Archive for the ‘landscaping’ Category

How to Choose Water Garden Plants

Posted by rockconcert on July 11, 2006

So. The water garden bug has bitten. You’ve dug and leveled and sweated and said words you hope that no one else has heard. Now it’s time for the fun part – picking out your water garden plants!

Plant varieties within these four categories are what you need to eyeball: deep-water, marginals, oxygenators, and floaters. (If you think these words are big and weird, just thank your stars we’re not talking medicine.)

After you’ve diligently planted your babies in plastic tubs, pans, or clay pots, packing the fertilizer- and chemical-free soil down tightly, load the container down with pea gravel to keep the soil from floating away. (Don’t ask why this works, but it does.) Plunk your prize into the water at the appropriate depth (You’ll read about that in just a minute, so hang on to your hat.) and you’re on your way!

Plant-dunking should be done during the growing season. Wait four or five weeks for the water plants to do their thing before you add your fish. If you just can’t hold your horses, er, your fish, for that long, you can jump the gun a couple of weeks, but the idea is to let the plants first get established.

When picking your plants, you’ll no doubt be wowed by water lilies of the tropical persuasion. These aquatic wonders lord it over their hardier cousins with knock-out fragrance, big blooms day or night – depending on the variety – and a habit of blooming their little hearts out nearly every day during the growing season. They love their warmth, though, so unless you live in a year-round, warm-weather climate (in which case, you are used to being hated and has absolutely nothing to do with this article), be prepared to hasten them into a greenhouse or at least muster up enough moolah to buy them some “grow” lights to tough it out through the winter. They will definitely bite the dust at freezing temperatures, but give them night-time temps of at least 65F and daytime temps of 75F or warmer, and your love affair with tropicals will only grow that much more torrid.

Hardy water lilies, while not the showboaters that tropicals are, are . . . well, hardier. Their big advantage is that they can stay in the water year ‘round unless it freezes so deeply the rootstock is affected. And being the tough guys they are, you can plant these puppies deeper than the tropicals, some living it up in depths of 8 to 10 feet.

Both hardy and tropical water lilies are real sun worshippers. At least 5 to 10 hours a day is what it takes, along with regular fertilization, to keep these plant pals happy.

Everybody and their brother with a water garden wants a lotus plant. (Sisters, too, no doubt.) These water-lily relatives come in hardy and not-so-hardy strains, so make sure you know what you’re buying. Much bigger than water lilies, lotus have huge, famously splendid blooms that not only will knock your socks off, but make you forget you have feet altogether. Their leaves and seed pods are so breathtaking, they’re a favorite in costly cut-flower arrangements. Big, bold, and beautiful, with water-depth needs of 2-3 feet, these shouters are really better off in big ponds that get plenty of sun.

Marginals (sometimes called “bog” plants by those less high-falutin’) are grass-like plants that strut their stuff in shallow areas no deeper than 6” that border the water garden. They also do well in mud. Cattail, bamboo, rush, papyrus, and many other plants fall into the family of marginals and grow best with a minimum of at least three hours of jolly old Sol.

Some plants are there but not seen, working stoically under water and without fanfare to fight algae, oxygenate the water, and provide food for fish. (In lieu of these plants, if your pond is small, you can fake it fairly adequately with an aquarium pump.) Easy on the wallet, varieties of these plants can be bought in bunches and like their soil sandy and/or gravelly. Like hardy water lilies, they, too, will warrior it through the winter.

Water hyacinths have become a recent rage, especially for the lazy among us. No soil is required for these beauties. Toss them in the water and they’re “planted.” A water hyacinth ain’t just another pretty face, though; these plants do their part in the war against algae and blanket weeds by keeping sunlight scarce on the water’s surface. But one note of caution: This plant may take over the world if allowed. It’s invasive as all get out, so keep it under control or you (and your neighbors) may wish you’d never laid eyes on it.

A water garden isn’t a garden without plants. Take your time, know your climate, and choose wisely. Your rewards will be great in return.

Brett Fogle is the owner of MacArthur Water Gardens and several other pond-related websites. He also publishes a free monthly newsletter called PondStuff! with a reader circulation of over 9,000. To sign up for the free newsletter and receive our FREE ‘New Pond Owners Guide’ visit MacArthur Water Gardens today!

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Posted in backyard, backyard pond, backyard ponds, fish pond, fish ponds, flowers, flowers and plants, garden, garden design, gardening, gardening articles, home, home & gardening, homeowners, house, koi, koi pond, koi ponds, landscape, landscape design, landscape gardening, landscaping, landscaping gardening, nature, outdoor gardening, outdoors, plant gardening, plants, pond, ponds, water garden, water gardening, water gardening supplies | 10 Comments »

The String Algae Blues…

Posted by rockconcert on July 11, 2006

String algae is caused primarily by a combination of the buildup of organic nutrients in the water, and sunlight.

What happens is that during winter, when things slow down and many of us turn off our filters, decaying leaves and other organic matter (including fish waste) begin to break down in the pond.

