Cranes and Egrets Eating Fish

I have problems with my pond.  Help?

There is a crane that eats all the fish.  I was told I could put a fence right under the surface.  What fence would I get or are there any other options? thanks.

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  Try a motion activated scarer like Scarecrow. Or a floating alligator called Gator Guard. 
• Both work extremely well.
• Scarecrow: http://www.absolutebirdcontrol.com/produ…
• Gator Guard: http://www.bird-x.com/gatorgard-p-14.htm…

• To find more pond information, go to pondlady.com

Yucky Sludge Stuff on the Pond Bottom

Can I scoop out the sludge out of the bottom of my pond?

I have a fountain/filter in my 550 gal pond and I have been having to rinse the filter every other day because it gets clogged from the yucky sludge stuff on the bottom. Can I scoop it out with a net?

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  You can try, but it probably will just stir it up. Cleaning out the pond is a good idea. Here's how:
• http://www.pondlady.com/Articles/cleanin…
• Or you could try using a swimming pool vacuum, like this:
• http://store.poolcenter.com/shared/Store…
• Attach a panty hose leg to the discharge. Don't buy the net that comes with the vac. It doesn't work because the netting is not tight enough.

• To find more pond information, go to pondlady.com
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• And to meet a great community of gardeners, join us at  Gardeners  Gumbo

Black pond water. Help.

Tetra pond algae control turned my pond water black, is that normal?

My 550 gallon pond was getting really green to the point where I couldn't even see my fish until they came to the surface to eat. Yesterday, I went to the pet store and purchased TetraPond Algae control and used it as directed. I diluted it in a bucket of water then poured it into the pond along the edges. When I woke up this morning the pond water was really dark. Is that normal? and will it eventually clear up?

Also, on another note, last week I put in TetraPond Barley and Peat stuff, I don't Know if it was okay to put in the algae stuff ontop of the barley and peat stuff. It wasn't clearing my water so I put in the algae stuff.

Answer:

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  That is dead algae. Be sure you have enough oxygen getting in the water. Turn on more pumps if you have them. Add an airstone just to keep the water oxygenated enough for your fish. 
• Algaecides can be very dangerous. For easy ways to keep your pond clear, read this article I wrote:
• http://www.pondlady.com/Articles/pondalg…

• To find more pond information, go to pondlady.com

Ponds and Snakes.

Just witnessed a Brownish-Black snake with Red-Orange bands hanging around small pond with Comets and Goldfish?

What kind of snake is this? It's a small decorative pond in Southeast Texas. I've seen pictures of water snakes and they don't compare. Snake is about 2 1/2 feet long and about 2 inches thick.

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• Answer:
  
  It could be a coral snake and very dangerous:
• http://images.search.yahoo.com/images/vi…
• Or it could be a milk snake, not dangerous at all:
• http://images.search.yahoo.com/images/vi…
• A poisonous snake always has vertical pupils, although I am not sure I would get that close if I were unsure.

• To find more pond information, go to pondlady.com

Waterfall pumps, waterfall ideas

Waterfall Pump Question?

I just bought a tub for a pond for my back yard I want to build a water fall for it. Any Ideas also what size pump (gph) should I buy? Its very small pond its maybe 5 feet long 21/2 feet deep so nothing nuts, just something to keep the water circulating.

Any websites with pics of decorating ideas too??

• Answer:
• For pond ideas, see the photo gallery of my website: http://www.pondlady.com

• I would get a pump that was at least 1250 gph. You can't have a real tall waterfall because the water will splash out, so stick with the medium sized one.

• To find more pond information, go to pondlady.com

What to do with a neglected pond

I just bought a house that has a small backyard pond. The house has been vacant for 9 months or so... and the pond has been sitting stagnant all this time. Today, I used the pump to get the water out. I also attempted to get the millions of leaves out! There are still some in there that I am having a hard time reaching. Once this is all cleaned out, I won't know what to do next... besides fill it with water :)

It looks like they were using lava rock as a filter. This was sectioned off at one end of the pond with a hose to the waterfall on the other end of the pond. 

The lava rocks are all mixed with leaves... I need to clean this all out. Can I reuse the lava rocks or should I get some new ones? Or would you suggest a different filter plan?

Also, when I bought my house, the pump is just laying on the ground next to the pond. Not attached to anything! I'm not sure how it is supposed to be set up.

I'm going to attempt to clean out the rest of the leaves tonight after it gets cooler. (Oooh.. I hear thunder. A storm will cool things off!) The leaves were settled to the bottom of the pond, so I don't think adding water and using a net would work to get the leaves out...

What do I need to do??

(And I live in a warm climate! Tampa, Florida!)

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• Answer
  First, clean out the pond completely. http://www.pondlady.com/Articles/cleanin…

• Then refill it. Use the pump you have and the lava rock set up. It's a great filter. Clean it up and reuse it.
• Test the pump by putting it in the water and plugging it in. Often when pumps sit out of the water for a time, the seals dry out and ruin the pump.
• Good luck. You will love your pond.

• To find more pond information, go to pondlady.com

Pond cleaning cost?

What's a fair price to pay for getting your pool pumped out and debris cleaned out of it?

I need to add that the pool is only half full. It has about 3 feet of leaves in the bottom and lots of sticks and twigs. Water needs to be pumped out and leaves cleaned out. What's a fair price?

Answer:

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  I charged $250.00 most of the time if the pond was relatively small. It's a nasty job because all those leaves have decomposed and are pretty stinky. Here's an article I wrote about how to clean pond:

• http://www.pondlady.com/Articles/cleanin…
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• To find more pond information, go to pondlady.com

Used ponds??

How much is a used/secondhand 400 gallon pond?

Oh please don't give an exact amount give an estimate, since I don't know what brand it is.

Answer:
Ponds are not usually bought, but installed. If you are buying a preformed pond - hard shell, it depends on the size of the shell. I recommend a flexible liner as the preformed pond shells do not last very long.

To find more pond information, go to pondlady.com

New house, new pond

Buying a home with a pond in the back?
The home in located in South Florida and it is on 1.14acres. There is this beautiful pond with rock waterfall in the back  When we looked in the pond, there were some brim/bluegill swimming around and I believe algae growth.

My question is, what would be good to put in the pond? plants? fish? animals?

