When you have a pond at home, it’s important to maintain your pond’s freshness. If the water is polluted and your fish are dying, it defeats the purpose of having your own pond. The most important quality of a pond is its water. Here’s how to keep your pond water as clean as possible.
Healthy Fish Population
Too much of a good thing is never good, nor is too little. The task is finding a middle-point in everything. If you have more than 10’’ fishes for every 10 gallons of water in your pond, it means your fishes are overpopulated. Overcrowding of fish and its waste causes an imbalance in the quality of your pond water. Make sure you have a healthy number of fishes, and if you are still unsure about the number of fishes you can keep in your pond, consult a fish care specialist.
Do Not Over-feed
Do not over-feed your fishes! When you feed them more than they can consume, the leftover food is left to decay in the pond. When that happens, your pond becomes a breeding place for bacteria and the quality of the pond water worsens. Your fishes are also exposed to the risks of contracting illnesses. Remember to only feed your fish once a day and always remove excess food in the pond regularly.
Healthy Plant Population
Same with fishes, do not have too many plants in your pond which leads to overcrowding. In the day, too many plants obstruct sunlight from entering your pond and at night. In the night, over-population of plants cause oxygen deficiencies as they give off carbon dioxide.
Choosing The Right Size Pump For Your Pond
There should be water circulation once every hour. While pumping your pond, ensure the pump is not blocked by debris and do not pump water beyond its flow limitations.
Clean Debris Before It Decays
Debris includes fish waste, and leftover food increases the ammonium levels in your pond. Clean your pond regularly and add beneficial microbes to keep the pond healthy and suitable for life.
Proper Filtration For Your Pond
The bigger your pond, the bigger your filter should be and the smaller your pond, the smaller the filter. Always make sure your filter can handle slightly bigger than your pond size to maximize the effectiveness of the filter.
Keep Your Pond Cool During Summer
When the temperature of your pond exceeds 75 degrees Fahrenheit, your pond will find it difficult to retain enough levels of dissolved oxygen for fishes. Hence, one way to increase oxygen and ensure there is enough for the fishes is to use aquatic plants to keep your pond shady. When the weather is extremely hot, you can use an aerator to help the fishes.
The quality of water in your pond is extremely important for the lives of fishes and plants. Once there is not enough oxygen, over-crowding of bacteria and food, your fishes’ lives are at stake. When one fish falls ill, it is easy for others to follow suit. New England Aquatic Landscaping is highly experienced at solving bacteria problems and implementing preventive measures to keep your pond a healthy and safe environment. If anything dire happens, feel free to contact our team for help!
