KY-Water Garden Maintenance

UNDERSTANDING POND ECOLOGY?

 A ponds ecosystem can be defined as plants and animals working together in the sharing of available resources in a defined area. Ponds are ecosystems, that support a dynamic relationship of all organisms. Including fish, frogs, plants, and many other microscopic creatures. Thus ponds not only create a natural ecosystem in our customers yards, but they also fit into the life cycle of the entire ecological region.

UNDERSTANDING THE NITROGEN CYCLE

Understanding the nitrogen cycle is the single most misunderstood topic in the pond industry today, and is why so many pond owners fail at keeping their water gardens clean, their fish healthy, and their plant's flourishing. A good formula to remember is Good Filtration + Minimal Fish + Lots of Plants = A Healthy Balanced Pond. Any deviation from this formula too many fish, not enough filtration, no plants, not doing monthly maintenance, will result in a green messy water garden.

#1 Fish consume Food

#2 Fish give off waste in the form of ammonia, which is toxic to fish at levels over .1 ppm or (parts per million)

#3 Nitrifying bacteria consume ammonia as food and turn ammonia into a less toxic nitrite, which is still toxic to fish at levels over .1ppm.

#4 Nitrite is then biologically converted to non-toxic nitrate, which is not toxic to fish and is the final by product of the nitrogen cycle, which is used up by plants or by water changes
 

Annual KY-Pond Maintenance
Spring-Summer-Fall-Winter

Rejuvenate your water garden with a spring cleaning!

The spring rains fill streams and rivers, which in turn flush out the lakes and ponds, this is nature's way of preparing for a new season of life. Your man made water garden needs your help in order to duplicate this same process. Not doing a cleanout can cause poor water quality, disease, excessive algae growth, and the death of your fish.

Aquatic Passions Spring Cleaning Contract  

Every spring your water garden needs this done for the health of the pond.              

It's spring cleanout time again! Time to wake your water garden up from it's winter slumber. This years cleanouts will start in the first week of April, and ending in May while the water tempreture is still around 55 degrees, cleaning your pond at this time is the best. Because the fish are still dormant and your pond bacteria are still inactive. If we cleaned the pond when it gets warmer outside, we whould kill most of the benifical bacteria in your water garden. Thus slowing down the biological process. We  powerwash all of our water gardens with a powerwasher, this does a much better job at removing algae than a garden hose, giving you the cleanest pond possible. Below is a list of the things we now do on our cleanouts.

#1 Drain your water garden, remove your fish, we provide a holding tub for your fish.
#2 Powerwash all the algae off the rocks, in the pond and stream.
#3 Replace any rocks, or gravel that may have settled out of place.
#4 Remove any leaves or debree from inside the water garden.
#5 Remove your skimmer, and filter pads and clean them.
#6 Refill pond, put in chlorine killer, so the tap water does not hurt your fish.
#7 Turn on the pond.

As you can see this is alot of work and it's very messy. If you were to do this yourself, it would cost you a lot of money, just to buy the pumps, plumbing, a holding tub for the fish, and a powerwasher. Not to mention your time which is invaluable. Our fee for this service is $70.00 per hour plus a $100.00 flat charge for the day to cover the cost of  fuel, truck, and pond cleaning equipment cost. We provide this service at a first come, first serve basis, with our cleanouts ending by the last week in May.

(Click Here) To Contact Us For a Spring Cleaning!

Monthly Pond Maintenance Services

            

 Our monthly pond maintenance services keep your water garden looking crystal clean and algae free all season long.  Our service is unique from other water garden contractors in that we treat the root cause of poor water quality, algae, and green water by controlling the extra nutrition in your pond that causes all these things to happen in the first place. Other contractors simply show up add a bacteria product and some algaecide and pretty much call it a day. Treating the symptoms but never really fixing the problem.

 This leaves most homeowners frustrated because they are paying for a service that never works and never will. At Aquatic Passions we do things alittle different. What we do is treat the cause of your problems by eliminating all the extra waste that sits in the bottom of your pond with our own gravel vacuum. this vacuum is very similar to the systems used by aquarium hobbyist to keep their aquariums crystal clean.

 The difference being our pond vacuum is considerably larger. Ponds are basically large aquariums that require the same type of maintenance in order to look their best. We also clean your waterfall filter once per month, just like an aquarium filter, to keep it working perfectly. We do this by cleaning the filter pads with pond water this gets rid of the muck but keeps the beneficial bacteria in place.

