Pond Fountain Info

I am adding bacterium but my water is still green. What is wrong?
There can be several factors why your water is still green even with adding bacteria. Most ponds will experience an occasional algae bloom when the water temperature jumps up in a heat spell. Also, you need to backwash the filter regularly. See question XX regarding filters.

For more information about Pond and Fountain Pros, please check out our website at Pond and Fountain Pros.

Thank you!

Jim Wilder

# posted by Jim Wilder @ 9:23 AM 0 comments

There are several parts to your question. See Question 30 regarding the difference between water quality and water clarity. Your neighbor’s pond may look good now but may be harmful to the fish. Also, over time he will experience a buildup of sludge, nutrients and toxins. When there is too much, he will probably have sick fish and a lot of work to do.

For more information about Pond and Fountain Pros, please check out our website at Pond and Founain Pros.

Thank you!

Jim Wilder

# posted by Jim Wilder @ 9:32 AM 2 comments

There are several parts to your question. See Question 30 regarding the difference between water quality and water clarity. Your neighbor’s pond may look good now but may be harmful to the fish. Also, over time he will experience a buildup of sludge, nutrients and toxins. When there is too much, he will probably have sick fish and a lot of work to do.

For more information about Pond and Fountain Pros, please check out our website at Pond and Founain Pros.

Thank you!

Jim Wilder

# posted by Jim Wilder @ 9:31 AM 0 comments

Nitrogen, in various combinations, is the building block of all living things. Nitrogen cannot be made or destroyed. It only changes combinations. The Nitrogen Cycle describes the process were nitrogen is taken up in plants from the soil. It becomes part of the plant. When the plant dies or sheds its leaves, nitrogen is returned to the soil.

In ponds care, we are concerned with the Nitrogen Cycle because some for of the nitrogen are toxic to the fish. As the organics from fish waste and dead plant material starts to decompose, it becomes ammonia. As the ammonia breaks down it becomes nitrites. The nitrites break down into nitrates. High levels of ammonia and nitrites can be toxic and can be deadly for the fish. Nitrates are safer and are in a form that can be taken up by plants.

For more information about Pond and Fountain Pros, plese check out our website at Pond and Fountain Pors.

Thank you!

Jim Wilder

# posted by Jim Wilder @ 9:15 AM 0 comments

Yes, there are a multitude of types of bacteria found naturally in ponds. To maximize our chance of maintaining a healthy pond, though, we add specialized bacteria rather than taking ‘pot luck’. It is much like making sour dough bread. If you mix flour and water together and expose it to the air, you will get some leavening. However, the best sourdoughs are made with cultures that are prized and hoarded.

Bacteria and algae, like most plants, are temperature dependent. This is why we tell you not to add bacteria when the water temperature gets down into the mid 50’s. You are wasting your money.

For more information about Pond and Fountain Pros, please check out our website at Pond and Fountian Pros.

Thank you!

Jim Wilder

# posted by Jim Wilder @ 9:44 AM 0 comments

Bacteria are an essential component in breaking fish waste and decomposing organic. This process is part of the Nitrogen Cycle we kind of learned about in high school. As the organics break down they form ammonia. Ammonia is toxic to the fish. One group of bacteria breakdown the ammonia into nitrites: which are also toxic if they build up. Another group of bacteria breaks the nitrites into nitrates. These nitrates are not toxic and are available to plants

For more information about Pond and Fountain Pros, please check out our website at Pond and Fountain Pros.

Thank you!

Jim Wilder

# posted by Jim Wilder @ 9:34 AM 0 comments

Besides adding bacteria to the pond, the most important maintenance is to prevent, or remove, organic debris from the pond. This may include trimming vegetation, deadheading (removing dead flowers and leaves) and removing the debris from the bottom of the pond with a net. This is why we put in skimmers that collect 95% of the floating matter that falls into the pond. Regardless of what kind of filter you have, submersible or out-of-pond, you will have to clean it. It can be very messy to clean a submersible filter so we prefer an out-of-pond filter especially if it has a backwash valve.

For more information about Pond and Fountain Pros, please check out our website at Pond and Fountain Pros.

Thank you!

Jim Wilder

# posted by Jim Wilder @ 9:31 AM 0 comments