Just like any other type of yard maintenance, pond maintenance varies with each season. These tips on maintaining your pond will help you keep it running well from season to season.
Each spring, you’ll need to clean your pond thoroughly. If the pond is extremely dirty, you may need to actually catch the fish and keep them in a holding tank so that you can drain the pond. Otherwise, you should only need to remove about half the water.
Remove any debris and fallen leaves from the pond. You should clean the filter and change the media or material it uses to work, as well. This gets rid of bacteria that will be harmful to fish. Then, refill the pond with fresh water. You should treat the pond for parasites to keep your fish healthy.
The plants in your pond will usually bloom again as the season progresses. You’ll need to cut off any dead parts and you should use a pond safe fertilizer to feed any potted or deep water plants.
Don’t feed your fish until the temperature stays above 55°F (10°C). Otherwise, the fish will not be able to digest the food. You may want to consider starting them off with wheat-germ based food. As the weather warms, you may also want to give your fish specially formulated food with antibiotics in it for two weeks to prevent illness.
During the summer months, pond maintenance is fairly simple. Switch your fish to a high protein food. Test the water for ammonia, nitrates and pH. If the water quality is bad, the fish may not have enough oxygen to survive. You should change fifty percent of the water if it is unbalanced. It may also be a good idea to add a few additional oxygenating plants to the pond to stabilize the oxygen level and keep algae from taking over the pond. Fertilize the deep water plants and marginal plants in the pond with a pond safe fertilizer. You should also clean the filter and pump.
During the fall, you will be spending most of your time preparing your fish for the winter months. Fish can’t easily digest foods in lower temperatures so you’ll need to reduce the amount you feed them as temperature goes below 70°F (21°C). When the temperature is under 50°F (10°C) stop feeding the fish until the weather warms up again in the spring.
You should trim all the plants in the pond and remove dying parts to prevent them from rotting under water during the winter. When leaves begin to fall you should cover the pond with mesh so that the leaves don’t drop into the water. If the leaves are left in the pond they will decompose and become harmful to your fish.
Winter maintenance involves keeping the pond from freezing solid so that toxic gases do not build up under the ice. As the temperature of the pond water gets below 40°F (4°C), remove the pump from the bottom of the pond. When it is at the bottom, it circulates the water of the entire pond, making it too cold for the fish.
You should put a re-circulating pump at the top of the pond to provide oxygen and to keep the pond from freezing completely during the winter months. You’ll also need to install a heater or pond deicer, which will release toxic gases and provide more oxygen for the fish.
Remove filter mats from the skimmer and filter because they’ll freeze and will be difficult to thaw out. You may want to cover the pond with netting to avoid predators, as fish are most vulnerable during winter and early spring months.
Filed under Ponds & Water Gardens by on Oct 31st, 2009. Comment. 
As you raise your pet Koi, there's always a need for you to have the important filtration system for your Koi pond. The Koi is known for its sensitivity to the water quality compared to some of the other fishes, so you need to consider when it comes to having a filter in your outdoor pond.
The filter is an equipment that helps in controlling the biological balance within the pond. It removes the waste produced by the Koi. In the wild, the waste that comes from the fish is being removed through the water volume of the area, as well as the current of the water. So, when the fish is placed in your pond which is a controlled environment, they really need to have such a natural function as well. There are two types of filtration systems: the biological and the mechanical. The biological filter depends on the bacteria to break down those toxic wastes such as ammonia (or pH) into nitrates which are less harmful substances (high levels of pH can be very harmful for your Koi). Nitrates are also harmful to the Koi when they come in large amounts.
A good filter for your pond will still be able to work properly without the use of a pump to force the water through to it. As the pond is a big area, the filter's strength isn't able to circulate the water just on its own. The pump is the one that pushes the water and also the one that circulates the water through the pond. Also, add-ons like waterfall and those small fountain can be put in your pond, stirring up water and allowing oxygen from the air to be folded into pond's water (this process is called aeration). Keep in mind that it's very important to have a constant supply of oxygen for the fish.