Next to the home is a canal, but the property is fully fenced. We do have 2 dogs as well.


Answer

:

For now, don't do anything. Watch it for a few months and see what it does. Anything you plant in it will take over. If you do decide to put some plants in, keep them in pots. You could plant irises around the edges because they will stay on the shore and not grow in the deeper parts.
You probably have lots of critters in there now, turtles, fish, frogs and more.
You are lucky to have your pond. Keep chemicals out of it and it will give you years of happiness.

To find more pond information, go to pondlady.com

Oily sheen on pond water

Whats the oily like stuff on top of my pond at this time off year?
when you look across the top of pond there is a sheen that looks like oil on water but it is not oil any ideas


Answer
It's what happens when plants and fish poop decay. The water, full of organic matter, has a sheen on top. Might be time to clean some of the decaying plants and fish poop from the bottom.
The sheen will not hurt anything, but it is annoying.

Fake pond plants

Where to buy fake plants for water garden?

Answer

• You put these directly in the pond and they will last for a few years.
• http://www.fosterandsmithaquatics.com/po…

To find more pond information, go to pondlady.com

Tiki torch fluid

How do i get tiki torch fluid out of my pond?


Answer:
Use the garden hose and float the fluid off through a low spot in the pond. If you don't have one, just make one temporarily. Sometimes you have to aim the hose at the fluid and 'help' it out of the pond. It works. It takes time, but it works. Good luck.


To find more pond information, go to pondlady.com

Running your pump

How long to run pond fountain to aerate water properly?


Answer:
I recommend running a pump 24/7, but if you wish, you can cut down to 12 hours daily. Some people put their pumps on a timer.
It depends on how many fish you have. More fish = more 02 is needed.

To find more pond information, go to pondlady.com

Sizing pumps and skimmers

Pond skimmer, wrong size pump?
I had a pond built last month. I fear the pump is too powerful. The size is 6 ft by 9 ft depth from 18 in to 36 in at deepest. The skimmer states for pump up to 1800 gph. The pump installed in the skimmer is 2400 gph. It seem like the skimmer water level is too low and funny, almost whirlpool sounds come from skimmer. Is this due to the pump being too strong. Is it harmful to have too strong of a pump?



Answer:
Your pump is not too big. Your skimmer is too small. You can just put the pump in the pond and direct the water over the waterfall. That will do until or if you wish to replace the skimmer.

Frankly, you probably do not need a skimmer at all. Most people do not unless they are under a tree. The person who installed your pond needs to learn how to install one properly. It is still under warranty, so call him back and insist he do it right.

To find more pond information, go to pondlady.com

Concrete ponds?

How to build a concrete pond?

i'm planning to build a backyard fish pond and making it concrete but i do not know if that is feasible that is why i keep on searching for best answers for that.

Answer:

• 
  Instead of concrete, think about using 40 mil butyl rubber liner. Concrete is brittle, cracks easily, cannot be repaired and leaches lime. The flexible liner has at least a 20 year guarantee and is easy to install and work with.
• For more info, see my website at http://www.pondlady.com

To find more pond information, go to pondlady.com

Duck Ponds

How to keep a small pond looking and smelling good?
I made a small pond for some ducks that I have but the ducks pooped in the pond and now it stinks horribly. How can I help this problem?


Answer:
That's the big problem with duck ponds. The only thing you can do is make the pond so you can easily hose it out or clean it. There is no way to make duck poop go away unless you remove it by cleaning out the pond.

4 mil trash bags

Can a 4 mil liner work for an indoor pond?
I was wondering if a 4 mil liner would keep the water in or if it would need to be stacked in layers.


Answer:
4 mil is the same as a trash bag. It will not work because it isn't water tight. Doubling or tripling won't work either. The water permeates one layer, then the next and so forth. And pretty soon the water is on the floor and the plastic bag is floating on top. (Guess how I know this? )

If you want an indoor pond, use a plastic pot or a horse trough from the feed store or a large muck bucket depending on what size you want.

Pond Emergency

Backyard pond emergency!?
My neighbor has gone away for the weekend and left me in charge of his fish pond. Heard a funny noise coming from his yard this morning and discovered that most of the water has drained out of the pond this morning (the pump is still running). He's not back until tomorrow and I have no idea how to fix this. Can I just throw a hose in and fill it up again (the fish are okay so far - there's about 6" of water left)
 HELP!!!

The fish are your standard pond fare - koi and goldfish.


Turn off the pump. Run water in. PUT DECHLORINATOR IN! If you don't all the fish will die.
There is a leak somewhere near the waterfall.  Have a look, put the rock that tipped back in place and all will be OK.

Frog pond

I have a 4ft by 3ft frog pond and water won't stay in it for more the 12 hours.I want to keep it filled without using a nylon or any type of liner.Oh and its about 1 foot deep.

Answer:

Concrete is a difficult material to use. It's brittle and unforgiving. It leaches out lime, so screws up your pH. And when the ground moves, the concrete cracks.
Try bentonite. It's cheap and easy to use. You line the hole with it - it's a clay and holds water.

Pond liners, koi pond container?

Is there any substitute for pond-liner in building a koi pond?

Where can i get a cheap container to be used as a home-made koi pond?

You need 40 mil butyl rubber liner. Koi need space and depth and no container is large or deep enough, at least not one that is cheap.

Read this article I wrote about how to build a koi pond:

http://www.pondlady.com/Articles/koipond…

PVC or Butyl liner?

Which type of pond liner is best, butyl, epdm, or pvc and why?


Answer

Use 40 mil butyl rubber. Firestone is a good brand. Use rubber instead of PVC because it stands up to the sun better. PVC will crack in a few years if sun hits it. Butyl rubber comes with at least a 20 year guarantee, maybe more.


Preformed v rubber liner

What is better a preformed pond liner or just pond liner?
I am building in my back garden, and can't decide what would be better preformed liner or just loose pond liner. Any ideas?

Answer:
You can never get a preformed pond level! And their life span is so very short. You will get a couple of years out of it and it will crack. Use a 40 mil butyl rubber liner. That way you can have the size and design you want and it lasts forever. And you don't ever need shelves. All they do is give you more surface area for algae to grow.

White pond liner?

What is the advantage or disadvantage of a white versus a black pond liner?
I am considering using one or the other for 2 foot deep fish pond, water feature etc.

