Keeping Koi In A Koi Pond Requirements

To grow large Koi and to adhere to good koi keeping practice you will need specialist Koi pond keeping equipment.

Keeping koi pond water clear and healthy is far more difficult a task than is required to maintain a small garden fish pond.

There are also specialist feeding regimes that will need to be adhered to. Here is a list of the basics needed if you intend keeping koi in a pond...

• Correctly fitted bottom drains to remove debris from the pond floor.
• Correct shape pond in order to prevent dead spots.
• A Pond skimmer to remove organic matter such as leaves and other debris that falls into the pond.
• A pond that is at least 5ft deep. The deeper the pond the better the chances of the Koi surviving the ice cold winter weather.
• An external pond pump that is capable of producing high flow rates so that the rate at which water is pumped to the bead filter or vortex filter is high.
• A pond heater for maintaining an ambient temperature during the colder winter months.

The full article can be read at http://www.garden-pond-filters.com/garden-pond-koipondequipment.htm

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Pond Liner Repair Kits & Concrete Pond Sealant Review

During the summer months you may find that you will need to top up your pond with water, due to evaporation. If however you find that you seem to have to continually fill up then you have more than likely got a leak of some kind.

Fish ponds typically leak as a result of one of one of three things:

• Leaks
• Punctured or sagging pond liners
• Water wicking i.e. when surrounding plant life absorbs water from your garden pond.

Pond liner leaks are easily patched with a fish pond liner repair kit, unless the damage is extensive in which case you will more than likely need a new pond liner. These fish pond liner repair kits are usually universal and will fix EPDM, Butyl or PVC liners.

For this reason I would always advise you to use some kind of pond underlay. Most quality liners come with a 25 or 35 year warranty and you may find that you are covered against the cost of the replacement pond liner by the warranty.

Concrete fish pond repair, providing the leak isn't too extensive can be fixed quite simply by G4 Pond Repair Sealant.

Firestone EPDM Fish Pond Liner Repair Kit

Firestone’s QuickSeam® pond liner repair kit has been specifically designed to work with EPDM liner. At the heart of the system is EPDM laminated tape. It’s quick and easy to apply.

These fish pond repair kits contain enough material to seam 25 linear feet and includes: seam preparation treatment, splice tape, scrubbing handle and pads, roller and wipes. Not for indoor use.


The full article can be read at http://www.garden-pond-filters.com/usalinerrepair.htm

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Oase Pond Lighting Review

Pond or lawn and garden lighting enables you to appreciate your pond or garden at night. Lights are available in a variety of styles and colors to help illuminate areas both in and out of the pond.

Under water and floating lights are used to highlight and enhance the features of your water garden or fountains at night. This allows you to extend the enjoyment of your pond past sunset.

Oase PondJet 3 Floating Pond Lighting

The Oase Pond Jet 3 Floating Pond Fountain Light can be used anywhere, even where muddy or deep pond floors do not allow for easy installation of a water feature pump. Water pattern is approximately 10' high and 10' diameter.

A Minimum water depth of 3ft to 4.5ft is needed for these Oase pond lights. Unit consists of Pump - Float - Nozzle assembly.

The Pond Jet Water Fountain Light Kit guarantees proper illumination ... 2400 GPH ... 260 Watts ... 75' cord ... 3 year limited warranty.


The full article can be read at http://www.garden-pond-filters.com/pondlightingoase.htm
 
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Best Koi Goldfish Food Reviews

Your koi, goldfish and other pond fish living in your garden pond will benefit significantly from a nutritionally balanced diet that provides them with the correct amount of proteins, vitamins and carbohydrates, needed for them to achieve their maximum potential in terms of size, health and coloration.

There are many fish food manufacturing companies who all claim that their koi goldfish food range is the best. Alas this is not true.

Always buy industry recognized brands as this will save you money in the long run.

I would always advise you to purchase floating fish food. Floating fish food pellets or floating fish food sticks as excess food can be easily removed from the pond, after about 5 minutes, before it sinks to the pond floor, polluting the water.

Pondmaster Integra Floating Pond Fish Food Pellets

Pondmaster Floating Fish Food Pellets have been specifically formulated to ensure the health of koi, goldfish and all other types of pond fish.

These floating pellets for koi & pond fish are a properly balanced fish food that encourages metabolic growth and repair to damaged worn out tissue. It also provides for energy storage during hibernation in the form of layers of fat.


The full article can be read at http://www.garden-pond-filters.com/pondmaster_fishfood.htm

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Submersible Pond UV Filter Reviews

Emperor Aquatics Tadpole 25 Watt Submersible Filters

The Emperor Aquatics Tadpole Fish Pond UV Filter is a complete, submersible biofilter system, suitable for smaller fish ponds up to 1,500 gallons.

Place your Tadpole UV directly in the pond to trap solid waste and eliminate algae and green water. The Tadpole UV’s 500 GPH draws in dirty water through the filter pad, then through its internal 25 watt Ultraviolet sterilizer, trapping and holding solid waste while eliminating nuisance waterborne algae.

The pond pump, internal Prefilter and UV sterilizer are precisely matched for maximum performance! The Emperor Aquatics Tadpole Fish Pond UV Filter is easy to install, operate and service!

Sicce Ninpheo Pressurized 36 Watt UV Filter

The reliable and sturdy Ninpheo pond filter tops the pond filter line for durability and efficiency, and stands up to the rigorous demands of outdoor water gardening.

This new pressurized 36W UV light pond filter is available in the 50L canister with a great filtration capacity for small as well as very large ponds.

This Sicce Pressurized UV Pond Filter offers mechanical filtration (3 sponges of different densities together with an efficient UV sterilizer for crystal clear pond water.)


The full article can be read at http://www.garden-pond-filters.com/Emperor-Aquatics-TadpoleUVfilter.html

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Fluidbead Ultimate Bead Filter Review

The Fluidbead Ultimate System incorporates the class leading Fluidbead Stainless Steel Filter, Turbo Vortex, 1 HP 2 Speed Pump and the Elektra Pro UV10 (UV Sterilizer).

The Variable hydraulic backwash ensures a thorough cleaning, preventing any dirty debris from entering back into the pond system. This space saving bead filter is a compact unit measuring 18" footprint by 56" tall. It comes with a whopping 4.0 CU. FT. of biological bead filter media that beats the benchmark industry standard for bead filtration systems by 450%

A multi port valve allows medical bypass and rinsing after the back wash cycle. This makes cleaning the filter an effortless task with just an easy movement of the handle to the backwash position.

