also be at their most active at this time of year.

Evaporation from ponds is a familiar summer problem, especially if there are streams or cascades of water. Water is lost from the pond in two ways, First marginal plants take up large quantities of water through their roots during the growing season and they lose it through their leaves. Second, high air pressure will cause water loss through direct evaporation from the pond surface. Regular top-off might be necessary.

Many fish species will continue to sprawl well into the summer. If the spawning occur during late summer, it may be necessary to prepare alternative indoor accommodation for at least some of the fry to enhance their chances of survival over the coming autumn and winter. This mostly applies to areas where the cold season temperatures are likely to drop towards the lower tolerance level for the species in question. Hatchlings from mid season spawning should be somewhat tougher by the time the colder weather begins to set in.

UV Sterilizers

Keeping algae under control in ponds is a constant struggle for many water gardeners and it’s no secret that there are many methods to tackling algae; some that work better than others. Of course there are algaecides available but unless you know how many gallons you have in your pond and use the product correctly and carefully, you can risk damaging plants in your pond and possibly killing your fish. There are other somewhat off the wall options such as products that round up the algae in your pond and sink it to the bottom. These can cause serious clogging in filter systems and may give you a bigger headache than you started out with. If nothing has worked well for what you’re trying to do, you may want to consider investing in an ultraviolet sterilizer.

 

When ultraviolet sterilizers first came onto the market, many people were skeptical about the safety of the product. Some thought that the sterilizers would virtually sterilize everything to the point that the ponds would be complete sterile causing the koi to die because their immune systems would shut down. Those concerns, however, have been put to rest. There are so many influences that affect ponds that there’s really no way to keep it completely sterile-certainly not by the sterilizers that are offered.

 

UV sterilizers are used in so many ways and in so many industries with successful outcomes that the idea of using them in koi ponds seemed only natural. The sterilizers keep the pond clean by eliminating water-born algae and reducing the amount of viruses, fungi, bacteria etc. that’s present in the pond. The technical description can be summarized in that a shortwave UV light is released and when it comes in contact with the problem (algae, fungi, protozoa etc.) long enough, it will destroy the DNA chain resulting in the prevention of reproduction.

 

Of course there are different units for different size ponds. Contact your dealer or stop in at a local water garden store to ask some questions and gather information before taking the next step to a cleaner, healthier pond.

Controlling water pests

Besides the obvious charm and enjoyment water containers provide, there is still some maintenance involved in keeping them attractive and running properly. Along with general cleaning duties, protecting your water container fish and plants from insects and pests can seem like a full time job. To name a few: aphids, mosquitoes, spider mites, midges and moths are some pests that can affect the well-being of your water garden. Luckily, just having fish in your containers can help keep the problem under control. Simply hose the insects into the container and viola, fish food. 

If you’re trying to avoid using chemicals to aid your efforts, there are some organic methods of fighting off insects and pests. A salt-like white substance called Diacetemous earth (found at swimming pool suppliers) can be placed in a salt shaker and then sprinkled over the affected area, where its tiny points puncture invaders and eventually kill them. Bacillus Thuringiensis (“Bt”), found at garden supply stores, is a bacterium that, when in direct contact with insects, will parasitize its digestive tract and kill it. Because this bacterium comes in a powder form, it can get messy so try mixing it with water and spraying it directly onto the affected areas.

For the control of aphids, try mixing a small amount of dishwashing detergent along with vegetable oil and water in a spray bottle. The detergent will help the vegetable oil mix with the water while the oil suffocates the aphids. Once the aphids are dead, remove the oil simply by flooding the container so as to prevent oxygen deprivation for the fish.

Although Spider mites are not common in larger water containers, they can be found as some sites. A simple hosing on a daily basis with a strong water jet will usually keep them at bay. For especially bad infestations, remove all plants and hose them off so as to remove any eggs and nymphs from underneath the leaves. Insecticidal soap can also be used every three days underneath the leaves to control the problem.

Mosquitoes are known to breed in the smallest puddle of standing water so it shouldn’t be a surprise to find them living in your water container. However, that fact doesn’t make them any less annoying. Again, in this case you may luck out if you are keeping fish in your container because mosquito larvae are a tasty snack for fish. If your container is sans fish, try floating donut-shaped Mosquito Dunks in your container for mosquito control. For smaller containers, try breaking off a small piece from the donut to float in your container. Mosquito Dunks contain Bacillus Thuringiensis (a bacterium mentioned earlier that parasitizes the digestive tracts of insects, killing them) and are completely natural and will not harm your fish, pets or people. 

Summer Seasonal Care

Summer is the months when you most enjoy your water garden and the fish that are living in the water pond but summer is also a time when you should pay attention to a few things that are happening in the water garden.

Keeping the quality of the water high a filtration system is going to make the overall process easier. A filter system is going to keep nitrate levels lower and will keep ammonia levels lower so fish can continue to thrive. Check your filter system to be sure your water is properly cleaned.

