Aquabead pond filters for larger bio filters and koi keepers
Vol: 414 Date:
Aug 13th 2004
The Water Gardens Gazette
Off to USA on holiday tomorrow heading for Florida as one of worst hurricane in history threatens. From Florida on to Alaska. Back in 3 weeks time.
1.August in the water garden
2.Algae on pond sides and moving ponds
3. Pond Filters, UV's & Pond Plants On Line
4. Admin section
Click here for discount and special offers to Gazette Readers ONLY all you have to do is enter this coupon code during checkout to get the saving ... SAVE10
Click here and go to Perfect Pond Recipe Book Page
1. August in the water garden ... reduce feeding increase water flows
Probably hottest month of the year for most of my readers. You know you have a problem when you see your fish gasping for air at the water surface. As water warms up it has a reduced capacity to hold oxygen so any over feeding can seriously exacerbate the problem. If you can increase the flow through your fountain or down you waterfall this will help a bit. Slow down on feeding during these hot extremes. It's not only the fish that will suffer from oxygen deficiency because the bacteria in the filter need masses of oxygen too and especially so as water warms up.
If you have an efficient biofilter, good UV capacity and a pump that runs 24/7 you will not have any serious problems and you will be thankful that you have this equipment. If you haven't got good equipment do yourself and your pond a favour ... do consider buying and the cost is low for the pleasure you get in return.
2. Algae on pond sides and moving ponds
I have been asked these 2 questions question a few times recently so here's a repeat of a useful article I wrote some time last year
Algae on sides of pond is normal
Two readers on the same day posed the same question. Both were concerned about algae growing on side of the ponds. They wanted to know how to get rid of it. The answer was very simple ... you cannot get rid of it permanently; and more importantly you do not want to get rid of it either.
All garden ponds develop a growth of green algae on pond surfaces ... this includes walls, pumps, pipes, stones on bottom of pond and so on. This algae is up to 1 inch long but rarely more than that. This is NOT blanketweed or string algae. This miniature 1 inch forest of plants is a haven to natural food sources in a pond. You will notice fish "grazing" on this underwater pasture.
If you empty the pond and scrub the walls down it will soon re-appear. The query however raised another important matter. If you ever empty a pond what do you do with the fish? Let's say you have a crack or leak in a pond and you have to empty it to make repairs then it is important to plan ahead.
Moving House with fish too
Some people will arrange for their fish to be kept in someone else's pond but this can be bad for both parties and should be avoided if at all possible. Here's what you need to consider .... 1. Stop feeding fish one week before time to empty pond 2. Get as large a temporary pond on site (above ground kiddies' vinyl swimming pools could be a possibility) as you can. 3. Clean out the pond using pond water. 4. Arrange to buy, borrow or hire as large an air pump as you can with a mechanism for distributing the air such as air stones. 4. On the day you plan to empty the pond pump pond water into the temporary pond and start pumping air into the water. 5. Do not overfill the pond since fish when stressed tend to jump and you do not want them jumping out of the pond 6. If the fish are to remain in this new home for a while then make sure about 50% of the water is replaced every day with fresh water .... 2 changes of 25% are better than a single change of 50%. Remember there is no biofilter so toxic ammonia/nitrites if present will build up. This is why you stopped feeding to minimise chances of toxic build up. 7. Keep a close watch on the fish ... any signs of unusual behaviour then change portion of water immediately and make sure air pump is working 8. People with serious koi collections may well decide to have an ammonia remover like Amquel available ... just in case. 9. On refilling the main pond it would be a good idea to add a chlorine removing agent to the fresh tap water and in any case rather spray the water into the pond .. this will help the chlorine to evaporate 10. Take advantage when refilling the pond to measure your pond volume
3.The BEST low cost bio filter and UV equipment Bio Pond Filters For crystal clear, algae-free, purified water.
Information on Alfagrog
Without getting too technical this means that 1 litre of Alfagrog can hold the
same amount of bacteria as 200 litres of plastic tubes. In other words a box
using plastic tubes needs to be 200 times bigger in volume than one containing
Alfagrog to get the same biological performance.
Alfagrog fantastic low cost biomedia ... buy here, search for SUPRA after clicking
Alfagrog looks a bit like cinders, it is lightweight, comes in different sizes and you can literally blow through it because it is so porous.
"The Complete Pond Solver" by Tony Roocroft
2004 Edition. Essential reading for anybody who wants or has a garden pond. Get 12 Excel pond calculators free as well as "Water Lilies and Pond Aquatics" ebook also free
Pond plants and pond supplies on line
Pond plants ... every garden pond should have some (even those small barrel ponds I discussed last time). Here are some suggestions for this season and where you can get them on line ... click the image banner below and then choose Water Plants once you get to home page
They have nice basic variety of water lilies for sale ... every pond should have a water lily or two. There is also a wide range of marginals too. Well worth a look Other plants available ... see the pictures at my web site by clicking the link not placed here to reduce download time
NEW REPRINTED AND IMPROVED VERSION "The Perfect Pond Recipe Book" Unique DIY Book and Manual by Peter J May ... I am pleased to provide this space for Peter who has helped myself and my readers so much over the years. I fully endorse this book. I first got it around 1995.
"The Perfect Pond Recipe Book" is not just for those flat perfect bowling green situations. The techniques shown in my book enable you to put a pond or waterfall into any terrain.
Do take a closer look at Peter's book and information Click here and go to Perfect Pond Recipe Book Page
4. Permission To Publish and Admin section
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All you need to know about water gardens, ponds, pumps, bio filters and UV lights
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