Gallons Question?

When adding beneficial bacteria or anything else to your pond, always use the recommended dosage. Often knowing the proper dosage relies on knowing how many gallons your pond is.

With the average pond take the average length, width and depth, multiply them together, then multiply that number by 7.5

Ex. 5‘x4’x3’=60 x 7.5= 450 gallons

***With a pond-less waterfall basin filled with rocks often times use 2 instead of 7.5.

The Ecosystem

Now realistically not all established ponds and waterscapes are going to be able to have all the the essential five elements to keeping the pond clean; however, adding one of the elements to your pond is a great way to reduce some of the maintenance needed. 

Every time you fill your pond up with tap water you are actually loading it with nutrients. This is why most times after you do a big water change the pond will go green, this is a algae bloom.  To prevent a large algae bloom add beneficial bacteria to the pond in order to hyper-dose what already happens in nature. The beneficial bacterial competes for the nutrients in the water that the algae need to grow. With less nutrients there will be less algae.

Rocks at the bottom of the pond should be of a smaller variety. When there is pockets on the bottom of the pond many times this becomes a area where anorobic bacteria can grow. Anorobic bacteria helps algae along acting in opposite with the beneficial bacteria in the pond. Rocks are a benefit to the pond but only when applied properly. Use a two stage bottom to a larger pond usually consisting of a 3/4” rock with various 1.5” rocks on top.

Fish are beneficial to the pond however, do not overstock or overfeed. Fish naturally are bottom feeders when they come from the carp family, they often times can live without food in your pond. Feeding them is all part of enjoying them, just do not feed them more than what they can eat in about one minute. All uneaten food turns to nutrients in the water and this will begin to create the green that no one likes. 

In terms of circulation the more the better. Just be carful as some water plants like water lilies do not like to grow in moving water. the general rule of thumb is that you want to circulate all of the water in your pond every hour. For example a 500 gallon pond should have at least a 500 gph pump. Personally i would probably go with bigger.

The Essentials

Many people have a very distinct notion on what a waterscape will bring, green water and lots of work. In reality this is not the case. Technology and research has allowed us to see what is needed in a pond or fountain in order to make it crystal clear for the entire operation year. The goal is to set up a mini ecosystem mimicking nature.

• Circulation - Circulation is one of the most important parts of any waterscape, it oxygenates the water and allows beneficial bacteria to grow in your pond. The trick is that you need to run your pond all of the time for if you don’e the bacteria will die away and the green will be on the way.
  
• Rocks - There is a lot of preformed and lined ponds out there that do not have any Rocks in the pond. Rocks are another area in which beneficial bacteria can grow. The rocks in the pond do develop some algae on them throughout the year, do not panic. This is good the algae on the rocks along with the beneficial bacteria eat away at the nutrients in the water keeping unwanted algae away.
  
• Fish - Believe it or not fish also help to keep your pond clean when put in in the right amount and not overfed. They maintain the waste cycle in the pond as they eat material and then turn it again into nutrients for the water.
  
• Plants - Water plants are the easiest and cheapest solution the a pond that has trouble staying clean, the general rule of thumb is to have 40% of your pond covered in different varieties of water plants. The plants eat away at the nutrients in the water in turn keeping it clean. In addition they also shade your water from the sun helping to keep your pond at the right temperature and keeping the algae catalyst from penetrating the waters surface.
  
• Filtration - Filtration is the one thing that a lot of people do not have. For the best results two types of filtration is needed, mechanical and biological. These types of filters take up many shapes and sizes but the idea is that the mechanical sweeps the pond for debris that could add nutrients to the water if it breaks down. The biological is just another bacterial safe house in which the beneficial bacteria can grow and multiply keeping your pond as clean as it could possibly be.

Winterizing Ponds

Winterization deal with climates in which the water will freeze over the winter months.

One of the most often asked questions to waterscape professionals is if a pond should be emptied or not over the winter. The answer is no, depending on what your pond is made of. Over the summer a pond becomes a mini ecosystem and to prevent having to develop the ecosystem all over again in spring, leaving the water in over winter will start the pond right back up from where it ended in fall. Ponds only need to have water added to them as evaporation takes more away then is replenished by rain. Besides that a healthy pond ecosystem should take care of itself. No one will ever stop all of the green from being in a pond, there is always going to be a little bit of algae. But by leaving the water in over winter you can be the most preventative in having an algae bloom in spring.

Water Plants

Water plants are essential to the ecosystem of a pond. Often different climate zones allow for different water plants. Tropical plants can be put in zones that do not allow them to grow as long as they are put in in the summer season. Talking to your local dealers and professional's is the best way to see what plants will and will not grow and make it through the winter. Every pond should have some floating plants, some oxygenators and some marginal plants.

One tip to consider when getting plants is if they are fish safe. Fish will often eat plants that are put into the pond. If you have fish that will eat the plants get more marginal plants that they can not reach and less floating plants that tend to get consumed.

Another tip is if you have a skimmer in your pond setup floating plant often float against the skimmer. To solve this put a fish line across your pond half way in an arc. This will prevent the floating plants from floating to the skimmer and will not affect the visual appearance of the pond.

Fish

Before building a pond it is recommended that the decision about fish is made. Fish can be beneficial to the pond ecosystem system as long as the right amount are put in. Too many fish can lead to extra nutrients being added to the water, causing unwanted algae growth. The general rule of thumb is that one inch of fish can be had in the pond for every 25 gallons of water. This calculation is not exact but can be followed as a general rule of thumb.There are two basic kinds of fish that can go in a freshwater pond.

1. Goldfish: only grow to a maximum of around 12", they are very hardy and can be bought in a array of varieties and colours. There is no minimum size or depth that they need; however, a depth of 18 inches will make the fish less scared of movements above the water.
2. Koi: are a little harder to take care of, They can get much larger and generally need more space then goldfish do. Some koi can get up to 36" long and live for over 30 years. As a rule of thumb 24 inches is the minimum depth needed for koi. they can live in shallower water but get very scared from movement above water. In deeper water older koi are known for being very friendly, even eating food right out of a persons hand. Deeper koi ponds and more gallons of water will help koi grow to their maximum size.

Fish often grow to the size of the pond they are in. The more gallons per fish that you have the faster and bigger both koi and goldfish will grow.

Ponds

Ponds often require a lot of space; however, they add a amazing feature to any yard. The trick with ponds is to use expert knowledge from local professionals and your imagination to create your dream feature. Ponds can come in any shape and size and rubber liner is used to hold the water in. Liner is the best option to use when making a pond as it allows for all the essential aspect needed to keep a pond clean.

Essentials:

• Rocks
• Water Flow (circulate all water in pond every hour or more for best effect)
• Fish
• Water Plants
• Filtration
• Beneficial Bacteria
• Regular Maintenance

Ponds allow for the most workability of any feature. All sizes and depths can be used. Be sure to check to local specifications on depth and size allowances before a permit is needed. In addition, it is essential to know what you want before you build. Often people build ponds that are too small and want to change them after a year or two. Build your dream exactly how you want it the first time and both time and money will be saved in the long run.