The lower portion of the Fluidbead Ultimate System houses the fluidized bed filtration. The water is in constant motion, providing high levels of oxygenated water and ammonia to the beneficial bacteria, living on the bio bead filter media.

Channelling or clogging is a thing of the past with these bead pond filters. The upper portion of the Fluidbead ultimate System holds the floating plastic bead filter media, that form bead packs to trap waste solids and particles. Water then flows back into the pond system.

By bringing these two proven filtration technologies together (biological bead filtration and fluidized bed filtration) in a single unit the range of Fluidbead Ultimate stainless steel koi pond bead filters provide the discerning pond keeper with a powerful tool for biological and mechanical filtration.

The full article can be read at http://www.garden-pond-filters.com/Fluidbead_ultimate.html

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Best Dirty Water Pump Reviews

Whenever choosing a pump, whether that be a pond pump, solids handling pond pump (solid waste pump) or a dirty water pump (irrigation pump) an important yet often overlooked factor is the running cost (power consumption).

Many cheap to buy pond pumps end up costing you more in the long run to operate because they use more electricity and don't usually come with the level of reliability that you would expect.

The models shown on this page are energy efficient solids handling pumps and dirty water pond pumps designed for removing large solids and handling large waste, found in ponds, wells and pits.

Solids handling pond pumps have been designed to pump high volumes of water on a continuous 24/7 basis.

They are perfect for drainage applications and pumping water between containers and for small irrigation purposes.

Whilst they can be used as a submersible They are not the ideal for use in backyard ponds.

For backyard garden ponds I would recommend a submersible pond pump such as OASE Pond Pumps for smaller ponds or an external pond pump such as the Sequence Energy Saving Pump for large ponds, which use a high pressure bead filtration system.


Read the full article at http://www.garden-pond-filters.com/Solids-Handling-Pumps.html

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Matala Waterfall Pond Pump Reviews

It doesn't matter whether you have a large concrete pond or a pvc liner pond you will need a pond pump of some description. A pond pump is the heart and soul of any outdoor fish pond or indoor fish pond for that matter.

In general pond pumps for small to medium sized ponds tend to be submersible pond pumps i.e. they can be placed in the pond and are fully waterproof. In fact they are water cooled in many instances by the pond water itself. They require very little installation effort. Usually all you need to do is place the unit on a brick or two on the pond floor. This helps to prevent the pump from sucking up pond debris off the pond floor.

Submersible pumps are often hidden out of sight within a pond skimmer filter. In this application they usually supply a waterfall type filter as it flows back to the pond providing aeration and water circulation.

The submersible pump may be pulled from the water occasionally to clean its pre-filter or screen.

Submersible pond pumps are quieter running than the bigger and more powerful external pond pumps. And because they are below water level or hidden within a skimmer filter box they do not ruin the look or feel of the pond aesthetics.

The full article can be read at http://www.garden-pond-filters.com/matala_hiflowpump.html

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Sicce Fountain Pumps Review

Why Fountain Pumps Are So Popular?

Pond fish as well as us humans love pond fountains. We love them because they add beauty and sound to what might otherwise be quite a plain old boring fish pond.

The fish love them because the splashing water helps atmospheric oxygen to enter the pond. This makes for a healthier environment for pond fish to live in.

Types of Fountain Display

The patterns of water formed are created by a fountain pump pushing water through a water fountain nozzle. There are many different pattern formations available including: Cascading, tier, bubble, Tulip etc.

How To Choose The Best Submersible Fountain Pumps...

There isn't a definitive answer to "How to choose the best fountain pumps" unfortunately. However you can't really go wrong if you stick to the following:

1. Avoid fountain pumps with sponges in the suction because they soon become blocked and reduce the flow of water through the nozzle.
2. Choose a branded product from an industry recognized supplier, who is willing to back up the product with a decent guarantee (2 YEARS OR MORE).
3. Make sure the fountain pump model comes with a variety of different fountain nozzle heads (spray nozzles) for different effects because variety is the spice of life so they say.

The full article can be read at http://garden-pond-filters.com/sicce_fountain_pump.htm

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Birds Infect Ponds With Parasites

Have you ever witnessed your koi and gold fish rubbing themselves against the sides of the pond or rocks and other surfaces within the pond?

If the answer is yes then chances are your fish have been infected by some kind of parasitic infestation (parasite).

The problem is that many parasites can not be seen with the naked eye and to the uninitiated it would appear that perhaps this is normal behaviour for pond fish.

The flashing, flicking and jumping is common practice for the poor fish suffering from parasite infection and is their way of trying to remove the cause.

As is the case with most pond related problems heavily stocked ponds with poor water quality are much more likely to fall victim to severe outbreaks of fish pond parasites.

Fish pond parasites often find their way into your fish pond via bird droppings which fall into the water and subsequently infect fish.

The parasite will in the first instance infect a snail which in turn is eaten by your koi or other fish species.

The eye fluke is an example of one such parasite which may lead to blindness, depending on the extent of the infection.

Black spot disease is caused yet again by fish eating birds such as King fishers and herons who having eaten an infected fish continue the parasites life cycle by releasing eggs into the pond through their droppings.


The full article can be read at http://garden-pond-filters.com/garden-pond-birds.htm

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Little Giant Biological Percolate Filter

These Little Giant Pond Filters have a corrugated design for extra strength anchoring, and anti-flotation.

The BioVort vortex separator plate creates a cyclone type up flow to help uniformly separate and evenly disperse debris across pond filter media and settle debris for less maintenance and better filtration.

The biological filter media consists of Matala media pads that provide mechanical filtration plus the ideal surface environment for beneficial bacteria growth.

This easy to mount, professional grade pond biological filter is not only an efficient biological filter but a decorative waterfall water feature as well.

Locating the Waterfall The Waterfall can be positioned adjacent to the pond fringe in a easy configuration.

Benefits...

1. Primary biological media bag and mesh bag included.
2. All pipe work and plumbing is hidden from view.
3. The design allows you to place plant baskets on the lid so as to make a natural disguise.
4. These Little Giant Pond Filters incorporate Biovort technology to ensure an even spread of pond water across the Matala filter pad biomedia.