When we use our vacuum to clean the inside of your pond, we end up doing a 1/4 water change every month. This removes all the waste that would otherwise contribute to algae growth. We then use the fertilized water to feed any plants you may have around your pond, helping to green up your shrubs.  The key to a healthy pond is nutrient control if you remove all the waste that causes poor water quality, you dont have poor water quality, and that's the difference in our service. Call us today (859)-940-1865 You will not believe the difference in your pond. Below is a summary of or monthly service and pricing.

#1 We do a 1/4 water change and vacuum out your pond.

#2 We clean out your waterfall filter and skimmer pads.

#3 We fertilize your existing plants and yard with pond water.

#4 We replace any rock and gravel that may have settled out of place.

#5 We trim fertilize and keep your pond plants in great shape.

#6 We keep your fish disease free and healthy.

All you as the homeowner needs to do is add the recommended ammount of algaecide once per week in between our visits. The total cost for this service is $140.00 per month and we can promise you will not be disappointed with the results.

(Click Here) To Contact Us For Monthly Cleaning!

This is the Howards pond in Athens KY. This is one of many water gardens we maintain monthly. If your pond does not look like this year round contact us today. Because it should.

Why Your Pond Needs Monthly Maintenance

The big misconception in this industry is that you can get away with doing a once a year cleaning every spring to keep your pond looking great year round. In fact this is what most contractors are trained to believe from the various pond product manufacturers that sell them the vary products they use on their daily installations, and it's what most of them do when they offer maintenance for their customers ponds.

The truth of the matter is it's not enough. Think about it, your pond is an enclosed mini ecosystem just like the aquarium you may have in your home. Aquariums and water gardens are similar and both rely on biological filtration, mechanical filtration, and making sure you do your weekly or semi weekly 1/4 water changes. You also need to vacuum your gravel in the bottom of the aquarium to remove excess fish waste.

You also clean your aquariums filter once per month with aquarium water "not tap water" so you don't kill all the good bacteria living inside your filter media. Tap water contains high amounts of chlorine which is toxic to good bacteria good bacteria are responsible for breaking down waste in your water garden. If you have ever owned an aquarium you know that following these practices ensures crystal clean water and minimal algae in your aquarium.

We also know what happens to our aquariums when we get lazy and decide not to clean them for a month. You get excessive algae growth from all of the build up of fish waste which acts as fertilizer. you also get cloudy water, and your fish may start to get sick from a decline in water quality. This is why most  back yard ponds look bad. because they sit for a whole season and never get cleaned. Everthing I just said for aquarium maintenance holds true for pond maintenance.

Your ponds gravel needs to be vacuumed once per month to remove excess fish waste that will otherwise contribute to algae growth. Your water garden filter and filter pads need to be cleaned once per month with pond water so you don't kill the good bacteria living in your filter material. The whole key to success is nutrient control, the more of this we remove the healthier your pond becomes. This whole cleaning process only takes about 1 1/2 hour once per month doing this will save you money vs buying numerous pond products that only treat the symptoms and not the cause of the problem.

If you're reading this for the first time you're probably sitting at your computer going wow! thats why my pond looks bad year in and year out. Well you're not the only one, in fact most water garden contractors only provide this once per year cleaning service and can't understand why they can't get word of mouth advertising for their business.

The reason is simple, you can build a customer the most beautiful water garden ever built, but if you can't teach a customer the right way to keep it clean, or give them results by providing them with a maintenance service that works, what you do as a contractor is fail that customer, and hurt the entire industry. Unfortunatly for homeowners with ponds this is the case most of the time in this industry. If you're a pond owner who gets this once a year service from the contractor that installed your pond. Now you know why your pond never looks as great as it should. If you want it to look great give us a call today at (859)-940-1865 we promise you will not be disappointed.

(Click Here) To Contact Us For Monthly Pond Maintenance

Aquatic Passions - Kentucky's Premier Pond Builder
Call Us Today (859-940-1865

What To Do In Your Water Garden Summer

Tips to help you get the most out of your pond or water garden this summer

Summer is here and you've put your time into getting the pond ready this spring. You cleaned out your water garden, kick-started the ecosystem, and counted your fish to make sure they all got through the winter. You've earned some quality time with your pond and what better time than summer?

While the majority of the hard work is behind you, there are some summer maintenance items that still need to be addressed if you are to have a season of clean, clear water to enjoy. By keeping up on these tasks, you should have a healthy water garden all season long.

Keep your water garden "topped off  Making sure the water level stays where it should be will ensure that your pump and/or skimmer is able to operate properly. This will help keep your pond free of debris while providing plenty of oxygenated water for your fish. The summer heat can be tough on oxygen levels.

