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It takes time and effort to install a beautiful pond in your garden. There is a lot to think about like placement, size, what plants and wildlife you want and how much to spend on it. After all your hard work the last thing you want is for your pond to start looking bad so it’s important to keep your pond looking fresh! It’s easy to do if you understand the basics and follow our tips below which are the best ways to keep your pond looking fresh!
Add Beneficial Bacteria
Although your pond is a natural ecosystem, which usually means you should leave things alone, much like if you had a true nature garden, there are steps you’ll need to take if you want your pond water to be clear and fresh. If left to be entirely natural, you’ll find that the water turns green thanks to the algae growing in it. Algae eat all the nitrites in the water and grow, making the water look green as a result.
The key to preventing this from happening is to add beneficial bacteria to the water. When you do this, the good bacteria will consume the nitrites, leaving nothing for the algae, which will then die off and leave the water clear. It’s crucial that you only buy properly formulated bacteria for your pond from experts such as Water Garden, however, otherwise you could do more harm than good.
Add A Biofilter
When you have a biofilter as well as the bacteria mentioned above, a lot of the hard work of keeping your pond clear and fresh will be taken care of automatically. The bacteria consume the nitrites in the water, meaning that the algae starve. When you have a biofilter, this is an ideal breeding ground for bacteria, meaning that you will never ‘run out’, and the algae can therefore never take hold.
Biofilters come in all kinds of shapes and sizes. One example is adding a layer of gravel at the bottom of your pond – not only does this look better than the plain liner you would otherwise see, but it also offers up plenty of space for bacteria to thrive. Essentially, a biofilter is an area where there are lots of nooks and crannies for bacteria to live in and breed happily.
Don’t Overfeed Your Fish
You don’t want your fish to starve; you bought them to take care of them. So, you throw in a little more food than you know you really should, just so you can be sure they have enough to eat. It’s easily done, and it’s a common thing for new fish owners to do, so don’t worry if this has been your strategy.
The problem is, doing this is harmful to your pond, the water and the fish. Fish will not keep eating when they’re full, so any excess food will start to rot in the water, causing a layer of sludge and debris to form. On top of this, that sludge is the perfect place for bad bacteria to grow, which will cause the water to turn murky and could even make your fish unwell. Plus, your filters and pump will get clogged.
Only feed your fish the required amount, and if you do find that there is anything left over, scoop it out with a net before it can start to cause problems.
Now you can enjoy your beautiful garden pond for years to come!
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