Fish and Pond Help, Questions Answered, Algae and More
The first thing you need to do is decide what kind of fish you want in your pond.
There are many different kinds of fish that people use to stock their ponds, so take some time to go fishing. You can choose whatever kind of fish floats your boat! The size of your pond is important as well. Each fish needs a certain number of gallons in order to live comfortably, so you will need to make sure that you have enough room for all the fish you would like to put in the pond.
Fish don’t come alone – they come with water bugs and other creatures! This can be a problem, because if you are not careful, these creatures can take over your pond. All ponds need to be treated with chemicals before the fish are put in them, which is actually good for the environment as well.
Chemicals are usually sold at fish stores, so you will have to visit one in order to get all of the right chemicals for your pond. Remember that most fish need it warmer than the water outside, so you should also visit a pet shop or aquarium store in order to buy a heater for your fish. Or, you can purchase these items directly in our store!
But, if you want, you can find most of these things at any good Home Depot or Lowe’s. Make sure they know what kind of fish and how many you want before making another trip out. If there aren’t any local shops around, try an online supplier like us to outfit your pond with everything it needs! We are much more knowledgeable than someone that works at a general home improvement store.
If you don’t want to fool around with chemicals, try a waterfall or fountain in your pond. This will keep the water moving and fresher longer.
If you are going to stock your pond with tropical fish, you might want to consider buying a heater for it in case the weather gets too cold at night. It can be hard to keep fish alive when the weather gets too cold or hot.
But, if you want more than one type of fish in your pond, then this isn’t a problem. You can just get another heater or some sort of floating device that will keep the different kinds of fish warm and comfortable. It’s important to find one that is sized right for the number and size of fish you have so it doesn’t take up too much space in the pond!
You don’t need any special chemicals to clean out an aquarium filter – just use hot water at least once a month to wash all of the junk out. Sometimes, though, the ceramic media inside the filter becomes clogged with debris or dead algae/bacteria waste that smells bad. When this happens it takes even longer for the water to move through the filter.
This is not good because the water won’t flow correctly, and it will take for-ev-er to filter all of the water in your aquarium! You can clean out this debris by using a special gravel washer that you just drop into the filter. It has brushes that are designed to push through the ceramic media. After about five minutes of scrubbing, you should have fresh-smelling, crystal clear water again! Who knew there were so many options for keeping a pond tidy?
It’s important to keep the sides of the pond free of algae buildup, which is usually done yearly with a complete cleanout to remove leaves, debris, etc. We also offer this service, which again makes it all that much easier to have all your pond needs serviced by us directly!
Many local pet shops sell nematodes, which eat away at the algae inside the pond and kill it without hurting any other creatures in or around the pond. These can be purchased in many sizes for different size ponds, so do some more research on these before buying one. They are great for keeping unwanted guests out of your water garden!
If there is a smell coming from your pond, you might have too many fish in it. It can be hard to keep a body of water that large and deep clean and fresh smelling. If you still want to keep your current fish, you should consider adding a fountain or waterfall feature to increase the overall water flow so the river will be cleaner and easier to manage, which in turn makes it easier to keep fish alive.
If your fish is in a small or large pond, you might need to clean the filter more frequently than someone with a different pond design and setup. Just remember that backyard water feature maintenance is important so you don’t lose any fish!
So, what’s the best way to keep your backyard pond looking and smelling great? You could try one of our many maintenance packages, which include all the services you’ll need to keep your pond looking great all year round!
Don’t you think it’s time to create your own beautiful backyard water feature? Just imagine how much fun the kids will have with a place to play in the water just steps away from you.
We’re here to help, so give us a call if you need help choosing the right design for you. We’ll take all of your requests into consideration!
Pond Help & Water Gardens, Too!
Pond algae is actually very tasty for fish if they get to it before you do. Try placing some food near the side of the pond and let the fish get it! They will likely nibble the algea as well. Make sure to feed your babies enough so they eat all of their food and leave little remains behind.
