ENSURING POND HEALTH
Ask a gardener about his or her pond health and they will uncannily resemble a proud parent with a plethora of setup and in-situ photos on their mobile devices. I wanted to say slideshow carousel but then I would be showing my age.
We labour over our ponds, like parents, because we know our work will pay off when our gardens are graced by their irrefutable beauty. However, unlike raising children, there are easy guidelines that help, from conception to maintenance, look after and manage our ponds without too much aggro, angst, or door slamming.
Primarily, keep your pond healthy. A pond’s ecosystem can be detrimental to your health and the surrounding environment if poorly maintained. We recommend you follow a seasonal-based pond health plan:
Spring
Winter has been and gone; aquatic life wakes up from their long hibernation and daffodils raise their heads to remind you it is time to de-winterise your pond and give it a good old-fashioned ‘Spring-Clean.’
Add to your checklist:
Check your equipment
Take it all out, give it a deep clean, check it is working as it should, and fix or replace any parts that need attention. An effective and cost-efficient aeration system will help maintain and keep your pond clean throughout the year. It also increases oxygen supply by keeping the cooler water on the bottom of your pond which helps keep your fish and aquatic life happy all year long.
Feed your fish!
They are going to need feeding but do not overfeed. The best time to begin feeding pond fish after winter depends on how warm the water is. When your pond water rises above 10°C, you should give them food once a day. And, as soon as the water temperature reaches 21°C, begin feeding them their regular amount – make sure you have researched the right amount for the number and size of your finely finned friends.
Clean until it gleams
There is a reason we need to spring clean our homes as well as our ponds. Over winter we let things accumulate, like leaves, twigs, grass clippings, fish waste, etc. and so too will your pond! Even though your filtration system will have been working over the winter some of that waste will turn into sludge and muck, verily, a party palace for algae. Do not worry, by using EM Mud Balls, an anaerobic system, the sludge can be broken down simply and easily to support your pond health.
This is a deep clean so you will need to drain the pond and wash the pond base and rocks. If you have waterfalls – they do too. Remember to transfer your fish and aquatic plants BEFORE you begin cleaning to a large vessel with proper aeration. You know someone, somewhere, has forgotten to do that!
Those with installations that include a bottom drain or bare bottom system will not need to drain clean the pond.
Next – once clean and free of debris and scum simply refill your pond and introduce back your fish and plants.
Keep your aquatic plants well-fed
You have fed your fish, do not forget to feed/fertilise your plants too when putting them back in the water. Feed them according to their recommended dosage and needs i.e., full fertiliser for new plants and maintenance for your existing ones.
We recommend Aegir seashell grit, which is rich in calcium. Plants LOVE calcium. Aegir seashell grit also helps with your pond’s pH levels. The seashell grit can raise the pH slower letting the pond settle easier into the changes.
Adding beneficial bacteria
To keep your pond properly maintained, add beneficial bacteria for good bacterial colony stimulation after you have cleaned your filters to remove accumulated sediment. Pond Clear will help with this, however, be careful if you have fish, start with 1 litre per metre3 and see how the water pH reacts. A sweet spot is 5.5
Summer
Your pond LOVES Summer. Your pond will positively THRIVE in Summer. The summer season begins when your pond water temperature hits a steady 20°C and higher. Feed your fish generously during these balmy days, however, there are a few things you should be aware of:
Algae love Summer too so try and keep your pond free of grass clippings, fish waste, and other debris. If this happens you may need to adjust your nitrogen and phosphorus levels. Use a test kit to check your levels. You can buy these online or from your local aquarium retailer.
If there is too much algae in your pond, the effect of Effective Microorganisms can be enhanced by adding EM Pond Clear Super Booster.
With the warm weather, the temperature of the pond water also rises and the growth of microorganisms is activated. You can do various things to promote good water quality and provide the plants with the necessary nutrients.
You can distribute Pond Clear to promote the natural balance of the water. The Effective Microorganisms in Pond Clear help convert organic material (bottom sludge, fish excretion) into nutrients for pond plants and thus prevent rotting. In ponds with a weak microbial climate, the intermediate products produced (ammonia and nitrite) are converted slowly. These substances must occur in low concentrations. Ammonia and nitrite have a negative impact on the health of fish. With Pond Clear you add healthy microorganisms to your pond. Ammonia and nitrite are neutralised more quickly and the nitrate that is formed as an end product proves to be an ideal source of nutrition for pond plants. A biological balance is created, which improves water quality.