It’s also necessary to test the water’s chemical make up on a weekly basis, and this can be done in two ways. The first option is to go to your local pet store and bring a sample of your pond's water so that they can test it for you, while the second option is to buy a home testing kit with which you can test the water all by yourself. You should keep the chemical mixture of the water at a normal level for your pets all the time.
Maintenance is always needed for your own Koi garden. It only takes a little bit of time and effort to maintain your pond, and having vital systems in it like the filter is one of the things that pond owners really need to have. Having a very healthy Koi pond and a magnificent Koi garden (plus the elegant and beautiful fish in your pond) really makes it a rewarding hobby every Koi lover out there!
Filed under Fish and Aquarium Care by on Jun 14th, 2009. Comment.
A good and working filtration system is what you need in order to have a healthy and lively Koi pond. A filtration system promotes the biological balance in your pond. A good filter works well without the use of a pump in order to force water through it.
So what are the types of filters that you can use for your Koi pond? There are two kinds of filtration systems. These are the mechanical and the biological filtration systems. The biological filtration system relies on bacteria in breaking down toxic wastes (ammonia or pH), converting them into nitrates. Nitrates are less harmful substances (they only become harmful to your fish when left untreated at large amounts and high levels).
The mechanical filtration system is the one that cleans the particles (solid wastes from your pets) from the pond’s water, which are being trapped in the filter and cleaned up during the regular maintenance.
Your pond is a big area wherein the strength of the filter isn’t enough to promote the water circulation (keep in mind that your fish requires a continuous supply of oxygen). For this, to increase the strength, you can put add-ons like waterfalls, fountains, etc. These features can promote aeration, a process that agitates the water and in turn giving more oxygen to your pond.
It is necessary for you to keep the chemical mixture of the water at a healthy, normal range for your pets, so it’s important for you to test the chemical content of your pond every week, and this is done by bringing a water sample to your local pet store and have them test it, or if you prefer not to have any hassles in going to the pet store, you can choose to buy a home testing kit to test the water all by yourself.
Take the responsibility, time and effort you need to sustain the health of your pond. Being a rewarding hobby, giving your pond the things it needs (like the filter) wlll able to give you a long-lasting outdoor pond!
Filed under Fish and Aquarium Care by on Jun 10th, 2009. Comment.
Blue-green algae is technically not really an algae in the true sense of the word – it’s actually a form of bacteria, called cyanobacteria, which is a type of bacteria capable of photosynthesis.
Cyanobacteria is one of the oldest organisms in the world, and is thought to have been around for at least 3.five billion years!
It looks like a slimy coating in a number of greenish-blue shades, and the wastes it releases can actually be toxic to your fish – another good reason to keep it to a bare minimum.
One good thing…
The good thing about algie removal is that it’s easy to remove manually: usually, it forms ‘sheets’ of hanging matter in the water, which can easily be scooped out.
The bad thing…
The downside is that it’s pretty hardy: even after a thorough removal, it’s usually back by the next day
This algae is usually caused by low levels of nitrates (usually in combination with high levels of phosphate), and an imbalance of bacteria in the water.
How to get rid of this persistent eyesore:
* Block all light for a week, and get rid of the dead algae out of the tank each day. Your plants will be feeling pretty sorry for themselves by the seventh day, but they should recover just fine.
* Bacteria pellets need to be added after every water change. You can purchase bacteria pellets for this express purpose from your pet store and aquarium supply dealer. Ask for bacteria pellets that remove ammonia and excess protein from the water.
* Be stringent with your tank maintenance: keep everything clean, check the filter for clogging, make sure the lights are working adequately (blue-green algae needs light to survive, but good fluorescents are necessary to maintain an adequate balance of bacteria and plant life in the tank).
It’s not very hard to cure the problem of algae if you are organised. Just keep at it and you will achieve your goal.
Filed under Fish and Aquarium Care by on May 29th, 2009. Comment.
Effective for both fresh & saltwater aquariums. High levels of non-toxic nitrates are a food source for unwanted algae & indicate poor water quality & health problems for fish. Tests nitrate levels from 0 to 160 ppm. Makes 130 tests.
Filed under water maintenance by on Aug 10th, 2008. Comment.
