I just got done posting on the i Village pond forum and I want to pull my hair out. There is some individual that has cloudy water and can't figure out what to do. Apparently quilt batting is a popular filter media with some ponders.
Really!?!
That just doesn't sound good to me. Why put that stuff in your pond? There have been millions spent on research and development by the industry and no one sells quilt batting for ponds. There is a reason for this.
Top that with the fact that this individual admitted they had large amounts of leaves in their pond and I really want to scream. If you post enough times and leave out important facts, someone will give you a lame idea that might blindly work.
Talk about treating a gaping wound with a band-aid when you need a tourniquet. If the answer is right in front of your face... well that is probably the answer.
Always check the most obvious culprit before you start digging. If your pump isn't working, check it is plugged in, than if the outlet works. Trust me, I've learned that one the hard way a few times.
Live by the KISS method, Keep It Simple, Stupid!
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Rehabing Ponds
Many companies are not willing to rehab an existing pond, I on the other hand kind of enjoy it. To be able to take a broken down water feature and make it like new, and usually better, just feels right. I'm working on one that was starting to fall in on itself, a very common problem. As well as an over grown landscape surrounding the pond.
As you can see the edges were falling in as well as some badly laid flagstone. The water fall was virtually destroyed and there was no true filtration system. There was some archaic out of pond box, but it looked like it had not been cleaned for multiple years.
What I have done so far is to pull every piece of flagstone, recut the edges, and relay all the edge and path/patio flagstone. Along with retro-fitting a compact Savio skimmer and installing a new stream and fountain, things are beginning to look much better.
What was a sloping rough flagstone area is now a multi-level tight laid flagstone patio with plants and boulders positioned within the flag. It has gone over so well the job has almost doubled in size since we started. I will have updated photos as soon as I finish up.
There are so many different "don'ts" in this original pond that I'm not sure where to start. Overall it is just a good example of having a specialist put in your waterfeature. There are plenty of landscapers that can install a pond, but wouldn't you rather have an educated pro install it? Just like a lot of plumbers could do your electric, but wouldn't you rather have an electrician do the work in your house.
As you can see the edges were falling in as well as some badly laid flagstone. The water fall was virtually destroyed and there was no true filtration system. There was some archaic out of pond box, but it looked like it had not been cleaned for multiple years.
What I have done so far is to pull every piece of flagstone, recut the edges, and relay all the edge and path/patio flagstone. Along with retro-fitting a compact Savio skimmer and installing a new stream and fountain, things are beginning to look much better.
What was a sloping rough flagstone area is now a multi-level tight laid flagstone patio with plants and boulders positioned within the flag. It has gone over so well the job has almost doubled in size since we started. I will have updated photos as soon as I finish up.
There are so many different "don'ts" in this original pond that I'm not sure where to start. Overall it is just a good example of having a specialist put in your waterfeature. There are plenty of landscapers that can install a pond, but wouldn't you rather have an educated pro install it? Just like a lot of plumbers could do your electric, but wouldn't you rather have an electrician do the work in your house.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Algae Control... Oxymoron?
No, algae control is not an oxymoron like 'military intelligence' or 'deafening silence'. Can it be very elusive... yes! I wish there was a one size fits all answer, but maybe the answer is just that. Each pond has a specific eco system that does not translate across the country or across the lawn from your neighbor's landscape. Plant types, fish amount, natural water pH, and so many other factors make the best blanket answer, just that, there is no one size fits all answer.
Each pond has it's own signature that must be discovered. One treatment may answer your friend's pond, but it won't necessarily answer yours. Don't get frustrated too quickly, there are so many possibilities you can figure something out that works for you.
An Ultra Violet Light is probably the closest thing to a magic bullet when properly fitted, but it does nothing about string algae. Certain algae-cides are great, but they can harm fish especially on warm days, and often times they either feed the next generation of algae or need a second type of treatment to break down the dead algae.
My experience has been that a combination of Aqua-One and barley extract/pellets is the best answer for the most people. A1 is a natural treatment that kills algae and also breaks down the dead algae, and I have found that extract/pellets work better than bales of barley since they don't have to decompose first. Ultra Violet lights are great also, but they must be properly fitted according to flow and wattage, as well as doing nothing for string algae, which you need barley for anyway. Also - if you have a UV, turn it off for 24 hours after treatment with natural treatments or else you are killing your beneficial bacteria.
With all of this being said, plants and a healthy balance are the only true answer. The above mentioned treatments are just that, a treatment or a band-aid. If you want a healthy pond you don't have to continually treat, get plants, plants, and more plants!
Each pond has it's own signature that must be discovered. One treatment may answer your friend's pond, but it won't necessarily answer yours. Don't get frustrated too quickly, there are so many possibilities you can figure something out that works for you.
An Ultra Violet Light is probably the closest thing to a magic bullet when properly fitted, but it does nothing about string algae. Certain algae-cides are great, but they can harm fish especially on warm days, and often times they either feed the next generation of algae or need a second type of treatment to break down the dead algae.
