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Pond
Guide ....in perfect harmony
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Index
Getting
started
Pumps and Filters
Installation & Pond capacity
Plants
Stocking your pond
Fish
Feeding and fish nutrition
Water testing
Filter maintenance tips
Trouble-shooting
algae problems
Cause and Treatment
Pond
Summary / FAQ's
Fish diseases
Shopping List
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When creating a
pond there are several aspects to be considered...
First you need to choose the material to make the pond from: UPVC, fibre-glass,
concrete and pond liners are perhaps the most common. Discuss your requirements
with your local shop who will help you decide on the best option for you.
Positioning the
pond
The pond should be situated in good light for your pond plants, but not
so strong as to promote algae. Place the pond away from trees, to prevent
the leaves falling into the pond in the Autumn.
Choosing a liner
size
If you decide to buy a pond liner, this is how to work out the size you
will require: Measure the length (L), width (W) and depth (D) of the pond
excavation in metres. Size of the liner = (twice the depth + the width)
by (twice the depth + the length) E.g. Pond excavation is 6 (L), 4 (W)
& 2 (D). Liner size required is 8 x 10. Allow some extra liner capacity
for the overlap.
N.B. If you are to keep koi, the pond should ideally be 1m (3 ft.)
in depth.
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| Pumps
and Filters
An example of the
type of equipment you can find in your local aquatic store are Sacem’s
Surf pond pump and the Aquashield pressure filter.
The Surf pump
utilises a raised, double grid cage system reducing the chances of debris
stopping water-flow. It also uses ceramic drive components, lowering pump
wear. The Surf pump comes complete with fountain attachment and
waterfall divert tap.
Sacem’s Aquashield pressure filter provides both mechanic
and biological filtration. It is available with a U.V steriliser to help
assist with water clarity.
The inlet and outlet are located on the top of the filter to allow below
ground installation. In addition a back wash facility and sponge washing
handle allow the Aquashield to be cleaned during the season without
removing the lid.
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| Installation
& Pond CAPACITY |
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Installation
Once you have dug
your pond shape out accordingly (checking the span of the pond regularly
with a spirit level to ensure the sides are even), removed any sharp stones,
added underlay and fitted the liner into the excavation ..... you now
are ready to add water! Fill the pond with tap water (flattening creases
as you go)
Pond capacity
Once the pond is in place, the following calculations may be used to give
you an approximate indication of pond volume.
Round pond
Radius in metres x radius metres x 3.14 = Surface Area m²
Surface Area m² x depth metres = Volume m³
Volume m³ x 1000 = Litres capacity
Square / rectangular
pond
Length x width x depth metres = Surface Area m³
Surface Area m³ x 1000 = Litres capacity
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N.B. Make allowances for sloping sides, shelves etc. If the pond is
an irregular shape use the average dimension figures. To calculate galls.
from the litre capacity divide litres by 4.5
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Add the correct amount
of Waterlife's PoolShield water conditioner. This will neutralize
toxins (chlorine, chloramine etc.) found in raw tap water.
Once the pond is full, trim off the edges of the liner to leave a 15 cm
+ (6 ins.+) overlap. Place rocks or paving stones around the outside of
the pond to weigh down the liner overlap. Use mortar to point in the rocks
or paving stones to hold them in place. The mortar should be sealed or
suitable for pond use to prevent it making the pond water alkaline. Install
the filter and pump (according to manufacturer’s instructions). In
some set-ups the filter/pump may need to be installed first.
Now add a Waterlife
BioMat to the filter box (if appropriate) and a double dose of BacterLife
P to help mature it with live bacteria.
BacterLife P contains two essential groups of bacteria. One to
help digest toxic ammonia and nitrite, the other to break down organic
waste which is responsible for sludge in the pond.
After setting up your pond, Bacterlife P can be used regularly
to help maintain good water quality. These other uses are discussed later
within the leaflet.
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| PLANTS |
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Now you are ready
to plant your pond and there is a wide range of aquatic plants to choose
from. Plants offer many advantages to the pond keeper.
• Submerged plants release life-giving oxygen into the water whilst
simultaneously absorbing carbon dioxide and other fish waste.
• Plants compete with algae for nutrients in the water and so restrict
their growth. Water lilies are probably the best at this because their
leaves or ‘pads’ also block sunlight.
Other widely available aquatic plants include elodea, water iris, parrot’s
feather, water hawthorne.
N.B. Some species of fish eat submerged plants, so choose your selection
carefully.
Potting up your plants
Take a plastic basket, and line it with perforated polythene or hessian
sacking. Carefully remove the plant from its container placing it into
the basket with a PondFlora plant food tablet at its roots. Now
back-fill the basket with water logged aquatic soil and cover with a layer
of gravel. Waterlife’s PondFlora delivers nutrients exactly
where the plant needs them without releasing them into the whole pond
and encouraging algae. You should push a PondFlora tablet into
the soil every 2 months during the growth season April to August (N. Europe).
