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.

Lilies in deep water

Question:
How can I grow lilies in a 6 foot pond?
It's 6 ft deep and 5 by 6 I think? My family wants to grow water lilies.  How can you do that in such a deep pond?


Answer:
Lilies like to be at about 3'. I would put some painted cinder blocks or other pedestal in the pond to put the lily pots on. They will be fine. Paint the cinder blocks to keep them from leaching lime. You can use any spray paint and they will not be toxic.

Bog garden spot

I have a spot in my yard that stays wet all the time... what could it be?

Its not the septic tank.  I have no leaks from a water line because my bill is low. There is a spot that just stays wet. What could it be and how could i "dry it up"?

Could it be a natural spring? and if so what should i do? )r could it be something completely different?

• 
  
  It could be that the water table is high in your yard and your yard is a bit low there. I suppose it could be a spring. I would build a bog garden and take advantage of it. Here's how:
• http://www.pondlady.com/Articles/bog_gar…

Pond plants

Question:

What garden pond plants are best for zone 5?

I have about a 350 gallon pond with a waterfall. The pond is lined. 

What plants can be used with a lined pond given there is no soil at bottom to plant anything in?

Answer:

In a lined pond, put your plants in a pot or leave them in the pot they came in. Make sure the top of the pot is about 1" below the water surface. Tropicals like lotus or tropical water lilies will not do well where you live, but there are many aquatic plants that will. Hardy water lilies will be wonderful and make it through your wicked winter. Here's an article I wrote about more hardy pond plants:

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article…

To find more pond information, go to pondlady.com

Ponds on Deck

Question:
How do I make a pond on my deck/porch?
My back deck has a gate and lately I've been thinking about putting a pond back there for my turtles.
I have several questions so I'm hoping someone can help me out a little . . .

I've been thinking a lot about the container:
Maybe I'll get an old metal wash tub. Or I could get a barrel, cut it in half and build a wooden frame for it. Or possibly just buy a preformed pond from Home Depot and use it.
The only thing I know for sure is that I want my pond to be unique.

I've also been thinking about shade, would plants in and around it be enough?

And can this only be a summer thing? Or is it possible for the turtles to adapt when it starts to get cold again?

Any info/ideas would help me.
-Thanks so much!!!

Answer:

There are several ways you can have your pond. I would advise against any preformed one from any big box stores. They are flimsy, crack and break in a season.
Rubbermaid makes horse drinking troughs in several sizes. They run maybe $40.00 and hold up forever. You can have a pond in anything that holds water.
You could cut a hole in your deck, put a base underneath the pond and have your pond even with the deck, or maybe 6" above it.
Plants around it would be fine, but I would also add aquatic plants in pots in the water for additional shade.
It would depend on where you live if you have to take it down in the winter. If the pond would freeze solid, yes, the water would have to come out and everything in the pond as well. Heaters work, but not well enough if the pond is above ground and the weather is below freezing for days/weeks on end.

Ponds, pumps and chemicals

Do I need a pump for a backyard pond?
We have a already built three level pond. We didn't built it it was here when we moved in. I was wondering a few things.
1) Can we fill it and keep fish and plants in it without using a pump or filter?
2) How complicated is it to hook up a pump or filter for one?
3) Are there chemicals I could add to keep water looking good without using pumps and still put fish and plants in it??
4) Do you know any good sites that tell u about backyard pond maintenance?

Answer:
1) You do not need a pump/filter if you don't want one, but you must use proper submerged and floating vegetation: One bunch of submerged and at least 60% of the top of the pond covered in floating vegetation.
2) It is not at all complicated. A pump with a hose that runs from the bottom to the top. Check your height and get a pump that has enough head to pump the water high enough.
3) No, if you want fish, you cannot use chemicals.
4) Yes . Mine: http://www.pondlady.com
I look forward to seeing you there.

To find more pond information, go to pondlady.com

Toads and the Pond

Question:
How to attract toads to your backyard?
I love toads and I have had many pet ones, but I really want to attract them to my backyard. I have 2 big dogs, a pond with a waterfall with lots of rocks around it but not any plants except for grass and I want to know how to attract toads to my yard.