My experience has been that a combination of Aqua-One and barley extract/pellets is the best answer for the most people. A1 is a natural treatment that kills algae and also breaks down the dead algae, and I have found that extract/pellets work better than bales of barley since they don't have to decompose first. Ultra Violet lights are great also, but they must be properly fitted according to flow and wattage, as well as doing nothing for string algae, which you need barley for anyway. Also - if you have a UV, turn it off for 24 hours after treatment with natural treatments or else you are killing your beneficial bacteria.
With all of this being said, plants and a healthy balance are the only true answer. The above mentioned treatments are just that, a treatment or a band-aid. If you want a healthy pond you don't have to continually treat, get plants, plants, and more plants!
Friday, May 1, 2009
Most Common Maintenance Issues
1. Too Many Koi!
I love Koi as much as the next ponder, but they are not to be kept like goldfish. I've stated it before, but it bears repeating. 1 goldfish per 10 gallons, one 1' Koi per hundred gallons, and one 2' Koi per thousand gallons on a standard water garden. Now if you have a true Koi pond we are talking a whole other ball game, otherwise, you're going to have algae and health issues.
2. Over feeding you fish.
You actually don't have to feed your fish at all. Now they become more friendly when you do regularly, but don't go crazy with it. If there is any left over after they are done eating you are now feeding algae, not your fish.
3. Not enough plants.
Plants can be the entire filtration system on their own. Really. If you don't have plants competing for the nutrients and shading out the algae you are going to need treatments. Rule of thumb - Treatments are the band-aid, plants are the cure.
4. Rock bottom ponds.
Now this is not true in all cases, I'm speaking of my experience. There are some of the very best installers in the country that argue this fact to no end. My experience is that unless you love getting in your pond, or have more filtration than the average water garden, you will hate the rock on the bottom of your pond. It all turns green eventually anyway, why pay for pretty rock that you will never see again.
5. Cyclical mistakes.
Often to do with algae. "I had green water, than I drain it, than it turns green again!" Yeah, that is what it does. You didn't solve your algae problem, you just started the cycle over again. - or - "I love clean rocks so I power wash my pond" Same idea as above. If you remove all the beneficial organisms, which most live in the patina / carpet algae, you just restarted your biological system. Also, you get too aggressive with that power washer, you can put a hole in your liner.
6. Salt usage.
"My neighbor uses salt and they don't have the same issue as I do." They may not have the algae issues, but they don't have the same plants as you do. Over 1% and you start to burn floaters, over that and you start to kill most water plants. If you have a 'pond guy' that uses salt make sure its under 1%. Chances are he's listened to a Koi enthusiast and they mentioned salt, which is great for Koi. They often don't have water plants. And ... less salt comes out then you think on water changes, if you don't have a salt test, be very careful even if you are dosing lightly.
7. Un-potted plants.
Water gardens are not Natural!!! Unless you have a natural pond without any type of liner, unpotted plants will become a manintenance nightmare. Lillies and lotus need to be fertilized and divided regularly, it is MUCH easier to do this when they are potted. Cattail and many marginals can be very invasive and damage your opnd in the long run if they jump the pot or don't have one at all.
I love Koi as much as the next ponder, but they are not to be kept like goldfish. I've stated it before, but it bears repeating. 1 goldfish per 10 gallons, one 1' Koi per hundred gallons, and one 2' Koi per thousand gallons on a standard water garden. Now if you have a true Koi pond we are talking a whole other ball game, otherwise, you're going to have algae and health issues.
2. Over feeding you fish.
You actually don't have to feed your fish at all. Now they become more friendly when you do regularly, but don't go crazy with it. If there is any left over after they are done eating you are now feeding algae, not your fish.
3. Not enough plants.
Plants can be the entire filtration system on their own. Really. If you don't have plants competing for the nutrients and shading out the algae you are going to need treatments. Rule of thumb - Treatments are the band-aid, plants are the cure.
4. Rock bottom ponds.
Now this is not true in all cases, I'm speaking of my experience. There are some of the very best installers in the country that argue this fact to no end. My experience is that unless you love getting in your pond, or have more filtration than the average water garden, you will hate the rock on the bottom of your pond. It all turns green eventually anyway, why pay for pretty rock that you will never see again.
5. Cyclical mistakes.
Often to do with algae. "I had green water, than I drain it, than it turns green again!" Yeah, that is what it does. You didn't solve your algae problem, you just started the cycle over again. - or - "I love clean rocks so I power wash my pond" Same idea as above. If you remove all the beneficial organisms, which most live in the patina / carpet algae, you just restarted your biological system. Also, you get too aggressive with that power washer, you can put a hole in your liner.
6. Salt usage.
"My neighbor uses salt and they don't have the same issue as I do." They may not have the algae issues, but they don't have the same plants as you do. Over 1% and you start to burn floaters, over that and you start to kill most water plants. If you have a 'pond guy' that uses salt make sure its under 1%. Chances are he's listened to a Koi enthusiast and they mentioned salt, which is great for Koi. They often don't have water plants. And ... less salt comes out then you think on water changes, if you don't have a salt test, be very careful even if you are dosing lightly.
7. Un-potted plants.
Water gardens are not Natural!!! Unless you have a natural pond without any type of liner, unpotted plants will become a manintenance nightmare. Lillies and lotus need to be fertilized and divided regularly, it is MUCH easier to do this when they are potted. Cattail and many marginals can be very invasive and damage your opnd in the long run if they jump the pot or don't have one at all.
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