Add more plants The more the merrier! If at all possible, try to cover at least a third of the pond's surface area with water lilies. Also, make sure you have plenty of marginal and floating plants around the water garden to blend the pond's edge with your landscape.

Trim those plants You've added the plants, now keep them lookin' good. Routine maintenance, including removal of spent blooms, yellowing leaves, and excess growth will get rid of nutrients in the pond, reducing the possibility of algae blooms. If you devote just a few enjoyable minutes each day to this task, it never becomes "the big chore  that encourages procrastination.

Feed your fish But be careful not to over feed them. In the extreme heat of the summer, this can lead to oxygen depletion and possible algae blooms. A good rule of thumb is not to feed your fish more than they can eat in a period of two to three minutes.

Do not clean your filter pads If you have a biological filtration system, cleaning off the filter pads will destroy the algae fighting bacteria that live there, resulting in excess algae growth.

Fertilize lotus and lily plants To encourage more prolific blooming during the summer months, use lily fertilizer tabs near the base of the plants throughout the growing season. It's not really necessary to fertilize marginal plants if they're planted right in the pond gravel-they will easily pull the nutrients they need right from the water garden.

If you have followed the tips above, and installed a pond filtration system that encourages a natural and healthy ecosystem, algae blooms should not be a concern.

Along with having a proper filtration system and creating balanced ecosystem, there are a few additional tips to ensuring an algae-free summer.

Make sure you have plants in your water garden. They will absorb and use excess nutrients from the water, and starve even more algae out of your pond.

Control runoff. Avoid using fertilizer in areas that may drain towards your water garden. Fertilizer will cause a surge of excess nutrients in your pond and actually encourage algae blooms.

Avoid dependence on a UVA sterilizer to keep your water clear. Not only does it destroy the algae, but it also destroys every other living microorganism in your pond. In other words, the very thing that helps keep your water clear (the bacteria) is killed off by using these unnecessary, and unnatural gadgets!

And remember, your water garden is there for you to ENJOY! Take time to appreciate all that it has to offer you. Nothing is a better reward after mowing the (remaining) lawn than to have a seat in the cooling waters of the pond. Also, plant some hardy water lilies -  Their beautiful fragrance will cover the whole water garden area and they are visually stunning. Lastly, relax. Don't worry about your pond. For the most part, all you have to do is sit back and allow Mother Nature to do what she does naturally.

What To Do In Your Water Garden Fall

Autumn can be the glory days of water gardening
Tropical water lilies and other plants have reached their maximum potential. Temperatures have cooled a little, so you can enjoy being outside without sweating. Water clarity is usually at its best in the fall because of fewer battles with algae. It truly is an enjoyable time of year. Here are some things that you can do to keep your water garden looking good.

Water gardens in Kentucky

Aquatic Plants
Stop fertilizing as soon as the water temperature gets below 70°F and remove all spent leaves off of the lilies, as they will continue to produce leaves. This is also a good time to take those beautiful tropical lilies inside and store them in a water-filled container located in a place that will not freeze.

Fish
This is the time to fatten up your fish just before old man winter comes back and puts them to rest. Feeding your fish a little extra in the early fall will help with their growth rate and increase their metabolism prior to hibernation. This does not justify over feeding - just a little extra will do fine. When the water temperature reaches the mid 50's, stop feeding all together.

Pond
Depending on the location of your pond, the No. 1 fall maintenance issue is falling leaves. A large amount of leaves collected in the bottom of a water garden will decompose and produce tannins that can be harmful to your fish and also reduce the clarity of the water. Keeping the skimmer basket emptied is very important, and the addition of netting over the pond will also reduce the chances of increased tannins in the water.

Leaves
When the leaves begin to fall and blow, cover the water's surface with a net to catch them. The net discourages the debris build up on the pond bottom, which would otherwise decompose, create toxic gasses, and prove harmful to the fish during their hibernation period.

Fish
Watch for the 55°F mark. Before that time, avoid missing any fish feedings because the fish are in the process of packing on nutrition, and getting ready to hibernate. But when the temp starts to regularly dip below 55°F, it's a sure sign to stop feeding your fish because their metabolisms have slowed down to a point where they can no longer handle the nutrition safely.

Plants
At this time, dying foliage on your aquatic plants should be removed. This helps to minimize debris build up on the pond bottom. If you have potted tropical aquatic plants that you want to save for next season, this is the time to remove them from the pond, and take them indoors for the winter .

