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Keep Algae at Bay by Limiting Nutrients and Sunlight
Here
are some tips to do this:
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Shade the surface of the pond with water plants such as lilies. A good rule of thumb is to cover one-third of the surface with plants.
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Install a variety of plants. Plants consume nutrients from fish waste and decomposing matter in your pond, stealing the food algae need to live.
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Keep debris out of the water. As debris decomposes, it releases nutrients into the water.
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Don’t overstock your pond with fish. Too many fish will release more nutrients than the plants and bacteria can consume, leaving food for algae.
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Don’t overfeed your fish. Food not consumed by the fish provides nutrients for algae.
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As a further measure, biological and mechanical filters are available from your pond supplier for $200 and up. They take a lot of guesswork out of keeping a balanced, clean and clear pond.
Once you establish a biological balance in your pond, maintenance is minimal. A thorough annual cleaning (draining and rinsing out the pond) and periodic maintenance (keeping debris out) are all that’s required. Your pond may still go through a “green” phase in early
Keep Your Pond Healthy -- Make Water FallIt’s important for water to circulate and aerate throughout the pond. Buying a $10 fountain head and connecting it to the end of the water circulation pipe is the easiest way to accomplish this.
To control water’s frustrating tendency to flow invisibly under or between rocks instead of pleasantly over them, fill hidden passages with expanding foam sealant. It’s available at hardware stores for about $6 a can.
The most dramatic way to circulate and aerate water in your pond is to construct a waterfall and stream. Install a stream bed liner the same way as for your pond. Begin by digging a holding pool. The pool keeps water from spraying out of the circulation pipe and allows it to spill lazily into the pond. Next, dig the course for the water to flow in. Two feet wide is a good dimension. Lay the liner in place, overlapping the pond liner by at least 6 in.
Creating an attractive water flow will take some trial-and-error adjustments of the rocks. But this is the fun part. Don’t mortar your rocks in place. The mortar looks unnatural and makes it difficult to move rocks around to get the desired effect.
How to Choose a 24-Hour-Per-Day PumpBuy a pump that’ll turn over the pond’s entire volume once per hour. To size your pump, calculate the approximate volume in your pond: Multiply the length (ft.) x the width (ft.) x the average depth (ft.) and multiply by the conversion factor of 7.48. Also note the height and distance the pump needs to move the water between the pump and the water inlet. With these figures in hand, consult your pump supplier for the pump size and circulation pipe diameter for your pond. (See Buyer’s Guide for pump sources.)
High-efficiency pumps cost more but last longer and are less expensive to run.
Once you’ve determined the pump size, decide whether to buy a high- or low-efficiency pump. High-efficiency pumps cost more but last longer and are less expensive to run. Since your pond pump will run 24 hours a day, seven days a week, the lower utility bills will soon make up for the higher price tag.
Place your pump in a pump container to keep it from clogging with leaves or debris. Either buy one from your pond dealer, install the pump in a skimmer container, or make one from a sturdy garbage can peppered with 1/4-in. holes. Don’t be shy about drilling holes. The more water you allow through the can, the better.
For More Information- The Water Garden by Anthony Paul and Yvonne Rees (Penguin Books, $19.95) contains design ideas and an extensive guide to water plants. It’s available at bookstores.
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The National Pond Society. (800) 742-4701. The NPS provides information on ponds and publishes a magazine called Pondscapes. www.pondscapes.com.
You’ll find pond supplies at some lawn and garden stores and home centers. For stores that carry a wide range of supplies and offer professional advice, look under “Landscape Supplies and Equipment” in the Yellow Pages.
AQUASCAPE DESIGNS INC.: (513) 357-0123. A wholesale distributor of pond supplies, skimmers and filters. Its Web site, www.aquascapes.com, can direct you to a retail distributor in your area.
BECKETT CORP.: Dept. TFH, 5931 Campus Circle Drive, Irving, TX 75063-2606; (888) 232-5388. Pump supplier. www.beckettpumps.com
HEDBURG AGGREGATES: Dept. TFH, 4375 170th St. W., Farmington, MN 55024; (651) 423-5048. A retail distributor of pond supplies.
LILYPONS WATERGARDENS: Dept. TFH, 6800 Lilypons Road, P.O. Box 10, Buckeyestown, MD 21717; (800) 999-5459.
POND FILTRATION INC.: Dept. TFH, 11551 Rupp Drive, Burnsville, MN 55337; (800) 882-5327. www.pondfiltration.com
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