Algae isn’t always green either. It comes in many other colors too, like brown, red, pink, orange, yellow and more! Many times people call this “pond scum” because it’s difficult to get rid of once it sets up shop on your water garden walls. When it comes to backyard pond maintenance, you could skim off any dead leaves that are floating in the water. This will help clean out the water and allow it to move easier. If you have a waterfall, this will help maintain the filter as well.
But there are ways to fight against this scummy mess…
Look for a special type of surfactant designed to kill algae specifically.
These products are beneficial because they make water more slippery and reduces the surface tension, which allows the water to roll over and under algae more easily.
For ponds with submerged plants like lilies or hyacinths, you can use a product that is designed to kill algae AND aquatic plants as well. Be sure to follow the instructions on this stuff, as it can be very powerful. If you use too much, it will actually kill your plants!
But please read the directions first before using any chemicals in your water garden – this will ensure you don’t hurt any of the creatures in or around your pond.
If you run into problems with algae in your pond or aquarium, remember that it is usually just a sign of other problems in your environment. Things like dirty filters, dirty rocks and gravel, and even dirty glass can cause algae to form.
Keep it clean and you won’t have problems with this stuff!
Goldfish waste adds a lot of nutrients to a pond, which makes for a great environment for algae growth. It’s important to keep the water moving and filtered well so that the nutrients don’t create too much algae.
Calcium in fish food, dirt on rocks, and several other things can also contribute to algae growth. Control your environment better to fight it off.
Here’s a hint: look for special “algae eaters” in your local pet store. These little critters usually consume algae and keep your pond clean.
Some eat algae, some munch on dead fish for organic matter, and others even suck on the sides of your pond – all of which keep your water garden looking amazing!
And don’t forget about the fish themselves – sometimes they will eat algae for you too. Not to mention the fish food you place in your pond which will not only feed them but also provide additional nutrients for algae to grow.
But if all else fails, call us here at Meyer Aquascapes! We love to help our customers keep their water garden looking great all year long. We also offer a complete line of services to keep your water garden performing at its peak!
If you have a fountain or waterfall turned off, try turning it on more often. This will keep the water moving and prevent algae from building up on the sides of your pond.
Be sure to leave some fish in your pond even after you clean it out every year. Remember, you want them to eat all of their food so nothing is wasted. You can also add new fish that are smaller than the older ones you just took out, which still might be quite large compared to most fish bought at a pet store!
First off lets take a look at how big your pond should be. If you are only planning on having a few fish in it, then you needn’t worry about its size too much. However if you want to keep large fish like koi, or tropical fish the size of goldfish, then you need a larger pond to support these types of fish. You also don’t want to overstock either!
Most ponds are made from vinyl because it’s cheaper than concrete and it looks just as good with little maintenance needed. Be sure not to get one that is less than four feet deep so your fish can survive freeze spells when they come along every couple of years! And also make sure there is enough room for all of them inside by using our rules above. We carry all these supplies in stock at all times. Give us a call if you need help picking out the right items. There’s nothing worse than doing a DIY project and ending up with the wrong product because you weren’t aware of XYZ! You know it’s true! We don’t charge for our time when you give us a call – we’ll help you pick out the exact items for your water feature design.
If you get your pond ready before you get any fish, they will have a better chance of surviving and thriving in your pond. Be sure to put some plants and other things in there to make it more comfortable for them!
Your pond must be checked often to make sure everything is all right. Fish enjoy the water quality and the filter checked on a normal basis for the filter, so this way they last longer, and have brighter colors, especially if used in combination with color-enhancing fish food!
Fish have a variety of diets. Some eat plants, some algae, and others just microscopic organisms in the water! Many people believe if you put in a lot of plants you will have to get rid of them later, but it’s actually quite the opposite! This is because fish like eating the plant material and also help you clean the leaves and debris that falls into the pond. Plus they just look good too!
Thanks for reading at Meyer Aquascapes! We hope you’ve enjoyed our post on garden pond design. Please leave a comment below if you liked it or have any questions. We’d love to hear from you! Thanks for stopping by!
