Question
&Answers
How often should I clean my filter?
It
is important to have a good understanding of what your filter
does for the pond before cleaning. A mechanical filter is going
to be foam-like pads and/or a net, designed to screen your water
of debris, before reaching the pump. If this filter is strictly
a mechanical filter, than it can be cleaned as often as you would
like. To optimize the flow rate of water through the filter, and
protect your pump from becoming stressed, you would want to clean
the pads of your mechanical filter at the first sign of clogging.
A biological
filter will have some type of media for bacterial growth, usually
lava stone or coarse plastic balls. Here, the bacteria growing
on the stone or plastic is the filter. Cleaning the filter
media would not benefit you; in fact the filter will operate best
if left alone. Most pond owners will clean the bio-filter once
each year. Usually done in the fall, this allows next year’s
bacteria to grow atop the course media, while preventing the remains
of last year’s bacteria from clouding your water upon startup.
You can find out exactly what the function of the biological filter
is in our Water
Quality section.
If your filter system
is a combination biological/mechanical filter, than you will need
to clean out part of this filter while leaving part of the filter
alone. For instance, many filters will have a series of nets and
pads that screen the water, before passing it through an amount
of biological filter media. The contents of this filter type can
be removed, and the nets and pads should be cleaned. If desired,
the inside of the filter could be rinsed, but the biological filter
media (lava stone/ course plastic balls) should not be
cleaned.
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How
often should I clean my filter?
General
rule of thumb for feeding your fish is to provide as much as they
can consume within a 10-minute period, leaving nothing uneaten.
Any excess food left floating will only add to the buildup of
organic material within the pond, just as if you accumulated leaves
etc. You will see that the eating habits of your fish will change
too. As the water temperature of your pond rises, so does the
metabolism of your fish, causing them to burn off food more easily.
For this reason, there are different types of food for different
seasons. The cold-water foods will be higher in carbohydrates,
and lower in protein than warm-water foods. Carbohydrates are
easily digestible, and good for slow metabolisms. Digesting protein
requires a higher metabolism, making it a better food for warm
water.
One important
thing to remember about feeding your fish is that there is a tremendous
amount of food inside an established pond. From insect larvae
to worms etc, young fish will instinctively know how to provide
for their own appetite when introduced to your pond. It is when
the fish form habits of being fed by outsiders that they may find
it difficult to fend for themselves.
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I am losing water from
my pond. How can I locate where?
The
best thing to do when facing water loss in your pond is to turn
off your pump, and refill the pond with water. Once full, observe
the water level for several hours to determine if you’re
losing water through the liner or within the plumbing and filtering
system. If you find the water level still drops to the same point,
then remove all the stone etc. that may be hiding a puncture in
the liner. At the point where the water level stabilizes search
the perimeter of the water’s edge for a puncture or tear.
When located, pump water from the base out of the pond until the
level is about 2 inches beneath the hole. After roughing-up the
liner surface with sandpaper or emery pad, you can cut a section
of patch tape to seal the hole. Once the tape has adhered to the
liner you can begin filling the pond with water again. Be sure
to check the perimeter for other punctures before refilling your
pond.
If the
water level only drops when the pump is operating then you must
search the plumbing connecting your pond’s intake and output.
Following the tubing, look for soft, moist ground and/or areas
where soil has washed away. Pay close attention to the areas where
the tubing seals to filter units. Most broken seals and cracked
pipes can be fixed using common PVC plumbing pieces including
primers and cements. Before re-covering the return-line, be sure
to turn the pump back on, check all connections, and monitor your
water level. Many times, if there is no puncture located then
the water loss occurs in the waterfall area. Again look for where
soil is soft or washed away. This is not as simply located, but
is easily corrected by raising/supporting the edges of the waterfall
itself. If this is being reset, consider using a stone base to
the edges as suggested in the How
to Build article of Getting
Started.
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How can I get rid of green
water?
There
are three main approaches to controlling particulate algae (green
water). The most common way is a chemical approach and involves
algaecides, coagulants, and enzymes. This is not the solution
we would recommend exclusively, but may be a temporary solution
for your problem.