The result is an excess of organic nutrients in the water, which is essentially food for algae growth. Add sunlight and some warmer weather to these conditions, and you have an ideal environment for algae growth, both the green water and string algae varieties.

The green water, or ‘pea soup’ algae is easily eradicated with a properly sized UV sterilizer, which we highly recommend. String algae, on the other hand, is a bit more complicated and difficult to get rid of.

Because it is usually attached to the walls and rocks of the pond, it becomes more difficult to get rid of and unfortunately, there aren’t and easy solutions. But we are going to outline a few remedies here that will help. First, we recommend a pond cleaning – if possible. For those of you who don’t clean your pond at least once annually, there are many good reasons to do this.

By cleaning out your pond, and removing as much of the decaying organic material from the bottom, you are also removing much of the ‘food’ for the algae.

Another good thing to do is to cut back on feeding your fish, until you get your string algae under control. The fish food, both eaten and digested, and the uneaten food, will both also contribute to this algae growth – so don’t worry about the fish, just stop feeding for awhile.

There are several products available which can and will ‘help’ with the string algae problem, like barley bales and/or barley pellets. The idea is that by adding these to the pond, they will also start to decay in the water, and the resulting natural ‘humic acids’ will actually oxidize the algae, and help keep it under control.

Farmers in the 13th century noticed that lakes with bales of barley straw in them, had much less muck and string algae in them. So, now we use them in fish ponds. Barley pellets are a newer version of the same idea, but will generally start working faster. Barley straw needs several weeks before it starts working, and only after it starts to ‘rot’ in the water.

Another way to help with string algae is to raise your salt level in the pond. Anything over .3% will help control the algae, but is best for KOI ponds, as the salt may also negatively affect water garden plants.

We also really like the Microbe Lift line of products. They also seem to help control string algae, by adding millions of beneficial microbes and beneficial bacteria that will feed off of this algae and also help to decompose any other organic waste in the pond.

An alternate method that many pond owner prefer is to add a chemical algaecide like PondCare’s Algae Fix. This is safe for fish and plants, and does seem to temporarily knock out suspended and filamenous algae, but does need to be added periodically for long term control.

One new method that we’ve been hearing more and more about is adding a certain type of clay to the pond water. Calcium Montmorillonite Clay is gaining popularity among KOI pond owners and water gardeners as an effective, natural method of algae control. It is also noted as having many beneficial qualities for the fish in the pond.

External Pumps Vs. Submersible Pumps

Posted by rockconcert on July 11, 2006

For many people, it’s never been a question of whether to use a submersible pump vs. an external pump because most people have smaller ponds and are used to just using a submersible pump. They’re easy to install, and are pretty reliable – so why even consider an external pump?

There are a couple of reasons…

But before we go into that, let’s briefly talk about the benefits of submersible pumps first. For obvious reasons, a submersible pump is named as such because it is designed to be placed in the pond, and submerged under the water.

These are the easiest of all pumps to install, just drop them in the water and plug them in – and you’re ready to do. Of course, you might have some quick plumbing to do, attaching a hose to the waterfall or to a submersible filter (another article entirely), but other than that – that’s pretty much all there is to it.

Submersible pumps range in size or gallons per hour, from 50 GPH all the way up to 50,000 gallons per hour, but for most ponds – pumps anywhere from 350 GPH to 4000 GPH will do just fine…

So why might you also consider an external pump instead?

Here are a couple reasons. First, external pumps can be much more energy efficient. Now, a typical swimming pool or spa pump won’t usually fall into this category – so be careful not to compare apples to oranges! Pool pumps can also be huge energy hogs, so always check the amps to compare different pumps together. Anything over 10 amps will draw a significant amount of $$ out of your pocket every month in electrical costs.

The external pumps that we are talking about are designed specifically for ponds and water gardens, and are engineered for energy efficiency. I’m not sure why those folks in the swimming pool and spa industry haven’t figured out how to this yet, but I’m sure they’ll catch on sooner or later.

I’m inclined to think the average pond owner is a bit more intelligent than the average pool owner. Why else would someone choose a pool over a pond? Unless of course you have both, but at any rate – let’s just assume that we’re talking about external pond pumps here.

For comparison, a typical 4000 GPH (gallons per hour) submersible pond pump will typically draw anywhere from 10 amps all the way up to 15 amps, depending on the brand. This can really burn a hole in your wallet (or pocketbook) on a monthly basis, and in some parts of the country will run you $50 – $70 in energy costs.

In contrast, a comparatively rated external pond pump will only draw 2.3 amps – that’s 3/4 less energy consumption than the submersible pumps.

When you start getting into larger ponds, 1000 gallons up to 20,000 and above – it’s usually a good idea to look into these more energy efficient pumps.

External pumps are almost always better for using with pressurized external filters as well, as submersible pumps are not designed to handle all the back pressure. Other benefits of using an external pump include:

Easy to clean without getting your hands messy
Come with a removable leaf trap which clog less often
Easy to hook up to bottom drains or surface skimmers
Generally last longer, and easier to repair / replace parts

So that’s it, more than enough information for you to make an educated choice.

