It has came to my attention that some pond maintenance people are being rather liberal in their use of salt. Now before I go into a rant, every situation is different and each pond has different needs, but chances are you don't want to use salt in your pond. If you have a 'Koi Pond' or 'Reflecting Pool' than go a head, but if you have a water garden you don't want salt! Let me be more specific, if you have ANY plants in your pond do not use salt. These companies have listened to their 'koi guy' and assumed that one situation fits all. Koi like a little salt in their water, it is a great treatment for their health and to protect their slime coat. Most basic parasites can be taken care of with a salt dip. But if you have any plants, over 1% salt can begin to damage floating plants and much more will damage or kill most pond plants.
Here's another circumstance that you need to keep in mind. If you have your pond set at 1% salt and do a water change, you still have nearly 1% salt. If your water evaporates, the salt does not. Make sure to check your salt level before adding more, because chances are you mainly have the percent before the water change or loss. If you have any plants and you have maintenance done with salt they are probably going to put too much in. If you have salt before the change, and they add more you probably have way too much.
Once again, if you have a koi pond or other non-plant pond, go ahead with in reason. Even without plants you don't want over 3-4% unless you have spoken with a koi specialist. We have treated sick fish with 7%, but they get really slow and they can die with prolonged exposure or any greater percent. Now I do not claim to be an expert with koi, so make sure to talk to an expert before doing anything with salt treatments. But make sure to remember that if you do much over 1% salt, you're going to really damage some plants. Just something to ponder.
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Saturday, April 14, 2007
Spring Plant Care
Re-potting and overall care of your water plants is very important to pond health and ease of maintenance. If you don't at least take a look at your lilies, marginals, and/or lotus you will kick yourself down the road.
Not dividing your lilies drastically changes their appearance and health. Lilies can very quickly jump their pot and grow into the other strata of your pond. Trust me, as someone who does maintenance, you don't want to mess with this. Especially if you rocked the bottom of your pond. Not dividing will also change the appearance of your lilies. As they crowd the pot, and each other, the leaves will stand out of the water and the plant will not bloom nearly as often or as well.
Lotus are a less common water plant, but are so stunning they should be in every water garden. There are multiple sizes of this plant, so even with a small pond, you can find a complimentary lotus. Propagation of lotus can be difficult due to very delicate growth tips. You must find the 'knuckles' behind the tubers and cut behind that narrowing point, than replant and cover the tuber. It doesn't sound that difficult, but care must be taken.
Marginals are usually much easier to re-pot than the other water plants, but many of them are aggressive and just as important to care for. Unless you are going to keep a yearly eye on certain marginals, I would suggest not even putting them in your pond. Make sure to check how aggressive or invasive certain plants are if they are planted directly into your pond or if you will not be cutting them back at least once a year. There are so many different plants that can be called marginal I won't go into specifics, but most can simply be divided and re-potted. The one point I will focus on is if these marginals are exceptionally good filter plants, consider potting them in a mesh pot with pea gravel alone. If a great filter plant, such as pickerel or thalia, is planted directly into pea gravel the roots have even more contact with water and filter that much better. As I said before, make sure the plants you use are not too aggressive if you aren't going to tend to them during the year.
Make sure to talk to a local specialist or contact us for more in depth information about plant maintenance. Also consider fertilization, especially with lotus and lilies, due the their heavy feeding habits. Good luck with your spring ponding.
Not dividing your lilies drastically changes their appearance and health. Lilies can very quickly jump their pot and grow into the other strata of your pond. Trust me, as someone who does maintenance, you don't want to mess with this. Especially if you rocked the bottom of your pond. Not dividing will also change the appearance of your lilies. As they crowd the pot, and each other, the leaves will stand out of the water and the plant will not bloom nearly as often or as well.
Lotus are a less common water plant, but are so stunning they should be in every water garden. There are multiple sizes of this plant, so even with a small pond, you can find a complimentary lotus. Propagation of lotus can be difficult due to very delicate growth tips. You must find the 'knuckles' behind the tubers and cut behind that narrowing point, than replant and cover the tuber. It doesn't sound that difficult, but care must be taken.
Marginals are usually much easier to re-pot than the other water plants, but many of them are aggressive and just as important to care for. Unless you are going to keep a yearly eye on certain marginals, I would suggest not even putting them in your pond. Make sure to check how aggressive or invasive certain plants are if they are planted directly into your pond or if you will not be cutting them back at least once a year. There are so many different plants that can be called marginal I won't go into specifics, but most can simply be divided and re-potted. The one point I will focus on is if these marginals are exceptionally good filter plants, consider potting them in a mesh pot with pea gravel alone. If a great filter plant, such as pickerel or thalia, is planted directly into pea gravel the roots have even more contact with water and filter that much better. As I said before, make sure the plants you use are not too aggressive if you aren't going to tend to them during the year.
