If you think your garden pond has water quality problems, there are two things to consider. The clarity and the ability to support aquatic life. Clarity isn’t a big issue for aquatic life to live but it does limit your ability to see goldfish and koi. As a pond owner, you should address both of these issues.
While you can keep koi and goldfish in ponds that don’t have filtration, you will have limitations like the number of fish you can have. The more fish you have will increase the ammonia produced. The organic compounds from plant matter, soil, and fish feces will also add to your water becoming toxic.
Waste Removal
There are two methods of pond water waste filtration: biological and mechanical. Small pond cleaning or a large pond cleaning is a must and the methods that can be used have their pros and cons.
Mechanical Pond Water Filtration
This type of filtration will remove solids in the water by trapping the debris in a sponge-like material, mat, or brush. These types of filters can be very effective, but they require cleaning more often as a way to remove debris.
Biological Pond Water Filtration
Biological filters like the country pond filter nutrient reduction system is a great way of removing toxins from the water. It breaking down the ammonia into nitrates and nitrites. This can be done by using naturally occurring bacteria. Inside this biological filter is a place where there will be a material that the bacteria can be exposed to large quantities of oxygen and food.
Water Changes
Nitrates are food for plants, and algae if there aren’t any plants. If you are looking to keep goldfish or koi in your pond and you don’t have any plants, you will need to perform partial water changes as a way to remove the nitrates and other compounds from the water. If you have several aquatic plants, those water changes won’t be necessary.
Ultra Violet Water Sterilization
At different times the balance of biological filters, plants, or fish could end up in green water because of single-cell algae. The best method to get clear water is to use a UV sterilizer. You don’t have to us a UV sterilizer if you don’t use the right type of biological filtration. The reason for this is because the filter can’t break down the dead algae.
Balancing pH In Your Pond
To keep your fish and plant life healthy you need to control the algae. The pH balance of your pond should be monitored. This can be done with a pH testing kit. The pH needs to be between 6.8 – 8.0 and the ideal being 7.0 – 7.8. If the pH is above 8.4 and below 6.6 then it is best to not try and adjust it.
If you want your pond to be healthy for fish and plants, then there are supplies that you need to give your pond maintenance the kickstart it needs and to keep it healthy all season.
Questions About Your Pond Water Quality? Get Answers Now.
Eco Pond Solutions offers expert Rochester, NY pond maintenance and repair services for ponds, water features, and fountains across Upstate New York, including the Finger Lakes, Syracuse, Buffalo, Cortland, Ithaca, and the Southern Tier. For expert answers to all your pond maintenance & pond health questions, give us a call or contact us. We can help.
