Fall Pond Cleaning – Home
Fall Pond Cleaning
Brett Fogle
Great question. The answer is it really depends. Doing a full pond cleaning during the colder winter months can be very stressful on your fish. However, if the pond is really dirty and full of muck - then you may want to consider it because all of the decaying organic matter in the pond can cause problems if the pond ices over, and this begins to de-gas and rot.
So, I think the best solution, and what we used to do for our clients was do a partial Fall pond cleaning.
Heres how to do it:
First, get a container that will hold roughly 100 gallons or so, or up to half of your pond volume bigger is better. Then take a pump with a hose, and pump out the relativel clean water from your pond by holding the pump just beneath the water surface. Keep as much of the old pond water as you can. Then, catch your fish if possible and place them into the holding tank of their own clean water.
Then you can either net out your leaves and dispose of them, along with any muck that you can get out also. Alternatively, you can then pump out the remaining water and do a thorough clean out, including vacuuming out the pond with a large wet/dry vac this works great!.
Then refill the pond back up to the level it was at before disposing of the water, de-chlorinate the water, and adjust the pH to match that of the old water in your holding tank. At this point, start pumping new water from the pond into your holding tub, and then pumping the mixture back into the pond. Do this for 15-20 minutes until the new water mixture matches that in the pond - and then pump the remaining water back into your pond while netting your fish back in as well.
But its very important not to expose your fish to new water conditions too quickly as differences in temperature and pH can cause extreme stress to your fish, affect the immune system, and even cause shock or fish death. So always be careful when changing water.
About The Author
Brett Fogle is the owner of MacArthur Water Gardens and several pond-related websites including macarthurwatergardens.com and pond-filters-online.com. He also publishes a free monthly newsletter called PondStuff! with a reader circulation of over 9,000 pond owners. To sign up for the free newsletter and receive a complimentary New Pond Owners Guide for joining, just visit MacArthur Water Gardens
brett@macarthurwatergardens.com
Fall Pond Cleaning – Recreation
Fall Pond Cleaning
Brett Fogle
Doing a full pond cleaning during the colder winter months can be very stressful on your fish. However, if the pond is really dirty and full of muck - then you may want to consider it because all of the decaying organic matter in the pond can cause problems if the pond ices over, and this begins to de-gas and rot.
So, I think the best solution, and what we used to do for our clients was do a partial Fall pond cleaning.
Heres how to do it:
First, get a container that will hold roughly 100 gallons or so, or up to half of your pond volume bigger is better. Then take a pump with a hose, and pump out the relativel clean water from your pond by holding the pump just beneath the water surface. Keep as much of the old pond water as you can. Then, catch your fish if possible and place them into the holding tank of their own clean water.
Then you can either net out your leaves and dispose of them, along with any muck that you can get out also. Alternatively, you can then pump out the remaining water and do a thorough clean out, including vacuuming out the pond with a large wet/dry vac this works great!.
Then refill the pond back up to the level it was at before disposing of the water, de-chlorinate the water, and adjust the pH to match that of the old water in your holding tank. At this point, start pumping new water from the pond into your holding tub, and then pumping the mixture back into the pond. Do this for 15-20 minutes until the new water mixture matches that in the pond - and then pump the remaining water back into your pond while netting your fish back in as well.
But its very important not to expose your fish to new water conditions too quickly as differences in temperature and pH can cause extreme stress to your fish, affect the immune system, and even cause shock or fish death. So always be careful when changing water.
About The Author
Brett Fogle is the owner of several pond-related websites like http://www.MacArthurWatergardens.com and two others including http://www.Pond-Filters-Online.com and http://4-pond-pumps.com. He also publishes a free monthly newsletter called PondStuff! with a reader circulation of over 9,000. Sign up for the FREE newsletter and receive our complimentary New Pond Owners Guide!
brett@macarthurwatergardens.com
To Salt or Not to Salt Your Pond… – Home
To Salt or Not to Salt Your Pond...
Brett Fogle
The important question of whether or not to add salt to your pond is often confusing for beginners and forgotten by experienced pond-keepers. To newbies and pros alike we have this to say:
"Add Salt Today to Keep the Fish Doctor Away"
True, there are some negative effects of higher salt levels on plants in the pond, but overall we think it is absolutely the very best thing you can add to your pond in terms of keeping your fish happy and healthy. Salt acts as a natural stress coat and essentially thickens the slime coat on the fishs body - which is its own natural defense system against bacteria and parasites.
Salt is also very effective in killing bacteria and parasites in the pond. When added in proper doses, salting your pond can dramatically reduce the threat of disease affecting your fish.
Its just like with humans - we are always exposed to the common cold cells in their body, but can usually resist if their immune system is strong. Similarly, pond fish and KOI are always exposed to some degree of parasite and bacteria presence in the pond, but by keeping their immune system strong and their slime coat thick, you shouldnt have any problems.
Pond fish actively maintain a natural balance of electrolytes in their body fluids. Electrolytes such as potassium, sodium, chloride, calcium and magnesium are removed from the water by chloride cells located in the gills. These electrolytes are essential for the uptake of oxygen and release of carbon dioxide and ammonium across gill membranes.
The lack of electrolytes can cause serious health problems to the fish. Pond Salt is an all natural salt, providing the essential electrolytes fish need to survive. Pond Salt is not just a table salt sodium chloride . It is made from evaporated sea water. Evaporated sea water contains the necessary electrolytes pond fish need.
How Pond Salt helps Improve Gill Function to Reduce Stress....
During periods of disease and stress, healthy gill function is disturbed. This can lead to the loss of electrolytes through the gills, sometimes called osmotic shock. Osmotic shock interrupts healthy gill function by reducing the intake of oxygen and the release of carbon dioxide and ammonium from the fish. Pond Salt reduces the risk of osmotic shock by supplying natural electrolytes through the chloride cells in the gills.
Nitrite Toxicity
Overcrowding and overfeeding can lead to elevated nitrite levels especially in newly set-up ponds. The nitrite ion NO 2 enters the gills and prevents the blood from carrying oxygen resulting in nitrite toxicity or "methemoglobinemia". Pond Salt will temporarily block the toxic effect of nitrite.
All natural Pond Salt is safe and non-toxic to all pond fish when used as directed. Pond Salt can be used safely with Pond Care water conditioners, filtration materials and fish foods.
Directions for Use:
1. When used as a general tonic for fish, and as a stress reducer, add 2 -1/2 cups full 728g of Pond Salt for each 100 gallons 378 L of pond water. Sprinkle salt evenly around the perimeter of the pond. Avoid any contact between salt crystals and pond plants. If this is not feasible, pre-dissolve salt first.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Once added to a pond, salt does not evaporate and is not filtered out. Pond Salt should only be added as directed; with each water change, or when fish have been treated with medications.
2. When used to reduce stress in separate treatment tanks or during fish transportation, use 4 tablespoons full 95.2g of Pond Salt for each 10 gallons 37.8L of water.
For the health of your pond and environment, it is important that you test pond water regularly. We recommend Aquarium Pharmaceuticals Dry-Tab Master Test Kit for Ponds to test for pH, ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate.
For more information about Pond Salt, click here:
http://www.macarthurwatergardens.com/Additives/pondcare_pondsalt.html
About The Author
Brett Fogle is the owner of MacArthur Water Gardens and several pond-related websites including macarthurwatergardens.com and pond-filters-online.com. He also publishes a free monthly newsletter called PondStuff! with a reader circulation of over 9,000 pond owners. To sign up for the free newsletter and receive a complimentary New Pond Owners Guide for joining, just visit MacArthur Water Gardens at www.macarthurwatergardens.com.