Test and check the water occasionally during the summer months, even just a time or two a month is going to ensure that you catch problems before they get too far out of hand. Water constantly flowing in the water garden is going to keep air in the water, and will help filter out those problems.

more on Summer Pond Care

Maintaining Good Water Quality

As a pond owner, you know it’s important to have a well balanced pond. Keeping your water quality at its best is a huge part of that. Knowing when and what to test for is the difficult part. Each pond is different so it’s important to follow the directions of testing kits. However, sometimes it can be difficult to know what does need testing and what things can slip by.

 

Hardness and Alkalinity of the pond should be tested two or three times a year. As stated earlier, there are kits that go into detail exactly how to test the water.

 

Oxygen is a must in your pond every day of the year. There can never be too much oxygen, but too little and you’ll have dead fish and plants on your hands. Use your discretion on when to test the water but keep in mind that oxygen depletion is more apparent in summer months.

 

Testing for Carbon Dioxide isn’t necessary unless there is a problem. Having good aeration at all times will rid of excess CO2.

 

Although there are no testing kits for overcrowding, it’s important to keep an eye out for this. Too many fish equals less oxygen which can be fatal. Overcrowding will also lead to the increase of ammonia and nitrite.

Chlorine 411

Chlorine and Chloramines

 

Chlorine, a gas, will dissipate with water circulation and exposure to the air within one or two days. Chloramines, on the other hand, take much longer to break down. Both are harmful to fish and will kill the nitrifying bacteria in the pond. They both also have the potential to burn or kill aquatic plants. Fortunately, there are many ways to keep chlorine and ammonia levels under control with some simple tips and tools.

 

When adding chlorinated water to the pond, spray it with a hose to give the necessary aeration to dissipate the gas. De-chlorinators are available at many pet and pond retailers. If you’re only adding five to ten percent of the pond’s water, it is unlikely the resulting ammonia will affect fish and plants.  If you are adding greater amounts of water, testing after using a de-chlorinator is a wise idea.

 

Sodium Thiosulfate will also remove chlorine from water. Refer to the bottle or ask a supplier specific instructions before using. Sodium Thiosulfate will also pull the chlorine from the chloramines. Be sure to monitor the ammonia levels and label and safely store after use. A bio-filter will also help remove ammonia and is something to consider if you are regularly topping off or changing more than five to ten percent of the pond’s water on a weekly basis with chlorinated water. Adding up to five percent of the pond’s water with untreated chlorinated water no more than once or twice weekly is okay for your fish and plants.

pH Defined

The pH level in your pond is important, everybody knows that. But what is pH exactly? According to the (Webster’s New Collegiate) dictionary, pH is the negative logarithm of the effective hydrogen-ion concentration or hydrogen-ion activity, in gram equivalents per liter, used in expressing both acidity and alkalinity on a scale whose values run from zero to 14, with seven representing neutrality. Numbers less than seven increase acidity and numbers more than seven increase alkalinity.

 

Phew! That’s quite the definition and may not make complete sense. To explain it a little bit more, logarithmic means that a pH of 5.0 is ten times more acidic than 6.0 and 100 times more acidic than 7.0. On the flip side, a pH of 9.0 is 10 times more alkaline than 8.0 and 100 times more alkaline than 7.0.

 

The amount of solid waste (nitrite) from one pond to another is also the difference in the acid level. The water source, vegetation and whether there is a bio-filter present or not, are also factors affecting the pH level. Water plants and algae increase the acidity by changing out calcium, potassium and manganese that they consume and switching it out for hydrogen and aluminum ions. 

 

Knowing what pH is exactly isn’t as important as how to control it. Simple kits can be bought to take care of this. A sign of poor pH levels is if you see your fish rubbing themselves on the sides or bottom of the pond (also known as flashing). This can be caused by parasites or a big change in the pH.

Pond Start Up

Once you’ve gone through all the hard work of planning a pond, cutting and laying liner and filling your new pond, it’s about time to get some fish in there. But not just yet; first you’ll want to turn on your filters and test everything for a couple of days. Check for leaks and make sure any fountains or waterfalls you may have are working properly. After you are satisfied with how everything is running, then you can introduce fish into the pond. Some people prefer to first introduce “test” fish to see how they manage. Goldfish are usually the most popular for this task but keep in mind that they reproduce like crazy so start with only a couple and go from there. Now you are ready to bring Koi into your pond. This is also the time to start adding in aerobic bacteria to jump-start your bio-filter.

 

Your group of fish will naturally provide the waste needed to feed the bacteria so that they can colonize and live. Check the manufacturer’s labels for instructions on how much bacteria to use and for how long. At the same time you’ll want to test the water daily for ammonia and nitrite levels to really make sure the bio-filter is up to snuff. If the test shows any amount of ammonia or nitrite in your water, you’ll need to change out about 1/3 of the pond’s water to rid of the toxins. Don’t forget to add salt into the water to replenish what was removed along with the water. Keep in mind that it generally takes 4-6 weeks to get a properly balanced bacteria colony. Fewer and fewer water changes will be necessary as time goes on.

