To maintain a good healthy, clear pond the water must have a complex balance of minerals, gases, water, sunshine, creatures and plants.
In the summer high nutrient levels can cause algae to romp away smothering plants and covering the surface so much that oxygen levels are lowered.
A lack of oxygen can kill pond life so if the algae does not clear, steps should be taken to address the problem.
If the fault lies with blanket weed, this can be manually removed with a rake or stick.
If the problem is duckweed this can be netted or more simply displaced with a fountain or other water feature.
If algae is a constant problem try to reduce the amount of fertiliser that can wash into the pond liner from the garden, or alternatively sink barley straw into the pond.
Barley straw can be bought from specialist aquatic centres and it is great because it produces an enzyme which seems to kill off algae.
It also encourages water fleas which in their turn eat the algae.
Freshwater mussels and snails can also be introduced to feed on the algae.
More oxygenating plants below the surface and more floating leaved plants on the surface can also help balance the nutrients that are generated by bright conditions.
In winter the water quality can be affected by ice stopping the toxic methane from escaping.
It is a good idea to place a rubber ball in the pond when a prolonged cold spell is forecast.
Remove the ball each morning to leave an air hole - don't forget to put it back each night though! Don't hammer the ice to break it as this can severely traumatise the fish and other pond life.
Maintaining good water quality is aided by constantly keeping the aquatic plants in check.
They grow more vigorously and so routine removal of dead foliage is necessary.
More pests and diseases are found in overcrowded plants so keep them regularly pruned and divided.
Water lilies particularly become congested and overgrown to such an extent that their leaves stick vertically out of the water - more like sailboats than lilies! These plants should be divided perhaps every 3 or 4 years in the summer.
Other marginal plants too can be divided up, preferably in the spring as the cut surfaces heal more quickly.
It is best not to divide plants in the winter as cold water can cause the cut plants to rot.
Deadheading flowering plants in the pond extends their flowering period and also for some plants removal of the dead head prevents excessive self-seeding.
Failure to keep these seeds contained means you can end up with plants all over the place not just where you expect! One other tip is to keep the pond topped up with collected rain water rather than tap water.
Not only does this reduce the amount of nutrients being added to the pond but the increased level prevents the pond liner itself from being overexposed to sunlight which in some cases can make it brittle and discoloured.
In the summer high nutrient levels can cause algae to romp away smothering plants and covering the surface so much that oxygen levels are lowered.
A lack of oxygen can kill pond life so if the algae does not clear, steps should be taken to address the problem.
If the fault lies with blanket weed, this can be manually removed with a rake or stick.
If the problem is duckweed this can be netted or more simply displaced with a fountain or other water feature.
If algae is a constant problem try to reduce the amount of fertiliser that can wash into the pond liner from the garden, or alternatively sink barley straw into the pond.
Barley straw can be bought from specialist aquatic centres and it is great because it produces an enzyme which seems to kill off algae.
It also encourages water fleas which in their turn eat the algae.
Freshwater mussels and snails can also be introduced to feed on the algae.
More oxygenating plants below the surface and more floating leaved plants on the surface can also help balance the nutrients that are generated by bright conditions.
In winter the water quality can be affected by ice stopping the toxic methane from escaping.
It is a good idea to place a rubber ball in the pond when a prolonged cold spell is forecast.
Remove the ball each morning to leave an air hole - don't forget to put it back each night though! Don't hammer the ice to break it as this can severely traumatise the fish and other pond life.
Maintaining good water quality is aided by constantly keeping the aquatic plants in check.
They grow more vigorously and so routine removal of dead foliage is necessary.
More pests and diseases are found in overcrowded plants so keep them regularly pruned and divided.
Water lilies particularly become congested and overgrown to such an extent that their leaves stick vertically out of the water - more like sailboats than lilies! These plants should be divided perhaps every 3 or 4 years in the summer.
Other marginal plants too can be divided up, preferably in the spring as the cut surfaces heal more quickly.
It is best not to divide plants in the winter as cold water can cause the cut plants to rot.
Deadheading flowering plants in the pond extends their flowering period and also for some plants removal of the dead head prevents excessive self-seeding.
Failure to keep these seeds contained means you can end up with plants all over the place not just where you expect! One other tip is to keep the pond topped up with collected rain water rather than tap water.
Not only does this reduce the amount of nutrients being added to the pond but the increased level prevents the pond liner itself from being overexposed to sunlight which in some cases can make it brittle and discoloured.
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