The full article can be read at http://garden-pond-filters.com/littlegiant_biowaterfall.htm

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Best Way To Keep Algae At Bay

The sure fire way to achieve clean pond water that is crystal clear and free from suspended green algae and the best way to clean algae from a pond is to use a UV pond filter or either an ultraviolet clarifier or Ultraviolet sterilizer.

Although UV clarifiers, UV sterilizers and biological pond filters are available as separate units, it makes far more sense to combine the two pieces of pond keeping equipment into a single unit.

The combination of the two units will often save you money and because the units have been designed to work together you will no longer need to worry about incompatibility issues, guaranteed!

Difference Between A UV Sterilizer & UV Clarifier...

A UV sterilizer sanitizes the pond water, killing pathogens and other water borne bacteria as well as using UVC light to destroy green pond algae, whereas a UV clarifier does not sterilize the water but has been designed solely to kill green algae using UV light.

UV pond sterilizers are normally used in large Koi ponds and tend to be much more expensive.

Common Types of Pond Algae...

There are several algae types commonly found in fish ponds. Some are much more easily controlled than others, whilst others are actually beneficial to your Koi and goldfish ...

1) The Good Algae ... The good algae are the small algae that you commonly see attached to nearly every available surface in the fish pond, including pumps, piping and the pond side walls. This algae type is fairly small and grows to about half an inch long and acts as a tasty snack for pond fish.

2) The Bad Algae - The filamentous string algae varieties, such as blanket weed, which can grow rapidly and reach several feet in length.

3) The Ugly Algae - The planktonic algae or single celled algae only measures 4 microns in size but in vast numbers your pond water becomes cloudy and often becomes quite smelly.

Learn how to control the various algae types by reading the full article here ...

http://www.garden-pond-filters.com/garden-pond-cleanfishponds.htm

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How To Maintain Algae Free Ponds

If you own a garden pond then I am willing to bet that you have struggled with pond algae from time to time!

Pond algae is the scourge of pond keepers throughout the world. There are several treatments available to pond keepers, but the best way to control pond algae is to use a UV sterilizer or UV Clarifier...

There are several types of algae, found in a garden pond, including suspended algae and string algae, of which blanket weed is a common variety. This article is concerned with suspended algae and its effect on pond water.

In warm weather and in particularly heavily populated ponds you will often see algae blooms, that turn the once clear pond water into what resembles a bowl of pea green soup, hence the name pea soup algae.

What Is An Algae Bloom?

An algae bloom is caused by the rapid reproduction of plank tonic algae when there is a lot of sunshine and nutrients in the pond water.

The disadvantage of an algae bloom is that the algae die off and start to decompose on the pond floor. This significant increase in the level of rotting organic matter is bad for your pond as it increases the level of ammonia and reduces the level of oxygen.

Oxygen is used up as part of the decaying process. The end result is an increase in carbon dioxide. The decrease of oxygen levels and the increase in carbon dioxide is detrimental to the health of your pond in the following ways ...

Remember that oxygen is critical for the nitrifying bacteria that breakdown ammonia. It is also essential for pond fish and other aquatic life.

How Does A UV Sterilizer Prevent Algae?

The most effective way to control pond algae is to use a UV sterilizer or UV clarifier. The power of blue ultraviolet light that is generated at a particular wavelength is a miracle for pond keepers. UV light occurs naturally in nature and is one of the reasons we get sunburned on holiday.

The effectiveness of a UV sterilizer is affected by temperature to a large extent. At 40 C (104 F) it works at maximum efficiency. A drop in temperature to 20 C (68 F) results in a drop in efficiency to only 50%.

Manufacturers of UV sterilizers get around this rapid drop in efficiency by insulating the UV lamp with a quartz sleeve. UV light transmits through the quartz, so the maximum efficiency is maintained.

How Does A Pond UV Work In A Fish Pond?

As pond water containing the floating algae passes through the quartz tube it is bombarded with ultra violet rays, either directly or via highly reflective metal surfaces. The UV rays destroy the cell walls of the algae, causing what is known as flocculation to occur (the dead algae clump together forming a much large mass).

This makes removal by a pond filter or pond skimmer possible. Prior to clumping a single suspended algae cell measures about 4 microns across (4 millionths of a meter).

Other Methods Used To Control Floating Pond Algae

1) Pond Algaecides are not in my opinion a good idea for the following reasons: they need to be administered in precise doses; too much can harm nitrifying bacteria colonies and the health of pond fish. They only work for a short period of time.

2) A Veggie Filter, also known as a bog filter consists of pond plants that are deliberately starved of nutrients. The aquatic plants get their food source from the nitrates in the pond water. They compete with algae for these nutrients and as a result help to keep the pond algae under control. They do not guarantee algae free ponds however.


The full article can be read at http://www.garden-pond-filters.com/garden-pond-uvarticle.htm

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How To Keep A Healthy Clean Pond

It is important to understand that I don't just mean clean, crystal clear water. I actually mean a healthy, stable environment where the pond water chemistry is in equilibrium and the pond inhabitants are healthy, stress free and free from illness and disease.

What is the perfect environment for pond fish to live in?

To be honest I am not sure what the perfect environment is and I don't speak fish.

I can only assume that a perfect environment is one in which your Koi, goldfish and other pond fish varieties can grow, develop and live what appears to be a happy life! It is far easier to point out what will definitely make their life pretty miserable.

High ammonia levels in ponds combined with high nitrite levels and pathogenic bacteria will definitely make them want to relocate to somewhere else.

Unfortunately if this is the state of play within your pond then they will get their wish; unfortunately the place they will be relocating to is that great big fish pond in the sky, with halos and angels.

So how do you ensure that your fish live in a safe, clean, healthy pond?

The secret is to ensure that first and foremost the levels of ammonia and nitrite in your pond are kept under control. By reducing ammonia in ponds you are at least going to stop your pond inhabitants: Koi, goldfish, Rudd, frogs snails etc from falling victim to ammonia poisoning.

Controlling Ammonia In Fish Ponds...

Reducing ammonia in ponds is critically important. The secret to controlling ammonia in fish ponds is to use a biological pond filter, also known as a biofilter. A fish pond biofilter carries out the nitrogen cycle in your pond and removes these harmful chemicals by converting them into nitrate, which can be used by your aquatic plants as a food source.

It is important to regularly check your pond water using a pond test kit; check for ammonia, nitrite and pH at a minimum. The way a pond looks can be deceiving and does not necessarily mean that all is well below the surface.