Answer:

Use black 40 mil butyl rubber pond liner. White attracts algae, black does not. Black liner disappears. White just get dirty.
Black looks natural. White does not.

I can't even find any white pond liner for sale online and have never seen it used.

Why build a garden pond?

Why build a garden pond?

What are the benefits? What is the down side?

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  The garden pond is the focal point of your landscape and provides endless hours of relaxation and enjoyment. There is no downside. Ponds take less maintenance than grass and certainly less than flower beds. 
• Perhaps if you need to ask, you really don't want a pond. For more compelling reasons to have ponds, see the photo gallery at my website:
• http://www.pondlady.com

Pond building timeline

Do anyone have a time plan for building a pond?

I want to build a pond in my garden, however the clause is that i have to have a time plan for it. i don't really know what to include. Any Ideas??

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  By yourself, you can build a pond in 3 days. The first day you dig and get the liner in and fill it up. Day two, you do the rock work. Day three you build the waterfall and landscape around the pond. It is easier to do rock work and build a waterfall if you have a helper. If not, add a day for getting in and out of the water to retrieve rocks for the edges. Here's step by step directions with photos:
• http://www.pondlady.com/resource/pondbui…
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Electricity and the pond

How do you get electricity to a garden pond?
i am going to build a pond in my back garden, however i am not quite sure how to get electricity to it. any ideas?



Have an electrician run a line to it. He will mount it on a pole he sticks in the ground. The wiring will be underground. Always get more outlets than you think you need because sooner or later you will add lights or another pump or something. BTW, always get a GFI outlet. That's a safety mechanism that cuts off the electricity to that outlet the moment water touches it.

Aquatic Plants for West Virginia

                                                                          Swamp Lily


What are some aquatic plants for a backyard pond in southern West Virginia?
Something other than lilies.


Answer:
There are dozens, both tropical and hardy. Rushes of all kinds will do great. Arum and Saggitaria are particularly nice. Horsetail is another great plant for texture. Plant Louisiana Irises for spectacular spring color.
For floating plants, try parrots feather, water clover and water poppies.
Anacharis is the best for submerged vegetation.

Koi pond?

How do I make a koi pond?

Hi, I was planning on making a koi pond with the following dimensions: 8ft long by 5ft wide by 3ft deep. I was wondering what kind of skimmer/pump/filter/UV filter I should buy for that pond.It is approximately going to be 500-800 gallons. I was also wondering how I would set them up like this is my current thought of it. The pump pushes water to the filter then the filter send's it too the UV filter which sends it to the waterfall that sends it back into the lake. Also if thats how it works where is the water from the skimmer going to go?

That's small for a koi pond. Koi are happier in a larger pond. 

The way you want to set it up is right. The skimmer is built into the side and the pump is in the skimmer. The water goes through a filter and into the skimmer. The pump sends the water over the waterfall. The skimmer also has a filter in it. Here's how to build a koi pond:

http://www.pondlady.com/Articles/koipond…

Mosquitoes

Is it true that if you keep a small pond in your garden with toads, frogs,that they will eat all the mosquitos?

When they usually start doing this and how they do this?

I have noticed since having the pond in the garden with the toads sitting on the lilly pads, I have not had much of a mosquito problem (SURPRISINGLY).

Get a couple of mosquito fish http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mosquitofis…

and you will have no mosquito problem at all. Yes, the toads eat many of them. Surprisingly enough, goldfish do not. They are essentially vegetarians.

You can also use Mosquito Dunks, a product that eliminates mosquitoes and does not harm your pond.

But toads and frogs eat mosquitoes as a main part of their food supply. But a few mosquitoes always escape to buzz you. Best to keep them at bay with another means.

Pond costs

How much does it cost to keep a pond?
It's just a small pond in our garden. It's gonna have a filter and stuff so I was just wondering how much (roughly) it would cost to 'keep'?



If you want to know how much it costs you to run your pond pump, here's the formula to find out: Amps x volts divided by 1000 x KWH cost x 24 hours-a-day x 30.4 days- per-month = cost per month. Depending on the pump, it can cost up to a dollar a day to run it.

If you factor in fertilizer, plants, etc., add that in. It costs very little to have a pond in your garden.

Ducks and mud

How do I clean a very muddy pond?

I have a pond (natural, not man-made) that has a very thick heavy layer of mud on the bottom and the water is brown. I have no fish in the pond, although It did have once many years ago. I now have ducks in the pond, and although they seem happy I would like to make it a bit cleaner for them, if possible.

You are right. The ducks love it the way it is.

If you want to clean it up a bit try some vegetation growing in pots or even at the sides. Irises work well as filters. There are flocculants that will clear up your water. Here's one:

http://www.pondscapedesigns.com/floccula…

To find more pond information, go to pondlady.com

And to meet a great community of gardeners, join us at  Gardeners  Gumbo

Raccoons!

What height should I build a fence to keep out Raccoons?

I put a pond in a few months ago and ever since I've lost tons of money in fish and plants, not to mention how hard the upkeep has been on my pond because of raccoons. Just last night I lost one 8" beautiful koi and one 6" butterfly! I've had it. I've tried all the home remedies.. cayenne pepper, ammonia and now I've decided to fence off the area where I think they are coming in from. Since I rent I want to spend as little as possible since I'm about $800 in with this pond as it is.

I had put up a 3 foot fence near some stairs because of my 2 year old but now would like to fence off a 20' section to try and keep them out. Any ideas on how high I should make it? I know the best would be maybe 5' or so but I would like to keep costs down. Does anyone know if they can climb over a 3 or 4' fence? I will be planting rose bushes along the back of it (I am moving them from another area of my yard) because I've read they hate thorny plants.

Any other ideas would be great. I cant use a scarecrow because of the size of my yard and location of my patio furniture.
Please help!




You could try planting prickly plant material around your pond. Burford Holly works well. So does asparagus fern. But if they want your fish, they WILL get it.
And you have to sink the fence as well because those critters will dig under it. Dig down under the fence and put chicken wire in so they can't dig through.