The second
solution is to eliminate the algae’s primary food source
(nitrate NO3-) using plant material. This
is one of your aquatic plants’ two major functions within
your pond as explained in the Water
Quality section of Pond
Maintenance (the other being to oxygenate
your water). Since these plants have the same primary food source,
you can help control your green water naturally by allowing the
roots of aquatic plants to be fed entirely by the water within
the pond. This requires both time for these aquatic roots to become
established, as well as a container for the roots to easily draw
nitrate from the water while not being fed by the soil surrounding
it. Using fiber pots and aquatic plant soil, you can provide a
good environment to anchor these roots, while allowing them to
feed exclusively from the water. The rule of thumb for this approach
is for 50-60% of your pond to contain plant material. We favor
this technique because it is both natural and long lasting.
The third
alternative to a green water problem is the use of an Ultraviolet
light. These lights are very effective at targeting particulate
algae and sterilizing them so they cannot promote further algal
colonies. After several days of filtering, these lights begin
to rid the water of all algae that passes through it. It is very
important that the flow rate through the Ultraviolet light is
consistent and set specifically to the rating given for your specific
sterilizer/clarifier. To understand the differences in Ultraviolet
lights, and their functions, be sure to read about them in our
Expansion
section.
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Do
I need a biological filter?
Yes,
all ponds do require some type of control over the organic matter
created by the fish and plant life of its surroundings. All
ponds will accumulate some amount of organic buildup, or bioload,
after a certain period of time. It is the decomposition of this
matter that creates a need for this bio-filter. If left alone,
anything organic has the potential to raise the ammonia level,
and lower the oxygen level, within the pond. This is where a bio-filter
will be needed. There are chemicals that can reduce the amount
of ammonia within your water, but most are temporary solutions
and will need to be constantly re-applied. A biological filter
does not have such maintanence issues. Once seeded, the filter
media (usually lava stone or course plastic balls) will begin
growing bacteria. Essentially, this bacteria is your bio-filter,
and does all the work involved to keep your ammonia level down,
with little or no maintanence required. It is important to know
that this filter is not intended to be a screen for debris in
your water, therefore separated pads and/or nets are suggested
for mechanical filtration. To find out more about the role of
your biological filter, be sure to read Maintaining
an Ecosystem.
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Do
I need an Ultraviolet water clarifier?
If
you have green water, and have tried both chemical and natural
methods of control, then you might try using Ultraviolet light.
Using chemicals to control your green water is not usually very
practical, considering the amount of chemicals needed for an average
pond. The natural/plant method is very practical, however it requires
that you dedicate 50-60% of your pond to these plants. Ultraviolet
light is an excellent alternative to this problem, because it
is continuously working, and can be completely hidden from view.
There are
two major categories of UV lights. Smaller more selective lights,
or Clarifiers, output just enough light to target particulate
algae. Larger more elaborate lights, or Sterilizers, output enough
light to sterilize all organisms that pass through the inner sleeve.
Both types of UV lights will require specific flow rates determined
by each individual model. And this flow rate must be maintained
otherwise the effectiveness of the light is lost. Though this
method of controlling "green water" is more costly than
that of chemical and natural ones, it is a one time installation
that will continue to function regardless of what happens to the
pond. *Remember, Ultraviolet lights must be protected from cold
weather so not to risk cracking the thin quartz sleeve inside.
To find out more about Ultraviolet light be sure to read about
it in the Expansion
article of Pond
Building.
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Do
I need to add salt to my pond?
Fresh
water lakes and streams do have salt in them. Salt, moderation
is very beneficial to the your fish. The salt level, or salinity,
keeps up the electrolyte count available to your fish. During
stress situations such as disease etc, your fish may not maintain
healthy gill function, therefore lowering the electrolytes that
move through the gills. To help reduce this stress, pond salt
can be added and maintained at a level that will vary depending
on the amount of plant material etc. within the pond. Pond salt
will not evaporate, and therefore can be maintained at a certain
level until water is taken from the system. Pond salt test kits
are also available to monitor this level. Though fish benefit
from salt within the water, plant material prefer very little.
Understand that salt is only beneficial in moderation.
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How soon after my pond installation
is completed, can I begin adding fish?
