Pond pumps need regular cleaning and maintenance because of the dirty job they have to do. Even new pumps can clog up and stop and working if they suck in too much algae and debris. If your pump stops working the first thing to do is access, check and clean the impeller. Here's how:1. Switch off the pumpSwitch off the pump at the mains and to be extra safe and sure, unplug it. If the pum...
Spring is coming, the sun is out and its time to start thinking about those big garden projects again. If you haven’t already got one, a pond should be one of those projects as it transforms a garden, bringing life and movement, encouraging wildlife and bringing us closer to nature. They don’t have to be big or expensive either, and a small pond can be dug, lined and filled within a day. ...
Cold weather is spreading across the UK and its meant ice and snow for many people. Pond ice is bad for fish for several reasons. Firstly it means that the water temperature becomes very cold. Although koi and goldfish are classed as coldwater fish, they can’t survive at zero Celsius or below and in fact, need a thermal layer of water that sits at 4C under the ice. This means that a pond must b...
Our pond fish are by their very nature coldwater, but although they can tolerate extended winter weather, it doesn’t mean to say it does them any good. As pond water cools the fish’s immune system becomes vulnerable, they eat less and stop growing, and any damage or infection takes a long time to repair. Koi keepers who show their fish want them to achieve maximum growth throughout s...
Yes, Autumn is a good time to build a pond because terrestrial vegetation is starting to die back yet the ground is moist, but not frozen, so easy to dig. Create a pond now and you’ll get to watch is develop and flourish right throughout spring and summer next year. It’ll be there for when frogs and newts spawn in early spring too. Mark it outUse a hosepipe, some rope or line mar...
The weather is definitely turning now, with more rainfall and lots of leaves. If you have one, open the drain valve on your filter to purge excess water from the pond. Leave at least a 4” gap from the surface and the edge of the pond so that it doesn’t overflow with the next lot of rainfall.Keep the pond cover net suspended tightly over the pond and not touching the water as if it does, ...
Facebook is filled with posts of newly built ponds and some serve as a great inspiration to others on how a pond can be achieved in a small space or on a budget. Its also filled with ponds that were built in error however and will suffer from a number of problems in the future. Here are some pointers that if you stick to you’ll be a problem-free new pond owner in no time.Make sure it’s la...
There are around a dozen species of fish which suit the UK climate year-round and are legal to be kept in our ponds. Of all of them, goldfish and goldfish varieties like shubunkins and Sarasa comets are the best for most ponds because they are cheap, hardy, colourful and don’t grow too large. If you have a large pond then Koi Carp and Golden Orfe are suitable too and will reward you with rapid ...
Autumn is upon us so its time to start thinking about preparing the pond for the colder months. Use a pond thermometer to monitor the water temperature as it will be different from the air temperature because it warms and cools more slowly. Stop feeding high protein growth feeds when the water temperature hits 15℃ and below, and from 15 -10℃ switch back to a staple diet. When the water t...
The ultimate aim for any fish pond owner is to be able to view and enjoy their fish. Here’s the Swell UK guide to getting gin-clear pond water.Fit a UV ClarifierUltra Violet Clarifiers are purpose-built to destroy the unicellular algae that cause green water in ponds. You cannot overdo the amount of UV you have on a pond but you can underdo it, and have too high a flowrate for it to be ...