Fish Pond Supplies
To have searched for the term ‘fish pond supplies’ you most likely fall into one of two categories. You either have a fish pond and are looking for the supplies for upkeep, or you don’t have a fish pond and are looking for information to help you decide if you should build one (or have one built). Building a fish pond yourself is not that difficult if you do your research and know some facts before proceeding. For this article we will be concentrating on what you will need to know to maintain your fish pond after it has been built.
Things you need to know to maintain your fish pond or to buy fish pond supplies:
- Number of Gallons in your Pond – Since there are 7.48 gallons in a cubic foot, its fairly easy to figure out how many gallons your pond holds. Just multiply the depth by the width by the length. Then multiply that number by 7.5. The answer is approximately the number of gallons in your fish pond.
- Water – The chlorine or chloramine in the the water must be removed before you add any fish or plants to the pond. There are products you can buy to remove these chemicals. Nearly every city water supply puts these chemicals in their water. Back in the old days you could just let water set for a few days and the chlorine would be gone. Those days are over. The use of chloramine by many cities means that old trick will no longer work. Just be safe and buy the chemicals. You will need to know how many gallons the pond holds, which is why we did the first step above.
- Chemicals – This ties in with the step above. You must be sure to keep all other chemical out of your fish pond too. That means extra care must be used when fertilizing your lawn or spraying any chemicals such as weed killers or buy killers. Spray chemicals can drift over and settle on your pool. Take extra care when using them. Try to limit their use to calm days. Elevate the edge of your fish pond to prevent run off from your lawn getting into the pool. Fertilizers may be great for your lawn but can wreak havoc on a fish pond.
- pH – The pH of your pond should be neutral (or as close as you can get it to neutral). The kits for testing the pH balance in your pond are very inexpensive. And while on the subject of pH, you should know that the pH is a non-linear scale (actually it’s logarithmic). That means the difference between a pH of 8.4 is MUCH HIGHER than a reading of 7.4 (neutral). A few decimal points in the pH balance is LOT. You should endeavor to keep it as close to neutral as possible. Of course there will be fluctuations since fish ponds are exposed to outside environmental elements.
- Beneficial Bacteria – There is a cycle to fish ponds. The fish produce waste which is converted to beneficial fertilizer for the plants by bacteria. The fertilizer is then used by the plants to grow. The fish eat the plants and the cycle continues. Adding a good beneficial bacteria will help give your fish pond a boost in starting the ecological cycle.
- Filters – There are lots of different types of filters out there. Just know that the purpose of the filter is to help provide the proper environment for your fish and plants to live in. Filters can remove harmful bacteria but do not keep algae from growing in your pond.
- Algae – To remove or inhibit the growth of algae you will need a Ultra Violet Clarifier. If you don’t want to buy a clarifier, then just know that you can limit the algae growth by having lots of plants and just a few fish.
- Ammonia and Nitrite Levels – All ponds that have fish in them must have the ammonia and nitrite levels checked. High levels can kill the fish. In a new fish pond the levels should be checked frequently but on older more established ponds you can check these less frequently.
It may seem like a lot but it really isn’t. With a little planning the care and upkeep of your fish pond will become routine and your need for fish pond supplies will be limited too.
