The Fight Against Pond Algae (Part 2: The Solution) - Filtration101

Welcome back and sorry for the wait. We last discussed Pond Algae, and why it's a problem as far as ponds go. Well, how do you go about getting rid of this pond scum?

You can ask yourself one thing for starters:

"How is my pond filtration system?"

Can you consider your pond filter great, the best, decent, okay? If you don't know how good or bad your pond filter is, or don't have a pond filter (I highly doubt this), then you might have found one of the culprits to your green pond problem.

Filtration is a key element in keeping a pond clean. The quality of the filter will reflect the water quality of your pond.

Keep in mind two things with your pond filter:
A. The Filter Size
B. Turnover Rate

Now, to figure out the size filter you need for your pond, you have to do some calculations. You can calculate by pond volume, or surface area.
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To calculate total pond value, you must find the area and then multiply the area by 7.5 to get the gallons. This can be tricky because of different pond shapes.

Rectangle/square: length x width x depth x 7.5

Oval: Measure from center to most farthest edge, then center to the closest edge. Multiply the two values together, and then multiply the total by 3.14 (pie). Once you get the area, multiply that by 7.5

Circle: Measure the radius (length in feet from center of edge), and then multiply the radius by itself, and then by 3.14. Multiply the result by 7.5

Abstract, Oddball Shapes, and Oblong: Break abstract and irregular shapes into simpler units, and then calculate the area of each and multiply the total by 7.5. Or, multiply the maximum length by the maximum width, and multiply it by 7.5.

*For oblong, break the pond into a square and two half circles. Calculate the area of the square, and then make the two half circles one and find its area. Add the two results together, and times it by 7.5.

You can also figure out the surface area of a pond, use the same formulas to find the area of the pond. Since it is recommended to get a filter 1/3 the size of the total surface area, divide your areas by 9. So, for example, a rectangle formula would be:

length x width ÷ 9
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Now, we have turnover rate. But, what is turnover rate? Well, turnover rate is the rate at which your total pond volume is circulated through your pond filter system. If you have a bio filter, this is very important.....

"A who-sa what filter?"

If you scratching your head at the type of pond filters that are out that, then here is a small breakdown.

1. Bio-pond filters (uses bacteria to breakdown waste)
2. Mechanical pond filters (uses filtering mechanism to trap particles for later disposal)
3. Pressurized pond filters (force going into filter and out of filter are equal)

Some filtration systems combine both bio and mechanical elements to make a "super filter". Check your nearest pond dealer, or online store to see what is out there.

Our next blog continues the fight against dreaded pond algae. There are other ways to keep the pond clean. Some of these pond algae killers are ones you might already have in your pond and not even know it. What are they? Tune in next time to find out.

The Fight against Pond Algae (Part 1: The Problem)

There are over 5,500 species of green algae that can manifest itself in fresh pond water (well, water in general that is subjected to the outdoors). Spring and summer time is the worst season for green algae, because it gives algae everything it needs to harvest at a fast rate.

Why is that? Well, because a plant needs three basic ingredients to grow: sunlight, nutrients, and oxygen. During spring and summer, it gets all of these to its roots desire. Algae can come in single-celled or multi-celled forms. Single-celled algae (phytoplankton) is 15 microns. Multi-celled Algae can grow up to 5 feet and form blanket weed. Blanket weed can grow up to a foot a day under nice sunny conditions.

Some of your experienced pond contractors will refer to this spring time problem as "New Pond Syndrome". What this means is that when spring comes and your pond is up and running (with filtration working), you will get green water. In the winter, a lot of people will shut off their filters because of the weather conditions. When spring comes, the filters are running full speed. But, since the winter produces fish waste and pond scum, the pond filter has to play catch-up.

The problem with algae is that it produces oxygen during the daytime, but feeds on oxygen at night. So, when night time comes, your fish are losing their oxygen supply. Also, the fact that a pond looks disgusting with green water (see picture above), and you can't see the fish!

There are solutions to the problem. Keeping a pond's water balanced and free of unwanted algae takes a lot of work, but the end result is a clean and beautiful looking pond. If you came this far to put in a pond, get fish, and put in a fultration system, pond maintenance should be your last (and longest lasting) priority. Our next blog will discuss solutions to the green pond monster.

Garden Islands: Great Home for Plants and Ponds

A Garden Island is a good way to define an area in your yard. Let’s say you have an undeveloped area in your yard and want to create a garden island there, you simply put markers three or four feet away from the adjacent planting in that area. Now, you use a hose to make a design pattern. The design should be free handed and look pleasing to the eye, keep it free flowing. Use the other plantings that border the garden island you’re creating, to give you a lay-out pattern.

Your design will flow parallel and evenly spaced to the adjacent plantings in that area. If your yard is undeveloped, a good place to start is the center of the yard. Now create a pattern you like and a size you can handle. Later you can create other garden islands off the first one and keep on going, forming a puzzle or paisley effect, creating walkways between all the garden islands. Later you can view pictures of Garden Islands, on my web site, but for now let’s talk about construction.

Garden Island construction: you want to define your garden island with a bordering material. There are many items you can choose from, such as rocks, boulders, edging materials, bricks, patio blocks, pavers, cut railroad ties, cut landscape ties, and my favorite, retaining wall blocks (RWB). We will use RWB for our project. RWB can be stacked, shaped, graded or just follow the lay of the land, easily creating the desired look you want. We will do a free form, two blocks high following the lay of the land. Pick your location; use your garden hose to create the design you want.

