Pond Tips:
Pond maintenance includes a regular regimen.
Either bi-weekly, monthly or bi-monthly.
In addition to these regular duties, Seasonal cleanouts will be required which vary in scope
and cost dependant on the condition of the pond, volume of fish. etc.
Fees are quoted based on your requirements, the size of your pond
and your participation in simple maintenance duties.
Your garden pond requires serious routine maintenance.
Seasonal cleanings are a very important aspect of owning a pond.
The most important cleanings are the spring cleaning and the fall cleaning.
If you are going it alone - Be ready ! Pond cleaning is a labor intensive and dirty process.
Be prepared for:
• Removing fish and safely keeping them for the duration of the cleaning.
• Carefully removing and hydrating the plants.
• Draining all the water.
• Removing excess organic debris, knows as sludge, muck, and slime. (Really dirty work!)
• Cleaning filter media
• Replacing and treating the water
• Acclimating the fish and plants to the new water conditions. (etc)
If you should choose to tackle your own maintenance, Keep up your routine! Always keep in mind why you are doing this dirty work.
You have a very beautiful piece of nature to preserve and... your fish are depending on your not forgetting to clean their filters!
You can have the satisfaction of saying "I did it myself" and you'll be getting exercise in the process! :)
Water Changes
Partial water changes removes dissolved and solid waste and replaces depleted trace elements. Water changes provide fish with a healthy
and more disease resistant environment. Quarterly water changes will typically maintain healthy conditions in a pond.
Remove the solid wastes that collect on the bottom. There are several methods of doing this. There are even pond vacuums available.
You can use a large sump pump on a pole to "vacuum" while doing your water changes.
Be sure to add a water conditioner to the new water that is added to the pond. This will take the chlorine and chloramines out of the tap water.
In addition, Some additives reduces fish stress, helps neutralize harmful metals, stimulates fish slime coat and adds beneficial electrolytes.
Filter Maintenance
The filter helps to keep the pond clean. The filter and/or prefiltrers should be checked periodically
to ensure that they are clean.
Make this part of your monthly cleaning routine.
The filter may need to be checked more often if the fish and plants are at maximum capacity. Filters trap waste,
which is removed by replacing the filter media.
There are some filters that are designed so that you can rinse and reuse them.
Manufacturers' instructions for cleaning and maintaining the filter should always be followed.
Monitor fishfood intake closely while comparing the waste buildup in prefilters/filters.
It is very important that the food you are feeding is first being filtered by the fish so to speak.
If your filter is picking up food that is not being consumed - you are overloading the system's biological balance!
Water Quality
Water quality affects a fish's health and happiness.
Creating proper water conditions is the most
important requirement for healthy fish.
Characteristics of Water Quality Include:
Water pH level (acidity)
Hardness (mineral content)
Temperature
Oxygen content
Nitrates and Ammonia content
pH Level
pH refers to the acidity of the water
pH is influenced by factors including amount of carbon dioxide and fish wastes in water
The scale ranges from 0 to 14. The scale is logarithmic, meaning each number is ten times stronger than the preceding
number. For example, a pH of 2 is ten times more acidic than a pH of 3 and one hundred times more acidic than a pH of 4.
Alkaline water has a pH above 7.0
Neutral water has a pH of 7.0 or no acidity
Acid water is below 7.0
Slightly acidic is 6.8 to 6.9
Extremely acidic is 4.0 to 5.9 (not good for most fish)
Use a kit to check the pH level-in general, your pond's pH should be above 7.0
An abrupt drop in pH may indicate an increase in carbon dioxide or fish wastes-an increase
in aeration and partial water change should help
Oxygen Content
Fish need enough oxygen available for respiration. Most filters and water pumps connected to a waterfall provide aeration to the pond.
Stagnant water kills.
Nitrates and Ammonia
If a water changes are not performed regularly, or if the filters are not working properly, nitrates and ammonia produced by the excrement of the fish
can pollute the water and kill the fish. If nitrate or ammonia levels are too high, a 25% water exchange should be conducted and the filter should be
cleaned or replaced. Live plants help to remove nitrates from the water and therefore keep the pond healthier. Test kits are available for consumers
to test the amount of nitrates and ammonia in the water.
Water Conditioners
Pond additives have many benefits:
Removing the chlorine and chloramines from tap water
Removing Ammonia, nitrites and nitrates
Reducing fish stress
Helps neutralize harmful metals
Stimulates necessary fish slime coat
Adds beneficial electrolytes
Adds beneficial bacteria that break down ammonia to nitrites and then nitrate.
There are many water conditioners. They come in several
different forms.
We will be pleased to recommend the right water conditioners for your needs.
With a new pond set-up, testing the water is critical to the process.
Water chemistry changes!
Water tests:
pH (acidity of water)
Hardness of water
Nitrogen compounds: ammonia, nitrite and nitrate
WHEN SHOULD THE WATER BE TESTED?
First month: test every week
Second month: test bi-weekly
Third month and thereafter: the pond should be well established and a monthly water test should be sufficient.
In addition, water should be tested if these following warning signs are present:
Sudden changes in fish health or behavior
Excessive algae growth
Water with an odor
Cloudy water
Algae
Algaes exist in every aquatic system
Most algae species are not harmful to fish. For many fish algae is an important part of their diet.
Algae can tell a lot about the condition of the water in the pond. Excessive algae can be unsightly.
To control algae, there are a few facts you should know:
Algae can be caused by the following:
Too much sunlight
Overcrowding of fish
Overfeeding the fish
Over fertilization of plants
Excessive phosphates.
To reduce algae:
Barley pellets are very helpful as is the addition of live Enzymes
Add a phosphate remover
Remove any excess debris
Conduct a 25% water change
Add live plants
Add water treatment that is specifically designed to kill algae in a pond. Carefully read the label
most algaecides also can kill or weaken plants.
Adding fertilizers for aquatic plants may also be necessary.
We highly recommend Tetra Products.
Tetra food products and conditioners are an industry standard for quality and performance.
Tetra pond liners and pond equipment can't be beat!