Once you
have finished building your pond, including the filter system
and plant material, you can begin to introduce fish to your pond
slowly. Before filling the pond with water, rinse off the stonework
inside. This will help keep your water clear as it fills. Making
sure that the bag used to transport the fish has enough air, you
would float this bag for several minutes, until the water temperature
inside the bag matched that of your pond. You must introduce new
fish gradually so that the ammonia level of the pond has a chance
to slowly cycle through the growing bacteria of your bio-filter.
The bacteria need some ammonia present before it can begin colonizing
and producing nitrate to feed the aquatic plants. A careful balance
of fish with a growing biological filter and newly introduced
plant material will be your primary concern for the first few
months that your pond is operating. An ammonia test kit can help
explain how well your bio-filter is doing, as well as the growth
of your plant material. Abundant plant growth will result from
a well-seeded biological filter, once ammonia is introduced.
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How
many plants will I need for my pond?
There
is not a set number of plants needed for your pond, but instead
a percentage to be used as a guideline. Under average sun and
temperature conditions, 50-60% of your pond will need to contain
plant material to maintain clear water naturally (using plant
material). Though this may sound excessive, many aquatic plants
will grow to this proportion on their own. The best advice to
offer on new plants for your pond is try to create a good balance
and variety for the pondscape. You can begin with some submerged,
deeper-water plants, such as anacharis, Hornwort, and Water Lilies.
When using such plants for natural or biological control of particulate
algae, the rule of thumb is for one bunch per 2 square feet of
surface area. Set these plants in groups or clusters so to provide
areas for fish to congregate for protection against sun or predation.
Closer to the water’s edge, you can set marginal plants on
the pond ledges, providing a natural break between the water and
the landscape. Here, these marginal plants will filter the water
of algae food (nitrate) while also helping to oxygenate the water.
Select a good variety of leaf shapes, sizes, and colors for these
marginal plants because they will constitute much of the visual
pondscape.Once you have the potted plants established, consider
some floating plants. Water Hyacinth, Water Lettuce, and Fairy
Moss are just a few of the numerous floating plants which will
oxygenate your water while providing a perfect place for your
fish to shield themselves from sun and/or predation. Lastly, become
involved in the landscape surrounding the pond as well. Your terrestrial
garden can be just as important to your pond as your aquatic plants.
Here we can use certain plants to help eliminate some of the mid-day
sun, or block off certain areas from children or pets. Again,
take the time necessary to choose the right leaf shapes, sizes,
and colors for these plants because they will define your pondscape’s
style.
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What
protection is available against the Great Blue Heron?
The
Great Blue Heron is considered one of the "biggest"
pests for pond owners everywhere. This giant bird can decimate
a fish population within a pond in no time at all, and with little
or no warning. You must remember that the indigenous food of the
great heron (such as Sunfish, and small Bass) is much better camouflaged,
therefore much better protected. 14" Koi will not share that
same luxury. There are all sorts of gimmicks designed to deter
this great heron, but only a few have much of an effect. The most
popular method is to cover the pond with a net. True, if you can
reach all sides of your pond with a fine (1/2") mesh net,
then few predators can reach inside. But you must try hard to
anchor this net on all sides, considering the weight that leaves
etc. can accumulate to. And even if done well, this net is still
quite visible atop your pond.
A second
alternative to deter this predator is the use of a heron decoy.
The Great Blue Heron are somewhat territorial, in that they won’t
usually inhabit the same feeding grounds as another. If, from
above, they observe a profile of another heron (the decoy) then
it is not likely that it would pursue that territory. However,
this method is based on the consideration that you periodically
re-locate the decoy. This may not be considered practical for
certain people who cannot afford the time involved.
Lastly, there
is protection via the landscape and/or pondscape. The stonework
and plant material surrounding the pond can provide overhead protection
against a predator. Stone ledging can create a place for your
fish to hide beneath which could be too tight for the beak of
a heron. You must remember however, a heron’s beak (as well
as its feet) is very sharp and can easily puncture a liner. This
is another reason for laying stone atop the rubber liner. Also,
a heron’s beak is very long, and can easily reach tight areas
that we cannot. If you decide to follow this last approach to
deter the great heron, you must make the ledges very tight and
difficult to penetrate.
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