Winter Shutdown
Owners of water gardens in climates that reach and stay below the freezing mark for extended periods of time have a decision to make each winter - keep the pond running or shut it down. Either option will work, but both require steps to be taken in order to insure your water garden comes out of its winter slumber healthy and happy.

Winter Shut Down
If you decide to shut your water garden down for the winter, you'll need to remove the pump from the skimmer box, place it in a bucket of water, and store it somewhere that is protected from freezing.

You'll also need to remove the filter mats from the skimmer and the Waterfall filter and clean them off. Saving this task for spring could delay your spring cleanout. The water in the skimmer and waterfall filter takes longer to thaw and the filter mats could be frozen inside. Place a small re-circulating pump (at least 150 gallons per hour) on the top shelf of the pond. This will agitate the water's surface, oxygenating the water and helping keep a hole in the ice, which will allow gasses to escape while the pond is iced over. This keeps the fish safe during their hibernation phase.

In extremely cold temperatures, a pump may not be enough to keep a hole open in the ice. Under these conditions, it may be necessary to supplement the pump with a floating heater. A low voltage heater runs only enough to heat the water that surrounds it to 32°F, ensuring that a hole will remain open during most frigid part of the winter. Floating heaters should never be used alone, as they do not oxygenate the water.

 What To Do In Your Pond Winter

Why is it important to keep an area of the pond free of ice?
Having an area free of ice is crucial for koi ponds or water gardens with fish to allow proper gas exchange. A pond is essentially dormant during cold winter months when biological activity is at a minimum. However, this does not mean there is no biological activity. Fish respiration and metabolic processes still occur, steadily releasing waste products while using up oxygen. Without an opening in the ice, not only do harmful gasses such as carbon dioxide remain trapped under the ice but also the supply of dissolved oxygen is depleted. If this condition is allowed to progress and oxygen is not replenished, the fish are unable to survive the toxic environment and fall victim to what is commonly referred to as "Winter Kill."
 
How large an area do I need to keep open?
Even a small hole will support oxygen and gas exchange. You do not need, nor should you expect, to keep large areas of your water garden open in frigid northern zones.
 
What type of de-icer should I use?
Some  Submergible Pond De-Icers turns on automatically when the water temp reaches 35º F to help keep water from reaching freezing temperatures. In large, deep water gardens, the idea is to keep a small shallow area, preferably near a bank, above freezing temperatures. A floating unit will work well in this instance. Floating Pond De-Icers work in water gardens up to 600 gallons, but can be used in much larger ponds if two units are utilized together.
 
I've placed a de-icer in my water garden, but it isn't keeping the ice open. What can I do?
When using a de-icer, you must keep in mind that heat loss during the winter is very rapid, so the heat your de-icer is producing will disperse quickly. Place your de-icer in the shallowest part of your pond. To minimize heat loss to the air, you can also block the wind directly around and over the unit. Some water garden owners place a sheet of plywood directly over a small corner of their pond where they've placed a de-icer to maximize its efficiency.

Will my de-icer raise the temperature of the water?
De-icers are not designed to raise water temperature; they are designed only to allow a small opening in the ice. With constant heat loss due to frigid temperatures, they would not be able to keep up heating the entire volume of your water garden.
 
Can I use an aerator to keep my ice open?
Yes, an aeration system is an effective way to keep water open in the winter. It agitates the surface to keep a small opening in the ice, similar to the way water moving over a dam keeps from freezing. It's important to house the air pump in an insulated box outside the pond, so that it uses dryer, somewhat warmer air than the outside air. You'll want to avoid moisture condensation in the airline tubing - this could cause the airline to freeze, which would plug the bubbler. It's also important to avoid placing the bubbler on the bottom of the water garden  surface, so it won't stir up any sediment.
 
How can I keep my pond open if I lose power in a winter storm?
A generator can be used to provide power in the event of an outage. You can also use a battery back-up system to operate your water garden equipment.
 
What is the best way to provide an opening in the pond surface?
There are several ways of maintaining an opening in the frozen pond surface. However, never use physical force to break an opening in the ice. Fish are very sensitive to vibrations and hitting the ice can stun or severely injure fish. Thermostatically controlled de-icers are the ideal method. They are easy to use, energy-efficient, and maintain an opening in the ice, even in below zero temperatures. Keep in mind that de-icers are not water heaters and are not designed to raise the water temperature of the entire water garden. They are designed to maintain an opening in the ice to allow proper gas exchange.
 