Some plants may benefit from being introduced in 2 stages. Firstly support
the plants clear of the pond floor with an up-turned planting basket so
that the foliage is near the surface. After a few weeks you can move them
to their final position as indicated on their label.
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SNAILS - As well
as eating valuable plant life, snails play host to many pathogens and
parasites, which can infect fish. Their numbers are best controlled by
removing them when seen.
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| STOCKING
your pond |
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Assuming you have
now filled your pond, treated the water with PoolShield, added
plants and left the system running for an appropriate length of time (determined
by your local shop) - you are ready for fish.
It is important that your fish have enough room to grow, use the ratio
of 2.5 cm (1”) of fish per 45 litres (10 galls.) of pond water. The
other golden rule is to stagger the introduction of fish to your pond.
This enables good, nitrifying bacteria to grow with the fish, so your
filter isn’t overloaded. If you have a “natural pond” this
delay enables aquatic .
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After introducing
new fishes to your pond you are recommended to treat with Myxazin P.
This powerful bactericide / fungistat will reduce the chances of stress
induced illness, which pond fish can contract.
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There are many species
of fish available so discuss the best varieties for you with your local
retailer. We have outlined the most popular fish below to help you:
Goldfish -
The most commonly kept fish, reaching 8-25 cm (3-10 in).
Orfe - Fast swimming, schooling fish, growing up to 40 cm (16 in).
CAUTION - Orfe
come from fast flowing, well oxygenated mountain streams and are always
the first casualties in a badly managed / designed pond or in hot or thunderous
weather. Under these conditions dissolved oxygen will be very low unless
the water is continually aerated / circulated.
Koi - Perhaps
the largest fish which most people try to keep outside, growing up to
75 cm (30 in), although they need plenty of space to reach their full
size.
Shubunkins - Highly colourful version of the goldfish. Size: 8-25
cm (3-10 in), excluding the tail fin.
Tench - These scavengers are useful for eating left-over food,
which would otherwise rot on the bottom of a pond. Growing to over 70
cm (28 in) both green and golden varieties are available.
Rudd - These are similar to Orfe in behaviour and water quality
requirements. Rudd reach 40 cm (16 in) overall in the wild.
Fancies - Not all of these globe-bodied goldfish are suitable for
permanent outdoor life. This is certainly true the further North you live.
Under ideal conditions some varieties can reach over 15 cm (6 in) in overall
Iength.
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| Feeding
& fish nutrition |
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Most ponds don’t
contain enough natural food to keep your pond fish in good health, so it
is necessary to supplement their diet. It is very important to feed with
a well-balanced dried food (pellets or flake) as the correct ingredients
and vitamin content play an essential role in maintaining fish’s health.
If you buy a premium food it is unnecessary to feed large quantities which
may promote algal growth and water pollution. Usually feeding once or twice
a day is adequate.
To boost the vitamin content of the feed, soak in Vitazin, which
will improve colour, disease resistance and general well being. |
| Water
TESTING |
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As the owner of a
pond, there are a few water tests that should be carried out on a regular
basis: pH, ammonia and nitrite levels in the pond water are probably the
most important to check.
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These can be easily
monitored with your Waterlife test kits.
Pond pH test
pH is the measure of acidity or alkalinity in your pond. Most ornamental
pond fish require a pH of 6.5 - 8.5. Water that is markedly more acidic
than this optimum range (i.e. lower than pH 6.5) or more alkaline (i.e.
higher than pH 8.5) may cause fish to become stressed, which in turn can
lead to disease. The pH of the pond-water is affected by many things,
for example unsealed concrete. calcium or magnesium based rocks, municipal
tap water, fish waste etc. Most ponds are usually alkaline and the pH
can easily be reduced with Waterlife’s Lower pH. Using this
product will help the fish by:
• Reducing ammonium
toxicity
• Lowering stress.
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The
nitrogen cycle
The nitrogen cycle is a natural process which is responsible for the conversion
and generation of different nitrogen compounds. Ammonia is a nitrogen
compound, excreted by all fishes, and is extremely toxic to them. High
levels are a consequence of poor filtration and of overstocking and/or
overfeeding. Ammonia is converted to nitrite by filtration bacteria. Use
BacterLife P regularly to help keep levels safe.
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Ammonia and nitrite
testing
These toxins are produced by fish as waste and also by rotting organic
matter in your pond. The only good ammonia or nitrite reading is zero.
If you obtain any reading above zero you must:
- Examine your pond
for corpses, uneaten food, and decaying vegetation and remove when seen.
- Check your filtration
is working efficiently and that your pond is not overstocked.
- Stop feeding, as
this will only exacerbate the problem. Resume feeding when the readings
are back to zero.