Answer:
If you have a pond, you will have hundreds of toads. They will begin arriving soon, will sing out mating calls and lay eggs in your pond. Then you will have more toads than you ever dreamed possible, and fewer mosquitoes and flies.

Troubleshooting Small Pumps

Question:
Sarah Peyton Step Garden LED fountain help?
For Mother's Day I bought a little Sarah Peyton Step Garden LED fountain. Well, I decided to give it to her early. It would appear that we need some trouble shooting. After adding the batteries, water and rocks all we get is the light. No trickle trickle of soothing water! Nothing in the instructions explains this or troubleshoots this.


Answer:
Water needs a tube to get from the pump to the top of the fountain. Perhaps it is detached or missing altogether.
First check to see if the pump is working. Touch it. If it hums, at least it is running. Then check the bottom where the water is pulled into the pump. There is an impeller in there - looks like a propeller, but pulls water in rather than pushing it out. You may have to remove the pump and put it in a pan of water to see if the impeller is working.
If you want to try to fix it, remove it from the water, unplug it, and use a screwdriver to free it up so it spins. Then put it back and see if it's working.
If it is pushing water out, then check any tubing that is attached to it to make sure it is attached where it is supposed to be.
If it is not working, rather than try to repair it, I would return the fountain for another one. Those little pumps fail repeatedly, so start with a new one that is working.

Fire Feature in the Pond

Question:
In-pond propane fire feature?
I'm a mechanical engineer and want to add a very unique flare to my back patio. I was trying to decide between a pond and a propane fire feature (in a rock bed) when I was struck by an idea...could I put a propane burner of some sort under the water in a pond and so the gas would surface and produce a flame? I know I've seen it on a large scale (Disneyland), but does anyone know of this being done in residential application? I realize lighting the fire may be a trick. Perhaps an electronic igniter just above the surface? Flow would probably have to be enough to keep a continuous stream of gas through the water or I expect the fire would go out between bubbles. Input or other fun ideas?

Answer:
If it's been done, you can do it. My suspicion is that Disney has a small pipe going from an exterior propane tank through the water and stopping at the surface, perhaps even sticking out a few inches. The public can't see it, but it has to be there.

Turtle pond

Question:
I made a pond for my turtles, what can I put in it so the have a dry floating area to sun?
I bought a pond that is 140 gallons at Home Depot, set it up with the pump, filter, fountain, and put some rocks at the bottom of it. At the moment I have my three turtles in a tank inside of my house, and I want to move them to the pond. Is there a company that offers floating turtle "islands" that I can put in the pond so they can sun? I bought the one from the pet store, and they are so big it sinks when they get on it.

Any suggestions would be great. Such as the company that sells them, etc.

This is the first time I am putting my turtles in a pond/ caring for a pond. Any tips would be great too.

Thanks!!!

Answer:
A rubber pad like you kneel on in the garden (if you are old and have bad knees like one of two of us have) will work well. If you need more than one, just cable tie them together where the handle is.
I would think about just putting a log in there just like turtles have naturally, so they can pull themselves out of the water to sun themselves.

Because you have turtles, your pond will get pretty dirty, so keep lots of plant material in it to help keep it clean. They will eat it, but depending on their size, maybe it will grow faster than they can eat it. You need a filter system to keep the pond clear - at least a little clear.

Pond side caved in

How to fix my pond side as it has caved in?

on one side the soil has come down and pushed pond liner so now got a massive bulge on one side

• Here's what I do.
• Buy 26 gauge roofing flashing, 15 pound roofing felt and some 1/2" PVC pipe. 
• Pump out the pond,remove the liner, then make the sides of the pond straight up and down. Run the flashing all the way around, stake it with the pipe, cut to 2' or whatever you need. Bend the top edge of the flashing over toward the outside so it does not penetrate the liner. Cover the entire inside of the pond with 15 pound roofing felt. Now back fill where there is space behind the flashing. Do this carefully so you do not force the flashing to bend in toward the pond. Put the liner back, refill the pond and put the plants and fish back in.
• You can see photos on my website at http://www.pondlady.com under 'how to build a pond.'
• Good luck.