Why is it important to measure water temperature instead of air temperature?
Measuring water temperature is the most accurate way to determine when to change diet, stop feeding, and start feeding your koi again. After a long winter, many water garden owners are anxious to feed their koi again. On the first warm day of spring, the air temperature may read above 50°F but the water temperature will still be much cooler. Be sure to measure water temperatures several times a day to get an accurate reading. If the average water temperature is above 50°F for several consecutive days, then you can start feeding easy-to-digest wheat germ pellets.
 
Won't the freezing temperature kill all the beneficial bacteria in my pond?
No. Though the colder winter water temperatures may slightly reduce the population of beneficial bacteria and slow their biological activity, the majority survives the winter. In fact, nitrifying bacteria continue to process organic material throughout the winter and seasonal or coldwater bacterial formulations remain active in cold water. By adding bacterial additives during autumn, the population of beneficial bacteria is fortified and conditions the water garden for the coming spring.
 
What can I do to prepare my pond for spring?
One of the most important things you can do to prepare for spring is to observe and monitor your pond during winter. Make sure there's an opening in the pond surface for proper gas exchange. Keeping debris from decaying will help prevent algae blooms in the spring when water warms. Winter is also the ideal time to plan for any renovations or improvements. Consider installing a new water fountain or additional lighting for your pond. Design a new planting scheme to make your pond appear more natural. The options are endless and allow you to enjoy your pond even in the dead of winter.

 Knowledge Is The Key! For More Pond Info - "Click on Link" RichDeer3PondSupplies.Com

 Pond Plants: You Gotta Have Them

 
Planting Your Pond Plants
Keep the newly purchased pond plants wet and out of the sunlight. If you purchased them online. If you purchased them at your local plant store, you can then just plant them in your pond without waiting a few days. The soil can be out of your flower or vegetable garden. Heavy soil with some clay is good. Avoid potting soils like 'Miracle Grow Planting Soil' as is too light and will float out of the pot. Dirt from your yard is just fine.

Use any plastic or clay pot that you have. If the pots have holes in them, line the bottom of the pot with burlap, newspaper or some other heavy-fibered material. You don't want any holes in the pot as good drainage is not an issue. The most important thing is to keep your dirt/mud mix in one place. Most bog plants will work in 2 to 3 gallon pots. Lilies do best if they have more room, so a 3 to 5 gallon pot is desired for them.

To prepare the soil - mix the soil with water from the pond to make a nice thick mudpie. Then fill the pot that you have chosen to about 2" from the top with your mudpie mix. Newly potted plants can be placed in the shallow area until they become established and you can move them deeper. Keep lilies away from waterfalls and fountains as they don't do well with water droplets on the leaves. Follow any specific directions as noted on the plastic tags that come with the plants.

FERTILIZER - Put a aquatic plant fertilizer tablet in the pot once a month. Some plants like Lilies and Lotus are big eaters and need 2 tablets a month. We only use Highland Rim Fertilizer on our plant installations with fantastic results. you can find this fertilizer anywhere on the internet.

PLANTING FLOATING PLANTS

This is really easy. Just lay them in your pond! If you want to contain them in one area of your pond you will need to make a floating fence for them. Just take a few sticks and form them into the shape you want and tie the ends together with fishing line. Lay the stick fence into the pond and lay the floaters inside of it. This will keep them located in one spot if you anchor the fence with a weight and fishing line. ONE NOTE OF CAUTION THOUGH: Floating plants (especially water lettuce) should be shaded for several days in your pond when you first get them.

PLANTING SUBMERGED OXYGENATOR PLANTS

 

These do well if you have gravel in the bottom of your pond. Just clump the roots in a bunch and push gravel over them. If you have no gravel you can get some lead sinkers at the sporting goods department and take some light fishing line and then tie a slip knot on the plant bottom and then apply a weight to the line and place it where you want it. Another option is to find some long, wide and shallow plastic trays. Make a mix of dirt and gravel and plant the submerged plants into it and then lay it in your pond bottom. There are a lot of creative ways to plant these plants from simple to complex. Your imagination is your guide to how you want to use them.

PLANTING BOG PLANTS

Plant these as you would lilies, again making sure that you don't cover the crown of the plant. Most bog plants that are sold online come in 2" net pots. Care should be taken when removing the plants from these pots. Bog plants should only be in water deep enough to cover the pot. Or if your gravel is 1-inch deep you can just plant your bog plants right in the gravel.