How to start a landscaping company

Question:

I would like to know how to legalize my landscaping company? I started a small landscaping company a couple of months ago and now I have many customers and a lot of work. I would like to make it legal meaning I would like to have a landscaping license and insurance for my workers. Where do I get this and how much does it cost? Also if anyone knows how this would look in my taxes meaning how would I report my profit?  Do I have to tell the IRS every job that I do? I am located in Maryland, Thanks!


Answer:
You need an occupational license in the city where you work/live and you must pass the state landscaping contractor test. After that, call any insurance agent to find out about worker's comp and liability. Buy it and start advertising.
You will fill out a schedule C for your income tax. Yes, you have to tell them how much you made.

Smelly pond

Question:

My water feature water smells after not being used can I add anything to the water to stop it smelling?


Answer:

If it has no plants or fish in it, use swimming pool chlorine to clean it up. If it is a pond with plants and fish, start the pump, add submerged and floating vegetation. Pump out 25% of the water and replace it. Don't forget to add dechlor.


Sediment in the pond

How to clear up pond?
I have a pond that is fed water from a swamp. the problem is that it turns brown as soon as the flow of water gets warmer. If i get a good rain the water turns clear, then after a couple of days it turns brown. Can I clear this up with something or do I have to make a new water source for the pond?


Answer:
You really need a better water source than a swamp if you want a clear pond. The brown water you see is caused by suspended material in the swamp water.
You can just fill your pond once and then top it off occasionally. You do not need a hose bib/water source near the pond except when you fill it up.
Or you could just make your pond an extension of the swamp and plant bog plants in it.

Ducks in the pond

How do I clean a very muddy pond?

I have a pond (natural, not man-made) that has a very thick heavy layer of mud on the bottom and the water is brown. I have no fish in the pond, although It did have once many years ago. I now have ducks in the pond, and although they seem happy I would like to make it a bit cleaner for them, if possible.

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  You are right. The ducks love it the way it is.
• If you want to clean it up a bit try some vegetation growing in pots or even at the sides. Irises work well as filters. There are flocculants that will clear up your water. Here's one:
• http://www.pondscapedesigns.com/floccula…

Choosing the right pond pump

My pond is about 5'x 5' and its 2' deep. I want a pump that makes the water noise. Now I have a cheap solar one. Is 700 gph good? I think so. Will it overflow, cause I want to put it going down 3 tier rocks?

Do pumps come with the tubing?

Answer:

700 gph is not a very strong pump. If you are trying to pump the water up three tiers and from a depth of 2', it may not pump up that high. The biggest problem you are likely to run into is the water splashing out if the drop is higher than 1/2 the width of the pond.
• Most pumps do not come with tubing, but tubing is very cheap and available at hardware stores and most big box DIY stores, so you can get as much or as little as you want.
•
• Look at the 'head' specifications of any pump you wish to buy and make sure it will pump as high as you wish. The head specs will be on the box and tell you how high the pond will pump water. Get one that has more head than your waterfall is high.

Clear pond?

Pond is more clear after it rains? How to keep it clear?

My house was built in the 50s with a koi pond on the front patio before koi ponds were trendy. There is no filtration or waterfall. The electric outlet outside the pond is broken. The only thing we have to filter the pond is a pipe in the pond that acts as a slow drain. There are 12 fish in the pond and they are very healthy. They've been there for 2 years and have had 3 babies. Even though I scrape the bottom of the pond for debris and skim the top once a week, the water is brown and murky. I add new water to keep the drain going and I use a water treater and a barley/health bacteria treatment. There is some minor algae build-up on the sides, but no plants. However, when it rained last week, the pond was clear for about 3 days. Why was the pond clear after it rained and how can I keep it clear?

I should clarify that there are 9 adult comet goldfish and 3 babies, not full-sized koi.

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  Read and heed this article that I wrote and you will have clear water. Feeding your fish is what is making the water murky.
• http://www.pondlady.com/modules.php?name…
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Choosing a pond pump

Question

Difference between Pond Pumps & Waterfall Pumps?

I've researching pond pumps for sometime and I've finally found one that right around my budget. My ponds gonna be right around 3000G and I found a pump rated at 5000GPH. but the pump says it's a waterfall pump. I will have a waterfall but I was planning on having the Pump I chose pump water to the Bio-Filter and then out the filter to the Waterfall. So is there a difference or are they all the same. I'm a newbie who needs a bit of guidance please and thanks.

Answer

• 
  The difference is probably the 'head' if there is any difference at all. Large pumps like yours are built for waterfalls, but that doesn't mean you have to use them for that.
• Be aware that there are great, good and rotten brands of pumps. Factor in the warranty length.
•  Some pumps have 3 years some 2, some 1. The pumps with longer warranties are more expensive, but worth it. 
• Cheaper pumps also cost more to run, sometimes twice as much. 
• Here's an article I wrote on how to choose a pump:
• http://www.pondlady.com/Articles/choose_…

What are these small black insects living in my pond and eating the algae ? Scotland question.?

these little black insects are living on top of the pond theres a group of them eating the algie that and they can swim down to the bottom of the pond they kind of wriggle and dart about and go upside down occasionally when they move and it looks like they are white underneath, these insects are really small about 1 centimetre in length and very thin about the thickness of a thick pin for sewing, im just wondering what these are as i only cleaned the pond out, re sealed it and put new water in 3 weeks ago and there is algie growing inside it, white pond slugs and allsorts in it alread ytho i have never noticed these little black things in the pond before, then again iv never really noticed having algae in the pond either. I live in Scotland if thats any help.

• Answerer
  Do they look anything like these?
• http://www.nationalinsectweek.co.uk/caug…

When to put the fish in

Question

Fish in garden ponds?
When is it ok to put fish in a garden pond? The waters just gone in.

Answer:
If you put a dechlorinator in the water, you can put fish in instantly. Put the submerged and floating vegetation in at the same time.

Terrarium pond

Question:
I want to make a little pond in my terrarium, and my terrarium is covered all in substrate,?
How can I make a little pond without it mixing with the substrate, my tank is 20g Wide.
Answer:
It depends on how big you want the pond to be. If it is to be small, you can just sink a jar lid in. If you want it bigger, use a flat plastic or glass saucer. I have used the saucers that go under flower pots and found that they work well. I put bits of flat stones around the edges, so it all looks natural.

Settling Sediment

Question:

Why did my pond water change from a murky brown color to a transparent aqua overnight?