Your pond may have crystal clear water and be free from algae blooms but that doesn't always mean it is a healthy environment for your fish to live in. On the other hand a fish pond with small algae blooms might look dirty but because ammonia and nitrite levels are under control, it is in fact as near to a perfect environment as possible.

How To Keep A Fish Pond Clean & Keep Pond Fish Healthy...

1) Use a correctly specified pond bio filter ... As stated above ensure that you use a garden pond filter that is suitable for the size of your pond.

2) Avoid Sand Filters ... When selecting the choice of pond filter make sure that you use a biological pond filter and not a mechanical sand filter, commonly used as a swimming pool filter.

The full article can be read at http://www.garden-pond-filters.com/garden-pond-cleanpond.htm

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The Importance of Pond Filter Media

A garden pond filter is only as good as the pond filter bio media used. Many models of biological pond filter can be significantly improved by using a pond bio filter media with a much higher Specific Surface Area (SSA).

Choosing the right pond filter media will not only save you lots of money but will improve your filter performance.

A biological pond filter is responsible for converting ammonia, found in garden ponds into much less toxic nitrates, in a series of chemical processes known as the nitrogen cycle or nitrification process.

The processes are carried out by Nitrosomonas and Nitrobacter nitrifying bacteria that live on the pond filter media, housed in the pond filter unit. The higher the Specific Surface Area (SSA) of the filter media the larger the colony of beneficial nitrifying bacteria it can house. The larger the colony of bacteria to convert ammonia the better your pond water quality will be.

When choosing a garden pond filter look at the pond filter media included and choose a pond filter model with as high a SSA as possible.

A smaller filter model with a superior pond filter media will perform as well as a large filter model using an inferior pond filter bio media, such as thin plastic coils.

Click here to read the rest of the article ...

http://www.garden-pond-filters.com/garden-pond-biomedia-article.htm


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Has MY PVC Liner Pond Got A Leak

I received a question from a reader of mine, based in Warsop, England, who was amazed at how much water his pvc liner pond was loosing, when he didn't appear to have a leak anywhere in his pond.

This is what David wrote ....

"Hi There,

I live in Warsop and have a 200 gallon pvc liner pond that is home to 5 small koi, 3 goldfish and a few parrots feather oxygenator plants. The problem I have is that my pond looses quite a lot of water, almost overnight in some cases. I lost 8 inches of water last Tuesday.

Sometimes when I fill the pond back up the water level remains constant for a couple of days and then disappears again!

I've checked the pond for leaks and can't see anything obvious. Unfortunately I haven't seen the bottom of the pond to see if there is a puncture there. I don't think this is the problem as the guy who installed the pond was doubly careful to make sure that he laid pond underlay down first.

I know that all ponds loose water through evaporation but as you know this summer has been particularly wet with a lot of rain. I read somewhere that evaporation is more of a problem in hot humid weather conditions.

Please can you shed any light on my problem?

Thanks
Dave Milton"

Click the link below to see what I said to David...

http://www.garden-pond-filters.com/Newsletters/QA2_leakingpondarticle.html

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Does Pond Temperature Affect Koi?

I received a letter from Alan who lives in Newcastle in the North East of England. Alan was curious to know how his Koi and goldfish would react to sudden swings in pond water temperature.

My Response To Alan...

Pond fish are to the pond temperature in which they live as well as the quality of the water. During cold winter spells the metabolic rate of your fish drops, resulting in them eating less. This is a survival mechanism that helps them to survive.

As your fish pond starts to warm up so does the Koi's metabolism and other body functions.

Pond water temperature increases gradually

Unlike differences in air temperature that can vary from one day to the next and significantly during the day the pond water temperature in your fish pond isn't affected by such rapid temperature swings. Koi and other pond fish have the significant benefit of their environment (water) acting as a buffer against rapid air temperature swings.

This is due to water taking longer to cool down and warm up. This is particular true in larger, deeper fish ponds that have less pond water volume coming into contact with air temperature.

The longer the warm spell continues, the more likely your fish pond will rise up to those temperatures, but gradually so that your Koi and other pond fish don't experience the rapid temperature changes experienced by us humans due to air temperature.

As with most things in life the better your understanding the better the decision making will be. By knowing the correct pond temperature you will be able to make an informed decision about what type of fish food to feed your Koi and pond fish i.e. a summer fish food or winter based pond food for example.

Despite their resilience to pond water temperature variations they are not as adaptable to changes in pond water quality. Poor water quality is something they do not cope with. This is why the choice of fish food is important along with the amount and feeding occurrence.

Remember to monitor the pond water temperature and feed accordingly. Don't guess! Feeding the wrong food at the wrong times encourages poor water quality which can have an adverse effect upon your Koi's health and immune system.

You should wait until the water temperature has risen to 8-10C and your Koi are actively seeking food before offering them food

If the pond temperature drops will my Koi hibernate again?

Should the pond water temperature drop significantly then your pond fish will start to exhibit typical over wintering behaviour i.e. they will stop eating and stay at the bottom of the pond where the water is warmer.

This is a short term thing however as they will soon liven up once the warmer spring weather reappears.

Water reaches its maximum density at 4 Celsius (39 F). As the pond water cools down it becomes less dense and rises to the pond surface.

For this reason Koi know that by staying in the warmest layer of the pond i.e. the bottom then they are limiting the possibility of tissue damage and subsequent Fish Diseases. This is another reason why ponds should be at least 5 feet deep in order that stratification can take place.

The full article can be read at http://www.garden-pond-filters.com/koi_pondtemperature.htm

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What Goldfish Need To Spawn In A Pond

Goldfish are sociable creatures and live in small shoals, happily swimming around. When goldfish reach maturity they will spawn spontaneously with the other members of the shoal.

Breeding goldfish in your fish pond is relatively simple if you provide the following basic prerequisites...

Mature Goldfish - The variety or quality of goldfish is not too important as different varieties of goldfish will happily spawn with each other. A sexually mature goldfish will be at least 2 years old and measure between 6 to 8 inches in length. It is advisable for male goldfish to outnumber female gold fish.

Suitable Pond - When it comes to spawning only healthy and goldfish that have been well fed are likely to spawn. It is important therefore to ensure that you feed a nutritious Goldfish Food. The pond will also need adequate Biological Filtration and the water quality will need to be good.