Drainage and ponds

Question:
If I dig a pond in my side yard will it help my drainage issues?
In my side yard the lawn doesn't drain very well. If I dig a pond in this area would all the standing water run into it since the pond would be the lowest lying area in that the lawn? IF I did dig a pond in this area would there be any legal concerns since this part of our property does not have a fence around it? Would I have to worry about drowning issues and lawsuits?

Answer:

You would be digging a retention pond, not an ornamental pond. You might need a permit, so check with your local building code enforcement office.
You could dig out an area less than a foot deep and put a bog garden there and need no permits or fences.
You might also think about a french drain to help with drainage problems.

Tiny ponds

Ideas for the base of a small pond?

Hi I am going to make a small nature pond, it can't be too big as I don't have the space or money, really it is for dragon flies, and frogs,toads and newts, not fish. I could get a pond liner but its hard to find one which is small so what other kind of container could I use? I have a rounded plastic tub a little larger than a washing up bowl but it doesn't slope like it should to seem natural. Could I get the smallest pond liner possible and just cut off the excess?

Any other suitable container I could use?

Thanks :)

A horse feeding trough is about $40.00 USD at a feed store. They run about 3' across and 2' deep. 

You can also use your rounded plastic tub and surround it with flat rocks that stick out over the edges a bit to hide them. I have made ponds from casserole dishes and even old aquariums. If it holds water, you can make a pond. Just be sure you put the proper submerged and floating vegetation in it and a mosquito fish. Or use a Mosquito Dunk occasionally to keep mosquitoes away.

The top right photo shows a pond in a casserole dish:

http://www.pondlady.com/portfolio/page4.…

Pond liners and tree roots

Question:
Have your pond liners been poked by tree roots?
I've got a EPDM liner, and I'm not going to use underlayment.
There are an avocado tree, an apple tree, an orange and a willow. They are about 4 feet away from the border of my pond. The pond is just 15 in below the ground.
I wonder if the tree roots can poke the liner? or it will just run around the liner?

Answer:
Your liner will be fine with those trees. Bamboo and banana trees poke through liners, no others. But it is safer to use an underlayment. Use 15# roofing felt. It's cheap and easy.

Putting stones on the pond bottom

Question:

What stones can I put in the bottom of my new pond?
Can I put pea shingle or similar, I have a mixture of shingle and slightly larger stones in my garden already that I no longer require, so thought I could put them at the bottom of my new pond? I will be getting goldfish for it.
Thanks.

Answer:
Please, no stones in the pond. You will go crazy trying to get them out when it comes time to clean the pond. They serve no purpose at all except to muddy the water. Put submerged and floating vegetation in the pond, then put goldfish in. Don't forget the dechlor.

Hoglice?

Question:

Pond full of Water 'Hoglice'?

Hiya, I have been moved into my parents' house which came complete with garden pond which i know little about. Today i started pulling out some of the pond weed as there is quite a lot,and it is infested with what i believe to be hoglice, the weed is literally running alive with it, it's not something I have ever heard of or come across before, the pond otherwise seems okay, full of tadpoles at the moment and only a couple of fish and some babies which were born in the pond last year. should I just leave these lice? Is there anything I can do to get rid? are they causing harm? 

Hoping someone with pond knowledge will be able to assist on this one as I don't want to completely mess up the ecology of the pond.

Answer:

I would leave them alone. They have a predator:

http://www.unisci.com/stories/20011/0108…

but that predator is invasive and destroying water life all over the UK. I think the ecology of the pond will be fine.

I have a philosophy of benevolent neglect when it comes to ponds and it has served me well for over 20 years.

Natural Bottom Pond

Question:
How do I get rid of the grass in my pond?
I have a medium sized pond that has a lot of fish in it and a lot of grass too. I want to get rid of the grass so I can cast my reel and catch something other then grass and lily pads. What can I use to do this?

Answer:
You will have to rake the grass out. If you want to have a fishing pond, the rules are different than if you want an ornamental one.
Get a small flat bottomed boat and a rake. Rake the grass into the boat and deposit it into your compost heap when you are done. Be prepared for a dirty, nasty job.
BTW, any chemicals that kill the grass will also kill the fish.

