Taking care of your pond

Making sure that you take care of your pond is the most important part of maintenance. You must make sure that you are taking care of the pond so that you can enjoy the beauty of it. Taking care of your pond is something that you must do on a daily basis. You have to keep up with all the work so that it does not get out of hand for you. It is only going to take a few minutes each day to make sure that your pond is well taken care of. You will need to add in the right amount of chemicals and clean your pond as often as needed. By cleaning your pond, you need to use a skimmer to get out the dirt and other debris that can land in your pond. This should usually be done once a week or more to be sure that it is kept up. If you have flowers in or around your pond, you need to maintain them as well. Keep the weeds out of your pond to so that you do not have an overgrown look around it. This is all going to be well worth the time and effort that you put into it to have a beautiful and admired pond.

Filters for your pond

The need for a filter in your pond is important. You have to be able to keep the water clean and clear. If you are serious about taking care of your pond and making the right choices, you need to do your research. You can make the right choices if you have good facts that will help you to pick the right filter. A good filter is going to keep the dirt and grime out of your pond. There are different sizes and types of filters for each type of pond. It is up to you to make sure that you have the right one to keep your pond clear. Once you have your filter set in place, you need to clean I and occasionally replace it if needed. There are filters of every kind and price. Make sure that you choose a filter that works well with your pond size too. If you are noticing a cloudy look to your pond, this may mean that your filter is not doing its job.

How to tell the different between eggs and parasites

If you are looking to multiply your investment you will want to talk to the fish breeder. You will want to make sure that you ask them for tips on spawning and also you will want to make sure that your fish are healthy to purchase.

You will want to keep in mind that there are a lot of fish that will lay eggs, but there are fish that will produce livebearers. You will want to keep this in mind when you are trying to get the fish to spawn. Springtime is the time for eggs to be laid, so you will want to make sure that you support your fish through the transition of hibernation and spring action.

If you haven’t had a pond or water garden for a long time, you will find that the wintertime will change the appearance of your water garden. You will need to consider that the water will look greener and maybe even thicken. You will want to make sure that you notice that your plants are coming back to life and your fish are more active in the springtime.

You will need to keep in mind that it is very important that you watch as to what it is that you feed your pond. You will find that filtering your garden too early could harm your fish and your plant life. You will notice that the food that you give them doesn’t need to be a lot, because the fish will feed on the algae life in the water. The alga is actually high in nutrients and the fish will need these nutrients in order to live through the springtime and also reproduce.

Some fish will carry their eggs on their bodies. You will want to make sure that you look closely at the fish. This is because you don’t want to confuse the eggs with a parasite. Parasites can be located anywhere on the fish. The fish will usually keep their eggs near their gills and chest area.

You may even want to do some research on parasites from a picture book or online so that you can compare the two together. You will want to treat your fish with medications if it is a parasite, but you don’t want to treat them if they don’t need it. This will cause the fish to go into shock.

It is very important that you understand the difference between the eggs and the parasites. It’s easily to distinguish if you are able to get a close look at the fish, because you will be able to see the sack and the life inside the eggs. You will also want to keep in mind that if it is a parasite you will need to treat the fish right away.

Winter pond care

Taking care of your pond all year long is very important. This is also very important in the winter months when you are not using the pond. You have to make sure that you clean the pond well and properly winterize the pond to keep it from being damaged during the cold season. You have to make sure that you drain the water, and clean it with the proper chemicals. There are plenty of different methods you can use but you have to make sure that you choose the right one for your pond. Covering your pond is very crucial to maintaining it as well. This is to help keep the debris and the weather from getting to the pond and destroying all the hard work that you have done to create the pond in the first place.

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.

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.

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.

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.