Just to recap:

For smaller ponds, and for simple installation and daily use, submersible pumps are probably your best option. For larger ponds, 1000 gallons and above, it may be worth looking into an external pump for your needs. Although they cost a little more on the front end, the energy savings alone can often more than offset this increase in cost during the first year of use alone.

Building Liner Ponds

Posted by rockconcert on July 11, 2006

Surprisingly enough, it is usually in mid-summer that many gardeners begin to think about installing a small pond or water garden. Ponds don’t need to be weeded or watered, and they can supply exuberant color in the form of water lilies and bog plants.

The sound of a splashing fountain or waterfall is more appealing than weeding a flower bed or mowing that section of lawn. Best of all, no matter how hot or wet it gets, the pond just keeps on blooming!

At this point you may start to think about the expense and labor of installing a concrete pond, and our 95 degree days are just about enough to stop this pond daydream in its tracks.

However, with the advent of newer pond liners and pre-formed pools, the misery associated with concrete mixing and finishing is a thing of the past. Heavy duty pool liners with 10 year guarantees are now common, and can sell for as little as $1.00 a square foot.

Preformed ponds in many different shapes and sizes are also an alternative method to create a quick pond at less cost than using concrete. Using these materials, the average gardener can install a decent size pond in less than one day, and have it stocked with plants, fish and fountain by the following morning.

The simplest kind of pond to build is an above-the-ground pond. Since no digging is required, it usually takes much longer to fill this pond with water than it does to build it!

There are many variations on this theme, but as an example, one can use treated lumber planks which are at least 2 inches thick by 12 inches wide, nail them together to form a rectangular shape of the desired dimensions, and place the form where the pond is desired.

This bottomless “box” can be placed directly on the grass, concrete, a deck, etc., and then the bottom is covered with some kind of padding or cushioning material. Most books say to use sand, but I think the perfect material is roofing felt. It is cheap, convenient, lies flat, makes a barrier to weeds, and provides a good cushion for the pool liner.

Once the roofing felt is in place, the pool liner can be dropped into the form and you begin filling the pond with water. A few staples on the outside of the pond form may be needed to keep the liner from blowing into the pond, but be sure to use just a few, and place them at the edge of the liner.

As the pond fills, the weight of the water will do a good job in smoothing out wrinkles, but if you are a perfectionist, you can help smooth them out by hand before there is more than one inch of water in the bottom of the pond. While the pond is beginning to fill, you can check the level of the form, and if it needs to be raised a little on one or two sides, this can be done by carefully inserting some shims to raise the forms where needed.

If you prefer the pond to overflow on a certain side (like, into the flower bed, rather than onto the deck!) then you may want to leave the overflow side a quarter inch lower than the rest of the pond.

You should wait until the pond is completely filled before cutting any excess liner or doing any permanent stapling. This will give the water pressure enough time to pull the liner into every nook and cranny where it needs to go; some of those few holding staples which you used to hold the liner in place may actually tear loose as the pond fills, but if you stapled the liner on the outside of the form, near the edges, then no harm is done… you will be trimming some of that excess liner off, anyway.

It really does take longer to fill this kind of pond than it does to build it. I once built a twenty-by-thirty foot pond in two hours but it took all night for it to fill with water.

I think an ideal depth for an above ground pond is about 14 inches, but it can be deeper or more shallow than that, depending on what materials you are using for the form. Railroad ties, landscape timbers, concrete blocks, etc. are all possible materials for pond building.

Remember that any kind of wood must be pressure treated if you want it to last more than a year! Although I mentioned rectangular shape, if you have some carpentry skills, you can also do triangles, pentagons, ponds within ponds, etc.

Ponds built with treated lumber planks do not need any side support if they are less than 8 feet or 10 feet long; if you are building larger than that, you will want to drive a stake into the ground where the planks are to be nailed together, so the water pressure won’t make the planks bow outward. So, if you know how to use twelve nails to nail four planks together, then you can build a pond. If you are feeling lazy, have the lumber yard cut the planks to size you need. Borrow your neighbor’s staple gun, find those scissors buried in the kitchen drawer, and you are in business!

Pond liners can also be used to make an in the ground pond. The advantage is that you can make any shape pond you want, and the ground itself supports the sides of the liner.

It is a good idea to use a flexible garden hose to lay out the pool shape you want. Once everyone agrees that it is a pleasant shape, and it is large enough, you can dig a trench along side the hose, and start digging.

Remember, the pool does not have to be more than 12 to 16 inches deep, so don’t get carried away. If you want a waterfall, some of the excavated soil can be mounded up near the pond for later waterfall construction. In some cases, it may be useful to use some of the soil for a berm around the pond, so that is another way to dispose of excavated soil.

Once the pond is excavated, check the level, decide which side you want excess rainfall to flow from, and then you are ready to line the hole with roofing felt, running it across the pond, up the sides onto the edges of the pond. Drop the liner in, weigh it down lightly with some rocks around the edges, and start filling.

