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  • A pond is not just a hole in the ground you casually dig one day, fill with water and then hope it will add value to your life. Without care and knowledge that hole in the ground will cost an arm and a leg and will not please you. In fact it will become a nightmare. Unless you go out of your way to learn the really important parts of pond keeping then do not even dig the hole......... it will not be worth it. fiberglass water features

  • Not got a biological filter? Then all the microbial activity that happens in biological filters has to happen in the bottom of the pool. All the muck that falls has to be digested by bacteria down there. But with the advent of winter this activity slows right down at a time of year when the potential load is increased by falling autumn leaves. Any leaves that have found their way in to the pool need to be dredged out with a net. Leave the resulting muck to drain away on the side of the pool for 24 hours. This will give time for any wildlife to make its way back into the pool. using pond filters for clean ponds

  • 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

  • Autumn pond preparation for winter ... Remove fallen leaves. Net pond and stream. Remove tender aquatics. Clean pumps and raise them up to the marginal shelf level so they only circulate surface water. Only feed fish low protein food below water temperatures10C down to 7C. Stop feed altogether at 7C. Maintain a hole in any ice that forms on the surface for more than 3 days. Cleanout any filtration system once the temperature approaches freezing and close it down. Keep the pool topped up especially in areas where there is a high water table. Treat any fresh water with pool conditioning chemicals. all about water garden fountains

  • If you pond is losing water then do a quick check by shutting down the pump. If the level stops falling then the leak is outside the pond itself. If the level continues to fall then obviously the leak is inside the pond itself. When a constant level is reached then you know the leak is at that point where the surface remains level. Leaks from concrete ponds are notoriously difficult to repair and many sealants claim to do the job. In my experience fiberglass resins with glass fiber are best suited and it is worthwhile doing complete resurfacing job. sump pumps

  • Ponds & algae concerns ... At night, both algae and fish consume oxygen from and exhale carbon dioxide into the system. Algae compete with the fish for available oxygen in the water. A potentially serious impact of an algae bloom is the risk of an "algae crash" triggered by temperature or barometric pressure. When an algae bloom collapses, dead algae cells settle to the bottom of the pond, adding to the decomposing sediments oxygen demand. As the dead algae cells rupture, they release organic nitrogen and phosphorous back into the water, adding to the systems nutrient load. pond algae

  • Filamentous algae and blanket weed. Attached filamentous algae can be seen growing on the rocks of a waterfall or on the sides of the pond. The growth of filamentous algae results from high levels of nutrients, carbon dioxide and the catalyst, the suns energy. Methods of controlling filamentous algae include increased shade, reducing the frequency of fish feedings, practical water changes, and the use of chemicals or plecostomus (algae-eating fish) during the summer months. High pH levels suit algae growth of this kind. This is one reason chalk stream or spring creeks tend to have blanket-weed and are very clear. blanketweed in fish ponds

  • 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

  • Once upon a time all ponds were concrete. Today unless you wish to have a very large or special pond concrete is NOT the material to use. It is simpler, cheaper, better and quicker to use pre-formed ponds ideally made from fibreglass in natural rock finishes with matching waterfalls or streams. If you want a pond whose volume is larger than about 500 litres then it is best and most economical to use a black plastic liner designed specifically for pond building all about ponds and waterfalls

  • Pumps and maintenance ... more and more modern pumps are being sold without sponges to reduce the hassle of sponge cleaning. Do get one of these in preference to one with a sponge if you like the idea of less maintenance. This type of pump is generally more robust and can handle small solids going into it without breaking the shaft or rotor. fountain pumps

 

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

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