Pond Pump Blocked

Question:
How do I keep my 90 gallon pond pump from getting blocked up so often?
I see ponds with waterfalls in parks that seem to run fine all the time. I need to pull mine up and clean all the leaves and other debris that find their way in about once every 3-5 days or it slows down to a trickle. There must be a trick I don't know about since I know not everyone is pulling up their pond pumps to clean them out like this.




Answer:
Small pumps like that are almost impossible to keep clean. They are made for indoor fountains, not outdoor ponds. I would probably try to make a 'sock' for it out of a fine mesh. Be sure the sock material is kept away from the impeller because it will suck the sock right on it. You can make a box out of hardware cloth, cover the box with old panty hose or coarse foam and that will work better than what you have now, but in the long run, you will be better off with a larger pump made for outdoor use. It will probably come with it's own filter.
Another thing to try is to fill up a black plastic grow pot with lava rock and put your pump in the middle of it. That way the lava rock will act as a filter and you will get a longer time between cleanings.
Oh, and elevate the pump so it is not on the bottom of the pond. That will buy you some more time between cleanings.

Pump flow control

Question:
How might you control the pump speed of a fountain in a pond, so that the water doesn't spray too high or how?

Your Answer:
A small pump will have a circular dial to regulate the flow. The larger pumps, meant for outside, have no regulator on them. You can use a clamp which doesn't work very well or you can T off the hose and make two or more outlets to regulate the flow. Just let one hose stay in the pond and hook the other to the statue.

Controlling pond algae

Question:

Has anyone used the Water Wych in their ponds to control algae?

They sell these things at pond supply stores and it shows that you just put it in your pond to help eliminate algae and is safe for plants and fish.

• 
  Answer:
• 
  
• Algae control can be done much cheaper and easier. This is just a box that holds barley and carbon. It will work, but so will barley bales and activated carbon from the fish store. It does not help with blanketweed or string algae. The only thing I have found that works with string algae is Microbe-LIft PL. 

• I wouldn't spend the money on a plastic box when I could put activated carbon in a torn panty hose leg and throw it in the water. Barley comes in its own bag. 
• To learn more about controlling algae, this is an article I wrote: http://www.pondlady.com/Articles/pondalg…

Filter media

Question:
What's the best filter media for my fish pond and waterfall?
I've used Spring Flo Bio Ribbon but am thinking about Bio balls. Do they go in the tank with my pump?

Answer:
I would use lava rock in a bag. It's cheap and works great. I put them in an old panty hose leg and tie it closed. Make it so the pump draws water through it or water is pumped through it and then over the waterfall.

Balancing your pond

Question:

Can I put goldfish in the small ponds in my yard?
I have three or four small ponds that measure anywhere from to four feet across and a foot, foot and a half deep. I want to clean them up this summer and make them look nice and I thought some fish would be a nice addition.

Answer:

These are a few pond rules to know. Makes pondkeeping easy.

Balance your pond ecologically. Use bog plants like irises or umbrella plants. You must have oxygenators or submerged plants. The best is anacharis, followed by cabomba and hornwort. You must have one bunch of these submerged plants per square foot of pond surface. These plants arrive with a rubber band holding them together. Remove the rubber band before you put the plants in your pond. If you don’t want them floating freely, you may pot them up in several pots that sit on the bottom of your pond. The submerged plants are fertilized by fish waste and CO2, a fish byproduct. The fish eat the submerged plants, but they grow faster they the fish can eat them. Nice cycle, huh? Nature takes care of itself if we can j ust leave her alone. If you have too many fish, they will eat all your submerged plants and you have to start over again. A good rule for fish load is 1 linear foot of fish per 25 square feet of pond surface area; tails don’t count. If your pond gets green, have patience. It will fix itself


When pH gets on the basic side algae flourishes. Vinegar is weak and it takes forever (days) to neutralize. But it takes an expert to use muriatic acid properly, so do not put concentrated muriatic acid in your pond to balance pH unless you know what you are doing. You can buy commercial products, usually called pH down or some such. They are expensive, but work well.


It is good to have algae slime on the sides of your pond... this is a sign of a healthy pond and can generate up to 70% of the oxygen needed for your pond.


