Aqua Garden Supplies
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(866) 883 - 2903 info@aquagardensupplies.com
(866) 883 - 2903 info@aquagardensupplies.com
Pond Tips and Information for water garden - pond keepers
Calculating Pond Liner
Start with the depth of the pond (in feet), double it (to cover sides of pond), then add 2 feet for 1 foot overlap on each side. Add this number to both the width and length of the pond.
Example of a completed pond measuring 12' long x 7' wide x 3' deep:Take the 3ft. depth and double it = 6', Add 2' overlap = 8'. Then add 8' to your length of 12' = 20. Add the 8' to your 7' width = 15. You would need a 20' x 15' pond liner.
Calculating Pond Water Volume
If your pond is square or rectangular, multiply the ponds length x width x depth (all in feet) by 7.5. This will give you the volume of water in your pond.
Example: 10' x 5' x 3' deep would be 1,125 gallons (10 x 5 x 3 x 7.5).
For round ponds: multiply top diameter x bottom diameter x average depth of pond (all in feet) by 5.7.
Example: 10' x 10' x 3' deep would be 1,710 gallons (10 x 10 x 3 x 5.7).
Preparing Your Pond for Winter
If you have cold winters (as we do here in Virginia), you may want to remove pumps, filtration and U.V. clarifiers / sterilizers as some pond owners do.
Remove at first frost, thoroughly clean and store them indoors OR according to manufacturers' instructions. According to manufacturer is always best, because there are some pumps that should be kept in a pail of water (to keep from drying out seals, etc.).
Some of our customers keep their pumps running. Just be sure your pump is deep enough not to freeze in the ice.
Also, do not let ice form in filters.
During the winter months the pond is active even when the water is frozen. Dead leaves, algae, insects, and fish waste slowly break down. Fish, frogs and other aquatic life are especially sensitive to poor water quality in winter.
Use a net to remove dead leaves and then remove excess sludge. You may want to leave a little bit of debris in your pond when preparing it for winter.
Some water gardeners net out the fish, completely drain the water, scrub the pond and refill it with fresh water.
Frogs, tadpoles, snails and microscopic pond life need to burrow down into mud and leaves to survive the winter.
Remove about 90% of the leaves and silt that have accumulated over the summer. Leave the rest as "bedding" for the fish.
Cover your pond with netting to prevent leaves and debris from getting into your pond.
The metabolism of Koi and Goldfish is controlled primarily by water temperature.
As the water cools, pond fish require less protein in their diet.
When Koi and Goldfish are fed high protein food in cool water, the excess protein is excreted as ammonia from the gills.
The microscopic organisms that make up the biological filter also slows down in cooler water.
Improper seasonal feeding can lead to a build-up of toxic ammonia, which stresses fish and reduces their survivability in winter.
STOP FEEDING your fish when water temperature drops to around 43 degrees F.
In harsh winter climates pond owners DO NOT FEED their FISH AT ALL DURING THE WINTER MONTHS.
Pond fish will seek the deepest part of the pond and over-winter there because the warmest part of the pond is near the base.
If your pond is too shallow, the fish may freeze during a harsh winter.
Pond owners with shallow ponds can keep their koi and goldfish in aquariums set up in a cool basement or garage.
If ice covers the surface of the pond, it prevents oxygen from getting in and toxic gases from getting out.
DO NOT break the ice, shock waves can stun or kill fish.
Floating pond heaters or De-Icer Kits are available to keep a small area free of ice.
They DO NOT heat a pond, they maintain a hole in the pond ice.
If you have a really large pond, you may need more than one heater.
Trimming Your Plants (winter prep)
Wait too long and the leaves will fall off and rot in the water. Trim bog and marsh plants (such as papyrus, taro and cattails), before frost hits. Trim off ALL the leaves of your water lilies.Put all the potted plants (that are hardy) into the deepest area of the pond to prevent freeze damage.