Keeping the Balance of Nature: Pond Water Maintenance

You might be tempted to let Mother Nature, tend to your backyard pond, and who could blame you? After all, she does a pretty good job of taking care of really big ponds, so why would your backyard ecosystem pose much of a challenge to her?

Unfortunately, the fact is your backyard pond is only going to get some cursory attention from Mom; the rest of the work is going to be left up to you.

In the "real world" chlorinated water doesn't find its way into ponds very often. "Big" pond water passes through a great many natural filtration and oxygenation systems, and the various fish and flora work together to keep the pond clean and fresh. Our backyard ponds don't have quite that much help, so here's where you need to step in:

If you are going to keep fish then you absolutely must remove all traces of chlorine from your pond before your favorite Koi set up housekeeping. Pond fish cannot live in chlorinated water so don't even try. There are many products available to remove chlorine quickly, or you can opt for the old-fashioned, natural way if you have the time to spend.

If you opt for 'a la natural' then expect to wait about 8 to 10 days for the chlorine to dissipate. You will need to make sure that your pump and filter are running and that you have set up an aerating method such as a waterfall or "splasher" to bring oxygen into the water. Make sure that the pond is exposed to plenty of sunlight (the natural enemy of chlorine), and use a chlorine testing kit to check the water daily.

Me? I just drop some de-chlorinating product into the pond and check back the next day.

Even if chlorine is totally removed, you still have nitrite and ammonia to worry about. These two toxic buddies are byproducts of fish waste and can wreak havoc with your Koi's health. After a while Mother Nature will kick in some help by allowing beneficial bacteria colonies to develop that enjoy eating nitrite and ammonia for breakfast, lunch and dinner. They won't be present in new ponds, however, unless you buy some bacteria starter kits to kick start the process.

Your garden pond could become overtaxed, ecologically, if you add too many fish too quickly. Start out adding no more than two per week so that the newly introduced bacteria do not get overwhelmed by the waste that will be produced.

Just when you think you've got it all under control that ugly thing called "pH" raises its head. Testing for pH levels is also very important since neither plants nor fish will survive very long if the pond's pH is out of whack. Your pH test kit should show a reading of between 6.8 and 7.4. You can add the proper chemicals to raise or lower if as neccessary.

Speaking of test kits, get one that will allow you to test the pond's salt levels as well. Unless you're raising baby Sea bass, too much salt is not a good thing.

After your pond is fully established, Mother Nature will lend a bigger hand and you can settle into a routine of testing every three of four weeks unless something serious, such as flooding, has occurred in between.

Brett Fogle is the owner of MacArthur Water Gardens and several
other 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. To sign up for the free newsletter and receive our FREE 'New Pond Owners Guide' visit MacArthur Water Gardens today!

---

How To Prevent Damping Off

Damping off is the single term used to describe underground,... Read More

Wind Chimes Go Great With Gardening

What could be more relaxing than gardening on a nice... Read More

A Little Known Secret to Successful Outdoor Gardening

Pruning...Outdoor gardening is so much easier when you know how.... Read More

A Kids Tree

During my youth kids were required to pass through a... Read More

Natural Garden Pest Control

No dig gardens essentially strive to be their own ecosystem.... Read More

Laying Out Your New Landscape

When planning your new landscape, the first place to start... Read More

Daphnes for Scent and Colour

Anyone with even a passing knowledge of plants knows that... Read More

Fertilizing Your Water Lilies...

Unfortunately, sunlight is not enough.Your water lilies will grow, thrive,... Read More

Spice up Your Garden with Rare Flowering Bulbs

Any experienced gardener knows the secret to a beautiful garden... Read More

Care of Dendrobium Orchids

DendrobiumsThis month I am focusing our attention to the care... Read More

Balcony, Patio, and Courtyard Gardening

People choose balcony, patio, and courtyard gardening for many different... Read More

Teak Outdoor Furniture - Where Function Meets Beauty

The wonderful thing about choosing teak outdoor furniture is that... Read More

Using Bulbs in Your Landscaping

Naturalized bulbs look beautiful in a wooded setting. You can... Read More

Choosing the Right Roses for your Garden

There are literally hundreds of types of roses that you... Read More

A Look at Fall Flower Bulbs

Most people would think of fall as a season when... Read More

It?s Gardening Season!

It's gardening season again! Are you ready? Whether you are... Read More

Teak Umbrella : Add the Final Touch to Your Patio

Okay, so you have agonized for weeks and finally went... Read More

Garden Benches - What They Are

Putting in a flower garden or any garden for that... Read More

Adirondack Chairs - The Proper Way to Care for Them

The Adirondack chair is unlike any other chair every made.... Read More

Keeping the Balance of Nature: Pond Water Maintenance

You might be tempted to let Mother Nature, tend to... Read More

Plant Hardiness Zones

When selecting plants for the landscape, is important to select... Read More

Tips for Choosing a Chiminea for Your Backyard or Patio

Imagine that you want to stay warm in your backyard... Read More

All About Hybrid Tea Roses

Hybrid tea roses and the original tea rose are the... Read More

Seeds and More Seeds...What Your Garden Needs

Seeds are the most important ingredient in all gardening. Without... Read More

Teak Adirondack Chairs

Outdoor furniture constructed with teak wood is a favorite among... Read More

Growing Orchids as House Plants

One of the long standing myths that I still hear... Read More

Black Walnut Trees Produce A Natural Insecticide

The black walnut tree manufactures a substance that is a... Read More

How to Grow Strawberries

In addition to the traditional strawberry patch, there are as... Read More

Pond Filter

A pond filter is one of the most important components... Read More

Landscaping Tips

When you want to create a beautiful and functional landscape,... Read More

Choosing the Perfect Landscape Painting

Landscape paintings are a beautiful way to spruce up the... Read More

Garden for Birds #4

I would like to know...WHO STOLE SUMMER???What did you do... Read More

Decorative Garden Accents

Think of your garden like you would a room in... Read More