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Water gardening and winter ... Take a leaf from the Japanese approach. The Japanese build their gardens for all seasons. Part of the purpose of a garden is to reflect the time of year in the scene laid out to view. A view that seems static in itself, unchanging from year to year; but it changes from season to season. In winter the harmony between the various basic elements of stone, evergreen shrubs and trees and water is most obvious. The balance is not formal but is derived from the almost inimitable feel that the true master Japanese garden designer has for these elements. blanketweed in fish ponds
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Oxygen in ponds ... On occasions fish in ponds with no fountains or waterfalls may look listless in winter due to carbon dioxide levels being excessive but the problem quickly sorts itself out when windy and bright weather returns. In summer water can hold much less oxygen and the animal and plant life (algae) is also thriving due to higher temperatures along with more nutrients in the water associated with feeding fish. The living organisms are therefore emitting more carbon dioxide in a situation of potentially disastrously low oxygen levels . Fish may then die from suffocation. uv maintenance, lamp changes
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Biofilters need lots and lots of oxygen ... This might sound strange but it is true as I will explain. However before I do I would like to discuss oxygen in terms of good and effective pond keeping. You may know that trout and salmon can only breed in running water such as streams or rivers. You will also know that these particular fish make hazardous journeys up to the very top parts of river systems. The essential reason for these long perilous journeys to these headwaters are that the water is: cool, pristine, clear, fast running, shallow, full of gravel ... ie the oxygen levels are high and suitable for breeding. koi pond filters
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Testing pond water. This is straight forward and is done by using special kits. Look out for expiry dates since chemicals used for testing are sensitive to time. Do not get carried away with the test results. After all they are indications only. The good reason for testing is to check stability or consistency and not absolute values. When you see a definite change then start testing. If you do test make sure you do the tests at same time every day and record the results on a graph so you can notice any significant changes. One-off results should always be treated with great circumspection. all about ponds and waterfalls
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Sponges in pond pumps ... These days the best pumps do not have sponges inside the suction body. Such sponges are a source of major hassles especially in summer when they block up every couple of days and have to be removed. So long as you keep this type of pump away from heavy debris on bottom of pond (stand the pump on a brick for example) you will get away with removing the sponge permanently ... although such use would nullify the pump's guarantee. The sponge is there to protect the impellor form debris damage. fountain pumps
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Water has a maximum density at 4 degrees centigrade, about 39 degrees Fahrenheit so when a pond has a frozen surface the water at the bottom of the pond is normally at this temperature (higher density water sinks). Only in extremes of climate or in very shallow ponds therefore does a pond completely freeze solid. As the ice gets thicker form the top downwards then the water becomes even more insulated and will tend to stick at 4 degrees or 39 Fahrenheit. pond pump flow rates
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Algae Growth (Photosynthesis) ... koi ponds are usually closed recirculating aquatic systems, meaning that these systems, unlike natural ponds with streams flowing through them, lack a fresh-water flow-through source. Rather, closed recirculating aquatic systems rely on filtration to purify and reoxygenate their water. Outdoor ponds that are closed systems are subject to seasonal algae blooms and attached filamentous algae growth due to nutrient and carbon dioxide buildup. The primary nutrients of concern are nitrogen and phosphorus. Nitrogen is a by-product of decomposed fish waste, uneaten fish food and accumulated sludge in the bottom of the pond. uv size required
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Use garden pond bottom waste on the compost heap. This organic matter is full of mainly anaerobic bacteria which will catalyze the composting process. Backflushings from the pond filter can be sprayed onto the lawn or garden as a source of nitrogen fertilizer. Use black or opaque pipes in your pond instead of transparent low cost plastic tubing. Since light cannot penetrate the black piping the algae growth inside the pipe will be very considerably reduced. This means less maintenance and also less expenditure on replacing transparent pipe when it becomes clogged with algae. submersible pumps
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Plants and algae in a pond compete for the available nutrients in the form of phosphorous and nitrogen containing chemicals. It follows that the more pond plants there are then the greater the probability of reducing algae blooms (green or brown murky water). Old well-planted and chemically stable ponds as a result tend to suffer less from algae problems than newly created young ponds. Yes algae are plants and blanket weed is algae. Ponds with lots of blanket weed tend to have crystal clear water. Blanket weed thrives best in alkaline (higher pH) ponds. pond algae and uv
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Do not buy fish food with more than 10% ash in it unless you know why. Read the label. If no label BE CAREFUL of quality. Gold fish food or koi food bought in stick form is normally money wasted and offers no real benefit to the fish. It is the analysis of the food that is important not the physical shape. Gold fish food or koi food in stick form was developed before pellets could float - this is the reason gold fish food or koi food sticks were invented. pond pump selection
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Never switch off your pond pump for more
than about 60 minutes
Make sure the delivery pipe from the
pond pump is not kinked
Must the UV be placed before the
biofilter?
A waterfall adds oxygen to a pond by
creating a large surface area
Submersible pond pumps can operate
against a closed valve
It is a good idea to pump out about 10%
of your pond water
Lighting in and around ponds creates a
brand new dimension
Sick and tired of looking at debris on
the bottom of your pond?
Do not feed more food than what you fish
can eat
Pond Links and Tips
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