Again, do not trim any excess liner until the pond is completely filled. Some pond books say you should create a shallow shelf in the pond before putting in the liner, but they don’t have our river sand and rainfall to deal with. I think it is better to build the pond to a depth of 14-16 inches, and just use bricks to prop up those bog plants that don’t want to sit too deep in water. This gives greater flexibility in rearranging the pond plants as you wish, and avoids the calamity of a shelf suddenly slumping into the pool. When using pool liners, whether in the ground or above the ground, it is important to conceal the edges from sunlight, since that is what eventually breaks down most liners.

Using stones or lumber planks to finish off the edge of your pond will make it more appealing, and enable the liner to live up to its ten year guarantee. Even the heavier, preformed plastic ponds should have their edges covered by sod or some paving material, so the sun can’t reach it. Some final pointers: if possible, locate your pond away from trees, in a place that gets at least five hours of direct sun daily. This will allow you to grow a wide variety of pond plants.

Be sure to use a dechlorinating product when you first fill the ponds… the new chemicals in our drinking water do not dissipate quickly and they will kill your fish and damage your plants, even ten days after you have filled the pond!

Be sure you are pleased with the size and shape of your pond before you start – so you won’t say “I should have made it bigger, or longer, or rounder, etc.”, within two hours of filling it!

Rule number one in pond building is that no matter how big your pond is, you always want a bigger one.

Last, but not least, if you decide to do an in-the-ground pond, why not serve refreshments and get some friends to help . . . friends will have all kinds of useful ideas on how you should do it … which is fine, as long as they keep digging…

Protecting Your Garden Pond

Posted by rockconcert on July 11, 2006

Notice any fish disappearing lately? While herons are present year-round, water gardeners notice the challenges they bring to the pond in spring and early summer when herons feed their young.

An adult heron needs about 13 ounces of food daily, which is equivalent to three 6″ koi. If herons find an easy source of food (i.e. colorful fish in a shallow pond), they’ll return on several consecutive days. They can quickly decimate your fish population.

They’re generally shy birds who typically visit early in the morning or in the evening, when everything is quiet.

Prevent herons from attacking your fish with these simple precautions. If you do lose some fish, don’t resort to harming or killing the herons; they are a protected species.

• Netting: The most effective deterrent for herons is to suspend a net 6″-12″ above the pond surface. Make sure the net is taut and cannot fall into the pond if the heron tried to land on it and spear the fish through it.

• Heron Scarers: Some work on a “trip-wire” basis, producing a loud noise while others use a sound inaudible to the human ear. Others sense the presence of heron using infrared detection, and scare them away by spraying a high-pressure jet of water.

• Plastic Herons: Based on the principle that herons are territorial and don’t feed close to one another, artificial plastic herons are popular. Unfortunately, they aren’t effective year-round. In late winter and early spring, herons’ search for a mate may actually attract more herons to your pond.

• Pond Design: Dense growths of tall marginal plants or shrubs around the pond will limit the herons’ access to the water. Ensuring the pond side is steep and the water is 8″-12″ below the edge of the pond also helps since the heron will not be able to reach the fish.

Hot Feeding Tips

Posted by rockconcert on July 10, 2006

Summer is the most enjoyable water gardening season and the time to watch for potential problems caused by high water temperatures during extreme or extended hot periods.

It’s important to feed food that is easily digestible so fish benefit from fully absorbing the nutrients. Fish that actively seek food should be fed 1-3 times a day. To ensure they’ve consumed all of their food, feed small amounts at each feeding in the summer heat. This will prevent uneaten food from decomposing at the high temperatures and polluting your pond water. If your fish show no interest in food, don’t feed them!

The solubility of oxygen depends on temperature. In the winter, oxygen readily dissolves into cold water, readily available for fish. In the summer, as the water temperature rises oxygen becomes increasingly insoluble. When fish feed in extreme summer heat, their movement also uses more oxygen, which is a problem if there isn’t a sufficient oxygen supply in the water.

It is best to feed in the morning–the coolest time of day. Also, take steps to increase water movement, such as ensuring there is good water circulation, add a fountain to aerate water, and add oxygenating plants.

The golden rule? Feed only as much as fish will consume within five minutes. Fish eat what they need to survive in various conditions. As the water temperature rises from 77°F and up, fish will consume less food in a given time.

Hot-Weather Fish Feeding Facts

Posted by rockconcert on July 10, 2006

Summertime provides the best time of the year to water garden – and also to be on the alert for high-temperature problems.

To remain healthy and continue growing, fish need to get all the nutrients available from their food, so feed them food they can easily assimilate in their systems. If fish seem hungry, feed them once to three times daily. Feeding small amounts guarantees all the food gets eaten, preventing leftover food from spoiling in high, summertime temperatures and dirtying the water. Don’t feed fish that aren’t hungry – it only wastes money and soils their environment.