Answer:
Sounds like the suspended material, whatever it was, settled to the bottom. Many things can make that happen: The pond is now in balance ecologically; some enzyme you used finally worked. Most murky ponds fix themselves if we just have patience. I have often said that the pond teaches us patience. Glad for you. Whatever you have been doing, keep doing it.

Koi pond filtration

Our pond is a mess! What can we do?

Our koi pond is very dirty. What kind of filter can we get to keep our pond clean? It's about a 500 gallon pond. 

Answer

Koi are messy fish. And 500 gallons is really not big enough for koi. There is a filtration system you can try, but I think I would switch to goldfish.

• Bead/ultraviolet filters are expensive, but are the only ones I have found that work.
• http://www.underwaterwarehouse.com/Aqua-…

Submersible Vegatation

Question:

What is the best type of plant to fully submerge in a pond?
I am not going to keep fish in it, hoping for some frogs and newts to arrive and was wondering if anyone had any suggestions on the best type of pond plant? I want 1 either full or partially in the water for creatures to hide in. Thank you.


Answer:
Depending on where you live, a hardy water lily or a tropical water lily would be perfect. You can also use floating plants like parrots feather or even water hyacinth.


Swimming ponds

My step dad is going to remove are pond need ways to stop him.?

My stepdad wants to dig out the hole pond and make it just a swimming hole but my pond has tons of animals who make their homes in it such as trout, frogs, cranes, other birds, salamanders, beavers, bears,and many bugs and other animals. I love this pond because it allows me to observe the wildlife which is my passion. 

If he does this all of the animals will probably die that live there and i couldn't bear that happening. So i came up with an idea to see if there is an endangered animal or plant that might live in my pond that way i can get my pond protected by a wildlife conservation so he can't tear it down. I was wondering does anybody know and endangered plant or animals that might live in a New York freshwater pond.

Answer:

• 
  You can have both. Ask him to work with you to build a natural swimming pond. It can be a great project for the two of you and you will both be happy with the results:
• Here's how:
• http://www.pondlady.com/Articles/swimmin…
• and
• http://www.pondlady.com/Articles/swimmin…

Planting water lilies

Question:
New water lily advice?
Hi, i've just purchased an 'Attraction' water lily, which has a good root stock,4 pads, on 6" stems, and 3 new spurs growing from the roots.
I need to plant it in my pond, but want to plant it deeper than the 6" the current pads are at.
What would your advice be? Could i cut the pads off, plant it deeper, and let the new spurs work to the top?
Also, will it live a day with no soil in the pond, floating, as i'm working tomorrow, and can't get the soil/basket etc till Friday.

Thanks.


Answer:

It will be fine just floating in the pond. Plant it in anything you wish. You don't need soil even. You can use any planting media at all. Put the lily in the media and put it at any depth you wish. The pads will make their way to the top in a few days. You do not have to cut any off.
When they do reach the top, fertilize with aquatic plant fertilizer.

Green slime

Question:

What is the green film on my pond and does it come from trees?
Answer:

If it's yellowish green and seems to be just floating on the top, not able to be netted, it's pollen. If it green, it's algae. You can get rid of it easily by using submerged and floating vegetation.

Pond landscaping

Question:
I am making a small pond in my backyard around 100-150 gallons. I want to put a tree beside it and was wondering which trees would be the best. It needs to be a small tree preferably around the small size as a Japanese Maple. Any help would be great! Thanks!

Answer:
Dwarf Japanese maples look great. But remember that if a tree loses leaves in the winter, you have to scoop them out at least weekly.

ponds and sidewalks

Question:
How can pond liner be attached to a concrete sidewalk and house foundation?
I have a nice curved sidewalk on one side and the house on the other. I would like to attach the pond liner in some way so it looks like the side of the pond is the sidewalk. Any tips would be appreciated.


Answer:
Dig slightly under the sidewalk and use bricks or rocks to hold the liner in place. The biggest problem with this approach is that the pond is below grade and subject to run off daily from the sidewalk and surrounds.
There is a liquid epoxy spray/paint on liner that works well, but it's very expensive. Check that out.
Another way would be to stack rocks or bricks inside the liner from the bottom to the top of the liner. You would still have your runoff problems tho.

Pond Install Cost

Question:
How much would setting up a nice 2000 gallon pond cost?
One of my dreams once I get a my own house is to build a really nice, big pond and fill it with Koi.

How much would something like that cost? The pump, the rocks, what else would I need?

Answer:
If you do it yourself, probably 4 thousand bucks. A professional installer would cost perhaps twice that much. That includes planting around the edges as well.
See my website for how to DIY.

To find more pond information, go to pondlady.com

Natural Pond Pumps

Question:
If have a large drainage area on property that is half the time a "pond"..can fill this up and recycle water ?
How costly would it be to buy a pump large enough to recycle water in a pond that is say 100 feet wide and 100 feet long and 6 feet deep?

Where does the pump sit and how costly as well to have a thing that shoots the water up a bit in the middle to recycle this water?

How difficult to maintain this?

Can I grow lilly pads and lotus planets with this water shooting up a bit too?

Answer:
You can buy 'floating' pumps to move water in a pond that large. The cost will be determined by how large the pump is and how long you run it every day.
Yes you can grow water lilies and lotuses assuming the pond is in the sun. Be sure to keep them both away from the pump so water does not fall on them.
The pump sits in a ring like an inner tube. You can buy them already in the ring and must anchor them in the pond.
Be sure to keep your plants in pots and repot them often or they will take over the pond and you will have a full time job just keeping them from taking over.

String algae/blanketweed

To get rid of string algae or blanketweed, add about 1 quart of hydrogen peroxide per 1000 gallons of water.  When the algae grows, clean out as much as you can and just pour the peroxide in.  It gets rid of all of the algae.

Lotus, water lilies and catfish

Question:

How well will lilly pads and Lotus plants grow in a small pond that contains lots of catfish?
Is it possible to grow these in a small catfish pond? please explain.

Also, if you happen to know how big does a catfish pond need to be really and how many catfish you can put in a 200 square foot pond? How deep should dig it and how quickly will they reproduce catfish?





Answer:

You cannot grow lilies or lotuses with catfish. Growing catfish is aquaculture and needs special tanks, aeration, food and more. Fish farming is common in Louisiana.
Check with your local extension service to find out where to learn about aquaculture. Some community colleges offer courses in it.

