Spring cleaning your pond By Andy McConnachie from Aqua Landscape Design
POND CARE
It’s looking better. We are on our way to a much happier climate as things start to warm from the longer daylight hours and warmer sun, however if 2011 is anything like 2010 we may be experiencing yet another cold snap. I do hope the latter holds off.
I have presented a number of talks already this year to garden clubs and a lot of people have asked the question as to why they have dead fish or frogs in their pond. Basically this is due to the extreme cold conditions we have. Fish, along with some amphibians that have chosen to stay in the pond, have little option but to fight out the cold winter conditions, some of which may not make it, either due to toxic gasses building up under the ice or lack of oxygen (winter fish kill). The best thing to do is to remove any dead creatures so they don’t cause any more problems with water quality.
Things to do when spring approaches
it a good clean, as any good bacteria will have died and turned anaerobic. Add a bacteria/enzyme product to ensure these bacteria can start to re-colonise.
clean and not cracked and replace the bulb for the new season.
cracks.
intact, if not; replace it so the pesky Heron can’t attack your fish.
as Barley Straw Extract as a preventative before the algae can take hold.
reason why plants can’t be repotted and ponds cleaned. For wildlife ponds, pond cleaning can be damaging, but less so in colder temperatures.
Pond cleaning removes silt caused from decaying debris from water lilies, fallen leaves and surrounding trees, also faeces from fish, invertebrates and amphibians – although not an immediate problem, in time it may cause reductions in depth and oxygen in warmer months and contribute to Winter Fish Kill in the colder months.
It is important that when emptying your pond, that you keep a percentage of the water, approximately a quarter if you are able to, this will ensure that any livestock can be gently put to one side when cleaning and when filling the pond that the natural balance is not massively disrupted. If you use tap water, it is a good idea to use a dechlorinator.
There is an easy routine for clearing out your garden pond in springtime
At this time of year and ideally between water temperatures of six and ten degrees centigrade, when fish are generally calmer and most amphibians have already migrated away from the water, it is a good time to consider cleaning out your pond and to sort out the aquatic plants with minimal disruption to the ecosystem getting ready for the spring.
Although some people prefer to complete pond cleans in the autumn, as long as it’s not too cold, then there is no
Removing plants first can cause unwanted disturbance. The decaying plant material can be cut off or removed by hand and set aside for composting. Allowing it to settle will allow for any creatures to move away to safety until the pond is filled again, any larger creatures can be put into the holding facility.
The sediment and silt can be removed and spread around borders; it makes excellent fertiliser, especially for vegetable beds. Start to drain the holding facility back into the pond and carefully examine any fish for damage and possible ailments before putting them back.
Country Gardener
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