Oxygen dissolves easier in winter, when water temperatures are low. Warmer temperatures mean harder-to-acquire oxygen in water. In summer, therefore, fish sometimes find it difficult to get enough dissolved oxygen – particularly in severe summer heat. Even when fish eat, the motion caused by their feeding further depletes oxygen supplies.

Avoid stressing your fish in the summer by feeding them in the cool, morning hours of the day. And to increase oxygen in the water, add a fountain or other aeration method to circulate and add air to your pond water. Submergible plants also help to increase the amount of soluble oxygen.

So, pay attention to your fish. The best rule of thumb is tonever give them more than they’ll eat in five minutes. Unlike people (!), fish eat only what they need to survive, and as water warms past 77 degrees Fahrenheit, your fish will eat less.

Funniest Pond Stories

Posted by rockconcert on July 10, 2006

Get ready for some gut-wrenching, laugh out loud hilarious pond stories from all over the world…

First let’s start with this very funny story about “Smokey” – who apparently thinks he can walk on water. This was sent in from Maryland:

Funny Pond Story #1

“I wish I had a photo to share of this very true story, but any ponder with cats has likely had the same experience at some time or another.

Several years ago, when I was enjoying the second season of my first pond (I have now built four as I’ve moved around), one of our cats, “Smokey,” who was a natural hunter in her prime, saw a mockingbird alight on a lilly pad to get a drink of water. Well, old “Smokester” slowly crept out from under some day lillies and made a spectacular jump with all four paws majestically carrying her like a flying squirrel, right for that intruding bird.

It is not as though she had not already had a couple of encounters with the water, but that day the feathered treat must have been too much for her to pass up. Well, both my wife and I were there to see her make a wonderful belly flop into the pond.

Of course, the bird was out of the way in plenty of time, and I swear that that cat walked on her toes the five feet it took her to get out of the water! And of course, after removing herself from the water, in a very nonchalant manner, proceeded to lift each leg, shake off the water and as much as say “I meant to do that, you know”.

Smokey often spent time at the pond later, using her tail to attract the fish (she would put it in the water and swish it around and the fish would come up to explore it. She never did catch one). She also loved to sit at the waterfall and enjoy the water moving past her. So that is my funny pond story.

Funny Pond Story #2

“Dear all at MacArthur (Water Gardens)

My funniest pond story is about my late aunt, who introduced me to the joy of backyard ponds. Donna had a large koi pond in her backyard that she devoted endless amounts of love and attention to. As happens with most ponds, spring brought some uninvited guests… in this case frogs. One evening Donna was working on the pond, checking the cantankerous pump and filter system, and using her net to skim out leaves and what not that had blown in.

My 80+ plus year old grandmother was supervising the work and offering her expert opinion on how to proceed. They were amazed at the number of frogs that had taken up residence, and not too happy about it. Donna noticed a frog swimming at the far side of the pond that she wanted to get out… something was not quite right about the way he was swimming, and she pointed him out to Grandma. “Mom, look at that frog swimming on his back!” Grandma was a bit skeptical… frogs doing the back stroke were a phenomenon that she was unfamiliar with.

She advised that this misfit should be removed immediately — don’t want to give the other little froggies strange ideas.

Donna made several attempts at scooping the miscreant up with her net, but he was just out of reach. Only one thing left to do. Roll up your shorts and wade in after him. The answer to Mr. Frog’s strange swimming technique became painfully obvious as soon as Donna reached his immediate vicinity… a faulty underwater light had shorted and electrocuted him! Donna didn’t need her electric rollers for a few days after that!”

Enecia Sabroff

Funny Pond Story #3

“Hello — My husband recently bought a beagle puppy. At this time he was 8 weeks old. My husband also bought two almost, semi-tame rabbits to help train the puppy to track rabbits. At this time I only had one pond that was preformed 550 gallons, my husband put one of the rabbits out to play with the puppy, the rabbit was teasing the puppy, running a little ways then jumping over his head, then the rabbit decided he didn’t want to play anymore so he started to run from Bear (the puppy), and he dove into the pond. We were thinking that Bear would go around the pond to the other side and continue chasing the bunny, but Bear just dove right in, he was so little though that he had to be rescued from the small backyard pond. My husband’s only response was “he’s going to be a good rabbit dog!” Well, thanks for listening to my story.

Sincerely,

Roberta Collins, Toledo, Ohio

Funny Pond Story #4

“A story to share…

Two years ago I started with the crazy idea of building a small pond with koi fishes. After a lot of working I finally built it and decorated it with all sort of plants.

