The pond filter as winter approaches ... if you have not looked

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The pond filter as winter approaches ... if you have not looked already the filter is in need of a major service. The Ultra Violet clarifier needs cleaning too if you have one. The filter needs back flushing if you have that facility, otherwise scoop out the medium and rinse it in pond water or rainwater to flush out the worst of the muck. It does not need to be spotlessly clean, but check the chamber in the base because if the system has been overloaded at some time in the summer the evidence will be there to see. Scoop out this mess and rinse with pond or rainwater water. water gardens and pond filters
How to select the right pond pump .. You only need this information to select right pump ... 1. Vertical height of waterfall inlet above water surface of pond (NOT bottom of pond) ... measure this in feet 2. Width of water overflow point for waterfall ... if overflow is series of smaller overflows add all together to get width in inches. If you have no waterfall choice is easier ... Waterfall Pump Selection Table ... check where height meets width in the table. This is the flow your pump model must deliver. For a wide range of guaranteed. http://www.practical-water-gardens.com/pumpselect.htm pond filter pumps
Winter and garden ponds. Pioneering marginals like Bog Bean (Menyanthes trifoliata), the Spearworts (Ranunculus flammula and R. lingua Grandiflora) and Parrots Feather (Myriophyllum aquaticum syn. proserpinacoides) that seem intent on investigating the outer reaches of their universe should be cut back to home base: show them what youre made of. The same goes for Reed Maces ( Typha angustifolia and Typha latifolia). Feel around the baskets to see which plants have linked up in a firm vegetative bond. A bit of basket busting may be in order to sort them out. marginal pond plants
Spring marginal plant favourites ... The Marsh Marigolds (Caltha palustris and all the species and varieties) are still at it. Brilliant. The Water Forgetmenot (Myosotis palustris) is also making waves of blue around the pond. Also there is the Golden Club (Oronitium aquaticum) and in the deep water The old South African stew ingredient, the Water Hawthorn, Aponogeton distachyos, is flowering its socks off. An amazing plants that comes up from unlimited stygian depths to perform at the most ludicrous times of the year. It still thinks its down in the Cape, nestled in the fynbos looking up at Table Mountain. where to buy pond plants
Oxygen in ponds ... Aeration of ponds ... Aeration of pond water achieves two things both of which are very good for pond water and the fish: Oxygen levels increase and carbon dioxide is "blown" out of the water and this tends to push up pH levels. Aeration also protects against those algae blooms and their dying - when they die they rot and release carbon dioxide by using up the oxygen resource in the water. In summary it is difficult to over-aerate a pond and aeration has all round advantages in a pond. The downside is the cost of a special aerating pump. All top koi keepers' ponds bubble with air as do their filters. filters and uv light
To buy two pumps, if selected correctly, is often no more expensive than buying a single larger pump. However being able to switch off the waterfall pump (normally the bigger of the two pumps) can save an enormous amount of money over the lifetime of the pond. The fish do not mind the waterfall being switched off most of the time and if you are at work you cannot enjoy the sights and sounds of the waterfall - so why waste electricity. Furthermore if one pump does break down you can keep your biofilter alive by using the second (spare) pump. In one of my calculators you are shown how to calculate how much you will be able to save by using two pumps in your pond. In the example I use in the calculator $309 is saved over 3 years http://www.practical-water-gardens.com/art2pumps.htm all about pond pumps
UV light for green murky water control ... The most effective method of planktonic algae control is ultraviolet sterilization. The many advantages of UV sterilization make it a very attractive option for algae control. First, it is a physical treatment, so it does not change the water chemistry of the pond. Second, it is very easy to install. Third, the treatment takes place outside the pond, away from the fish and plan. Chemical treatments can be successful, but they can be expensive, temporary and potentially harmful to plants and fish ultra violet lights for pond algae
Biofilters and bacteria starters ... Some manufacturers claim that their bio starters contain Nitrosomonas and Nitrobacter. Now it is extremely diffiult to freeze dry and keep alive such sensitive bacteria so any claim should be backed up by definitive proof of the fact that such powders do contain those bacteria and they are in a form that will work. If there was a viable population when packed then the question to be asked is are the bacteria still viable ater "x" weeks on a shelf in non-controlled conditions. If the concoction does not contain Nitrosomonas and Nitrobacter then what value is it anyway? biological pond filters
Save when you buy koi food or fish food. Check your koi fish food label. Do NOT waste money. Understand the specification on koi food and fish food packets and you will save considerable amounts of money and grow bigger koi fish more quickly. Do not believe everything you are told about koi food it might not be true. Check for yourself easily. Koi Food If a 5 kg bag of koi food contains 15% ash, 10% moisture and 3% fibre then 28% of the bags contents (amounting to a whopping 1.4 kg) is a total waste of money. http://www.practical-water-gardens.com/koifood.htm pond pump selection
To correct pH problems in a pond use dilute solutions of vinegar, or lemon juice for high pH readings and baking powder for low pH readings. Make sure you do not add too much at once. The procedure is add some, wait, test again. It is important to always test at the same time every day since the natural pond cycle creates pH changes at different times of day. For example as carbon dioxide is released by plants the pH may well decrease, When the plants absorb carbon dioxide the pH could rise again. About 10am is a good time to test. all about water garden fountains

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