H2O Designs Inc Pond Blog

Spring is often referred to by pond Owners as “String Algae Season”. There is a very good reason for this. As the Air and water temperature warms so does the biological activity in your pond. Debris and Sludge that has built up over the previous year promotes a nutrient rich environment. In the fall your plants are thriving and making use of these nutrients and balancing your ecosystem. In contrast in the Spring these same plants are just waking up and have not started thriving and therefore are not using as many of these nutrients. Well good ole Mother Nature is taking care of you and your finned friends by providing you with an excess of String Algae to help balance this nutrient load and keep your water healthy for your fish. Unfortunately, the end result of all of Mother Nature’s hard work is unsightly String Algae in your Pond and Stream.

Solutions:

Spring Cleanout

A Spring Cleanout removes the previously referred to Sludge and Debris that feeds String Alage. Also, it allows us to inspect your fish for any parasitic or bacterial issues, clean up and replace lights, rocks and other pond areas that may have settled over the winter.

Water Treatments

Organic Water Treatments such as our Eco~Clearer line of water treatments by themselves or in conjunction with a Spring Cleanout help establish and maintain a healthy ecosystem environment. For String Algae in particular we recommend 2 products.

1.        Eco~Clearer Stream and Waterfall Care Powder is a white powder that when applied directly to String Algae in the Stream will react and break down the Algae for removal. The process is completely safe for Fish and Plants and results in Oxygen being released into the air.

2.       Eco~Clearer Pond Care Powder is a specifically formulated product fortified phosphate binders, enzymes and bacteria that when applied to the pond will help break down and reduce the String Algae in your ponds. Once again the product and resulting process is completely safe for Fish and Plants.

We get many calls about the use of Algaecides and Hydrogen Peroxide in the pond to “Kill” the algae. Algaecides such as Copper Sulfate and other over the counter “Algae Fix” products use harmful chemicals to “KILL” the algae. These products stay in your water and can be potentially dangerous and deadly to Fish, Wildlife, Animals and even Humans (KIDS!!!) that interact with your pond. When choosing Algae control methods and products I encourage you to be conscious of the long term effects that that product will have not only on your fish but also the people and animals that will interact with your pond.

Using Hydrogen Peroxide in a Garden Pond (Scott Rhodes - Product Specialists, Aquascape Inc)

“Hydrogen peroxide has been used for many years for controlling algae. When using hydrogen peroxide, it is recommended to remove all the fish and invertebrates, treat the pond, and then perform at least a 50% water change the next day. This is a treatment that sterilizes the entire pond, including the biological filtration. Basically, by using hydrogen peroxide, you will completely restart the ecosystem of your pond.

Hydrogen peroxide is used primarily as a disinfectant. As a disinfectant, peroxides can have detrimental effects on your biological filtration and fish. If used incorrectly, it can quickly reduce the dissolved oxygen rates in your pond by rapidly killing algae, which in return will release carbon dioxide. A much better approach is to use traditional biological products to prevent the algae problem from happening in the first place.

Additionally, when using hydrogen peroxide, the pond will become dependent on its use. Even though the inherent problem is treated, the cause of the problem is not addressed, and algae will generally come back worse than before the pond was treated.

Fish

One major concern with using hydrogen peroxide as a treatment is the very real possibility of damage to the fish population. If you are keeping snails or any other invertebrates, it can also have a negative effect on them. Hydrogen peroxide can damage the ability of fish to breathe properly. Long-term use of hydrogen peroxide can permanently damage fish gills. Once this happens, the damage cannot be reversed.

Biological filtration

As hydrogen peroxide sterilizes the pond, it can completely destroy the biological balance. This balance is what we all strive for; it is the thing that makes the pond crystal-clear, balanced, algae-free, and safe for fish and other creatures living in the pond. The eco-system pond is the goal of all pond keepers and should be protected at all cost.

Common sense and experience teaches us that when you kill the “good guys” along with the “bad guys”, you really don’t get a net benefit. As a result, you are forced to continue the use of the poison, or the nuisance will simply return, often worse than it was before. Aquascape firmly believes that we have proven alternatives that will more safely treat algae problems over the long-term.”

We have been inundated with email and phone calls this week about the safety of fish and pumps in the recent arctic temperatures we have been blessed with here in Central Kentucky. Therefore, I felt the need to reiterate some basic winter pond tips and offer some trade secrets to get you through the unusual cold weather we are experiencing. As always if you have any specific questions or need assistance please do not hesitate to call or email us.

Ponds

If you have Fish in your pond you MUST NOT let the pond freeze completely solid. Keeping at least a small hole in the ice will allow otherwise fatal gasses to escape from the water and keep your fish healthy. There are several ways you can accomplish this

Keep Your Pump Running - With the recent cold weather this may be a challenge for some pond owners. When your pond and stream freezes the resulting ice takes water from the pond that sometimes drops the pond level so low that your pump does not get sufficient water. There are a couple of ways you can combat this issue.

• Use a Pond Heater - Placing a pond heater near the skimmer will help keep the ice from blocking the waterway into the pump and help keep your pump running.

• Adding Water - Most of the time you will ultimately need to add water to your pond in order to keep your pump circulating. To do this we recommend keeping a “Winter Safety Hose” Handy. This is simply a hose that is stored in a place that will prevent freezing (Garage, Basement, etc). When water is needed simply pull out your “Safety Hose” and store it when finished. I personally recommend allowing all of the water to drain from the hose before storing. Additionally you may need a Hair Dryer or Heat Gun to thaw your outside spigot enough to allow water to flow.

Shut Your Pump Off

While I only recommend this as a last resort sometimes there may be nothing else you can do depending on the design of your pond and pumping system. If you do shut your pump off it is IMPERATIVE that you keep a hole in the ice so your fish can remain safe. a POND HEATER is the easiest and most effective way to achieve this. Also, you should restart your pump as soon as the weather permits.

Pondless Waterfalls

Pondless Waterfalls are a easier to take care of since you don’t have to worry about keeping your fish safe. You have the same 2 options that you do with ponds for dealing with the frigid temperatures. The only exception would be to place the Pond Heater at the base of your waterfall (Where the water enters your basin) so that the water will not be lost outside of your basin resulting in water loss.

Streams

If you have a long stream or a moderate water flow you may experience ice dams in your stream. Most of the time the water will continue to run under the ice. However, if you do experience ice dams there is unfortunately not much you can do other than break the ice, place a Pond Heater in the dammed area or shut your pump down.

Fountains/Bubbling Boulders

The only real issue you should have with fountains and bubbling boulders are ice dams forming at the base causing water to escape. If this happens again you really only have 2 options (break the ice, place a Pond Heater in the dammed area or shut your pump down). Most fountain pumps are below ground and will not be harmed from being shut down.

While many of you may cringe at the frigid temperatures, I personally think that the “Winter Pond” with all of its magnificent natural ice sculptures is one of the most beautiful sights that Mother Nature blesses us with. Until Spring stay warm and enjoy your “Winter Pond”.

Sincerely,

Jeff Duggins

H2O Designs Inc