One day… my female cat “Manchita” went to the pond to examine this new construction. She went to the border, jumped on a flat stone and starter to drink water. To her big surprise one of the fishes , possibly thinking that the white nose of my cat was food, jumped out of the water, trying to eat it… Can you imagine the surprise of the cat ? I believe that the fish was also quite impressed with the experience. My cat almost fell into the pond … and from then on she never went around the pond again. She used to watch the pond from my dorm, located in the second floor and just across the pond. Unfortunately I did not take a picture of this “accident”. I am sending you a pictute of this first pond; in the meantime I did build another, larger one. Unfortunately “Manchita” is not around any more, she passed away a few month ago, from old age.. This story happened in Valdivia, a city located in the south of Chile. In this country winter is approaching, with lots of leaves falling from the trees and the plants in my pond preparing themselves to sleep for a while…”

Maria Fresard

Funny Pond Story #5

“I have two ponds. An upper and lower pond. The upper pond is fed by a waterfall with the source being the lower pond (driven by a pump). The lower pond is fed by an overflow of the upper pond that flows underground for about 70 feet (12 in drain pipe).

Last summer I rescued some trout fingerlings from a seasonal stream going dry near my home. I put them in the lower pond.

This spring I was sitting in my kitchen and could see something flopping on my water fall. The trout had migrated up the overflow tube and were trying to swim further upstream via the water falls. Not so funny but does show the strength of nature. Just a few weeks ago, Egrets found the pond and the fish.

There is nothing left to migrate at this time. Not so funny but does an Egret taste anything like a turkey when cooked?”

Tom Gegenheimer

Funny Pond Story #6

“We have only had a pond for a short time … details can be seen at http://thailand4life.net/smithgarden/

The funny story must include the workmen (in Thailand) who took zero safety precautions when constructing the pond.

Watching guys shovelling concrete from a lorry and spreading it across the bottom of the pond … when the footwear they had was just ‘flip-flops’ resulted in great entertainment …. especially when several times, the flip flops came off and were lost in the cement somewhere (eventually found while they walked around bare footed) …. pictures at

http://thailand4life.net/smithgarden/images/large/DSC03062.jpg
http://thailand4life.net/smithgarden/images/large/DSC03070.jpg
http://thailand4life.net/smithgarden/images/large/DSC03060.jpg

Strangely it was only the guys …. the women laborers all wore Wellington boots …. maybe this reflects on which of the sexes is really the most sensible?”

Regards, Chris

Funny Pond Story #7

“I am building a pond at this time and I was in the process of building a waterfall in the corner of a fence. The waterfall is about 3 feet high and 7 feet wide. I thought I was finishing up the waterfall with some flat rock on the very top. So I straddeled the waterfall with my knees on the second ledge and set the flat rock on top. When I did this the whole waterfall fell down because I build it on blocks and not a pile of dirt.

When it fell, one big rock caught my foot and I slid down the fall and fell backwards into the pond going all the way under and had a couple of big rocks come down on me. Meanwhile my wife is laughing her butt off at me, and I asked her to help me out, but then she slipped on the flat wet rock that surrounded the pond’s edge and half way fell in with me.

Now my two boys were playing in the yard — they are 5 and 3 — and saw this happen to us, and they thought it was time to go swimming, so guess who jumped into the pond with us — the boys. Nothing like having the whole family in on the pond. We laughed for a while but then I had to rebuild the whole waterfall again and this time I put the top rocks on from the side.”

Robert H Coppa Jr.

Funny Pond Story #8

I decided 300 gallons would be perfect. I did all the math and spent a great deal of time working with more experienced ponders. Somehow when it was all said and done my little 300 gallon pond ended up being 810 gallons and I come to find out it was yet another one of my mathematical errors. Guess I should have paid more attention in that college level math class required for my associates, right.

We got the pond all up and running but because of the miscalculation we now needed a bigger pump to feed the waterfall, so I went to our local water garden supplier and asked which one to get. Budget was a concern, so it was recommended that we get a ¾ HP submersible pump that cycles 44 gallons a minute. It was only $70 in comparison to the $170 one that was its comparative alternative so we went that route. $70 dollars later we had a working pond with a beautiful waterfall! I was so excited I could hardly wait to get fish.

Again budget was a concern, so we went to the local pet store and picked up $50 worth of fish, about 8 fish. 4 large gold Koi, some yellow and a blue Koi. The color excited me so much I never considered what would happen when the fish became comfortable in their new home. They swam around investigating for a day or two then started to come up missing. I had it figured that they were hiding or that a cat was getting fed too well, but I never figured it was something I could have done. It was the pump… the intake valve on the pump was too large and the fish were getting too close and being sucked into the pump though the motor pushed down the hose into my waterfall.

While this is not a funny story, I must have cried for 3 days, I wanted to share it because this is the one thing I never read anything about in all the 6 weeks of reading I did on the web. I can chuckle about it now with a “I can’t believe I didn’t think of that” thought.

Had I known this was possible I would have done something to prevent it by caging in my pump or spending the extra $100 to get the right kind of pump.

Hope someone else can save a Koi by my blending experience.

Thanks,

Sheri Furr

Well that’s it for ‘Funniest Pond Stories’for now… Hope you enjoyed them as much as I did!

Introducting KOI-Cam!

Posted by rockconcert on July 10, 2006

This is a project I’ve had on the back burner for many months now, but now it’s finally ready!

We rigged up a wireless camera and aimed it at the KOI pond here, directly where my KOI get their daily feedings. To check it out right now, visit www.koi-cam.com.