Choosing a pond pump

Question:
How do you pick a garden pond water pump?
I bought a house that has a three-tiered water fall pond in the backyard. The pump that was previously in there died and now I have to buy another one. My question is, how do I know which pump to purchase?

The pump would need to pump the water about 20 feet horizontally and 5 feet vertically. Other than that, I don't know what other information would be needed to answer this question.

I'm looking for a low-cost solution pump if its possible. To replace the exact pump that was in there would cost nearly $600.

Thanks for any help any of you can offer!
The one like you had would be the best one. A good pump for you would have a head of 10' at least and be able to be attached to a manifold to spread out the water.
Oase makes a good pump. So does Little Giant. Check them out and look for a pump that pumps at least 5000 gph.
Remember that the more expensive the pump usually is the least expensive to operate and therefore is the best buy.

Pond Pump Stopping and Starting

Question:

My pond pump runs for 20mins then cuts out?

Answer:

Most pond pumps have a safety mechanism that turns them off when they get too hot. That is probably what is happening to yours. It means that your pump's life is ending. Might as well get a new one now. If your pump is under warranty, you can get it replaced for free. When you buy a pump, consider the length of warranty as part of the purchase price. More expensive pumps usually have a longer warranty and it can be worth it to buy a more expensive one.

Planting media

Question:
Do ogon sweet flag, oenanthe fist, and pontederia cordata pond plants, need soil?
I purchased these plants in soil but don't really want to introduce soil to my patio pond. Is it necessary or can I rinse the soil off and place the roots with stones, in a basket?


Answer:

You can plant in any media from rockwool to kitty litter. Little stones will work just fine.

Water Lilies and Frogs

Question:

What water lily is best for frogs?
the pond is 1 metre and a half long 1 metre wide.


Answer:
The frog does not care. He just wants a lily pad to sit on. Pick the lily you like best and enjoy it.

Pond Pump Size

Question:

IF I HAVE A 12 X 6 FT POND THAT IS 2 FT DEEP.  WHAT SIZE POND PUMP DO I NEED?
ALSO IF I'M  GOING TO HAVE KOI FISH, FOUNTAIN AND WATERFALL WITH THE 12X6 FT POND WOULD I NEED A PUMP FOR FOUNTAIN AND PUMP FOR POND?

Answer:

I would use at least a 3500 gph pump with a bio filter. I would probably buy a smaller pump for the fountain....maybe 450gph depending on the height of the fountain.
Koi like a deeper pond than 2', so consider that in your digging. You might want to stick with goldfish. Having koi means massive filtration systems and lots of maintenance.

Pond losing water

Question:
My water level dropped really fast in my pond.
My pond is abot 800 gallons and this morning.  I woke up to find that there was a 6 inch loss of water.  (BTW it rained really hard that night) and after I came back from school there was about the same amount, so i know it's not a leak. The day before the water level was stable.  I have never had this happen before, so could you kindly tell my why this happened and if it is normal ?

Thank you for your time.

 Answer:
First turn off your pump, then fill the pond. Watch it for 24 hours. Then turn on your pump and see if you can see where the water is leaking off the back.
If you have a fountain, the water can be blowing out if you had a storm. If you have spitters, the water can be drooling out of that. No water leaks that fast, so it's the pump.
Check all connections, but chances are a rock tipped and water is falling off the back or the side.

Dividing water lilies

Question:

I cleaned my pond.  The roots on my lily are massive.  Can i cut them back without killing or damaging it?


Answer: 
Sounds like they need dividing and now is a perfect time to do it. Remove the pot from the pond and then remove the lily. It probably has jumped out of the pot by now. If you have to, cut the pot off. Now hose the soil off the roots until you can see tubers. Start separating them. You will most likely have dozens of them. Choose the largest and repot them in something like a dishpan or that size. Trim off the dead pads. Fertilize and put them back in the water. If you want to save corms for friends, just throw them in the pond unpotted and they will be fine until you give them away. They won't grow, but they won't die. The lilies will now flower better and be healthier.
Put this on your to do list for every spring.

Aquatic Plants

Question:
Plants for in and around water.?
If I have a small garden pond, like, 2ft wide by 4 ft long, 1 and 1/2 to 2 feet deep, in an area that gets partial sunlight, what are the best plants to put in the water that will not get to big or take over? What about plants for around the pond (partial sunlight also.)
Answer:
Most aquatic plants are invasive. After all, they are only swamp weeds.
Try some Louisiana irises and dwarf papyrus. Horsetail fern can work as well. Be sure they are in pots and keep them trimmed back. Cut them back at least once a year.
You can plant irises around the pond as well. It makes the pond look bigger. Cannas work both in and out of the pond as well, but can get 4' tall.
Dwarf acorus is a great variegated grass that doesn't misbehave.

How to build a pond

Is it possible to build a small pond in your back yard without professional stuff?

I'm not sure how, but I wanted to build a small pond that would mostly just contain plant-life and be a place for my dogs to play. It wouldn't be large at all, so I was wondering if it would be possible to build kind of a make-shift pond. Like with cement between the dirt and the water, or a tarp buried into the ground. I know that probably sounds silly. But I just want something small that the dogs can play in. Was just wondering if anyone had any ideas or input on the subject.

• 
  
  
  It's easy to build a pond in your yard. Here's how, with photos.
• http://www.pondlady.com/resource/pondbui…
• But as far as something for the dogs to play in, I would buy a kiddie pond from a big box store. You can easily hose it out and the dogs will have a great time.

Natural Pond Plant Removal

Question:
How to remove Lilly pads from a pond?
They have taken over my pond and there is no way of fishing in it, the point we even had the pond made, so with all these lilly pads we can't fish. What's the best way to remove them without chemicals?

We do have a boat if that helps.

    

Answer:
Get in the boat with a garden rake. Use the rake to pull out the lilies. If you can use waders, that's even better because you can get the corms along with the pads.
It's a miserable and hot job. Lilies are invasive and when placed in a natural bottom pond, take over in short order.

tabletop fountains

Question:
 In my garden I just have a glass bowl on a slab of sandstone and decorative rocks around it and I'm using it currently as a birdbath but I was wondering is there a really easy way to make a small waterfall into the bowl?

