Keeping your pond healthy

A Well-Kept Pond is the Key to Healthy Fish
By following the advice in this leaflet, you can maintain a well balanced environment with the minimum of effort.
What Goes In Must Come Out
Pond fish, just like other pets, produce waste that must be dealt with. Unfortunately for the fish, this waste remains in the water where they are living, until either it is physically removed from the pond, or broken down by the filter. Fish waste is produced in two forms, each of which has implications for the health of the pond.

Ammonia
Ammonia is a soluble waste product, excreted principally from the gills of the fish. It is very toxic to fish, even at relatively low concentrations, causing considerable damage to their gills. Even levels of ammonia that are not high enough to kill the fish will still cause them considerable stress.When fish become stressed, either due to ammonia or some other water quality problem, their immune systems become inhibited and they are left open to infection and disease. It is therefore very important to keep ammonia levels at zero, and this is the job of the filter (see the ‘Essential Pond Equipment Leaflet’).

Solid Waste
Solid waste is produced from the undigested portion of fish food. Overfeeding, or the use of poor quality fish foods, can lead to excessive levels of solid waste in the pond. High levels of waste can have a number of undesirable effects: it uses up oxygen, it releases toxic pollutants into the water, it releases nutrients that encourage algae, and it can encourage the proliferation of disease causing organisms.Tetra’s range of high quality fish feeds are specifically designed to be highly digestible, resulting in a minimal amount of solid waste being produced (see the ‘Feeding Your Pond Fish’ leaflet). Solid waste is sieved out of the pond water by the filter, where it can then be easily removed. Tetra’s OFX pond pumps are specifically designed to handle large quantities of solid waste, pumping it into the filter without becoming blocked, and without needing regular maintenance.They are ideal for ponds where there is a lot of solid waste being produced, as they do not have a pre-filter sponge due to their ability to pump large solids, and therefore they do not need cleaning on a regular basis.

Creating the Perfect Environment
Fortunately, thanks to Tetra’s range of pond products, it is easy to keep your pond healthy.

Filter
Filters are designed to sieve out solid waste from the pond, break down ammonia and nitrite through biological action, and some also remove colourants, toxins and odours.They harness the ability of naturally occurring nitrifying bacteria, which convert toxic ammonia into nitrite, and then into harmless nitrate.Without a filter these pollutants will build up to toxic proportions, and therefore it is unkind to keep fish without adequate filtration.

Oxygen
Oxygen is essential to fish, just as it is essential to us.They need it in order to grow, process food, fight disease, and to simply stay alive. Unfortunately, there is less oxygen in water than there is in air, and so it is even more of a concern for our fish than it is for us.Oxygen shortages are common in the summer, this is because warm water contains less oxygen than cold water, yet the fish are more active when it is warm and therefore they need more. A good pump and filter system will provide enough water movement to aerate a moderately stocked pond. Make sure that the water drops back into the pond, ideally running down a waterfall, and splashes onto it.The more surface disturbance that is created, the greater the area over which oxygen can diffuse into the water. Having a fountain running can also help to increase oxygen levels.Aeration should be provided both day and night, as at night plants and algae stop producing oxygen.
TetraPond Filters and Pumps are specifically designed to maintain excellent water quality in your pond. Don’t forget to pick up your ‘Essential Pond Equipment’ Leaflet for more information.

Keeping the Perfect Environment
Once you have installed the correct equipment and created your pond, there are a few things you can do in order to keep the environment healthy for your fish.

Refreshing the Water
It can be very beneficial to occasionally replace some of the water in the pond.This is because over time, the natural processes that occur within the pond use up many of the essential elements that are present in the water. In addition to this, there is a slow build up of nutrients, such as phosphate and nitrate, which can encourage more vigorous growth of algae. By changing some of the water, you are replacing these elements and diluting nutrient levels.Around 10 – 25% of the water can occassionally be replaced, using tap water that is conditioned with TetraPond WaterSafe. It is very important that WaterSafe is used when topping up the pond, as it neutralises chlorine and heavy metals, which would otherwise cause severe damage to the fish. It also coats the fish in a protective layer, promoting health and healing, and is an ideal regular addition to the pond.
Never use rainwater to top the pond up, as it lacks any essential elements and is quite acidic, and therefore will only make the environment worse for the fish. Periods of heavy rainfall can often cause ponds to become quite acidic and “soft” (i.e. deprived of essential mineral salts).Therefore, during such times, more regular water changes with conditioned tap water are advisable.

 

Sediment Removal

As mentioned above, feeding TetraPond Foods to your fish, and using Tetra pumps and filters, will help to minimise the amount of solid waste settling in the pond. However, over time there will be a steady build up of sediment on the pond floor, which ideally needs to be removed. Excessive amounts of sediment can lead to increased nutrient levels, low oxygen concentrations, the proliferation of disease causing organisms, and the release of pollutants.
The best time to remove sediment from the pond is when you carry out a water change. If the pond is raised, or if you have a ditch or similar area of low ground, you may be able to siphon debris from the bottom at the same time as removing the water.Alternatively you can use a pond vacuum to “hoover” the base of the pond. Doing this will result in some of the sediment being re-suspended, and so it is a good idea to add TetraPond Clarifin to the pond after carrying out such maintenance. ClariFin will settle out the suspended particles, and help to break them down, thereby helping to maintain a clean pond. Regular additions of ClariFin every 4 – 6 weeks will improve the overall condition of the pond.

Plants and Blanketweed
Excessive growth of certain plants and blanketweed also needs to be kept in check. Not only can it clog filters and pumps, but it can also trap certain species of fish, and at night it will reduce oxygen levels. Rather than just relying on oxygenating plants to aerate the pond you should make sure that you have a suitably sized pump and filter system. Blanketweed can be controlled through the use of TetraPond AlgoFin, whereas excessive oxygenating weed should be cut back.
Your other pond plants will not need regular attendance, although they do benefit from the occasional tidy up, and once a year they should be checked and divided up if necessary. See the ‘Planting Your Pond’ leaflet for more details.

Testing the Water
If you want to, it is possible to test your own pond water, in order to check that it is healthy and well balanced.Tetra produce a range of pond test kits, which can be used for testing levels of ammonia, nitrite and pH.These can be tested for at regular intervals, in order to make sure the pond is running correctly. Being able to determine if there is a problem early on is very important, as often by the time the fish show symptoms of being unwell, the damage has already been done.

Seasonal Pond Care
The pond ecosystem is directly and indirectly affected by the time of year.There are, therefore, a few seasonal tasks that need doing, in order to maintain a balanced pond.

SPRING

• Fish coming out of winter dormancy have weakened immune systems.

• Use Medifin to prevent disease problems occurring.

• Remove any blossom from the water immediately.

• Keep a close eye on fish to ensure they look healthy. If possible, test water regularly.

SUMMER

• Hot temperatures decrease oxygen content of water. Fish are very active.

• Make sure that there is plenty of oxygen in the pond.

• If possible, test water regularly.

• Check equipment regularly to ensure it is functioning at full efficiency.

AUTUMN

• Lower temperatures make autumn an ideal time for cleaning the pond out.

• Remove any fallen leaves from the pond on a regular basis.

• Include high levels of TetraPond Wheatgerm Sticks in diet.

WINTER

• Winter temperatures cause fish to become dormant. Prevent ice formation by installing a TetraPond Winter Island.

• Lift pumps up onto shelves to stop cold water circulating down to dormant fish.

• Protect dormant fish from herons and other predators.

• Only feed fish if they are hungry, using Tetra Wheatgerm sticks