PLANTING WATER LILIES

Place the tuber at a 45 degree angle, with the non-growing end against the side of the pot. Add a fertilizer tablet near the crown (growing end) of the tuber. Lilies are heavy feeders and should be fertilized once a month after planting. Be careful that the fertilizer is not touching the roots as this will burn them. Press the soil around the roots being careful not to cover the crown of the plant. Add a layer of gravel over the soil, again being careful not to cover the crown. It is better to plant lilies too high in your pond, rather than to plant them too deep. We like to use gravel that is a least ½" in diameter. Gravel keeps the fish from digging into the soil. Lilies like a planting depth of 18-24 inches deep in your pond.

                      PLANTING WATER LOTUS

We recommend that you float your lotus tuber in aged pond water for 10-14 days in a warm sunny place before planting. This allows the tuber to sprout and will increase your success in growing lotus. When your lotus has sprouted and is ready to plant, fill up a 5 to 10 gallon or  12†x 12†pot with 6" of topsoil with pea stone at a rate of 60% topsoil 30% pea stone. This will improve aeration in the soil. Then place the lotus tuber with the growing tips straight upwards. Gently press the tuber into the mud being very careful not to damage the new growing tips. Add a think 1" layer of gravel to cover the tuber and to keep the tuber from floating. Lotus are very heavy feeders, but should not be fertilized until they have put up two or three leaves. After they have set leaves they should be given 1 or 2 tablets of fertilizer per pot. Place it in the pond no more than 8 inches deep of water over the top of the pot. Remember lotus have to be potted because they tend to be invasive.

  

  

 

 

 

Pond Maintenance 101: Follow the instructions below and never have poor water quality again.

Most peaple have poor water quality in their water gardens  for one key reason, they don't do enough maintenance to keep their pond from turning into a green mess. Ponds need to be treated just like an aquarium.

#1 Vacuum your pond gravel once per week with an aquarium vacuum or pond vacuum. This will remove all of the fish waste that would normally build up and cause algae problems. Doing this will also change out about 1/4 water volume on your pond every week.

#2  Keep your fish to a minimum, the less waste you have in your water garden, the easier it is to keep it clean. Do not feed your fish more than once per day, this will keep the fish waste down to a minimum improving water quality.  Stock your pond with goldfish shubunkins, comets, etc.. They have a max size of only 12 inches and make it easier to keep a healthy water garden.

Koi get to large for most backyard water gardens reaching an adult size of 36 inches. Big fish mean big waste, they can quickly turn a water garden into a green mess in record time. Koi require large ponds with perfect filtration in order to keep properly.

#3 Plant your water garden with lots of aquatic plants, up to 60% of your pond's surface should be covered with pond plants. Plants provide shade which prevents algae growth, they also consume phosphorous the main nutrient in pond water that causes algae growth. Keepin your pond clean and not green.

#4 Keep all leaves, and spent plant blooms out of your water garden. They will contribute to algae growth if they are not removed from your pond. Net your pond in the fall, and do a complete spring cleanout in the spring. Drain all of the water, powerwash the pond and stream, and clean all filters.

Following these instructions will keep your water garden healthy and algae free all season long.

Samples of our work click on pics below

Algae Control Through Biology

Phosclear: Is a great product that removes phosphorous from ponds and water gardens. Phosphorous is the last remaining by product of the nitrogen cycle and it's the key nutrient responsible for algae growth. Remove the phosphorous and you have no algae. We use this product everyday when doing maintenance on our customers ponds with great success. If you would like to purchase this product "click here"

Aquatic Passions - Kentucky's Premier Pond Builder

Is My Pond Leaking?
Let's look at evaporation...what it is, and what it is not. Evaporation is water turning into a vapor and escaping from your pond.The amount of water loss will vary according to the area of the country, and the time of season.Ponds that are located in areas of the country with mild temperatures and high humidity can expect to see 1 to 1 1/2 inches of evaporation. Per day.
Most of this water loss should be replaced naturally by rain. If you live in an area with high temperatures and low humidity, it's possible to see three inches or more of evaporation in a weeks time.

The amount and size of your waterfall(s) will also affect the amount of evaporation. Regardless of the climate, a 6'x 6' pond with a 18-foot stream and four feet of splashing waterfalls may lose as much as 2 inches or more every day!!! Why? Splashing and moving water has greater exposure to more water loss than the still water in the pond itself. If that same system had a 16' x 20' pond, you'd probably never even notice the additional evaporation because it's a larger water garden.
 
