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  • 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

  • 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

  • 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

  • Pump head is measured from the pond surface - not the bottom of the pond. Most people make the mistake of measuring from the bottom of the pond and this mistake can easily lead to an over specified pump that will cost more to buy and more to run. When buying pond plants check with the retailer ... how fast they grow and how big they will become. When small, plants can be very misleading. Low cost plants tend to grow big - a very general statement of course but bear it in mind. Floating plants make excellent nutrient scavengers because they tend to be fast growing. pond pump head or pressure

  • 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 pumps and "blocked pipes" ... If your pipe from the pond pump does become clogged with algae here's how to clear it out... dismantle the pipe from both ends and rapidly swing the pipe around as though it was a lasso .... just make sure nobody is the firing line because the "muck" will fly out of one end at quite a speed. Opaque rather than translucent pipe are best ... because light allows algae to grow faster, better, bigger .... solar pumps for ponds

  • UV light water filters, UV lamp changes & pond algae control. Pond volume, stock density and sunlight intensity is required to specify correctly the size of the Ultra violet (UV) light you need to prevent algae making your pond go green For a pond of around 250 gallons in full sun and highly stocked a 4 watt UV will do the job. This will also be big enough for a pond with very few fish and situated in the shade of 700 gallons. This assumes the UV comes equipped with a quartz tube to ensure the UV runs at peak efficiency. For a pond with average stocking an 8 watts UV will handle pond volumes up to around 1200 gallons depending upon the sun/shade situation. http://www.practical-water-gardens.com/artuvcapacity.htm uv maintenance, lamp changes

  • 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

  • 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

  • How To Measure Water Garden Pond Depths and Volumes ... Pond depth is one of those factors in pond building much talked about and misunderstood especially by those people who "mix" with dedicated koi keepers. So often you must ask yourself do I want a koi pond in which I want to raise monster sized or prize winning koi or do I want a garden fish pond containing koi around which I can sit with the family and enjoy the scene. If you belong to the dedicated koi keeper class then yes depth of your pond should not be less than 4 ft and preferably 6 feet. This is quite simply to provide space to swim and exercise a mechanism which in part determines the koi's shape. http://www.practical-water-gardens.com/artponddepth.htm all about ponds and waterfalls

 

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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