Beautiful the Abc?s of Fish Ponds

When planning to make a fish pond, it would be better if you understand how to take care of one before executing your plans.

If you live in an area where it is freezing cold or where the temperature is usually low, it is good to make a fish pond that is thirty to fifty inches deep. This way, the fish can stay at the bottom of the water weather conditions are not favorable. But the most effective way to keep the fish pond environment warm is to place an electrical device called de-icer that functions as a heater. This is one device that is very useful especially during winter. It keeps the water from the surface of the pond from getting frozen. Another way of keeping the fish pond warm during winter is to provide plastic cover with small holes in it to allow air to enter.

It is a must to get a pond filter to make sure the water is clean enough for fish to survive. There are many pond filters available in the market and you can actually opt to use a solar powered pond filter if you want to cut back on your electricity bill and if you want to save the environment from further harm produced by the burning of fossil. Always keep in mind to regularly check your pond filter. Along with checking it, you should also clean or change the filter as often as needed. It all depends on how big your pond, how many fish there are and the season.

If your pond is situated in a garden or in a place where there are plants and trees, you will be needing a net to keep the leaves, flowers, debris and twigs from falling into the pond.

You also need to know how and what to feed your fish. Remember that their appetite is different from us. Avoid feeding biscuits, rice and bread to your fish. Buy from your local pet shop.

Water pollution is one perpetrator that can cause health complications to fish. Thus, make sure that what you place inside the pond will not cause any pollution. If you have other pets at home like cats and dogs, make sure that they do not throw stuff in the water or urinate in it.
Solar pond fountains can help you save energy cost. For an enchanting look of your fish pond you can add lake fountains.

Lovely Preformed Garden Ponds - a Simple Way to Improve Your Garden's Decor

Anyone wishing to attract wildlife to their garden or who would like to make their garden decor more attractive without having to spend a lot of time and effort, should think about adding preformed garden ponds to their garden.

Even if you don't have a lot of money to spend you can find many inexpensive kits. These kits will allow you to easily relocate your garden pond should you have to for some reason. A composite material is used to make these preformed garden ponds as well as the pond liner.

You want to start out by digging a hole where you would like to place your pond. Set the pond liner into the hole. You will need a pump to circulate the water, so consider locating the pond close to your house to reduce the amount of wiring that you will need.

Whenever you have water close to an electrical device you run the risk of getting a shock. To help eliminate this use a ground fault interrupter, or GFI, in the circuitry of the pump.

You need to inspect your property for low areas to keep rainwater runoff from getting into your pond. The last thing you want to do is put your pond in a part of your garden which is lower than the rest. If you put your pond in a low lying spot, lawn chemicals, such as fertilizers, can be washed into your garden pond and contaminate it.

Try to avoid this whenever possible. If you plan out the location of your pond ahead of time, it can keep you from having to move it later on. Depending on where your plants are located in your garden, you may need to relocate some of them away from your pond. If you have large trees or if there are tree roots growing in the location of your pond you will probably have to move your pond somewhere else. If you don't want to put your pond somewhere else, you will have to cut the tree roots and then put something in place to prevent them from growing back. It is best to not cut the tree down because it will create some nice shade for your pond.

When you are ready to install the pond liner, just place it on the ground in the location where your pond will be. Get some wooden stakes and hammer them vertically into the ground around the outside of the liner. Take some string or rope and wrap it around the base of the stakes to form an outline of the liner.

When you've done that, take the pond liner and move it to side so it will be out of the way and start digging the hole for your pond. Make sure to keep the sides of the hole vertical. Now take your liner and place it in the hole.

Find a straight piece of wood and place it across the liner then, using a carpenter's level, check the level of the pond liner. Then turn the wood 90 degrees and check the level in the other direction.

Put sand into the hole under the liner and the sides of the liner and make sure you pack it in nice and tight. This will support the pond liner in the hole. When you are done packing the sand in, re-check the level of the pond in both directions to make sure it is still level.

Now that that's done you can decorate your pond. An easy way to enhance the attractiveness of preformed garden ponds is by placing some clean pebbles into the bottom of the pond. One layer is all you need. Adding some solar powered lights will make it look nice at night without driving up your electric bill. If you want to give if a more organic look consider placing some stones or plants around it.

Unique Coping with Green Water Ponds

Using water treatments is one of the best options to cope with green water ponds which are formed by the existence of algae. It is thee problem which any gardener has to face and it is possible to control it in case of not completely eliminating. Through repeated applications of green water algae treatments, it can be controlled.

 

The main reason for the water in the pond to become green is none other than the algae that flourish in it. Algal bloom is the primary cause of green water not just in ponds but also in other water systems. Therefore, to be able to control the water from becoming so green, it is necessary to control the flourish of single-celled algae first.

 

It is known to most fish pond owners that when the fish are overfed, the wastes they produce multiply. Not to mention the uneaten food that rots and produces bacteria in the water. Hence, algae have more food to eat, bigger chance of swelling. It is essential to manage the amount of food that is given to the marine animals in your pond. Another option you have to purchase quality fish food since it can be fully digested. If so, fewer nutrients will be excreted by the fish discouraging the growth of algae.

 

You can also consider using Ultraviolet (UV) Clarifiers to combat the green water that has been bugging you. It works by exposing perched single-celled algae to excessive amount of ultra violet light, which then interferes to the reproductive ability of the organisms. The UV clarifier is enclosed in a dark and dense housing since the UV light is detrimental to the human eye.

 

The installation of UV clarifiers is not that simple. For a much safer and less frustrating process, follow the manufacturer's installation manual. You can also ask help from the manufacturers themselves. They will supply the key data on how to install the UV clarifier appropriately. They will also provide you with the instructions on how to incorporate it with the existing pond filters and pumps.

 

Aside from the uncontrollable algae growth, blanket weed also contribute to the transformation of your pond water from crystal clear to green. Based from some pond keepers, there are many alternative ways in order to eliminate blanket weed from infesting your pond. Some of them use a garden hose and blast blanket weed off of rocks, fountains and pond linings. Others however are hands-on. They remove these creatures literally by hand. UV clarifiers are not in any way effective in removing blanket weed and string algae so it is recommended to just stick with the manual process.

 

Algae and other forms of living things that make pond water green are definitely nerve-wracking. But remember that there is no water system of any kind that is free algae. The first and the most important step you can take is to understand how algae flourish particularly in ponds. Then you can think of the right ways to treat your green pond if ever you missed the first step. Balance is very important in everything, even in nature.