Evaporation is not filling your pond up all the way one day, and waking up the next morning to find the water five inches lower. That's a leak! If your pond is experiencing a loss of water at a more rapid rate, you either have a leak, or your neighbor is taking water from your pond at night to water his grass. Seriously, let's figure that it's a leak. What the heck do you do now?
Stream and Waterfall Leaks

Most leaks occur around the stream or waterfall, so your first line of defense is to carefully inspect the edges of your stream and waterfall. As the dirt around the stream or waterfall settles, it can create low spots that can cause water to leak over the edge of the liner. Keep your eyes peeled for wet mulch or gravel, or muddy areas around the outside edges of your pond. If you find a spot that's leaking, all you have to do is lift the liner up, and move some dirt under it in order to raise the edge.-leak fixed!

Another possibility is that water is splashing out of your stream. To fix a "splash leak all you have to do is move a few of the rocks under and around your waterfall. This will  redirect the splash and it'll stop the splash leak. Once again, you've solved the problem.
 
Still Loosing Water? If, after you've checked the stream and waterfall, your pond is still losing water, it's time for a little more work, and some drastic measures.You'll have to shut your pump off for a day. By doing this, you'll be able to determine the approximate area of the leak.
Step by Step Instructions
Fill the pond water up to the appropriate level. Unplug the pump. Let the pond sit for 24 hours. After 24 hours, check the water level.If the water level of the pond has not dropped, then the leak is NOT in the pond itself. Check all fittings, plumbing, and pump connections for leaks.

The problem may be somewhere in the plumbing. At the Same Token... If the water has dropped, you do in fact have a leak in your pond. To find out where the leak is, allow the water level to continue to drop.The level where the water stops dropping is the level where the leak is located.
Now The fun Begins
Now the fun begins! At this point, you may want to consider calling in a pond professional like us, but in order to reveal the exact location of the leak you'll need to:  Remove any rocks around the entire perimeter at the level where the water stopped.You can then carefully check for a puncture, or hole in the liner.When you find the hole, you simply patch it.

Patching the hole is fairly easy if you have the right materials.You'll need a piece of patching material that's appropriate to the type of liner you have. Or clean and dry the area really well and use 100% silicone over the hole, allow to dry atleast four hours. The best thing at this point is to contact the retailer or contractor to help you with this selection. Finally, apply the patch, replace the rocks, fill the pond back to the top, and enjoy!

 
Choosing The Right Pond Fish
Pond Comets Are Better Than Koi for Most Backyard Ponds The biggest reason is that Koi get to large for most backyard ponds, reaching an adult size of 36 inches. People with small ponds not knowing any better buy these Koi, and force them to live out their lives in cramped conditions. Not only is this bad for the fish it's bad for your pond. As the fish grow so does the amount of waste they produce, putting large demands on your biological filter.
 
The end result is poor water quality disease, and death. Comets on the other hand, have all the nice colors that koi do and reach an adult size of only 12 inches.
Making them well suited for all ponds, not to mention the price which is only a fraction of what it would cost you for nice Koi. The bottom line is this, stay away from purchasing Koi, unless you have a pond with a surface area of 20x20 or better. You will be happy, the fish will be happy, and your pond's water quality will be a lot easier to keep under control.
 

Comet Classification
 Pond Comets (CARASSIUS AURATUS)
Comets and Shubunkins are the hardiest pond fish varieties, well suited to being kept outside in ponds. Comets are metallic colored in reds, oranges, white, bronze, red and white. Shubunkins have a calico coloration over a blue base. Good specimens should have an elongated body with a smooth profile, and well developed fins. The tail should be flowing and as long as the body in mature specimens. It is shorter in juveniles, but develops with age. Comets should have strong distinct colors. Shubunkins show a mix of black, red, blue and orange mottling over a metallic blue base color.

 Sarrasa CometSarrasa Comet

Shubunkin Comet

Yellow Comet

Controling Pond Algae

Nutrient Control

The most important factor to address in algae control is the nutrients the algae need to grow. The nutrients that feed algae come from many sources and anything you can do to minimize the influx of these nutrients will help you control algal growth. Rainwater can be a problem since it carries air pollutants and particulates into the pond which can, in turn, increase the amount of nutrients in the pond water.

Fish food, whether consumed by your fish or not, is another source of nutrients for algae. Food that is eaten by your fish is digested and excreted. The excretion is a byproduct of the fish food and a source of nutrients for plants and algae. Uneaten food rots and decays, this process provides ammonia and other nutrients found in the food to disperse in the pond water and allows algae to use it as food.

Lawn and garden fertilizers are another source of nutrients. Water that runs into your pond from lawns and gardens can also be a problem. Lawn and garden fertilizers contain a high concentration of nutrients and can lead to major algae growth.

Nutrients can easily be controlled using some simple procedures. First, make sure that gutter downspouts are not directed toward your pond. This will help keep rain runoff from entering the pond. It will also help prevent fertilizers that may be present on the lawn from flowing into the pond. You will also want to build a slight, raised lip around the pond; this will divert rain runoff around the pond and help keep foreign particulates out.

