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Little Pond

August 3, 2011 By Leave a Comment

There are those of us that love garden ponds and love to keep fish, but don’t necessarily have the garden to accommodate a pond. Imagination always presents us with the perfect image of a large pond with a waterfall and plenty of large fish swimming happily in their home.

So what can we do if we only have a small backyard or garden, we just won’t have room for that big pond we always imagine. A pond doesn’t have to be big, small things are just as beautiful and all though you won’t be able to keep lots of fish in a little pond you can still comfortably fit around six fish in most little ponds.

There are some great designs these days for small ponds and some of them are self contained units that look great and come complete with pump and filter, some even have waterfalls built in, these ponds are free standing so there is no digging involved, they can even be installed indoors.

If a traditional pond is more your style then there are plenty of small preformed ponds in many interesting designs or as with a larger pond you can get a pond liner if you want to design your own shape and sometimes these are better for small gardens as the only area that you may be able to accommodate a pond might mean you have to make it an unusual shape and a liner can give you that freedom.

So whether you have a large or small garden there is always room for a pond and further more it will probably be the best feature you can add to any garden.

It must be time to check out all those different pond designs and get on with installing a pond in your garden, it makes for a great hobby for the whole family. So don’t let the size of your garden be an excuse not to get a pond.

There is plenty of information to soak up when you have decided to install a pond in your garden, whatever the size and Ricki has plenty of it for you Right Here. There is also a related article to this one with more information on those little ponds which you can Find Here Go on get a pond!

Building of a High Tech Koi Pond
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Pond Vacuums

August 3, 2011 By Leave a Comment

The goal of all pond keepers is to stock their pond with healthy fish that are long lived and keep the water quality as high as possible. Fish pond filters do most of the work but they also need help, the fish pond filters, if rated correctly will turn over the total water volume of the fish pond at least once every hour and remove any suspended debris as well as hosting beneficial bacteria that convert the fish waste and rotting detritus into nitrates. This is the limit of the fish pond filters, they cannot keep the bottom of the pond clear of silt and leaving this in place can cause a build up of toxic gases that are trapped in the mud so help is at hand by using a pond vacuum on a regular basis, this will remove the silt, lifting it clear of the pond thus keeping your fish pond looking nice and clear.

Pond vacuums are relatively simple to use and the task of vacuuming the pond out can be performed by any member of the family, even the youngsters at the weekends.

Nowadays there are many models to choose from and these can all vary in price dependant on how much power that the pond vacuum is running at. There are basically three main types of pond vacuum:
In-pond Vacuums
Pond-side Vacuums
Hose powered Pond Vacuums

All three of these have their advantages and disadvantages, some are more suitable for smaller ponds, some for the larger ponds, browsing around the suppliers websites will give you all the information that you require to make the right choice.

In-pond vacuums are very easy to use, they are basically a pump that is mounted on the end of a pole, as the pump runs, the silt and debris is pulled through the pole and out of the pond.

Many of these will also house chopping blades that can break down larger pieces of debris so that the pumping action is never halted by the pipe getting blocked. The blades are safely housed inside a casing and are will not put the user at risk of losing their fingers. If you do need to clean out the blades, always unplug the vacuum so that there is no chance of the pump striking up while the blade housing is being cleaned. Some models will also include two heads, a large head for vacuuming the open areas and a smaller head for those awkward places that we all come across.

Pond-side vacuums, as the name suggests, consist of a canister which houses the pump and this sits at the side of the pond, the suction heads are connected to the collection canister by means of a length of hose and this makes the cleaning operation a bit easier than using an in-pond vacuum as the hosing is lighter to hold due to it only having the suction heads attached, you are not lifting the actual pump all of the time while you are using the pond vacuum. Most of the canisters will hold straining baskets which catch the larger particles of debris and these can easily be removed for cleaning.

Hose-powered vacuums are ideal for the smaller fish ponds or even small water features. They simply attach to any garden hose and are very easy to use. When the garden hose is switched on, it creates a venturi effect and the waste is pulled through and all of the dirt is trapped into a muslin bag, the resulting clean water is then dispersed back into the pond. These simple hose kits are very cheap to purchase but they are only suited to very small ponds and cannot be used in larger and deeper ponds.

Jan Hvizdak owns Aqua-Fish.Net which is dedicated to aquarium fish, plants and ponds care.

Construction Do’s & Don’ts for Ponds Covered in Great Detail. Ponds Gone Wrong is an epidemic plauging America. Don’t let a pond contractor take advantage of you and experiment in your back yard. Learn “How To Build a Pond” from commonly made mistakes by pond contractors fixed by the award winning pond construction crew. The Pond Digger Waterscape Design & Construction Team in Redlands, California.
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Koi Pond Maintenance: The Koi Pond Algae

August 3, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Article by J.Pond

Algae are the constant menace of pond owners. The fight to control koi pond algae requires patience and diligence. It also requires careful planning during the initial construction phase of the koi pond. There are also some measures you can take in order to control koi pond algae in an established koi pond. Initially consult pond experts about controlling algae. They can give you advice regarding the best ways to control pond algae. There are also books and online articles which deal on pond maintenance in general. It would be ideal if you had already invested on top quality filtration system and chemical medium to maintain your pond.

1. Factor in the algae problem when planning your koi pond. As much as possible, avoid constructing your koi pond under direct sun exposure. Like any plants, algae need lights to grow. Exposing your pond to direct sunlight makes it susceptible to algae. Observe how the shadows fall on your garden and consider how you can use it to your advantage.

2. You can limit the growth of koi pond algae by putting some shady plants around the pond. However, avoid placing the koi pond under a large tree. The falling leaves and sap can affect the pond’s water quality. Instead, ask your local landscaping expert about plants which are compatible to the koi pond. Plants can block the light that feeds algae. Plants also use nutrients in the water and release oxygen.

3. Incorporate floating plants such as lotus, water hyacinth, water lettuce and submersed plants such as water lilies, hornwort, cabomba and anacharis into the pond. Lily pads and lotus pads can lessen the amount of sunlight which will penetrate the water. The plants will control the amount of nutrients which the algae need to grow.

4. Algae are natural part of koi’s diet. If you minimize your koi’s feed, they will naturally turn to the algae growing around the pond. You can also include other animals which eat algae such as the Japanese Trap Door snail. However, make sure that they are compatible to your pond’s ecosystem.

5. Keeping control over the fish food can also minimize algae growth. Most fish food contains nutrients which feed algae. Feed the koi with an amount of food which they can consume in a few minutes.

6. Make sure that the water spout is not directed towards the pond. Rain water may contain pollutants and other water irritants.

7. There are also chemicals and filtration system which could lessen koi pond algae growth. You can use chemicals once you have exhausted the natural methods. Some chemicals kill algae outright. Other chemicals can darken the water in order to lessen the light that passes thru the water.

8. Invest on a top quality filtration system. The filter should move at least half of the water every hour. You can also integrate a UV filter in your pond’s filtration system. The UV sterilizer will kill algae which pass thru the system before the water returns to the pond.

John has been writing articles online for nearly 4 years now. Not only does this author specialize in koi fish and garden aesthetics, you can also check out his latest websites at rival cool touch deep fryer and Rival Cool Touch Deep Fryer CZF630










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