Right now, it’s just a snapshot that can be updated by hitting your ‘refresh’ button on your browser – but soon we’ll have it available as a streaming video feed.

The KOI get regular feedings at the times listed on the website. check out my new auto-feeder called ‘Koi-Cafe’ also shows at www.koi-cam.com. This feeder is run by battery, and also comes with a solar panel for re-charging the battery! It’s not hooked up yet, but it’s still pretty amazing.

The feeder makes sure that my hungry little underwater pigs get all the food they need to grow large and healthy. Plus, we’ve just added some new fish recently, right out of Charles Lewis’ (President of The Tropical Koi Club of South Florida) personal collection. We’ll be having a photo tour of Charles’ pond very soon – he’s got some beautiful show koi in his 10,000 gallon pond.

Charles has also written a couple interesting articles on Water Quality and how to avoid ‘New Pond Syndrome’ which you can read at the KOI FLA website here: www.koifla.com. Or you can access the article direcly here: http://www.geocities.com/koifla/New_Pond.htm

We also welcome your comments about KOI Cam! Feel free to email us at newsletter@macarthurwatergardens.com with your thoughts and feedback.

Stay tuned for more KOI-cam announcements..

How to Choose between Goldfish and KOI

Posted by rockconcert on July 10, 2006

Many people have asked us over the years “Should I add goldfish or KOI (or both) to my pond? The answer is “it depends.”

Goldfish are better suited to smaller water gardens and ponds, in the 50 – 500 gallon range. Goldfish are extremely hardy and easy to care for, which makes them the perfect choice for the new pond owner or water gardener.

KOI Feeding

KOI, on the other hand, require a little more knowledge and better water quality in most cases, than goldfish and are better suited to the more experienced pond keeper. KOI generally thrive best in ponds over 500 gallons (the bigger – the better.)

This is becuase KOI can grow quite large and therefore require more water in the pond for proper biological breakdown of waste. KOI are also more expensive (and harder to replace) than goldfish, so this should also be taken into account before filling your new pond full of KOI fish. More considerations…

Goldfish are an excellent choice for the average water garden that is usually also full of a variety of potted plants. Lilies, Lotus, Iris, and submerged annuals – these all do well in a water garden pond with goldfish. Goldfish will not disturb the plants, and will enjoy playing around under the lily pads without disturbing the plants.

Pond Goldfish

Japanese KOI on the other hand, and especially the larger ones, will often create a huge mess out of submerged potted plants. They seem to enjoy ‘digging’ in the soil of the plants and sometimes even knocking them over. This all leads to added mess in the pond, and can create a real problem for the pond owner.

Generally, it’s best to not have submerged plants in large pots, when also keeping KOI. The ideal KOI pond is much deeper than the average water garden, so the necessity for plants to help with water quality and shade is reduced.

However, if you still do want to keep potted plants in your KOI pond, we recommend wrapping netting over the tops of the pots, to keep the fish from digging in the pots. Another thing you can do is to top the pots with 1″ of pea gravel, and then larger river stones or similar over that. The KOI will not be able to get past the larger rocks.

As far as mixing Goldfish with KOI, this is fine and very common, we’ve just tried to highlight the most important differences between the two and between the average water garden and KOI pond. Feel free to experiment with both, and then decide which fish is more to your liking.

Avoiding Unsightly Algae

Posted by rockconcert on July 10, 2006

Excessive organic matter in the pond provides nutrients for algae, contributing to its growth. Algae can obscure the view of colorful fish, and more dangerously, it robs the water of valuable oxygen and releases harmful pollutants.

UV clarifiers also are effective tools that use ultraviolet light to destroy the reproductive ability of suspended algae. Dead, microscopic algae will clump together into particles large enough to be removed by filtration.

Increasing the amount of floating and oxygenating plants in your pond is another simple solution to keeping the water clean, and clear. Floating plants such as water lilies, water lettuce, lotus and water hyacinth provide shade, reducing sunlight in the pond, which helps control algae growth. Submerged plants, also known as oxygenators, affect the carbon dioxide and oxygen levels of the pond by competing directly with algae for light and food. Oxygenators absorb nutrients from fish waste and minerals through their leaves, helping to starve algae, keeping the water clear. Some examples of oxygenators are Hornwart, Anacharis and Parrot’s Feather.

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Toxic Pollutants & Their Effect on Fish Health

Posted by rockconcert on July 10, 2006

Once water temperatures increase in the summer months, fish become more active and produce increasing amounts of waste, leading to potential water pollution. Fish produce waste in the form of ammonia, which is broken down into nitrites then nitrates by beneficial bacteria. Both ammonia and nitrite are very harmful to fish, even in very small quantities. Ammonia, in particular, is more toxic at high temperatures and can cause severe problems. In fact, water can hold five times as much dangerous ammonia at 77°F as opposed to 41°F. The effect on water quality is exaggerated by a high pH, resulting in the formation of more toxic ammonia.

