Understanding
the fundamentals of your water feature is the key to a happy
pond and/or water garden.. as well as to a happy hobbist.
We have complied a list of frequently asked questions we hope
will assist you in the enjoyment of your water feature. We
have broken our FAQ's into five categories to help you locate
the information you're in search of: |
|
Pond
Design & Construction |
Pond
Design questions coming soon! |
Pond
Design answers coming soon too! |
Pond
Maintenance, Filtration & Algae |
| Why
is my water green? How Can I Solve the Problem? |
Water
is usually green because of floating algae. Algae need
three things to live: sunlight, air, and nutrients.
Algae live off of organic waste in the water, which
comes from fish waste, decaying plant material, decayed
bugs, and other stuff that naturally falls into the
pond. If you have an overload of organic waste that
is not efficiently being removed by aquatic plants and
beneficial bacteria you will have algae. Too much fish
food, decomposing leaves, pollen and dust can contribute
to the abundance of nutrients. Anything organic turns
into fertilizer for algae as it decomposes.
Adding
plants to your pond will not only add beauty but they
will help to combat algae. Their nutritional requirements
are the same as algae and roots from the plants will
take a lot of the organics out of the pond. Floating
plants such as hyacinth will help greatly as they have
large root systems that hang right in the water eating
up the algae food! We also recommend adding water lilies
to ponds which do not have an abundance of big koi in
them (big koi eat lilies). Lily leaves should cover
approximately 60% of the surface are of the pond. The
leaves provide shade, which will help to keep the algae
in check. There are other benefits to adding lilies
such as beautiful flowers and cooler water but these
are for another FAQ!
Another
requirement for clear water is beneficial bacteria.
Well-colonized bacteria will out-compete the algae for
the nutrients in the pond. Many factors contribute to
the inability of the bacteria to take care of excess
nutrients. A new pond may not have enough bacteria established
to efficiently remove nutrients. Given time, the problem
will take care of itself. Or you can add bacteria to
jump-start your colonization. Once the bacteria deplete
the nutritional value of the organic matter, the water
clears up quickly, often overnight. Beneficial bacteria
need something to cling to and to grow on. Biological
filters, stream beds filled with rocks, and AquaMats
can provide the space for bacteria to colonize.
We
recommend regular applications of live bacteria. Bacteria
can be added in a powder or liquid form. Beneficial
bacteria will naturally inhabit your pond but you will
get a better rate of growth of the bacteria if you will
add it to the pond.
A
high pH prohibits the natural bacteria from growing
properly. The pH should be in the range of 6.5 to 7.5
for normal growth of bacteria. High pH often contributes
to green water and excessive string algae growth.
Lastly,
there are algaecides for the pond. These products are
chemicals and should be applied following label instructions
closely. An overdose of algaecide can cause fish and
plants to die. However, some people swear by algaecides
for their ponds, especially for string algae. |
| What
should I do about the string algae in my waterfall and
pond? |
Filamentous
algae (the fuzzy or stringy kind) is a beneficial type
of algae that harbors good bacteria necessary for clearing
the water. The trouble with this type of algae is it
is unsightly when it grows long in the streambeds, waterfalls,
and along the sides of the pond. A short layer is good
for the pond, but when it grows to two or more inches,
it is often considered to be too much. Fish will usually
take care of the string algae in the pond itself. On
the waterfalls and streams, hand weeding removes the
longest parts sufficiently if done every couple of weeks.
Several products including algaecides, barley straw,
or barley extract promote string algae control if used
on a regular basis. Also, pH should be checked when
there is an excess of string algae. If pH is too high
(over 7.5 or so), the bacteria that generally would
out-compete the algae for the nutrients in the water
will not grow properly.
|
How
often should I clean my filter? |
| Biological
filters should be cleaned only when the flow of water
coming from the pump is hindered by the clogged filter.
The filter is harboring beneficial bacteria which is keeping
the water clean by taking nutrients out of the water (algae
food). Once a reduced water flow is noticed you should
clean the filter media in the following manner. The biggest
mistake most people make when cleaning their filter is
to clean it too much! You should take your filter pads
out and slam them on the ground, on your grass preferably
(the nasty smelling stuff coming off the filter pads is
great fertilizer!) Slam each pad down enough times to
loosen the muck so that it comes off the pad. Once the
pad gets lightweight then it is ready to go back into
the filter. DO NOT pressure wash the pads. They will get
too clean. DO NOT use tap water from city or county water
on the pads. The chlorine in the water will kill the bacteria
on the pads and you may actually have greener water after
cleaning because the pads have to build up bacteria again
before they can naturally clean the water. The hardest
thing to do will be for you to put a pad back into the
filter that still LOOKS dirty. But do it anyway! You will
have better success if you will not wash off all of the
bacteria.
If you are lucky enough
to have filter media that looks like strapping tape,
just take it out of the filter and shake loose the muck.
Again, you should not wash the media, just shake it
good and put it back into the filter.
If
you have a biological filter box without a drain in
the bottom of it, you will need to shop-vac it out once
a year or so when the bottom of it gets too full of
sludge. |
| How
often do I need to replace my filter media? |
| Filter
media that is in the form of a filter pad should be replaced
when the original shape is flattened or is limp. The loft
of the material should be similar to how it was originally.
If the material is clogging sooner than it used to, it
should be replaced. Most biological filter media pads
last two seasons because it is not washed often enough
to harm the material. Pre-filter media that is used for
mechanical filtration wears out faster because it is being
washed often. Filter media in the form of plastic tape
or bio-balls will last for many years and only needs to
be cleaned periodically to keep it fresh. |
| I
am having a party and I would like to clear my pond in
a hurry. How can I settle out the green water? |
Clearing
the water in a hurry, whether for a party or to enhance
mechanical filtration, can be done using a flocculent.