Suitable Number of Aquatic Plants - A densely packed area of pond plants will significantly improve the chances of the small goldfish fry surviving the first few perilous months. The densely planted area acts as a hiding place for the small goldfish fry.

How Do Goldfish Breed In Your Backyard Fish Pond?

Breeding isn't a gentle act in the goldfish world. In fact the rough nature of the male activity will often leave the female goldfish with severe exhaustion or bodily damage.

Female goldfish when ready to spawn release pheromones into the pond water. The male goldfish are unable to resist and will start to chase and collide into any female goldfish (whether carrying eggs or not) in an attempt to get her to release her many thousands of tiny eggs.

As the female releases the eggs they are fertilised by the sperm of the chasing males. These tiny adhesive clear eggs will stick to any available hard surface within the pond including pond plants, pipe work, pond walls, pond pumps etc.

For many pond keepers, it is the appearance of little olive brown goldfish fry in the warmer weedy margins that provides proof of a successful spawning.

The full article can be read at http://www.garden-pond-filters.com/goldfishbreeding.html

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Not All Goldfish Are Suitable For Ponds

Modern goldfish varieties come in a myriad of colours, sizes and appearance. Who would think that a Lionhead goldfish shares much of the same genetic make up as a Comet goldfish? At first glance you would certainly see no connection.

Goldfish breeders have succeeded in altering the physical appearance of goldfish.

Every possible change in appearance has been experimented with at some stage. Classic examples of the changes and mutations can be seen in the goldfishes eye shape, colour, body shape, tail length, number of tails, fin shape etc.

Which Gold Fish Types Can Live In A Garden Pond?
1)Common Goldfish - Typically a very evenly pigmented fish with short and sturdy fins and tail. Often available in a number of different colour variations where other colours such as white and black appear on top of the original golden colouration.

2)Comet Goldfish - They have been bred so that they have a really long tail fin. In large fish the tail may be half as long as the body. A uniform, singular colour is unusual in Comets. They regularly have red and white patterns that can be seen more easily from above.

3) Shubunkin - Rather than the typical gold colour associated with many goldfish varieties the Shubunkin is blue with a black and orange mottling set on top of this blue base.

Fancy gold fish that are not suitable For Fish ponds

1) Orandas - When viewed from above, their double-tail looks like a butterfly. They can adopt a variety of colours, including calico, which resembles a Shubunkin.

2)Blackmoor - Similar in shape to an Oranda, this black fish has bulbous eyes that project from the head. They are in fact my favourite goldfish variety, despite their quirky and somewhat ugly appearance.

3)Lionheads - These have a development on their head similar to the mane of a male lion. They too have a twin tail, but lack a dorsal fin.

4)Bubble Eyes, Pom-Poms and Celestials - These are all fancy goldfish in the extreme where breeders have selected for wild variations in head and eye developments.

The full article can be read at http://www.garden-pond-filters.com/goldfishtypes.html

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Is Algae On My Pond Walls Good?

I receive quite a few emails regarding pond algae, usually emails regarding how to get rid of planktonic algae (pea soup algae) or string algae.

Today I received an email regarding the pond algae that can be found on the sides of the pond and on pond filters, pumps and other surfaces within the fish pond. The reader wanted to know if this is a good or bad thing.

"Sean,
I've had our pond for about 2 months. All is going quite well. The water is clear the fish are active and content to be near the bottom. There is algae on the sides about 1/4 inch thick. Is this a good thing or a bad thing?

The fish are eating it but I was considering getting snails at a friends suggestion.
Any input?

Thanks
Kevin"

My reply to Kevin...

"Hi Kevin,

Thanks for the email and hope you are well!

There are approximately 17000 species of algae. Some affect pond keepers and others don't.

The algae that you mention is perfectly harmless and is in fact beneficial to the pond eco system. Garden fish ponds usually contain one of or both of the following pond algae types ...

The full article can be read at http://www.garden-pond-filters.com/Newsletters/algaeonsideofpond.html

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Why Goldfish Are So Popular & Widespread

Like many things in life that have survived the test of time the secret to the success of the common goldfish or in this case longevity is its simplicity and low maintenance requirements.

Just like the Coca Cola logo the goldfish is the fish that everyone recognises. Young children even from an early age see this tough little fish on the TV, at the fair or in mom and dads pond or fish tank. The goldfish is the fish against which other fish are compared.

The Goldfish - A Born Survivor ... Why Are They So Popular?

1)Readily Available - The goldfish is readily available throughout the world and is the fish of choice for the newbie pond keeper wanting to learn the responsibilities and skills needed to maintain a healthy pond. Many experienced pond keepers will keep them alongside their collection of much more expensive and harder to keep koi carp.

2)Low Maintenance - What makes the goldfish stand out is its ability to withstand and even thrive in average water conditions, often without adequate filtration and a readily available supply of oxygen rich water. How many other fish could survive in a gold fish bowl for example? The records of colourful fish being kept for their beauty dates back to the T'ang Dynasty in China (AD 700) where they were often kept in ceramic jars without pumps, air filters and air pumps. If it were not for the ability to survive in such conditions then goldfish would not be as widespread and popular as they are today.

3)Breed Easily - A goldfish reaches sexual maturity at around 6" in length and will readily spawn in a garden fish pond, splashing and bumping in weedy shallows, depositing thousand of tiny adhesive eggs within the string algae and weed. What is truly amazing with goldfish is the variety of colours that can result from a natural spawn. The majority appear at first to be brown and it is only over time that some of the fry will develop the traditional colouration of goldfish.

The full article can be read at http://www.garden-pond-filters.com/goldfishpopular.html

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How To get Your Koi To Spawn

I recently received an email from a gentleman by the name of Julio who wanted some further information regarding breeding his Koi and other pond fish.

"Hi Sean:

I have been reading your advice for some time now and had good results in keeping my 500 gal pond free from algae and debris.

Now I have a question of another kind.

How do I go about reproducing my fish? I have some 20 koi and comet gold fish, mostly koi. from 12+ inches long to 5 inches long. The size determined by the date of acquisition.

My pond is concrete, square edged walls and bottom with pebbles in most of the bottom. Some aquatic plants in plastic containers, mostly water lilies, a tetra biofilter and tetra 500gph pump.

