Water plants help to create a natural ecosystem within your pond. They will provide shade and shelter for fish as well as help to filter and oxygenate the water. Water plants can help to provide a habitat to bring frogs into the garden as well as create a beautiful display of colours and textures. There [...]
Rain Water The mineral levels and the pH of rainwater can vary greatly. Rainwater is naturally SOFT and fairly acidic, but when it falls to the ground and makes it way into waterways or flows over rocks the water will pick up minerals such as Calcium and Magnesium which begin to make it HARD but [...]
When setting up a new pond, the following are the steps you need to take in order to make sure you have a suitable environment for your fish to thrive. Chlorine Neutraliser - Also known as Water Conditioner. This product is used for those who are using tap water. THIS IS AN ABSOLUTE MUST! Chlorine [...]
Mosquito Larvae - Mosquitoes lay eggs on water or damp soil. There are a wide variety of mosquito species, but most will generally lay their eggs side by side to form this floating raft, which may contain 100-400 eggs. It will take about a week for the eggs to hatch, where they become what most people [...]
pH (Potential Hydrogen) is the measure of whether your pond water is acidic or alkaline. Having a pH between 6.5 to 8.5 is the normal range for a pond system. If your pH is below 6.5 this is acidic and if it reaches below 4 this can be disastrous for your fish and is unlikely [...]
Carbonate Hardness, KH, is the measure of the amount of Calcium and Magnesium found in your pond. These two elements play an important part in the health of fish. Calcium and Magnesium help to neutralise acids and stabilise pH levels. When people talk about HARD or SOFT water, this just indicates that your pond is [...]
Phosphate is not dangerous to pond life. If you have high levels of phosphate in your pond it can be more of a nuisance causing major green water algae or blankweed problems. It will also provide a perfect environment for duckweed to thrive. This could be a nuisance for some people who would prefer to [...]
Nitrite is the by-product of the breakdown of Ammonia, this breakdown is done by the bacteria, nitrosomonas, in your pond. High levels of Nitrite in your pond can cause damage to the fish liver, spleen, nervous system and kidneys. This can result in the death of your fish. Nitrite is converted to Nitrate by nitrobacteria [...]
Ammonia is extremely harmful to pond life and is constantly produced from fish waste, urine, uneaten food and decaying algae or plant matter. There is no safe level of Ammonia in ponds, even if the level is quite low it will be effecting your fish. Ammonia is converted to nitrite, which is also harmful to [...]
When fish are ill do not feed them. Sick fish will not be eating and this uneaten food can cause further harm if not scooped out of the pond. FISH FUNGUS Fish Fungus is commonly known as Fuzzy Fish or Cotton Wool Disease, as the fungus looks like a cotton-like growth on the skin or [...]