More info or
buy here
|
|
How To Use These Links
We have extracted brief information about the page you will go to if you
click the link at the end of each paragraph.
-
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
-
I received a very interesting question this week. The question was what is difference between a biofilter and the powder she throws into her pond every week as recommended by a dealer. The powder she was referring to is called a bio-starter or bacteria starter. These powder products are offered by many companies and are probably worthless in practice. The powder is supposed to be a mixture of naturally occurring bacteria that are also found in biofilters. The types of bacteria required for effective biofiltration convert ammonia to nitrites and then to nitrates. All fish ponds need a biofilter. This is non-negotiable. pond biofilters
-
Bio filter starter bacteria ... Think carefully before buying any so called bacteria starter or bio starter. In general do not add anything to a pond unless you understand why you are doing it and are sure of the benefit to be gained. If no obvious, proven, financial or fish health benefit then Do Not Add to your pond. Many commercial pond products are a total waste of money and time. It is because many people do not have biofilters that products have been "invented" to compensate for this inadequacy. Manufacturers are quick to see opportunities to add to their turnover. biomedia for pond filters
-
Pond fish food sticks ... Today fish food sticks are available in all flavours, colours, sizes and formulations but they suffer from a significant disadvantage ... the cost per unit of mass and especially per unit of protein is normally very significantly higher than a similarly formulated floating koi food pellet. One possible reason for this is the incremental freight component (although I doubt this very much) because the bulk density of sticks is lower than that for pellets. I suspect the real reason is that manufacturers, distributors, retailers and any other party in the chain all make higher profit margins on the back of marketing investment going back many years and which still remains today. Next time you think of buying sticks just do a quick comparison. Varying pack weights between sticks and pellets is a well known "trick" of making pricing comparisons very difficult for most busy shoppers pond pump selection
-
Algae Isnt Bad, Is It? Algae can be either beneficial or detrimental to a pond, depending on the owners viewpoint. Algae provide nutrients for newly hatched fry, and indirectly act as a color enhancer. As algae grow in a pond, a population of zooplankton will also develop, on which the fish feed. These natural live feeds help develop the intense coloration desired in most koi. Unfortunately, algae blooms prevent viewing the fish so that sick fish can go undetected for days or even weeks. pond algae and uv
-
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 ... 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
-
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
-
Any pond pump with a guarantee of less than 2 years is probably not suited to most pond environments. Short term guarantees indicate lack of product confidence in difficult environments such as ponds. For safety sake use pumps with the longest possible cable and avoid joining wires if you can. It is always best to wire a pump directly into the earth leakage system of the house rather than depend upon a plug and socket. If you do join wires outdoors use waterproof cable connectors. Most countries have strict rules governing the sale of pond pumps so check for authentication and compliance with your country's laws. pond pump curves
-
Pond vegetable (veggie) filters ... Plants For Natural (Vegetable) Pond Filters. The Norfolk reed (Phragmites australis) is by far the best since it not only removes pollutants but is capable of adding oxygen to the water ... ie it is an oxygenator plant too. Oxygenators are generally those plants whose leaves are always submerged so that oxygen from the photosynthesis process has a chance to dissolve before being lost to the atmosphere. Other useful plants are generally in the fast growing class so that maximum biomass is created in the quickest possible time. Consider the following ... Sweet Galingale (Cyperus longus), Soft Rush (Juncus effusus), True Bulrush (Scirpus lacustris), Flowering Rush (Butomus umbrellatus) http://www.pond-solutions.co.uk/pjmvegfilter.htm koi filters
|
|
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
|