I tried planting hydrilla, easily acquired locally intending it to oxygenate the pond and , as it is planted at the bottom, serve for the eggs to adhere to its leaves and at the same time, serve as hiding place for goblins (baby fish). The problem is that the fish eat the hydrilla.

I do want the fish to reproduce!

I could use floating water hyacinths whose long roots could serve my purpose but for the problem of mosquitoes breeding at the bottom of their leaves.

What do you advise???"

My response to Julio!
"Hi Julio

It sounds like you have a great set up and good conditions for your Koi and other fish to breed. One thing that does bother me however are the pebbles at the bottom of the pond; these encourage areas for food and pond sludge to become trapped and generally encourage the build up of unwanted bacteria. The pebbles also make it harder to vacuum up pond sludge and other organic debris.

Anyway that isn't what you are asking. So here goes...

This might sound obvious but you do have a mixture of male and females I hope! Judging by the size of the Koi I would assume that they are mature enough to breed.

First things first I would like to point out that I am by no means an expert when it comes to breeding Koi but am aware of the basics, which I will point out for you in the following sequence of paragraphs. I also want to make you aware of the actual spawning process and it's pros and cons.

Breeding Koi is stressful to the female Koi
Far from being polite suitors male Koi are quite aggressive in their mating behaviour and will readily charge into and bash the females in order that they will release their eggs. Many female Koi are injured and become extremely exhausted as a result of the aggressive male Koi breeding behaviour.

The full article can be read at http://www.garden-pond-filters.com/Newsletters/Koi_breeding_advice.htm

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Why Trout Food Is Bad For Koi

I recently received the following email from a newsletter subscriber of mine based in Canada. Verne Gilkes is the owner of Mountain View Koi Club and wanted to know my views about feeding koi food to trout.

"Hi Sean

I just noticed you are located in Wigan.

Several years ago I had the opportunity to visit the Nexus plant not long after the Nexus Filter was introduced to the USA at the Mid Atlantic Koi Show held at Quality Koi which was their Grand Opening as a Koi Farm.

Sean Your article on Koi Food is pretty straight forward for a koi keeper who knows how to treat his fish.

do Not know if you have people in England who feed trout food to their koi?
We have several here in our Koi Club and no matter what I tell them they think it is the greatest food going. Of course the koi will eat it, they will eat anything that has a flavor to it however it is very bad for them. It can lead to all sorts of problems down the road i.e. bladder problems as it is an animal based protein and fat food.

We visited one of our club members ponds for the first time two weeks ago. His ponds were impeccable however he had several fish that were in dyer straights. One we had to put to sleep as its gut was about to blow out because of a 3 inch ulcer and an Aka Bekko 16 inches had 12 ulcers 1 to 11/2 inch all over it's body. A third shiro utsuri 18-20 inches was so fat it could hardly turn around.

My personal feelings the problems were from feeding the trout food.

What do you think of feeding trout food to koi?
He has and sells frys. A couple of our members bought some of the frys. As I was examining the little guys they also had a fattish appearance to them. They were not the slender appearance of normal young frys.

One of the hurdles we have to clear is trout food is less than half the price of koi food.

What could you advise to convince these koi owners who are great water keepers and love their koi a lot to switch to some Quality Koi Food?

Happy Koi Keeping

Mountain View Koi Club, Vankleek Hill , Ontario, Canada - Contact Verne Gilkes mailto:gilkes@hawk.igs.net


To see my response go to http://www.garden-pond-filters.com/Newsletters/FeedKoi_TroutFood.htm

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Fish Ponds Don't Like Rain

Rain a much needed commodity throughout the world unfortunately is not always great for your garden pond and its inhabitants, including fish and aquatic plant life.

Water Lilies are not much of a fan of moving water and hate being splashed with a real passion. Unfortunately rain does both to these beautiful plants.

The best quick fix is to move your Water Lilies to a protected area, perhaps under a hanging tree or shrub. Fertilize them and they will be back with a vengeance once the weather improves and the rain subsides.

Water Hyacinths hate high pH and rain often increases the pH in the Pond i.e. the pond water become more alkaline. Test pond pH and make any necessary adjustments. A few warm days and the Water Hyacinths will come right back to their glory.

There may be a sudden increase in the amount of string algae, including blanketweed because string algae loves a high pH.

This is not necessarily a good thing however as string algae is much harder to remove than floating algae also known as green water algae.

There is now however a fantastic British product that will eradicate your pond of this slimy pest. The product known as Viresco has been tested extensively, is low cost and is available for shipping world wide.

See the full article at ... http://www.garden-pond-filters.com/Newsletters/Rain_A_Pain.htm

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Transporting Koi The Safe Way

What challenges Does Moving Koi Fish present?

Moving Koi fish can be a relatively straight forward procedure, including moving large Koi as long as you make the relevant plans beforehand.

Koi are ravenous creature that consume vast amounts of food and pollute their home with significant amounts of ammonia and solid waste. For this reason starve the Koi for at least 5 days before you intend to move them.

What Dangers Do Koi Carp Face When Moved To A New Pond?

As mentioned above primarily toxic poisoning if they are not starved beforehand. If they are not bagged securely and packaged correctly there is a chance that the bags may leak causing suffocation. The transportation method will need to ensure that the ride is as smooth as possible to prevent disturbing the Koi and causing shock.

What are the right and wrong ways/techniques to move Koi Carp?

You need to use heavy duty polythene bags and double bag each. Inflate the inner bag with oxygen and then using water from the existing pond fill the polythene bag to roughly 1/5 of the bags volume. Once each of the required number of bags is ready, place it in a secure box with the neck rolled down.


The full article can be read at http://www.garden-pond-filters.com/Newsletters/Moving_Koi_The_Right_Way.htm

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Pond Fish Health FAQ's

Why Have My Pond Fish Got White Spots On Their Body?

This is probably a fungal disease and immediate expert advice should be sought. Fungal infections are often spread amongst the fish population at a rapid rate.

My Pond Fish are Gasping for Air at The Pond Surface

This is particularly common in hot sunny weather when the water temperature is higher. Warm water is physically not able to hold as much oxygen as cold water.

I'm Sure I Had More Pond Fish Yesterday Than Today!

Your pond has probably become a favorite haunt of a predator of some description, targeting an easy meal. Herons and other birds such as king fishers are the usual suspects but snakes and other animals have been known to take fish.

My Pond Fish Are Chasing Each Other

Love is in the air hey!. For your water garden fish anyway! This is normal behavior in spring and is the courtship behavior of fish.