 

Expect a bit of an algae bloom while you are establishing your bacteria colony. Don’t fret; this will clear up with time. Patience will be your best friend in this respect. Once your bio-filter is running smoothly, your pond will be at its best and your fish will be happy too. Although most of the hard work is done, don’t get lazy with testing the water. This needs to be done on a weekly basis to avoid any surprises that can negate all the hard work you’ve just done.

Two approaches to controlling algae

If natural remedies for your algae problem didn’t work to your satisfaction, there are chemical remedies that can be exercised with caution.

Remove as much algae as possible before starting chemical treatment. Maximum effectiveness of ridding algae occurs at 50 degrees Fahrenheit. 

Just as sunlight will feed plants as well as algae, algicides will slow the growth of algae as well as other plants and high doses may kill them. A way of avoiding too high dosages is to perform a fifty percent water change and then treat the water with a half dose.

The algaecide Potassium Permanganate is only to be used on cool, cloudy days when the water isn’t too warm. If used on sunny days, the treatment will turn the water a murky yellow. A maximum of three applications on three successive days is usually recommended. At the end of the treatment remember to remove the dead algae. 

Formaldehyde (37 percent solution) may be used in the rate of one drop per gallon of pond water to kill floating algae. A possible killer of lily cultivators, it is wise to remove plants before treatment. Fish will not need to be moved as the 37 percent solution is safe for killing fish parasites but will not kill the fish. The person handling the solution should avoid skin contact and breathing in the chemicals.

For larger bodies of water, Copper sulfate can be used. Dosages vary and will usually be used on alternate days over a two week period if there are fish in the pond. Use Copper sulfate with great caution because a too high dosage can kill your fish by way of asphyxiation. 

Algae can certainly be an annoying problem to deal with while maintaining a water garden. Fortunately, there are many ways to keep an algae-free pond but a good place to start is with plants.

Under water plants such as Elodea, Hornwort, Sagittaria and Cabomba are some primary plants to consider in this equation. Ideally, one bunch for each square foot of the pond’s surface is enough. If you have a high population of fish in your pond, consider more plants to counter-balance fish waste and their grazing habits. Elodea is a great plant to help control algae because it breaks dormancy earlier than other submerged plants. Usually in bloom a month earlier than others, you’ll get a head start on controlling algae. Keep in mind that Elodea grows and spreads rapidly and will need thinning by summer.

If your pond water is already green with algae, it will take longer (usually up to six weeks) to get the problem under control. Under these circumstances, submerged plants should be moved closer to the water’s surface where they can receive more sunlight for faster growth. As the problem lessens, the plants can be moved back to their original settings. Ponds that have up to four inches of pea gravel at the bottom are ideal for the “tame” Dwarf Sagittaria that roots directly into the gravel. Ponds with Dwarf Sagittaria are unlikely to experience any green water algae problems at all.

Sunlight not only helps submerged plants grow but also greatly aids in feeding algae so covering your pond with floating plants is ideal. A general rule of thumb is to cover one-third to two-thirds of the water’s surface with plants such as lily pads and floating plants such as Water Hyacinth, Water Lettuce, Fairy Moss and Duckweed to name a few. 

Surface shading isn’t necessary in keeping a pond clear of green water algae, however it is much more difficult to maintain a pond without it and will require many more submerged plants. As stated earlier, Dwarf Sagittaria carpeted along the bottom will help compete with algae for the available nutrients. 

Keeping your Cool

Longer days and relaxing summer nights equals more time to enjoy your koi pond and water garden. However, along with the temperature change means new challenges that you need to keep in mind this summer.

 Avoid poor water quality

Pay attention to your fish and their eating habits. During the summer, koi and other pond fish will be more active than during the cooler months. This means they will want to eat more and will in turn produce more waste. Stick to your normal feeding habits to avoid poor water quality due to overfeeding. Consider an automatic feeder to take all the thinking out of it. Don’t feel as though you can’t treat your fish every now and then. You can get specific koi treats at any pet store or fresh fruits and vegetables are also great treats. Stick around for a few minutes after feeding so you can scoop out any left over floating food to keep waste to a minimum.

 Bio-Filtration

Boost your current biological filter with supplementary filter media or bacteria. Bacterial additives break down toxic waste better when water temperatures are higher. Keep in mind that supplementing biological filtration during the summer months should only be done in conjunction with increased oxygen levels.

 Add more oxygen

Installing an aeration pump will prevent havoc on your pond due to lack of oxygen. As water temperatures rise, your pond will lose more and more oxygen. The supply of natural oxygen will decrease during the summer while the biological demand increases. Aeration will allow efficient gas exchange to reduce buildup of harmful gasses while increasing oxygen levels at the same time. Healthy levels of oxygen in your pond will keep your fish healthy and happy.