A lot of sludge on the bottom has a negative effect on water quality. Therefore, use the EM® Pond Balls regularly. These special fermented balls promote good microbial diversity in the pond water. You throw the EM® Pond Balls into the water, sink to the bottom and slowly dissolve. The EM® in the pond balls digest the sludge and contribute to the restoration of a good balance. Preferably apply in the spring.
In addition, regularly add Ægir Seashell to adjust the reflection of sunlight.
General guidelines for a healthy pond:
1 litre of Pond Clear per year per 1-10 m3 (with fish and other aquatic animals 1 litre/10 m3!).
1 EM® Mud Ball per 1 m2 of bottom surface.
1 kg Ægir Seashell Grit per 1 m2.
Algae
If you suffer from algae growth in the pond, you can also add EM® Pond (0.5 l/10m3). EM® Pond contains a high concentration of phototrophic bacteria that compete with the algae.
Suffering from thread algae? Sprinkle some Edasil Clay Minerals over the pond. The water is a bit cloudy for a while, but it sinks to the bottom automatically.
TIP
A UV lamp has a disinfectant effect and therefore also has a negative effect on the effective microorganisms present in the Pond Clear!
EM Pond Clear Super Booster contains a high concentration of phototrophic bacteria that compete with the algae. This is also beneficial to fish as a food source. Phototropic bacteria can use the extra nitrogen to break the proteins down to help with the C:N ratio in the pond.
If you want more information on managing your algae levels visit: https://buddendo.home.xs4all.nl/aquarium/redfield_eng.htm
Top tip:
Add Aegir Seashell Calcium Carbonate if your pH is low. The carbonate component raises the alkalinity in your pond; high pH is alkaline and low pH is acidic; a pH level of 7 is considered neutral.
Start with 250g per m3. The carbonate component within Aegir Seashell raises the total alkalinity and the buffering of daily fluctuations in pH, increasing microbial activity in the pond soil, and the availability of phosphorous to phytoplankton. Pond water with a total alkalinity of less than 20 ppm can benefit from liming.
Visit: FA38/FA028: The Use of Lime in Fish Ponds (ufl.edu) to delve deeper into liming.
To reduce your nitrate, add Barley Straw to your pond. Once the straw bales are wet, a natural process starts that combats algae growth. This process is enhanced by the inclusion of lavender which gives significantly better results. Simply add 1 straw bale to ponds up to 1200 gallons (5455 litres).
Autumn
Keep on testing
Keep testing your water, especially at this time of year. Like Summer, your pond will need debris removal, especially as the autumn leaves start to fall. You can prevent falling leaves from entering your pond by installing a pond cover or using a floating pond skimmer.
During Autumn, your marginal plants may start to die off. Prune or remove dying plants as soon as you see signs this has begun. For living plants, cover them with polythene or an insulating horticultural fleece to protect them over the winter months ahead.
Your fish will need less food
Your fish, during this time of year, will need less protein-based food. They will have eaten and stored plenty over the summer months ready to survive the winter months with these reserves.
Medicate your pond!
Parasites and pathogens lay dormant during the winter and attack fish during the spring when their immune systems are weaker. Actiferm will help with this, however, be careful if you have fish, start with 1 litre per metre3 and see how the water reacts.
Winter
When the temperature drops so will the heat in your water. We recommend switching off your Ultraviolet Clarifier because icy water is not a healthy habitat for Algae, and they will simply die off, which is what you want! However, keep your pump running, and here is a tip; elevate your pump from the base of your pond to allow more space for your fish to rest where the water is fractionally warmer!
APPLICATION
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1 Ltr per M³ undiluted. each year to optimise water quality. Maintain with mud balls. - 1x in the spring April or May
Give you pond a spring clean and refresh the eco-balance in your pond. Use 1 Ltr Actiferm per 1000L H²O Maintain with EM Mud balls. Use 1 x mud ball per M³. Apply 3x per year Spring, summer & autumn.
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Add 1 Ltr per 10,000L Poolwater - Apply every 2x weeks
In mid summer if weather temperatures are high it may be necessary to add weekly. Prevents algae growth in pools. NOTE: The water will have a light brownish colour . For less colour our Bioactive cleaning products wipe & clean can be used. Do not use together with chemicals. This is a non-chemical maintenance. Use EM Ceramics in the filter for best results.
By keeping your pond health ‘healthy’ throughout the year you can enjoy 365 days of pondaliciousness [made up word], get out your camera and add to your growing album(s) on social media – it would be rude not to.