Answer:
There is indeed. You can find small pumps often at Hobby Lobby or similar craft type store. You will need somewhere to plug it in, and a way to hide the cord after you put the pump in.
Your biggest problem is going to be keeping the water from splashing out. Maybe water can just flow out and over the bowl.

Gravel in the Pond Bottom

Question:

Can I put driveway gravel in pond after washing it with water?
It is not pea gravel or river gravel though. It is gray and blue.


Answer:
You can, but you will regret it. The fish poop and debris collect in the gravel so you have to remove the gravel to clean out the pond.

Blanketweed

Question:

What is the best treatment green pond weed? It's like green cottonwood.

Answer:
Blanket weed is what you have. It's difficult to get rid of and Koi will not eat it. You can add barley straw bales to help get rid of it. Microbe-Lift PL works too and won't hurt your fish or plants. I have also dyed a pond black, waited three months and the blanket weed was gone. If you feed your fish, you are also feeding the algae. If you have koi, think about changing to goldfish, so you don't have to feed them.

Pond in a Box

Question:

Is it possible to reinforce a cedar planter with pond liner in it to hold 40 gallons of water?
How would you go about building a rectangular planter to be a water garden?

Answer:

I would start with 2 x 12" 8 feet long. Use metal brackets and screws to hold them together. Put the liner in the box. Use a 1" x 2" top piece of lumber to hold the top in place. Just nail them in, but NOT until you have filled it up with water. Don't worry about wrinkles. They disappear from sight after you get plants in there.
If you are using an existing box, do the same thing. Be sure to measure the bottom and both sides, then add a foot of liner so you have enough of it.

How many gallons of water do I have

Question:
Square and Circle Pond Calculator PROBLEM..?
I just want to ask how to compute POND SIZE, IDEAL STOCK LEVEL OF FISH, PUMP SIZE and LINER SIZE..???

My inputs are LENGTH(meters),WIDTH(meters),DEPTH(meter… and WATER TURN OVER PER HOUR..


Answer:
For gallons in pond, multiply width x length x depth, then multiply x 7.5 to get gallons.
In a circle, the formula is pi x the radius squared and then multiply x 7.5 for gallons.
A safe bioload is 1 linear foot of fish per 25 square feet of pond surface.
Have a pump moves all the water at least every two hours.

How to figure cubic feet

Question:

This is a working fish pond, with five tier waterfall. Will keep waterfall, and small recovery pool, but want to fill in the majority of pool, which is kidney shaped, 29 to 30 feet wide by 8 feet at widest point, and 7 feet near tips. All depth very close to 4 feet. I need this stable, what is the best filler to use? How to find this answer? There must be a formula to determine the contents of a pool. Just been away from school and math too many years.Thanks.

Answer:
I would use soil, clay even. To figure out how much, multiply width x length x depth to get cubic feet. If you need to, convert that to cubic yards, divide by 27.

To figure out how many gallons of water in your pond again get the cubic feet and then multiply times 7.5 as there are 7.5 gallons of water in one cubic foot.

Snail Eggs?

Question:

What are the clear eggs on a lily pad leaf in my pond?
I have a container pond in my back yard. I have pretty recently redone it. there are 5 goldfish, and a couple of frog tadpoles. I have water mint, another flowering plant and a pond lily, along with a few floating plants. I was looking at my lily, and under one of the pads there are two "strips" of clear eggs on the back of the leaf. I am sure one of the plants or something could have laid eggs there, but the goldfish are far to young for this. The only thing I could find on the internet was maybe snail eggs, but the pictures really didn't seem to fit. Any other ideas? What would be natural to Northern California?


Answer:

They are probably snail eggs if they are in strips. Snail eggs look like a clear jelly on lily leaves.

Growing water lilies

Question:

What size fountain/pond would I need to grow water lilies?


Answer:
Ideally, water lilies want to be about 3 feet below the water surface and in at least 5 hours of sun a day. The size of the pond depends on the number of lilies. A 6' x 9' pond can support one. There are dwarf lilies that can grow in smaller spaces if need be, but 3' x 3' is about the smallest for good water lily health. They do not like moving water so if you have a waterfall, they must be well away from it.
Good luck. Water lilies are often the main reason for having a pond.

Attracting wildlife to the pond

Question:

How can i attract wildlife to my pond?
I have a pond, about 4x4 meters roughly. Its has a range of plants and Lilly's and is in my garden by a river. What can i do to attract any kind of wildlife?? Someone told me to put a bucket of river water into my pond to introduce organisms and start things off that way?? What tips can you give me??? Thanks

Answer:
If you have water in your garden, the wildlife will come. You have created a wildlife habitat, an oasis, if you will. Dragonflies will probably be first, then toads and frogs. Birds and snakes will be close behind. 4 legged critters will come and go. Be on the lookout. You have built it; they will come.

Cleaning a Natural Pond

How to clean a natural pond?
We have just bought a piece of property with a pond on it, I don't know the depth yet but we are planning to use our inflatable fishing boat to try get an idea on the depth. There are cat tail plants growing around the edge and algae on the surface near the edges. There are also fish in the pond though we don't know what kind, we only know they're there because we saw them come up and splash after bugs that were on the surface. We want the pond to look nice and continue to have fish in it. What is our first step? Just digging out the cat tails are skimming off the algae? What else do you recommend? We've heard about blue dyes and probiotics are these some things we should be looking in to?

Answer:

You can remove some of the cattails, but I would not remove them all by any means. The pond looks healthy now, so proceed with care. I would use no algaecides or any other chemicals. You could put some barley straw in to take care of some of the algae, but it usually disappears on its own.
There are enzymes and bacteria you can introduce to the pond, but I would use only barley straw for now. After you have been there for awhile and gotten to know your pond, then consider dyes or probiotics.
The cat tails are providing valuable natural filtration.
Skimming off the existing algae is fine.

Pond Troubleshooting

PONDLADY HELP!

I have a biological filter for my pond but I inherited the property and I don't know how to get it running.

I inherited this property and have to clean out this pond and i am desperately trying to get it up and running. It has a biological filter and I dont know how it works or if it works.  Please help.