High nitrite levels are also more dangerous in low oxygen water levels. Nitrite causes the hemoglobin in the fish’s blood to form metheamoglobin, which cannot carry as much oxygen around the body of the fish, therefore making fish lethargic.

Nitrates are relatively harmless to freshwater fish and act as great fertilizers for plants. However, they also encourage the growth of unwelcome algae, such as green water or blanket weed. So, be sure to test the water quality every few weeks with a kit.

If there is a noticeable reduction in water flow, you can back flush your pressure filters and gently rinse any biological media in a bucket of pond water. (Depending on your type of filter, its biological media can be anything from plastic cylinders/spheres to spaghetti-like strands to foam pads.) Biological media should never be washed under the hose; chlorine contained in the water kills the beneficial bacteria. Remember to never scrub the media clean; simply rinse off any excess sludge or debris so beneficial bacteria will remain intact and active, restarting the biological process.

Lazy Fish Worries

Posted by rockconcert on July 7, 2006

If your fish hang out at the bottom of the pond, or act restless and lazy, then it’s likely that your pond is suffering from poor aeration.

When oxygen levels drop below 7 PPM it not only affects the ability of your fish to breathe, but it also negates your pond’s bio filtration systems. That’s because optimum bio filtration results require large quantities of air. When bio filtration degrades it results in the buildup of toxic ammonia levels. This, in return, causes stress in your fish which can result in lethargy and even death.

Your immediate first aid calls for increasing oxygen levels at once. Unlike chemical treatments, you can’t cause any problems by putting “too much” oxygen into your pond. The easiest way to maintain oxygen levels is to run an aeration pump 24 hours a day. If you are already doing that, and your oxygen levels are still too low, then either your pump is defective, undersized for the pond, or your water temperatures are so high that the water is not capable of retaining sufficient oxygen. Treat whichever of these conditions exist.

Once you have cured the oxygen generation system problems, its time to test your water for ammonia, nitrite, and pH. It’s also a good idea to test for total alkalinity and hardness. Adjust any levels that are out of normal ranges using pond additives that are designed for each problem.

If you found multiple problems, or suspect that you have a general water quality issue, then you should commence a daily changing of 20-40% of your pond’s total volume until you have turned the water over twice. Of course, you need to use chlorine-free water. After you have turned the water over twice you should perform all of the tests that I wrote about earlier and make any required adjustments.

If your fish do not recover, or you are experiencing kills, then you may have a parasite or other health problem. Check our article archives for potential solutions.

Fish Health in Hot Summer Heat

Posted by rockconcert on July 7, 2006

Summer is over, but for many of us – the heat remains. Here a couple of things to do to keep your fish healthy and your pond clear going into winter. First, remember to keep your pond well aerated. This is very important to your fish because the pond water actually holds less oxygen at higher pond temperatures. So if it’s still hot in your part of the country, keep those waterfalls and fountains running! This will keep your pond water full of oxygen, and reduce stress on your fish.

If you see your goldfish or KOI gasping at the surface, it’s a good sign that you don’t have enough dissolved oxygen in the water, and this can be dangerous. Especially if you have a lot of green water algae in the pond. This algae can absorb much of the oxygen in the pond water at night and cause very low dissolved oxygen levels during the day – which can be deadly to fish!

One thing we recommend this time of year, is to do a partial water change. Drain off 10 – 25% of your total pond volume, and replace it with fresh, new dechlorinated water. If possible, vacuum or drain decaying organic matter and debris off the bottom to reduce the ponds bio-load.

Your fish will usually be vibrant and playful after a water change. It’s like giving them a ‘breath of fresh air’ and invigorates them. Again, we only recommend a 10 – 25% water change right now – but feel free to experiment with whatever works best for your pond.

Remember to re-add your pond salt whenever you drain and add new water. Having a salt water test kit is also helpful, or a digital salinity meter, to determine optimum salt levels.

Pond Water Maintenance

Posted by rockconcert on July 7, 2006

You might be tempted to let Mother nature tend to your backyard pond, and who could blame you? After all, she does a pretty good job of taking care of really big ponds, so why would your backyard ecosystem pose much of a challenge to her?

Unfortunately, the fact is your backyard pond is only going to get some cursory attention from Mom; the rest of the work is going to be left up to you.

In the “real world” chlorinated water doesn’t find its way into ponds very often. “Big” pond water passes through a great many natural filtration and oxygenation systems, and the various fish and flora work together to keep the pond clean and fresh. Our backyard ponds don’t have quite that

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Archive for the ‘landscaping’ Category

How to Choose Water Garden Plants

The String Algae Blues…

External Pumps Vs. Submersible Pumps

Building Liner Ponds

Protecting Your Garden Pond

Hot Feeding Tips

Hot-Weather Fish Feeding Facts

Funniest Pond Stories

Introducting KOI-Cam!

How to Choose between Goldfish and KOI

Avoiding Unsightly Algae

Toxic Pollutants & Their Effect on Fish Health

Lazy Fish Worries

Fish Health in Hot Summer Heat

Pond Water Maintenance