Make sure to talk to a local specialist or contact us for more in depth information about plant maintenance. Also consider fertilization, especially with lotus and lilies, due the their heavy feeding habits. Good luck with your spring ponding.
Monday, April 2, 2007
Maintenance
After a long day of pond cleaning, I thought I would make a few comments while its still fresh in my mind.
First, unless you really, really want to, don't put rock in the bottom of your pond. It really is a maintenance nightmare. Some say that this rock will act as your biological filter, unless you have a lot of gph moving through your pond it won't. Everything that dies or floats to the bottom of your pond will turn to unhealthy anaerobic material. Than you have to take all that rock out to really clean your pond. Secondly, all that pretty rock you just paid for, is covered in algae and looks the same as the liner you covered.
Second, keep ALL plants in a pot. Just like the liner, that pot will be covered in algae and blend in soon enough. I just spent two hours pulling iris and cat tails out of sulfur smelling muck. If it had been potted, it would have taken ten minutes. Lilies and marginals can jump pots, but a knife and repotting can take care of that in a few minutes per plant.
Third, don't put out you hyacinth and other tropicals yet. I'm in the midwest with a week of freezing nights in the forcast, even though it was almost 80 today. Don't be fooled by the warm weather early, you'll have to buy your plants twice. And as far as tropical lilies, make sure the water is conistently around 70 degrees, it won't do much of anything until the water temperature raises.
Of course all of these suggestions are regionally based, and there are different points of view, especially with rocked ponds. Each region and individual pond has its own ecosystems, ask around and see what works best for ponders around you. I do quite a few maintenance jobs a season, so I have first hand experience with these things, and I would gladly clean three un-rocked and only pottend ponds than one rocked pond with unpotted plants. Something to think about.
First, unless you really, really want to, don't put rock in the bottom of your pond. It really is a maintenance nightmare. Some say that this rock will act as your biological filter, unless you have a lot of gph moving through your pond it won't. Everything that dies or floats to the bottom of your pond will turn to unhealthy anaerobic material. Than you have to take all that rock out to really clean your pond. Secondly, all that pretty rock you just paid for, is covered in algae and looks the same as the liner you covered.
Second, keep ALL plants in a pot. Just like the liner, that pot will be covered in algae and blend in soon enough. I just spent two hours pulling iris and cat tails out of sulfur smelling muck. If it had been potted, it would have taken ten minutes. Lilies and marginals can jump pots, but a knife and repotting can take care of that in a few minutes per plant.
Third, don't put out you hyacinth and other tropicals yet. I'm in the midwest with a week of freezing nights in the forcast, even though it was almost 80 today. Don't be fooled by the warm weather early, you'll have to buy your plants twice. And as far as tropical lilies, make sure the water is conistently around 70 degrees, it won't do much of anything until the water temperature raises.
Of course all of these suggestions are regionally based, and there are different points of view, especially with rocked ponds. Each region and individual pond has its own ecosystems, ask around and see what works best for ponders around you. I do quite a few maintenance jobs a season, so I have first hand experience with these things, and I would gladly clean three un-rocked and only pottend ponds than one rocked pond with unpotted plants. Something to think about.
Sunday, March 11, 2007
Spring Clean Up?
Looking outside its hard to believe that there were 5 to 7 foot drifts of snow last week. From blizzard to 6o something in a week, thats midwest weather for you. As far as water gardens are considered, these warm streaks make you want to get in and do some work. While most people do a thorough cleaning in the Spring, think about a light cleaning in the spring and a big cleaning in the fall. Why?
This time of year your fish are coming off of a long period of not eating and near hibernation. They could be sick or simply more susceptible to disease in this weakened state. Now, if you have no fish or bring them in during the winter, you have no issues.
When ever you do a cleaning there is going to be some anaerobic bacteria and other nasty stuff that gets stirred up. This gunk has amonia and other harmful stuff for fish. Now this is always in the pond, but when it gets stirred up, combined with weak fish, there can be damage done to gills and even kill your fish.
If you do want to do a thorough cleaning this spring there are a few things you can do to limit the stress on your fish. Take your fish out before you start to clean, like I said before, when you stir that gunk up there can be bad side-effects. Fill your fish container (at least partially) with old pond water. This will limit the likelihood of shocking the fish due to temprature or water quality changes. And following that line of thought, make sure to acclimate them to the new water just as you would when you buy a new fish. It may be their home pond, but its completely new water.