• 
  Let's see.
• First find out if your pump runs. Find any cord at all coming from the water or near the waterfall. Trace it to the plug end and try plugging it in. That should start the waterfall. If not, check the electrical outlet including the gfi. Reset it if necessary. If it still doesn't work, pull it out of the pond and see if it's humming when plugged in. If it is, check the impeller to see if it's clogged up. 
• If you have the pump running, it probably is connected to the biofilter already. If the pump has not been running in a long while or the pond has not been cleaned out in a long time, you need to do that first. Pump all the water out - nasty job, I know - and start over. 
• If you can't get the filter connected for some reason, run the pump without it until we can troubleshoot it. As you go and need more questions answered, join us at http://www.pondlady.com and you will have me and lots of experts to help you along.

Small Pond Plants

Question:

I am in Caifornia and have a small container pond (32gal). Any ideas on hardy flowering plants I can add?  Not water lillies. Pond is 14 inches deep x 16 inches wide x 36 inches long

• 
  
  Answer:
• You can grow water poppies as a floater, any emergent like the rushes, cyperus or irises. If you are in the shade, grow calla for great drama. To keep the water clear, use submerged vegetation and to keep mosquitoes away, use Mosquito Dunks or a mosquito fish.
• For more info on pond plants, see this article I wrote about pond plants:
• http://www.pondlady.com/Articles/umbrell…

Scum on Koi pond

Question:
Koi pond problem, Help?
My pond has got like a bubbly scum on top of the water. Fish are sitting at the top of water as if looking for air. Pumps and filters running as they should be. This has appeared over the last 2-3 days. I have lost 2 fish and it is not looking very promising. Any help would be grateful. Thanks.


Answer:
If you have lost fish, they may well be sick. Check at koivet.com for help.
It also sounds like your bioload may be too big, ie, you have too many fish or they are too big.
Has hot weather just arrived and the pond is heating up?
Try Microbe-Lift PL to clear the pond and to add some beneficial bacteria. That should help.
You can also swap out 25% of the water. Don't forget to add dechlor.

Ponds and safety

Question:

How can i build a safe small garden pond?

i would like to build a pond in my garden but i am worried about my younger brother falling in. i want to keep guppies, sword-tails and terrapins. something small and easy without too much maintenance would be ideal. also, i cannot buy filters or pumps. oh and it would be cool if frogs lived in the pond =) thanx!

Answer:

You can have a pond in a casserole dish if you want. You do not need a pump. Use submerged and floating vegetation to keep it clear. A mosquito fish or Mosquito Dunks will keep mosquitoes away. Tropical fish will not do well outside. Think a goldfish or two.

• See a photo of a container pond in this article I wrote:
• http://www.pondlady.com/Articles/smallpo…

Murky Pond Water

Question:
Why is my koi pond water grey?
I checked my pond ph and it was around 8-8.5.
I did a partial water change and now the pond water is a grey/smoky blue color.
2 fish died.
I'm assuming it was a sudden ph crash, but does adding a little tap water change the ph that much?
What do i do?
Are there chemicals i can add to balance the ph?


Answer:
Sounds like you needed to add dechlorinator when you added the tap water. The chlorine in tap water can kill fish as can any rapid change in water temperature.
I doubt it was a pH crash that killed the fish.
You can add vinegar to lower the pH. You can also use muriatic acid, but you really need to be careful with that. pH down is a swimming pool product that will lower pH as well. I use vinegar.
he murkiness is probably because of stirring up of the water. See if it settles down after a few days. But put dechlor in there now or you will lose more fish.

Tadpoles

Question:
Black commas in moving water?
There were these... thing animals that were in the pond where the water comes out from. I thought they were mosquitoes but they were where there was moving water. They are tiny like probably less than one centimeter and they were moving. Any ideas?


Answer:
Tadpoles, either frog or toad. If they are gone in 3 or 4 days, they are toad tadpoles.
If they stick around for a couple years and get bigger and bigger, they are frog tadpoles.

Pond plant growing media

Question:
Are there pond plants that do not require any dirt/growing medium.?
I bought a 'drop in plant"  at Home Depot.  Just drop the plant enclosed in the net and it will grow. They just had one like that. Are there others that I don't have to plant in pond potting soil that I can just drop in the water. I have a 60-gallon whiskey-barrel type pond.

Answer:
No pond plant really needs potting soil. We use it because it's handy and we are used to using soil. You can use any medium to hold the plant in place. It derives its nutrients from the water, not the soil. I have seen rockwool used, kitty litter, sand and rocks. The only general rule is that the top of the pot is about 1" below the water surface.
Your plant was in a growing medium in the net.  You just couldn't see it.

Pelicans and Ponds

Question:
I have a fish pond in my back yard. With four (used to be five) big fish. There is a pelican that lives around my house that has killed one fish that I know of. How with out killing the bird can I protect my fish? I have a net over it but this is not visually pleasing, are there methods or devices made for this problem?


Answer:
There are several ways to keep predator birds away from your fish. One is a motion activated device called a 'scarecrow.' It shoots a stream of water at any intruder...you included if you don't forget to turn it off.

"Gator Guard" is a floating alligator head that works very well.

Some folks cover their ponds with netting, but I think that looks ugly.

Be sure there are plenty of places for your fish to hide. Under flat rocks that are on top of cinder blocks. Put in plenty of submerged vegetation. If you feed your fish, they come to the surface when you walk up. They can't tell the difference between you and an intruder, so they come up when the bird appears. Think about not feeding your fish, unless you have koi.

Pump is not pumping

Question:
My fountain pump is not pumping.
I've filled the fountain with water but pump is not pumping.




Answer:

First of all, plug the pump in somewhere else to make sure the outlet is working. Plug it in while it's in a bucket or pot of water. Does it work in there? If not, check where the intake is. In there is an impeller, like a propeller except it sucks water in instead of pushing it away. Is the impeller turning? If not, unplug it and try to loosen it up with a screwdriver, turning it like you do a garbage disposal when it stops working. Now put it back in the bucket and try again.
If it is working in the bucket, it's not going through the tubing in the fountain. If it's a huge fountain check all the plumbing fittings and hoses. If it's a tiny table top fountain, check the fittings as well. On small fountains there is a place to regulate the flow. Check that - it's usually something circular where you can turn the water higher or lower.
If none of those things work, return the pump. It's faulty.