Having a backyard pond is a dream of many fish and nature lovers but it can be more challenging than expected.
An outdoor pond is affected by a whole array of factors from the environment that will affect the maintenance that is required, as such each pond is unique.
Here are a few troubleshooting ideas to help you find the right information to keep your pond a healthy and happy environment for your fish.
Establishing a healthy pond
When you first set up the pond or after a clean out you will need to fill it with water.
If you are using tap water you will have to worry about removing chlorine or chloramines to make it fish friendly. Many people know what chlorine is but many water boards have started using chloramines (chlorine and ammonia combined into a single molecule) because it is more stable especially during the warmer spring and summer months.
Unlike chlorine, chloramines will not simply gas off if left to sit for an extended period of time. You will also need to treat with a chemical designed for chloramines not just chlorine or you may be left with large amounts of ammonia that are unsafe for fish.
There is a variety of product designed to deal with this problem on the market but when shopping around it is important to consider dosage rate to compare products.
Or consider beneficial bacteria at start up and in spring.
By introducing a population of beneficial aerobic bacteria to the pond you can reduce nutrient loading and reduce excessive weed growth and algal blooms.
The bacteria will actually break down the nutrients in the pond and move them into an animal-based food chain rather than plants. The bacteria are safe for fish and humans and are an environmentally sound method of keeping your pond healthy.
Algae problems
There are two main types of algae grow. Planktonic algae are very small, suspended particles that color water various shades of green and brown.
Pollen from trees and other terrestrial plants is sometimes mistaken for planktonic algae, but pollen usually floats on the surface before sinking.
The other is filamentous algae, commonly referred to as string algae, typically grow on the bottom and floats to the surface. Algae can be unsightly and can clog pumps and filters.
All algae needs, to varying degrees, is water, light and nutrients, and there is usually no shortage of any of them in a fish pond. But the key to prevention is to limit these factors.
Controlling an algae bloom once you have one generally involves the use of chemicals (algaecides) to get the problem under control. To prevent the reoccurrence of the problem though you could consider the use of beneficial bacteria, barley products (such as extract and pellets) or a UV lamp.
Another factor that often contributes to algae is overfeeding fish.
In a closed system like a backyard pond this waste is at best partially removed by filters. The remaining waste is available for plant and algae growth, and just like manure on your garden, it has the potential to produce large amounts of growth.
Fish should be not be fed more often than once or twice a day what they can consume in one minute.
Fish in an outdoor pond also have access to alternate food in the pond such as mosquito larvae and other bugs, so allow them to help keep your pond clean but supplementing their diet with good quality fish food.
submitted by Julia Webber, Fish Farm Supply Co.