Good feeding habits also help in the control of algae. You want to make sure that all the food you feed the fish is consumed within about five minutes. Food not consumed within five minutes is adding harmful nutrients to the water. Finally, the introduction of additional plants to your pond can be very effective in algae control. Plants and algae compete for the same food. With enough plants, you can starve the algae of nutrients as the higher plant life forms consume the nutrients first.

The use of oxygenating plants can reduce the amount of carbon dioxide in the water, which is needed by both plants and algae. The oxygenating plants, Elodea being the most popular, use the carbon dioxide in the water for fuel, and in turn, produce oxygen. Since the plants are using up the carbon dioxide, there is less of it available for the algae to feed. The increased oxygen content of the water increases the pond's ability to sustain life.

Keep the amount of fish in your pond to a minimum so often we see ponds that are really over crowded with to many fish, the result is poor water quality, algae, and disease.

Do weekly 1/4 water changes, this will help you eliminate alot of extra nutrition that is in your pond keeping algae growth to a mimimum. Also clean the filter pads in your waterfall filter every month with pond water so you don't kill all the bacteria growing in the filter pads. Controling the nutrition in your pond is the key to a healthy clean water garden.

Pond Salt: What You Need to Know

"Add Salt Today to Keep the Fish Doctor Away."

True, there are some negative effects of higher salt levels on plants in the pond, but overall we think it is absolutely the very best thing you can add to your pond in terms of keeping your fish happy and healthy. Salt acts as a natural 'stress coat' and essentially thickens the slime coat on the fish's body - which is its own natural defense system against bacteria and parasites.

Salt is also very effective in killing bacteria and parasites in the pond. When added in proper doses, salting your pond can dramatically reduce the threat of disease affecting your fish.

It's just like with humans - we are always exposed to the common cold cells in our bodies, but can usually resist if their immune system is strong. Similarly, pond fish and koi are always exposed to some degree of parasite and bacteria presence in the pond, but by keeping their immune system strong and their slime coat thick, you shouldn't have any problems.

Pond fish actively maintain a natural balance of electrolytes in their body fluids. Electrolytes such as potassium, sodium, chloride, calcium and magnesium are removed from the water by chloride cells located in the gills. These electrolytes are essential for the uptake of oxygen and release of carbon dioxide and ammonium across gill membranes.

The lack of electrolytes can cause serious health problems to the fish. Pond Salt (trade name) is an all natural salt, providing the essential electrolytes fish need to survive. Pond Salt is not just a table salt (sodium chloride). It is made from evaporated sea water. Evaporated sea water contains the necessary electrolytes pond fish need.

How Pond Salt helps improve gill function to reduce stress....
During periods of disease and stress, healthy gill function is disturbed. This can lead to the loss of electrolytes through the gills, sometimes called osmotic shock. Osmotic shock interrupts healthy gill function by reducing the intake of oxygen and the release of carbon dioxide and ammonium from the fish. Pond Salt reduces the risk of osmotic shock by supplying natural electrolytes through the chloride cells in the gills.

Nitrite Toxicity
Overcrowding and overfeeding can lead to elevated nitrite levels especially in newly set-up ponds. The nitrite ion NO2 enters the gills and prevents the blood from carrying oxygen, resulting in nitrite toxicity or "methemoglobinemia."   Pond Salt will temporarily block the toxic effect of nitrite.

All natural Pond Salt is safe and non-toxic to all pond fish when used as directed. Pond Salt can be used safely with Pond Care water conditioners, filtration materials and fish foods.

Directions for Use:
1. When used as a general tonic for fish, and as a stress reducer, add 21/2 cups full (728g) of Pond Salt for each 100 gallons (378 L) of pond water. Sprinkle salt evenly around the perimeter of the pond. Avoid any contact between salt crystals and pond plants. If this is not feasible, pre-dissolve salt first.

Important Note: Once added to a pond, salt does not evaporate and is not filtered out. Pond Salt should only be added as directed; with each water change, or when fish have been treated with medications.

2.When used to reduce stress in separate treatment tanks or during fish transportation, use 4 tablespoons full (95.2g) of Pond Salt for each 10 gallons (37.8L) of water.

For the health of your pond and environment, it is important that you test pond water regularly. We recommend Aquarium Pharmaceuticals Dry-Tab Master Test Kit for Ponds to test for pH, ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate.

Written By Brett Fogle

 

 

 

 
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