- Carry out a partial
water change using tap water and Waterlife’s PoolShield
water conditioner to neutralize chlorine, chloramines and other toxins
in tap water, all of which have a harmful effect on the fishes. Use
BacterLife P (live bacteria) daily until nitrite readings fall.
N.B. Before
testing for ammonia or nitrite, allow a few hours to elapse after feeding
otherwise you may obtain a false reading.
Nitrate Testing
Nitrites are oxidized by nitrifying bacteria, into less toxic nitrates
which are absorbed by plants as food. However, it should be noted that
high nitrates are a major contributor to algal growth, poor fish coloration,
lethargy and a failure to breed. Therefore, nitrate levels as monitored
by a Waterlife test kit, are an indication of when a partial water
change is necessary.
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| Filter
maintenance tips |
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you can see, good water quality is essential to fish health, so routine
maintenance (in terms of water changes etc.) is required to keep it that
way. When the filter sponge(s) eventually need to be cleaned, (as indicated
by reduced water flow rate), remember to clean in a bucket of pond water
(NOT TAP WATER). This is because the bacteria get used to the water that
they are in and the chlorine in the tap water will destroy them. Remember
to only remove the worst of the debris from the sponge(s) as filters always
work best slightly clogged. |
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Trouble-shooting
algae problems
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Blanket weed and green
/ cloudy water are the bain of most pond-keepers lives! They are unsightly
and can cause night-time asphyxiation of the fish or smothering of submerged
plants.
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| Cause
and Treatment |
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Green water is caused
by unicellular algae, which float in the water giving a pea soup appearance.
Waterlife's Algizin G will rapidly clear the green water within
a matter of hours, by flocculating the green algae into larger particles,
which will sink or be removed by the filter. It is advisable to use
Waterlife BacterLife P to help breakdown the dead algae.
Blanket weed is caused
by twin celled algae. It resembles green candy-floss in appearance.
Waterlife offer three products for controlling blanket weed.
- Algizin P,
an HSE registered algicide. Algizin P is a targeted blanket weed
destroyer that will not harm aquatic plants, fish or filtration bacteria.
Algizin P is very effective and will usually destroy blanket
weed within one week!
- Pool Harmony,
restricts nutrients that blanket weed needs to thrive. In addition,
Pool Harmony also encourages higher plant growth, like lilies,
which in turn suppresses algae.
- AlgiStraw,
a natural product which inhibits algae growth. AlgiStraw is supplied
in easy to use pouches, and comes complete with a float to prevent the
pouches sinking to the bottom of the pond.
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| Pond
Summary / FAQ's |
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Q. My fish seem in
poor health and the water appears cloudy.
A. Check water quality with your Waterlife test kits. If you have
high ammonia or nitrite readings, carry out a partial water change using
PoolShield (dechlorinator / water conditioner). Use BacterLife
P (concentrated filter bacteria). Check the pond is not overstocked
and consider increasing pump / filter capacity. Reduce feeding, as this
is often the cause of poor water quality.
Q.
My filter isn’t working properly
A. Check that the filter media is not choked. If necessary, remove and
clean in a bucket of pond water. Add a Waterlife BioMat (live filter
media) or use BacterLife P regularly to maintain the correct levels
of bacteria in the filter.
Q.
The pond water is like pea soup.
A. Green water algae is often caused by a high pH level. If the pH is
high, use Waterlife Lower pH to bring into acceptable parameters.
Introduce more natural plants like lilies as this will stop light penetrating
the water and compete with the algae for nutrients. Waterlife’s
PondFlora may be used to promote the growth of higher plants. Consider
building a pergola structure or the use of netting. Use Algizin G
to clear green water problems.
Q.
My pond has a "green candy-floss" growth around the side walls
and covering the plants.
A. This is a type of algae called blanket weed. You can reduce its growth
by using Lower pH and Algizin P, Pool Harmony or AlgiStraw.
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| Fish
disease |
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Although parasites
/ pathogens may strike at any time of year, fish are at their most susceptable
in Spring and Autumn as the weather changes. As a preventitive measure
we recommend using Medizin P (first) to treat fast acting protozoa
organisms and fungus, followed 10 days later with a course of Sterazin
P to treat other parasites.
The use of *PondSal tonic salts will build up a protective coating
of body mucus on pond fish and help prevent disease.
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* N.B.
PondSal should not be used if other salt - based products are
present in the pond water. After the initial dose, PondSal should
only be added pro rata to the water that is changed.
Always follow the Instructions on the label.
Do not use more than one treatment at a time. Ensure the pond is oxygenated
whilst treating with medications and do not use in hot midday sun.
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Top
Please
refer to the following diagram for commonly encountered pond fish ailments
and the corresponding Waterlife treatments.
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“A
gram of prevention is worth a tonne of cure!”
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Alex
Cox |