This time of year your fish are coming off of a long period of not eating and near hibernation. They could be sick or simply more susceptible to disease in this weakened state. Now, if you have no fish or bring them in during the winter, you have no issues.
When ever you do a cleaning there is going to be some anaerobic bacteria and other nasty stuff that gets stirred up. This gunk has amonia and other harmful stuff for fish. Now this is always in the pond, but when it gets stirred up, combined with weak fish, there can be damage done to gills and even kill your fish.
If you do want to do a thorough cleaning this spring there are a few things you can do to limit the stress on your fish. Take your fish out before you start to clean, like I said before, when you stir that gunk up there can be bad side-effects. Fill your fish container (at least partially) with old pond water. This will limit the likelihood of shocking the fish due to temprature or water quality changes. And following that line of thought, make sure to acclimate them to the new water just as you would when you buy a new fish. It may be their home pond, but its completely new water.
Friday, March 2, 2007
Link List Added
I just added a link list that includes the best of the best in the nation. If these guys can't help you, you're probably beyond help. Hopefully I've covered a pretty good geographic area and at least on of them is close to you. If not, check the member list on the NAPP page. Well, I've got to get back to shoveling the four feet drifts in my front yard. Talk to you soon.
Monday, February 26, 2007
Other Water Features
I want to catch some of you up on other water features. If you are not in the market for a full water garden, you can still have the sight and sound of water. No matter what your budget, you can get a disappearing fountain, pond-less waterfall, or desk top fountain.
Disappearing fountains are often pieces of pottery turned into a beautiful water feature. These features can be put into any setting, inside or out. Their basin can be burried so the water seems to be 'disappearing' into the ground, or they can have beautiful tiled or wooden basins. Check out my page and look for the disappearing fountains link. We have many pictures and examples on the page. Also check out www.nelsonwatergardens.com in Houston and watersedge.com in Lawrence, Kansas, they are some of the original disappearing fountain people.
Pond-less water falls are another recently popular water feature. These pieces are beautiful additions to any backyard. They give you the beauty of a water fall, without the size requirements or maintenance of a full body of water. Be careful with these features though, there are a few things that you must know, so make sure they have done this before. Once again I could do a how section on these, but I'm just getting you started today. We also have some examples of these features on our web site, and most water garden specialists have at least some experience with them.
Finally table top and 'other' fountains are the last option we will discuss. This is probably the most competitive feature on the market, and the most options too. Anyone that has looked around a Home Depot or Lowes has seen inexpensive fountains. These are not 'quality' fountains, but if you can't drop over 75 dollars they are an option. There are many better options from many sources, just take a look around on the net or a specialized retail store. There are beautiful copper fountains and ceramic bowls with bamboo spouts. It just takes a little searching.
If you have any questions about these features just post a comment and I'll be sure to respond quickly. Or check out my website, www.pondibilities.com
Disappearing fountains are often pieces of pottery turned into a beautiful water feature. These features can be put into any setting, inside or out. Their basin can be burried so the water seems to be 'disappearing' into the ground, or they can have beautiful tiled or wooden basins. Check out my page and look for the disappearing fountains link. We have many pictures and examples on the page. Also check out www.nelsonwatergardens.com in Houston and watersedge.com in Lawrence, Kansas, they are some of the original disappearing fountain people.
Pond-less water falls are another recently popular water feature. These pieces are beautiful additions to any backyard. They give you the beauty of a water fall, without the size requirements or maintenance of a full body of water. Be careful with these features though, there are a few things that you must know, so make sure they have done this before. Once again I could do a how section on these, but I'm just getting you started today. We also have some examples of these features on our web site, and most water garden specialists have at least some experience with them.
Finally table top and 'other' fountains are the last option we will discuss. This is probably the most competitive feature on the market, and the most options too. Anyone that has looked around a Home Depot or Lowes has seen inexpensive fountains. These are not 'quality' fountains, but if you can't drop over 75 dollars they are an option. There are many better options from many sources, just take a look around on the net or a specialized retail store. There are beautiful copper fountains and ceramic bowls with bamboo spouts. It just takes a little searching.
If you have any questions about these features just post a comment and I'll be sure to respond quickly. Or check out my website, www.pondibilities.com
Sunday, February 18, 2007
If you are a veteran water gardener this will be old news to you, but if you are thinking about getting involved, or just went through your first year there is one thing you need to know. No matter what you do, there will be algae. Sorry, its just the way it is. And quite frankly, unless you have a well installed Ultra Violet light, algae will grow before your other pond plants are big enough to shade out the algae. There are a couple of things you must decide before you attack your algae problems.