The full article can be read at http://www.garden-pond-filters.com/Newsletters/PondkeepingFAQpart6.htm

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Prevent Fish Disease Outbreaks

The majority of ponds with excellent biological filtration and where good pond keeping practices are maintained seldom have fish diseases that cause problems.

By keeping the bottom of a pond clean and by making sure the biofilter container is cleared of sludge build-ups before the start of spring the chances of disease are dramatically reduced.

By far one of the easiest and best ways to remove excess sludge and debris from the pond floor is to use a Pond Vacuum Cleaner.

If fish pond disease strikes it is often at the end of winter and beginning of spring. The reason for this is that in very cold climates the fish have essentially hibernated and have run down their immune systems.

This means as the pond water warms up and disease pathogens become more active then the chances of a fish becoming infected increase significantly.

As much as it's not advisable to feed koi and goldfish below about 50 degree F or 8 degrees C it is still important on those days when the water warms somewhat and the fish start moving to feed a small amount of highly digestible fish food.

How To Prevent Ulcer Disease In Fish

A particularly serious disease that often strikes at the beginning of a new season is ulcer disease. This is a serious bacterial infection resulting in open sores or ulcers on the fish's body.

The disease is more often than not fatal and should be avoided at all costs.

The offending bacteria (aeromonas and pseudomonas) bacteria are naturally present in all ponds. When these virulent bacteria get out of control and when this coincides with a fish perhaps damaging its skin tissue then ulcers become a real possibility.

See the full article at http://www.garden-pond-filters.com/Newsletters/preventfishponddiseases.htm


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Don't Let Predators Eat Your Pond Fish

How To Prevent Predators From Eating Your Pond Fish?

In the USA a major culprit is the Raccoon, a vivacious scavenger. Your typical Raccoon loves nothing better than to root around in garden ponds for a free morsel to eat. Poor Goldie the goldfish and his fellow pond members were on the menu.

Even ponds as deep as 2 feet are not always safe from these pesky critters.

Other common predators of backyard fish are members of the heron family and king fisher families. Domestic cats have also been known to kill and eat Koi and goldfish. Even certain species of diving waterfowl might find your pond fish to be an easy meal.

So How Do You Keep Your Pond Fish Safe From Predators?

In answer to "how to stop herons eating your fish" there are a myriad of products for sale aimed at protecting your pond fish from herons and other potential predators, including...

1) Pond netting ... a nets to stop herons eating fish is a great idea.
2) Electronic animal scarers including a blue heron repellent.
3) Animal scarers that spray the intruder with water ... a great way of protecting baby fish
4) Animal Decoys ... another way of protecting baby koi from predators.
5 Pond design - A good idea is to design the pond so as to allow the pond fish hiding places, both from larger fish and predators such as the Great Blue Heron.

See the full article at http://www.garden-pond-filters.com/Newsletters/Keepfishsafe.htm

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Which Pond Pump And Filter Should I Choose

I received a very nice email from a lady by the name of Marjory Harris who lives in California in the USA.

Marjory was looking for some advice regarding which pond keeping equipment she should buy for her ponds.

"Sean, I bought the pond book (The Complete Pond Solver) from you and greatly value your advice. I am unsure what to buy for my two ponds, both of which have goldfish, some bullfrog tadpoles, and lots of plants.

I live in Southern California, it gets hot, but with low humidity. My concern is quality equipment and ease of cleaning and servicing.

For my 530-gallon pond ("large pond"), I have heard that Fishmate Gravity Filters + UV are a good choice. Which pump would work with it?

Currently there is no pump or waterfall in this pond, just lots of plants and goldfish (the photo is from some months ago before 4 water lilies and other plants were added).

The small pond has a pump and a small waterfall coming out of a cowbell at the top of a big rock. There is no place to put an external filter so I need something to submerse in the pond. The small pond is less than half the size of the large pond , probably around 175 gallons.

Would you agree that Fishmate Gravity Filters are a good choice and have you any ideas on what to purchase? It should be easy to take care of and last a long time.

Many thanks!

Marjory Harris"

"Hi Marjory,

Hope you are well and thanks for your email and for buying the book. Your choice of biofilter is a very good one. Fishmate Gravity Filters come as standard with Fishmate Supra pond filter media. The best in my opinion.

Choice of Pond Pump...

The first thing to look for when choosing a pump is the gph (gallons per hour) and the electricity consumption.

A pump needs to turn the volume of the pond over at once every 2 hours so in your case you would need a pump that has a gallon per hour throughput of 260gph - 270gph.

So if you see a pump that says 400gph then it has been designed for use in a pond that is approx 800 gallons in volume.

The initial price of the pump falls into insignificance if you choose a pump that costs a lot to run. Remember that a pond pump needs to run 24/7/365 days so that the bacteria living in your pond filter convert ammonia and nitrite into harmless nitrate. These bacteria need lots of oxygen to do there job properly.

Personally however I would go for a slightly more powerful pump because then you have some power in reserve should you want to power water up to a waterfall or fountain etc.

I would recommend that you buy a Laguna Powerjet 600 GPH 32 Watt Submersible Fountain Pump.

Another good pump is the Oase Nautilus Pump. These pumps are more powerful and have been designed to power water to the top of a waterfall. They have higher running costs but come with an excellent 5 year warranty. They do a 400gph model.

Choice of Pond Filter for Small Pond ...

The choice of biofilter model is not as important as the choice of biofilter media. A small filter with a great pond filter media such as Fishmate Supra Pond Filter Media media will easily out perform a larger filter using plastic coils as the pond filter media.

Without trying to get to technical it is all about the Specific Surface Area (SSA) i.e. the amount of space for nitrifying bacteria to live on that determines how effective the filter will be.

The Danner Pondmaster 190 Submersible Pond Filter Kit is probably the best choice. It includes a pump along with a biological filter and mechanical filter.

Regards

Sean"


Read the full article at...

http://www.garden-pond-filters.com/Newsletters/pondequiment_marjory.htm

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How To Improve Your Pond Pump System

If you've got a pond pump which is not performing as well as you would like there are a few things you can do to get better performance without buying a new pump.

Main source of energy loss...

Energy of a pump is wasted in a pond circulating system mainly in the pipe work between the pump and the discharge point of the pipe.

If the pipe is small in diameter then a lot of energy will be lost due to friction... i.e. the resistance to flow caused by the pipe walls.

