Helpful Tips And Hints for Pond

Posted by Cathy Green on July 22, 2012

Decide if your pond is a water feature fish pond or water garden.
Water Feature has no plants or fish most have fountains or waterfalls with moving water.
Fish ponds have no plants just fish and use extensive filtration to keep water clear and fish healthy.
Water gardens have fish and plants with or with out moving water . Water gardens with out moving water are called static ponds and use plants to keep water clear and fish healthy.

To decide on the proper liner size, measure the surface dimensions of your hole (length and width) and add two time the depth plus two feet (for overlay) to the width and length. Thus 2d+ 2ft should be added to each dimension. If a pond is 4 ft. long x 4ft. wide and 2ft. deep add 2(2) +2ft. =6ft. Add 6 ft to the width and 6ft. to the length and your liner size will be a 10ftx 10 or 100 sq. ft.
We sell liner from 100 ft roll. The sizes are 10, 15ft, 20ft, 25ft, on up to 50ft wide.

Filter water one half the volume every hour.
Pumps measured in GPH gallons per hour or GPM gallons per minuet
Filtration is biological or mechanical.
- Mechanical filtration removes debris and helps attain water clarity. It is available submersible or external to the pond.
- Biological filtration grows bacteria on filter media to keep water clear and healthy for fish.


Koi	Shibunkin	Fantail goldfish	Sarasa comet

Stock 1 inch of fish per 7-10 gallons of water. Do not exceed without additional biological filtration.
Fish are available in a number of sizes and varieties suitable for any pond.
Koi fish will grow 12-24 in for large ponds. Shibunkins and comets grow 8-10 in. Fantails and goldfish grow 6-8 in.
Pond fish will tolerate the cold water in winter in a depth of 18 inches to 24 inches or more.
Feed as much as they can eat in 10 minutes twice daily. Remove uneaten food.
Do not feed in winter, or when the temperature of the water drops below 50 degrees.

To encourage clear water, cover 60-70% of the pond surface with waterlilies or floating leaf plants. This blocks the action of sunlight on the water itself and limits algae growth.
Natural products such as submerged plants, bacteria and barley will help compete against algae growth.
Make sure Chemicals to control the algae are safe for plants if there are other plants in the pond. Anything that will slow down algae will also slow down the other plant growth
Floculant will clear green pond water but also take oxygen from the water and should be applied with caution if fish are in the pond.
UV filtration will provide water clarity for a pond regardless of the number of plants or fish.

Ponds are built in the sun or shade. Ponds in shade have less algae blooms.
Waterlilies and lotus should have a minimum of four to five hours of direct sunlight in order to bloom well.

Waterlilies

Check the level of debris on the bottom of your pond. Net out leaf material and clean the bottom of your pond if there is more than and inch of mulm. Some bacteria are available for cleaning muck and sludge from the bottom of the pond.
Check your aquatic plants. Trim off dead leaf material. Re pot over crowded pots when your foliage has started to emerge and division is easily seen. Fertilize your waterlilies, marginals, and lotus.
Check your fish. Fish resume normal eating habits from winter hibernation when your water temperature maintains 55 degrees. Test ammonia, nitrites, and pH. Inspect your fish closely for fungus, parasites or bacterial infection. Remove infected fish for treatment. Measure the growth of your fish and decide if your pond is over crowded. Take the time to do some needed culling. Pond stocking guide lines are 1 in of fish for 10 gallons of water. Measure from the nose to before the tail.
Check the filter and pumps. Clean filter material weekly. Clean bio filtration and replace nylon mats annually
Check your U. V. Light bulb. Caution do not look directly at the light. Replace your bulb if it is over a year old.

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