Of course, you have covered the pond, completed filter cleaning, brought in any tropical marginals, trimmed the plants, started feeding the spring/autumn food, have Autumn Winter prep, and a method of creating an ice opening this winter. ( OK- if you haven’t you still have a bit more time) BUT, should you run the pump or not this winter? We typically recommend shutting down the pump over the winter months sometime in late December, early January and restarting it in mid March to April. Although some customers enjoy running their pumps year round and get very cool ice sculptures from it, there are some concerns. The first is the chance of ice dams forming in the waterfall & creek. This can cause a water to leak from the pond and cause a significant water level drop. No one enjoys going out to try to refill the pond on a cold winter day when all the spigots are winterized. The second is the chilling effect on the fish. The fish are in the warmer bottom section of the pond and the pump circulation is reducing the water temperature for the fish.
Archive for the ‘Pond Troubleshooting’ Category
To Run the Pond Pump or Not? That is the question.
Thursday, December 10th, 2009Pond Leaks- Let’s find the source
Thursday, May 14th, 2009It is not uncommon to hear customers worry about pond leaks. There are steps that you can take to help find the source of the leak. The internet tells pond owners to add milk to the pond . . .please don’t believe everything you read on the internet! We have yet to determine a leak with the help of milk:o).
First, fill the pond up to the ideal level. If you have a skimmer, this is typically the second from the top screwhead on the skimmer faceplate. Turn off all pumps and fountains. Do you still lose water? How much in what time period?
Refill the pond up again to the ideal level with one pump running? Continue to do this with each pump.
If the pond only loses water with the pumps on, you can start looking for depressed liners in the pond creek and waterfall areas. Check your biological waterfall box, if you have one. They will sometimes overgrow with aquatic plants and dam up the front of the box causing water to spill out the back of the box. Once the obvious is checked, you can check tubing. Spiral tubing tends to crack between the ribs causing leaks.
If the pond leaks even with the pumps off, you need to consider a damaged liner. Check for vermin damage, sharp object damage, and box connections. Liner can be patched using a liner patch kit.
It is common for ponds to lose 2-4 inches of water a week due to evaporation. You can replace this by using a hose or by use of a pond water autofill.
Spring Green Algae
Thursday, May 14th, 2009Yes, it is that time again. . . .spring green algae time. What should you do? The pond fish are waking up from their winter rest and the plants are just starting to grow. Because there are often more nutrients in the water than the plants are using, it is common to have green tinged water. The quick fix for green algae is to use a “safe for plants & fish” algaecide like Algaefix or Green Clean along with a beneficial bacteria. Typically you will see results within 24-48 hours. It is important to use this as a quick fix and make sure that your pond is properly planted. You may also utilize a UV sterilizer. These UV lights “zap” the green single celled algaes, but has no effect on string algaes. Again, it is important to remember to plant your pond properly utilizing plants as filters. Properly planting a pond will help keep your pond water clear and healthy.