It is a liquid that is added to the pond, doing its'
work in a few hours. The material, sold under the name
of Accu-Clear, causes suspended particles in the water
to stick together. This makes the larger particle heavy,
causing it to settle to the bottom of the pond. When
using a mechanical filter, these heavier particles can
be removed from the water easily. This product should
not be used as a substitute for healthy, balanced water.
It does not kill the algae, it only makes it drop to
the bottom of the pond. In a few days the water will
again be green unless the algae is killed or filtered
out.
|
| How
can I control excess waste that feeds the algae? |
| There
is only one bit of advice for this problem: stop feeding
your fish so much! Over feeding of fish is probably the
most common way water turns green. Also, remove dead or
dying foliage from plants in and around the pond before
they settle to the bottom. Decomposing plant matter feeds
algae, causing green water. |
| What
can I use to keep algae controlled in a fountain that
does not have plants? |
| There
are several products that are very effective in controlling
the formation of algae in fountains. They are non-staining,
non-foaming, non-corrosive products which are safe for
birds and pets, but CANNOT BE USED WITH FISH. Great for
fountains and birdbaths. |
| Can
I use a dye to reduce or mask the algae in my water garden? |
| Controlling
algae through the use of dyes or coloring agents is another
way to effectively reduce sunlight penetration, which
prohibits photosynthesis, thus cutting back on algae growth.
This method is often employed in public gardens or on
golf courses where the bottom of the pond is not supposed
to be seen. The dyes usually do not last very long and
are an expensive way to control algae on a long term basis. |
| Should
I use a net over my pond in the fall and winter? |
| A
net installed over the water garden catches debris falling
from the trees, like leaves, needles, flower parts seeds
and fruit.
Any of this organic debris that can be eliminated before
it rots, will ultimately keep the water cleaner. |
Plants |
Do
I need to fertilize my aquatic plants? |
All
aquatic plants, except submerged plants should be fertilized
with tablet type fertilizers. The tablet is inserted
into the soil finger-deep, approximately three inches
from the growing points of the plants. After withdrawing
the finger that pushed the tablet into the soil, the
soil is squeezed around the tablet to prevent it from
releasing nutrients into the water.
Submerged plants (anacharis,
cabomba) do not need to be fertilized at all.
Water lilies (both
hardy and tropical) need heavy feeding for optimum
foliage and flower production. We recommend fertilizing
lilies every two weeks during the summer for maximum
flowering. Start fertilizing lilies when the first
floating leaves appear in spring. Feed once a month
until flowers appear, then every two weeks until flowering
stops.
Bog plants (shallow
water plants such as cattails, rushes, etc) are fed
once in spring when they have started growing actively
or after dividing and repotting.
Lotuses
should be fertilized once the first leaves reach the
surface of the water. They should be fertilized every
two weeks while
flowering.
|
Fish |
How
often should I feed my fish? |
| Goldfish
and koi that are fed regularly will be more active and
visible. If they are not fed, they will be very shy, not
coming out into open water very often. They can survive
with no additional food, subsisting on algae, insects
and other organic matter. Feeding with floating pellet
foods keeps the fish coming to the surface and learning
when they see people, it means food. Color enhancing foods
can be used in the summer months to brighten the colors
of the fish. Feed daily for best health and visibility
of fish. Feed what the fish can consume in five minutes
or less. Remove any floating food after five minutes to
eliminate organic waste from the water. Feed no more than
three times per day in spring, summer and fall. Feed when
the water temperatures are higher than 60 degrees with
regular pellet fish foods. For colder water feeding, use
wheat germ foods that are easily digested by the fish.
This type of food can be fed when water temperatures are
between 50 and 60 degrees. When the water temperature
is lower than 50 degrees, do not feed the fish at all.
If they need some food on a warm day or two, there will
be plenty of algae and other organic matter in the pond
that they can dine on. |
| What
if I go on vacation? |
| In
most ponds your fish can survive just fine without being
fed for a few days. The exception to this is the pond
which is overstocked with fish. By overstocked I mean
more than 1 large (10-12”) koi or two large goldfish
per 100 gallons. If you have more fish than this in your
pond that are fed regularly, you may want to have someone
feed them at least once a day while you are gone. |
| Should
I use salt in my water garden? |
| If
you have fish in your pond, adding salt is helpful for
them. Non-iodized salt will improve the function of fish
gills and reduce stress by restoring the slime coating
(electrolytes) of the fish. The improved gill function
is important during periods of fish illness when the gills
are often impaired. A fish’s slime coat protects
it from external parasites and fungal infections. Salting
the pond, especially during the spring when a fish’s
slime coat is not as quick to build up as the bacteria
in the pond, is a good idea. |
| How
do I know how much salt is in my water garden? |
Test
the water with a Salt Level Test Kit to determine the
accurate measure of salt in the water. For ponds with
plants, maintain a salt level of 0.1% or 1ppm. This
equals one pound of salt per 100 gallons of water. Ponds
with fishONLY can be maintained at 0.3% or 3ppm (3 pounds
per 100 gallons). The high level of salt is deadly to
plant life.
It should be noted
that salt does not evaporate. Once salt is put in
the water to the correct level and the water evaporates,
only the water evaporates, temporarily elevating the
salt level. Once the water level is restored, the
salt levels are correct again
because the salt has been diluted to the original
level.
|
Miscellaneous |
Miscellaneous
questions coming soon! |
Miscellaneous
answers coming soon too! |
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