If you feed your fish, these simple ways of keeping your pond clear will not work. You will need a filter, preferably a biofilter.


You must cover at least one half the top of the pond with floating plants. Parrots’ feather is great, as are water hyacinths, water lettuce and water lilies. If you live in the tropics, you can have beautiful tropical water lilies. You must be willing to either sacrifice them in the winter or store them away until warmer weather arrives again in the spring.

Fish feeding, balanced pond

Question:

You talk about Water lilies on your web site are these your favorites or are these the flowers that generate the most questions?

Answer:

Water lilies? Yes, they do generate questions. But more questions are asked about murky, green ponds which leads to talking about submerged vegetation, the most important plant in the pond.  The water lilies are what sells the pond and are great for providing shade, keeping the pond clear and protecting the fish from predators by giving them a place to hide.

Question:

  I know you feel strongly about not feeding the fish in your pond, can you tell me why this is?

Answer:

If you feed the fish, you introduce a foreign substance. A balanced pond has 1 bunch of submerged vegetation per square foot of pond surface. The fish eat the plants, provide fertilizer for them. And the plants provide 02 for the fish and grow faster than the fish can eat it.  If the fish get fed, they grow too big, the bioload gets too much for the size of the pond. Soon you have huge fish, too much fish poop, not enough 02. The huge fish begin to die and all the fish poop pollutes the water. The pond becomes a great example of how we are polluting our planet.

Question:

 How do you go about achieving a correctly balanced water garden?

Answer:

See the last answer: One bunch of submerged vegetation per sf of pond surface area, at least 1/2 of the pond shaded with floating plants, no fish feeding, no run off getting into the pond, no more than 1 linear foot of fish per 25 square feet of pond surface.

BTW, All the previous information is for goldfish ponds only. A koi pond is an outdoor aquarium and must be treated as such with filtration and food.  If you have a koi pond, you cannot have water lilies nor do you ever need submerged vegetation because those little devils eat it like Hershey bars. Even building a koi pond is different from building a goldfish pond.

Solar pumps

Question:
How to pump water from a stream?
I'm looking for a small pump that can run on solar power and pump water from a tiny stream behind my house straight up about 10' to a barrel that I'll use to water my garden. The trick is it has to be low gallons per minute but also be able to pump high enough and run on solar power.




Answer:
Solar powered pumps are not capable of that. Solar power has a long way to go before being powerful enough to pump a 10' height. You could set up a sump pump in the stream that worked on a timer and pumped water when you needed/wanted it. It would have to be a relatively large pump to have a 10' head, perhaps as much as 2500 gph.

Water plants and soil?

Question:
Do Water Plants work without soil?
I have a small pond with no soil, only pond pebbles. Water is about a foot deep. Will water plants such as lilies grow without the soil? Or do I have to have soil?




Answer:
Pot up your pond plants. They don't need to be in soil, but they do need to be in a pot. Use pebbles if you wish or any old soil you have lying around your yard and put pebbles on top.
DO NOT plant directly in the rocks in the bottom of the pond. The plants will grow everywhere and you will have to get them out of those rocks. If it were me, I would remove the rocks now before you have to deal with cleaning them. But whatever you do, don't plant anything directly in them.

Pond pumps and underlayment

Question:
Pond Pumps: GPH and Water Circulation?
Why does a pump have to circulate 1/2 to the entire volume of water in one hour?
What pond liner, underlayment, and pump would be suitable for a pond 20 X 20 feet that is 3 feet deep?


 Answer:
Use 40 mil butyl rubber for a liner. You can use commercial underlayment or roofing felt. Old carpet can rot and start to stink as time passes.
To find liner size, measure the bottom, both sides and add 6'. I would get a 3500 gph pump so water will properly circulate. Circulating water adds O2 to the water, so the fish can breathe.

String Algae!

Question:
How to get rid of string algae in our ornamental pond.?
We've tried 4 or 5 different chemicals including clarifier and algaecide. We have a barley pad floating in it, we have a fountain running and a creek running into it, we also have about 30-40 comet goldfish and koi, and about 6 plants growing in it as well (water lily, cattails, irises) although they are not fully grown yet. The algae lines the entire bottom and sides and is about 3 inches thick. Would a pond vaccum help? We don't know what else to do :(



Answer:
I have found that Microbe LIft PL works very well to eliminate this stuff. Get as much as you can out and then put the Microbe LIft in according to directions. It's an enzyme and won't harm your fish or plants.
You don't need a pond vac at all.