1. Natural or Chemical
2. Ultra Violet Light
There are very good options when it comes to treatment and how to handle algae. You should decide if you wish to use beneficial bacteria and other biological treatments, or treat your water garden chemically. Pond biological boosters can help jump start your pond's ecological balance, but they are not necessary, nor always a great answer. Actually, taking a bucket of established pond water and/or a used filter mat can be as helpful to boosting your beneficial bacteria as anything you can buy. There are many options, such as Aqua-One and many of the Winston products, but make sure they are not heavy in phosphorus. This can actually make the ecology more conducive to algae blooms, it doesn't make sense, but its true. There are many other products and treatments, but these are two of my favorites.
Chemical treatments and other algae-cides are functional treatment options. They will get rid of algae for a certain amount of time, but they are a band-aid. This is also true for biological treatment, but even more so for chemical. Another warning, you can over treat your pond chemically and kill fish or plants, so make sure to read instructions carefully. For instance we had one client use a whole gallon of Aqua-One on a pond when they should have used closer to a quart. It really worked, but we wouldn't recommend this. If it had been a chemical treatment pretty much everything alive in the pond would have died. No matter which road you prefer, getting the right balance of fish, oxygenating plants, and surface plants is the best option to limit algae growth. Unfortunately the first year and early spring these factors are not established before the algae begins to bloom.
Ultra Violet Lights have not been very popular, in many areas, in the past, but these lights are quite simply the best answer for many green water issues. Any algae that travels through the UV light is killed, if the right wattage and flow is considered. Once again, read and follow direction carefully if these are not being installed by a professional. Unfortunately string or angel hair algae is attached to rock and is not affected, but another post will get deeper into that topic. UV lights are more expensive initially, but think about how often you re-apply your treatment. It may cost a good chunk of change to buy the fixture and pump, but its a one time cost, plus replacement bulbs every few years. In the long run, it really isn't that expensive.
All three of these treatment options have had excellent results from different individuals. Believe me, one is not always better than the other, each pond has different variables. Please don't be afraid to try something even if it didn't work for your friend's pond. I wish I could say "product X" will work every time in every situation, but I can't. If someone does, they're trying to sell, not help you. S0, I hope I have explained your options and illuminated what has worked best in my experience. I Good luck.
1. Natural or Chemical
2. Ultra Violet Light
There are very good options when it comes to treatment and how to handle algae. You should decide if you wish to use beneficial bacteria and other biological treatments, or treat your water garden chemically. Pond biological boosters can help jump start your pond's ecological balance, but they are not necessary, nor always a great answer. Actually, taking a bucket of established pond water and/or a used filter mat can be as helpful to boosting your beneficial bacteria as anything you can buy. There are many options, such as Aqua-One and many of the Winston products, but make sure they are not heavy in phosphorus. This can actually make the ecology more conducive to algae blooms, it doesn't make sense, but its true. There are many other products and treatments, but these are two of my favorites.
Chemical treatments and other algae-cides are functional treatment options. They will get rid of algae for a certain amount of time, but they are a band-aid. This is also true for biological treatment, but even more so for chemical. Another warning, you can over treat your pond chemically and kill fish or plants, so make sure to read instructions carefully. For instance we had one client use a whole gallon of Aqua-One on a pond when they should have used closer to a quart. It really worked, but we wouldn't recommend this. If it had been a chemical treatment pretty much everything alive in the pond would have died. No matter which road you prefer, getting the right balance of fish, oxygenating plants, and surface plants is the best option to limit algae growth. Unfortunately the first year and early spring these factors are not established before the algae begins to bloom.
Ultra Violet Lights have not been very popular, in many areas, in the past, but these lights are quite simply the best answer for many green water issues. Any algae that travels through the UV light is killed, if the right wattage and flow is considered. Once again, read and follow direction carefully if these are not being installed by a professional. Unfortunately string or angel hair algae is attached to rock and is not affected, but another post will get deeper into that topic. UV lights are more expensive initially, but think about how often you re-apply your treatment. It may cost a good chunk of change to buy the fixture and pump, but its a one time cost, plus replacement bulbs every few years. In the long run, it really isn't that expensive.
All three of these treatment options have had excellent results from different individuals. Believe me, one is not always better than the other, each pond has different variables. Please don't be afraid to try something even if it didn't work for your friend's pond. I wish I could say "product X" will work every time in every situation, but I can't. If someone does, they're trying to sell, not help you. S0, I hope I have explained your options and illuminated what has worked best in my experience. I Good luck.
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