If there is grass, remove all the grass in your design and rake the area smooth. This will give you a good base to start laying your RWB. Now start laying down blocks next to each other, keeping all the blocks at the same height, nice and smooth. When the first row is finished, start your second row. The last block of the second row will have to be cut, because as you add rows, the perimeter will get smaller (a cone effect). Simply measure what size block you need to fill the gap, and score it with a stone chisel by hammering the block, creating a groove around the block until it separates. Now insert the cut block, and then check your perimeter for eye appeal, making sure all the blocks are the same height, nice and smooth. We are now ready to add soil and amendments to you raised Garden Island.

Adding Amendments: The soil, whether a clay or sandy loam, should have peat moss, bone meal and a good plant fertilizer, such as Planttone added. The amount varies on the condition of the soil. The best solution is to read the manufacturers directions. Now we are ready to plant.

Plantings: A good rule of thumb is to plant in groups of three. I would take one deciduous three like a Japanese maple, and two different types of juniper topiaries. This should be the base of your island. The rest of the plantings can be ground cover, perennials and annuals for color. Now let’s address accessories.

Accessories: There are many accessories to choose from and that is up to the individual’s taste. It could be a bird bath or Large to medium size rocks placed strategically in the landscape, maybe a statue or ornament, like a gazing ball. The choices are endless and fun, it’s like the cherry on the Sunday. Next time we will talk about water features in the Garden Islands.

The Fish Factor: Goldfish

A pond is not complete without fish to occupy it. Whether it's a pond built by man or Mother Nature, most ponds contain fish. Choosing what kind of fish you put in your pond depends on how much you want to spend, the size of the pond, and your personal preferences. Let's look at pricing first. Pricing can range from a few dollars to thousands of dollars, and that can be for just one fish! Let's have a small breakdown on the type of fish you can get for your pond.

There are many types of fish you can put in a pond. Let's first start with goldfish. Goldfish are considered fresh water fish, which means you don't need salt in your pond for them to survive. Now, there are several types of goldfish, with prices that might range. Let's look at a few different types of goldfish:

Comets

You have large red and white comets, which might cost around $10.00. They are around 4" in size. There are also Shubunkin Pond Comets, which can cost around $10.00 and range from 3.5" to 4". Comets are the least expensive fish for ponds, and won't damage your plants. They grow about double their original size (around 6" to 8"). They can be mixed with your koi fish, but there are other fish you can put in their as well. We have catfish and koi in our pond.

Fantails

Fantails are the least aggressive of pond fish, and are considered delicate. This is a good pond fish for beginners, being that they can survive in extremely cold climates. These fish can cost around a few bucks, since they are smaller in size compared to comets. These fish are around 2.5" to 3", and grow no longer than 6".

Black Moors

Black moors, like fantails, are considered pond fish for beginners because of their survival in extremely cold climates. This makes it safe to keep them in an outdoor pond.
Prices can range from $10.00 to $20.00 depending on the size you buy it at. They range from 2" to 4". They won't grow more than 4" though.

Orandas

These fish are very delicate and have a hood that can be subjected to infection from bacteria or fungi that settles within. They are not recommended for beginners, and pricing can range from $5.00 (1.5" to 3"), to $30.00 (4" to 6").

If you have a small sized pond, between 30 to 150 gallons, then goldfish are a safe way to go. If you have a medium (150 to 500 gallons) or large pond (500 to 1,000+ gallons), you might prefer going with koi fish. We'll cover that soon. Our next blog will discuss garden islands. A garden island can do wonders for appearance with your pond. We'll get more in-depth with it next time.

What a pond wants, what a pond needs!

Ponds require a lot of maintenance, and some knowledge. What do you need to maintain your pond? Well, here is a list of things required for keeping your pond clean, clear, and your fish alive:

1. Pond Test Kits - The water in your pond is an essential factor in how your fish will live. If you neglect your duties at pond sanitation, your fish will pay the price. Pond test kits test ph(measuring the acidity of a solution), salt, dissolved oxygen, ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates. In the beginning, you might have to check these levels frequently (at least once a month). Over time you might not need to do it monthly, but it's still a good habit to do pond water testing.

2. Quarantine Tank - There are arguments on whether this is necessary. Well, if you sent a diseased fish (even if it's an expensive diseased fish) into a small environment with other fish, wouldn't they get sick? I'm sure they would. One diseased fish can wipe out your entire pond population.

3. Filter- A good, high-quality filter goes a long way in keeping water free of harmful chemicals (Nitrite, Nitrate, Ammonia), and gets the green out of your water. You might also need to consider other products to get rid of harmful chemicals, sludge, and algee that will surface in your pond.

4. UV lights - There are many great uv lighting systems for ponds out now. Do a google search (example: Pond UV Lights), and you'll find some good systems. What UV lights do is clump green algae together, so they are large enough to be picked up by filters. This is a great thing to have in any pond, and will help keep your water clean.

5. Aeration - This can be in the form of a waterfall or fountain. Some companies use windmills and more complex systems for bigger ponds. Fish need oxygen, and this will help keep the pond from freezing during the winter time.

6. Skimmer - This cleans out debris (leaves, twigs, etc) that might enter the pond (especially if you live in the country side, where trees are plentiful).

7. Net - This will protect the pond from falling leaves and twigs, but will give predators (raccoons, cats) a run for their money and protect your fish. There are other technologies that help protect fish from predators and winter season. Do some research on new pond and garden technologies.

8. High-Quality Food - Pretty self-explanatory, but make sure the food is specialized for your type of fish (goldfish, koi).

9. Research - Confused about how to install this liner? Can't figure out how to put so & so's filter together? Do some research. There are many internet and companies who specialize in every type of product available for ponds, so do some research and ask.

I hope this has helped. Expect more blogs on various topics concerning fish, gardening, and ponds. Maybe even a frog article, until next time.