To find more pond information, go to pondlady.com

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

My pond is losing water

How to arrange my rocks in my pond so they do not splash out and lose water?

The water looks like they are causing me to lose water off the rocks.  How can arrange them so it does not happen?

• 
  The water area needs to be twice as wide as the height of the waterfall. If it is not, the water will splash out. That's one of those laws of physics that none of us can break. Even if the water flow is in little drops, it will still splash out. So lower your water height or make the pond bigger.
• 
  

Solar Powered Fountains

Question:
How can a pond fountain work with a solar panel?
I try to put a fountain in my garden pond I would like to make it solar powered and don't know how. I’ve see it in garden magazines and I would like to do that in my yard.




Answer:
You can buy them. Oase makes the best one I know. That said, the technology for solar powered pumps is not as good as it could be and the failure rate is high. I wish they were higher on the list of important things to do.

What pump should I buy?

Question:
Hi. I am wanting to find out what pump I need.
I am putting in a garden pond with a waterfall that will come down a 3 ft gradual slope. How do I know why gph pump I need to carry the water back up? Do you recommend filter boxes to protect the pump?

 


Answer:
I would buy at at least a 2500 gph pump. I always suggest that folks buy a bigger pump than they think they need.
Yes, I advise a pre-filter. I like a box because the larger area does not gum up the impeller as fast.

To find more pond information, go to pondlady.com

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

Patching a pond liner

Question:

Is there a paste of some kind that will repair tiny holes in a rubber liner for a pond?

Answer:
There is no paste, but there are patches that you can just attach. The patches are sticky on one side, so get the liner dry and put the patch on. I often help it seal to the liner by blowing it with a hair dryer.

Water Lilies

Question:
How do water lilies grow?

Answer:
They grow just like any other plant, but they grow in water. They grow from rhizomes planted in most any media, need feeding with aquatic fertilizer twice a month during their growing season. That season starts in the spring when the first pads reach the top of the water. They need at least 5 hours of sun daily in order to flower, come in hardy and tropical, night and day blooming varieties. And are beautiful.

koi skimmer, filter, pump

I have read a lot about building a koi pond but i am unsure of where to put the skimmer, filter and pump?

Does anyone have a diagram of where to put all the stuff, preferrably the pond would be L shaped. or can you tell me please because videos on youtube etc... dont really say where the filter goes.

You don't need a skimmer at all. You do need a filter tho, bugt it doesn't matter where you put it. Put it where it is easiest to hide and to clean.

Here's an article that I wrote about how to build a koi pond.

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

Oh and thoughts about skimmers:

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

DIY underwater lights

Question:
Have you ever made underwater fish pond lights yourself, HOW ?
I refuse to spend 80 dollars or more on little 12 volt LED lamps or other types. What about LED lamps in water-tight containers, SELF made? Has anyone here done it, and what problems did you encounter? The solutions?
Thanks. My goldfish pond is 3 feet deep in the middle, and maybe 6' x 8' rectangle. 33 fish. Some babies every spring.


Answer:
I would not try to make underwater lights myself. Electricity and water together can be deadly. Sealing the lights safely will be impossible. Don't try it.

Water hyacinths

Question:
I live in zone Georgia, zone 8a.
Water hyacinths grow well in my area...just not my pond?

My pond has koi.
My water hyacinths were in floating nets.

They all died in the winter.

Someone said seeds can live under the old hyacinths until spring and then grow.

Haven't seen any action yet.

Normal? Do I need to wait longer? Are they all just dead?



Answer:

Your koi are eating the roots of your hyacinths. No matter what plants you have in with your koi, they will eat and love them.  The floating nets that supposedly keep the plants safe usually don't work very well and koi are pretty smart fish.

