Insects and Pests in your water container

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.

Spring Cleaning

Unhappy Tax Day!

Spring cleaning is more than just for your house, but also a task that must be done for the water garden plants and fish to thrive all summer long. Spring-cleaning consists of various things, that really don’t take too long, but you do need to remember to do them.

If you have a water garden that is just plants, draining, rinsing and vacuuming out the water garden is a good idea but only for the smaller ponds. Actually the larger water gardens will balance their environment over the spring months so you may only need to scoop out the debris on the bottom of the water garden and not drain it. Draining the water garden can be quite costly in time.

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Chlorine and Chloramines

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.

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.

Chemical remedies for 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 algicide 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. 

 

Simazine is a more gentle option for smaller ponds. If used properly, it is safe for goldfish and koi. However, it will affect or kill more sensitive fish and plants. Therefore, all plants and applicable fish should be moved to a holding tank during treatment. Extra aeration should be supplied as oxygen levels will be affected for several weeks after completed. 

 

Like Simazine, the herbicide Urea Maleate is deemed safe for koi and goldfish but will also affect or kill other sensitive fish and plants.

 

Before aquatic plants have reached a size that can compete with algae, a (non-toxic) blue or black dye can be added to the pond to reduce the amount of sunlight entering the pond. Submerged plants and lilies should be moved closer to the surface so as to get a better access to the sunlight that is entering. The dye will gradually be removed through routine water changes and time.

 

Pond Balance, a product that changes the chemistry of your pond water, makes conditions unsuitable for the growth of filamentous algae. This product is safe for all pond life but will generally need to be used on a regular basis throughout the season, usually three full doses in both autumn and spring.

Natural remedies for algae

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. From plants and fish to proper filtration and chemical remedies, you’ll find it’s easier than you think to keep your algae problems down to a minimum.

 

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. 

 

Water and other natural remedies

Changing out the water to rid of green water will prove only to be a temporary solution because you’ll just be feeding the algae nutrient-rich water and the frequent changes will actually stress out your fish and plants.

Be sure to follow directions carefully when using plant fertilizers because too much can aid to the growth of algae and also be a risk to fish. On the same topic of plants, use heavy garden soil rather than humus-enriched soils because they are unnecessary for aquatics and only feed algae more. 

As contradictory as it sounds, fish waste adds nutrients to the water as well so keep fish population within the recommendations of your pond size. Only feed your fish what they’ll eat in five minutes and scoop out what’s left over with a net as uneaten food will also contribute to algae’s dinner. A skimmer can also come in handy to filter out floating food, debris, leaves etc…

Nitrifying bacteria (often found in bio-filters) can be added directly to water. This bacterium requires circulating water, proper pH levels and the right temperatures. If set in the proper conditions, it can aid to temporary clearing of green water algae. The right amount of submerged plants is important because the plants will utilize the bacteria’s nitrate end-product to help keep the algae from coming back. 

Water fleas, tadpoles and snails are a great team with janitorial qualities. Water fleas will eat the floating algae. Tadpoles will eat the filamentous forms of algae. While toad tadpoles will spend a short amount of time in the pond, frog tadpoles can spend up to two years in a pond before morphing into frogs. Snails (Ramshorn, Trapdoor and Apple) will feed upon the tufted algae that grow on pots or liner. Some snails have been known to eat the plants so keeping an eye out for such damage is recommended. One snail per square foot of water surface is the recommended stocking rate for snails and the Great Pond Snail should be avoided and or removed as it multiplies rapidly and feeds on aquatic plants.

Salt in the proper doses will kill algae. 

After bashing algae and educating you on many ways of killing it in the past 800 words, keep in mind that in moderation, the smooth algae on the sides of the pond and coating on your submerged pots is a sign of a healthy pond. 

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.

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Testing the Water Garden

You most likely have an idea what you want your water garden to look like when you are finished detailing it, and adding fish or plants are most likely a factor in what your final creation is going to look like. The well balanced water garden is going to be semi free of pollutions, balanced in how the elements of the pond take care of each other. Testing your water garden once it has become established is one method of ensuring that the environment continues to be balanced and that you don’t have to interfere with the environment of the water garden. Sometimes it will be necessary for you to use additives in the water garden, like when you are fighting a pest or disease or when you are first establishing a water garden.

It is recommended that you stay away from chemical treatments when ever possible so that your plants and fish continue to ‘try’ and take care of their selves. Over treating a water garden can lead to the fish and plants being unable to care for their needs in the natural environment as they are conditioned to rely on you and chemicals.

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