Preparing your pond for summer
Posted by Graham Mattocks on
Properly preparing your pond for the summer is a great way to reduce any unnecessary battles with algae or water clarity allowing you to enjoy your pond the way you would like.
Here we have 5 top tips to keep your pond clean all summer.
1. Change your UV bulb
A UV clarifier is the best method for removing single cell algae's that cause green water. The life expectancy of a bulb is usually around 6-12months for maximum effectiveness. After this they will still often light up but the bulb has aged enough that the spectrum shifts and it is no longer effective against green water. Change your bulb around the Easter Holidays, this usually times well with the re-emergence of the sun and will allow your bulb to operate at maximum efficiency until around October when there is less need for the UV clarifier. Buy here
2. Add a biological additive
Your pond's health is a direct reflection of the health of the bacterial colonies supported by the filtration system. Give your pond a boost with a biological additive that will wake up the bacteria quickly and provide fresh bacteria to maintain a stable biological filter throughout the summer. Buy here
3. Clean and replace filtration media
Filter foams and brushes will be very clogged with little maintenance performed over the winter give them a thorough clean out and replace any media that is past its best. An easy way to tell if a foam needs replacing is to hold it up to the sun, if you can evenly see light coming through then it will fine for another year. However if the light it patchy or you cant see much at all consider a replacement. Dirty and clogged filter media will only mean more maintenance through the summer as well as a higher amount of bypass leading to sediment collection in the bottom of your pond. Ensure you clean your filters using water from your pond and not the tap, the chlorine will kill all of the lovely bacteria you need. Buy here
4. Use a Sediment buster/sludge remover
Autumn and winter will leave lots of leaves and other detritus collected in the bottom of your pond. Using a sediment buster will help to remove this before your fish start to poop even more. Sediment removers work by utilising heterotrophic bacteria, these bacteria can directly consumer detritus (a posh word for muck) for the nutrients that they require. Buy here
5. Pond Vacuum
If the winter has been unkind to your pond and there is a consistent mat of detritus at the bottom of your pond its time to bring out the big guns. A pond Vacuum can be a sound investment for the large koi pond. A pond vac directly removes the waste out of your pond, water can either be dumped down a drain of filtered through a fine mesh bag and returned to your pond (I prefer to dump to drain and refill with fresh water, the fish always love a good water change).
You can find all of the required items at the below link
Need help with any of this.....just ask.
If you need help choosing products for the above tips please call 01580 388008 or email info@allthingsaquatic.co.uk.
We can also vacuum your pond out for you getting it perfect for the summer with no hassle.