Frogs and Toads

Question:

I have a smallish pond (about 330 gallons) and each year we get many frogs and toads. Last year we had huge amounts of spawn, both frog and toad. The pond ended up teaming with tadpoles to the point where I was concerned for the health of my fish (lack of oxygen). The froglets then spread through my lawn making it unusable.
This year we already have even more than last year, and the 50+ frogs and toads continue to mate. Are there any organisations that would re-home the frogs/toads/spawn?

It seems my fish are too small to eat the spawn, causing an imbalance.



Answer:
Toads and frogs are so very valuable. Not very many survive, so please allow them to stay in the resort you have built for them. Tadpoles will not hurt your fish and the fish will not eat the tadpoles either. Nor will fish eat the eggs. It's only for a few days a year and then the mosquito eating critters are off doing their jobs until they return to your house again next spring.

DIY Pond Filter

From Craig Hahn, veteran pond keeper and all around handy guy:

Just thought I might mention a solution that I have come up with - once the ice is off the pond here. (More snow here yesterday. yuk!)

I have a half wine barrel (~20gallons) that I fill with 3" lava rock (to handle the inflow) then use that fiber material that they sell for pillows - still can see the look of the sales lady when I told her I was using this for a bacteria medium). I tip the barrel so the water spills over into the pond and cover the top of that fill material with a layer of foam thick enough to lay flat. I cover this with small - medium rocks to make it look nicer. Then the pond water is forced into the bottom (lava rocks) and is filtered and nutrients consumed when it warms up a bit by the bacteria (I don't add any product - just use nature). You could clean the filter material if you like after the water is cleared but I don't - I love the natural way of things.

GFI reset

Question:
Why doesnt my pond pump work anymore?
I cut my hedge and severed the electric cable causing a fuse to blow, after resetting the trip, everything worked except the pump, even though the socket it was connected to was live, I had not cleaned the pump filter for many months, but I cleaned it all up, I found the impellor will now move, but when I switch on there is no sound or movement at all from the pump, all fuses are ok, the make is Oase filtral 5000 D I need a new pump?

Answer:
Try this: Plug the pump into something else. Put it into a bucket of water or somesuch. If it works, then the problem is in your electrical socket. Also check the outlet for a GFI. It should have one. It will be a red or black button that turns off the pump in case water gets to the outlet. Push it to reset.
If your pump still does not work, you will need a new one. It may be under warranty. Oase has great warranties. Check and see.

Rock fountain question

Question:
Stone rock fountain question?
at a rock store I saw a fountain that was really cool but I can't figure out what it is called. It was just a elongated rock with a hole drilled through it standing up so that it was tall, hooked up to a pump. I just want to know what you would call it and also if you know of any good priced and reliable sites or places to buy them.

Answer:
Most stone yards will drill a hole in any rock you find there. It will cost you a few bucks, but not much. If they specialize in pond rocks, they may have some with the hole already drilled. Just attach a hose to a pump, put the rock in the pond with the pump in the water and plug in the pump. You now have a great fountain.

Algae Control

Question:
Help with pond and summer algae?
I have a 2 acre pond surrounded by mostly trees red (swamp maples) and the pond is mostly fed by runoff at the bottom of a hill, the pond was built in a swampy area (there are a number of seeps in the area, so it is fed by seasonal seeps/springs also) I usually have overflow for 4 to 5 months of the year of at least 10 gpm (more when it rains)...

The trouble I have is in July/August when there is no overflow and I lose from evaporation 3 to 4 feet of water level and the pond develops green algae, I am aware of using barley straw to control the algae, Is there any other methods to help?


Answer:
There are several products made by Microbe-lift that will keep your water clear. I have used many of them and they all work well.  I would start with Microbe-Lift Sludge and then use Microbe lift PL after that.

Keeping mosquitoes away

Question:
Hi. I have a small outdoor fountain. I'm not home a lot of the time, so I don't want it to run continuously. Where I live, Louisiana, we have a lot of mosquitoes, and I'm afraid the standing water will attract them. Does anyone know how I can keep the mosquitoes away without harming birds? Someone told me to use a small amount of bleach, but I'm worried about the birds. Thanks for any help!!

Answer:
There's a product called Mosquito Dunks. Safe for everything and gets rid of all mosquitoes. You can get it at your nursery or maybe even a big box store.