If you are going to have a pond, then you need to learn about good
pond care.
Taking care of a pond includes a lot more than occasional cleanings.
You will need to look after your fish and your plants and make sure
that your pumps are working and your filters are regularly changed.
And these are just some of the things that you need to know when you
are maintaining your pond. If you want to preserve an optimal environment,
then use the following tips on pond care.
· Problem: too much algae – the cause could be a couple
of different things. You could have too much sunlight, too many nutrients,
or not enough plants. Algae thrives on oxygen and sunlight, so you
need to place more plants in the water to fight the algae for nutrients
and to provide more shade.
· Problem: muddy or brown water – the cause could be
that your pump and filter are not working. You should regularly clean
the pond filter, which means you might have to do it as much as weekly
during the summer. Read the instructions on how to clean your particular
pump and filter, but make sure you clean it often.
· Problem: debris in pond – the cause could be dead
leaves from nearby trees or dead leaves from plants in the pond. Using
a net on a pole, frequently skim the leaves and other debris away
from the water. If you have several trees, you could cover the entire
pond in the autumn with a net to prevent the leaves from falling into
the pond.
· Problem: floating plants look unhealthy – the probable
cause for this is that the plants have outgrown their containers.
This means that you will need to divide the plants and re-pot them
in new containers.
· Problem: Unhealthy pond fish – this is the problem
most pond owners fear the most. The cause could be several things:
not enough oxygen, too many fish or too much chlorine in the water.
If there is a lack of oxygen, you can do two things. Buy an aerator
or buy more submerged oxygenating plants such as duckweed and eel
grass. This will help keep the algae down, as well. To prevent overpopulation,
you should never have more than 1 to 2 inches of fish length to one
square foot of the pond. For the last cause, buy a water testing kit
and test often to make sure your chemical levels are correct.
There are other problems that can occur such as a frozen pond or
too many plants. For each problem, talk to a local garden center or
research on the internet. With a little help from the experts, good
pond care can turn a challenging task into a much simpler job. With
extra pond care, you will be able to enjoy a beautiful and healthy
pond for years to come.