The relationship between energy lost this way is such that in any pipe system the amount of energy wasted for a specific flow rate is a function of the pipe diameter.

In simple and approximate terms if a pipe diameter is doubled then the friction loss will be only one quarter of that in the smaller diameter pipe.

The practical implication of this is that changing the hose to a larger diameter pipe will allow more water to be pumped through the system.

The amount of energy lost in any pipe is also a function of 5 other things:

1) The length of pipe

2) Fittings in the pipe work such as valves or flow controllers

3) Kinks in the hose pipe

4) The condition of the internal surface of the pipe... e.g. a pipe with algae on the sides will result in energy wastage because friction will be increased.

5) A further cause of energy loss is a blocked or restricted inlet.

For example a pump with a sponge that is partially blocked with algae will result in a much lower flow rate. In this case the energy loss is due to to the fact that every rotation of the impellor is less efficient in moving water.

How to Save Money on pond pump running costs - Conclusions...

1) Use the widest diameter pipe you can

2) Reduce the length of pipe ... i.e. move the pump closer to the outlet point and remove unnecessary length.

3) Remove any kind of restriction in the pipe work and make sure there are no kinks in the pipe. Ideally use non-kink hose instead of clear tubing which will kink when bent.

4) Periodically change the pipe for new pipe since the inside surfaces will become rough.


The full article can be read at

http://www.garden-pond-filters.com/Newsletters/Improve_Pond_Pump_System.htm

Learn how to choose the right pond keeping equipment to save money, Guaranteed! Go to http://www.garden-pond-filters.com/ to learn everything you need to know NOW!

Why Garden Ponds Need Biofilters But Lakes Don't

I received the following email from Jeff, a newsletter subscriber who has a very interesting point to make.

"I have been reading your emails when I can and enjoy the knowledge you share. I do have a question on this topic though.

Our local shop swears these aren't needed and manages 15 ponds without a filtration system. I decided not to buy one and for 4 months haven't had an issue. His theory is that with moving water, the proper number of plants, and fish, biological filtration can be a natural process.

He explained that there aren't filters in ponds and lakes and that there hasn't been for centuries, so why change what works. With proper setup and controls the pond should take care of itself.

If it wasn't working I would agree I need a filter but I am not sold. Have you any additional thoughts on that topic?"

"Hi Jeff,

Thanks for your email. This is my take on things!

First of all you do not mention how big the 15 ponds are. If they are very large and have a relatively low fish loading then it is perfectly feasible that the fish and other pond inhabitants are doing just fine simply because of the large volume of water.

A large lake for example will take care of itself naturally. Due to the volume of water and small number of fish the levels of ammonia will remain low.

In addition the large surface area makes it easy for atmospheric oxygen to dissolve into the lake with very little effort, especially if there is wind present which helps to break the water service and allow oxygen in.

The oxygen is critically important to the fish life and the nitrifying bacteria responsible for the breaking down of ammonia and nitrite into nitrate.

This is not always the case in smaller garden ponds where there is a smaller volume of water, larger fish load and subsequently higher levels of ammonia. The problem with these smaller ponds is how to remove ammonia.

Where your friend mentions "with moving water, the proper number of plants and fish, biological filtration can be a natural process" I would first of all like to talk about the moving water.

He mentions moving water because this helps to add oxygen to the pond because it makes it easier for atmospheric oxygen to dissolve into the pond. This is why many pond owners incorporate a waterfall or fountain system into their pond.

Where your friend mentions "the proper number of plants" I believe he is talking about using aquatic plant life to form a natural filter known as a Veggie Filter; sometimes known as a bog filter or plant filter.

A veggie filter (bog filter) consists of various species of plants which naturally use up the nitrogen based compounds excreted into the pond by your fish. This system can be effective but somewhat messy.

There are advantages to using a veggie filter such as zero electricity costs, a natural system working in the way nature intended as well as green water and blanket weed control.

The major disadvantage of using a bog filter however is when it comes to cleaning the pond. All plant life needs to be removed and the pond needs to be thoroughly cleaned at least once a year, usually in the fall (autumn).

The Question is one of How To Filter Ammonia Out?

The problem with not using a biological filter in a small to medium sized pond with a large fish load is the sudden increase in ammonia levels, particularly during hot weather.

In hot weather the high levels of ammonia combined with the ponds inability to hold as much oxygen as would be the case in cooler weather will lead to eventual poisoning of your pond fish.

As well as this the higher levels of ammonia (containing nitrogen) act as a food source for algae and blanket weed. These forms of plant life at night time use up oxygen in the pond water.

Whilst what your retailer friend states is true to some extent it is not always the case and in my opinion prevention is better than cure; particularly if you intend to keep expensive Koi or a high fish load in a small to medium sized pond.

I would advise you to take a look at the biological pond filter articles on my website. You may find them of some use.

Read the full article here ...

http://www.garden-pond-filters.com/Newsletters/Do_I_Need_A_Biofilter.htm

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Keep Pond Sludge Problems and Algae Bloom Away

Today I would like to discuss a very common pond keeping problem. One raised by Bill, a newsletter subscriber who lives in the UK …

“Hi Sean

Many thanks for all the useful emails. I can't always read them at once so I keep them and they are useful to refer to. Excellent service.

I do have a problem. I have a 2000 gallon pond (9000 litres). I have just started it again after a disastrous leak which killed off all my fish after 15 years of successful breeding so I am treating it as a new pond.

I have treated the tap water and recharged the filter bacteria. Then I added Viresco and have not seen blanket weed since.

I got the usual algal bloom but I can't get rid of it. The new pond is now over two months old. I have added Algorem which kills off the algae turning the water brown.

There is so much algae that when I kill it, I get sludge mats floating on the surface - enough to clog the skimmer. I remove these with a skim net.

I added digester to speed up the digestion of the dead algae but the pond just sits there - brown and after a time it turns green again and I repeat the cycle.

I did not have this problem last time I started the pond. Have you any idea what I am doing wrong?

Bill”

“Hi Bill,

There is only one really effective way of controlling the buildup of green water, caused by suspended algae and that is to destroy it using ultra violet light.

Chemical treatments only work for a short period of time and as you have discovered cause the formation of sludge.

See the full article here ...

http://www.garden-pond-filters.com/Newsletters/cleanpond_bills_letter.htm

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