I wish to stand corrected on one of my earlier posts regarding biological filters - it's been a few years since I had my last pond, and available products have vastly improved since then! The lava rock I recommended (since it provides a lot of surface area for the nitrifying bateria) has been replaced by bead filters which are far easier to clean.
So - I figured I'd take a few minutes to go over the different types of filtration, and the purpose for each. First, it is recommended that you have a bottom drain at the lowest point in your pond. This enables waste material to be drawn out, and caught in the first filter. This is a mechanical filter which traps large and small particles - fish waste, uneaten food, plant particles and so on.
You might also have some form of chemical filtration. This removes pesticides, colors, odors, and organics which were too small to be trapped by a mechanical filter.
Finally, there is biological filtration. This provides some form of medium on which the beneficial bacteria can grow - bacteria which convert toxins such as ammonia and nitrites into less toxic nitrates. Nitrates are in turn used as a food source by aquatic plants. However you set up your biological filter, it needs to provide oxygenated water, as these bacteria work best with plenty of oxygen.
For garden pond owners, if you don't have fish you may do well with just a biological filter. However, I still recommend installing a bottom drain, as you may very well need to drain your pond for cleaning, or to repair a leak. For fish owners, the removal of fish wastes and uneaten food helps reduce the buildup of ammonia, and will significantly reduce the amount of time you have to spend maintaining the water quality of your pond!
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Thursday, April 3, 2008
Koi, Pond, Water Garden - This is the Year to Get Yours!
(Just as an aside - I'm very excited; this article was accepted by Ezine, and I was awarded Expert Author status!)
A water feature in your garden or back yard adds beauty, value, movement - and an amazing sense of tranquility and peace! This article is intended to provide a few tips and ideas to help make the job of installation easier, save money, avoid mistakes, and help you get the most from your new addition!
First, you should decide exactly what you want. A water garden could be anything from a large tub with a few water plants to a huge pond with stream, waterfall, bridge, and extensive plantings of waterlilies, bog iris and marginal plants. However, if you also want fish - especially koi - this adds another level of planning.
With any water feature, nice clean water enhances the overall picture. With koi, you will also need well-oxygenated water free of chemicals and toxins that could harm your fish. This includes ammonia generated by fish wastes, and chemicals which might help clear your water and be harmless to plants, but could be toxic to your fish. This is where filtration comes in - and a good filtration system can ease the maintenance of a larger pond even if it doesn't have fish.
Once you've decided what you want, you need to decide how large you want it. And let me tell you - almost anyone who has installed a water feature or pond will tell you that one of the main things they would change would be to make their pond bigger! Yes, it's possible to expand or add onto an existing installation, but it's almost always less expensive to make the larger installation in the first place!
While you are making plans for rocks, waterfall, plants and so forth, be sure to include a spot to sit and enjoy your pond - and fish, if you have them. Consider adding a feature such as a pergola - these provide broken shade for you and can do the same for the koi in your pond if extended over a portion of the pond. You can also wire these to include lighting, or an overhead fan to further add to the comfort of relaxing and enjoying the peace and tranquility of your new addition.
If you aren't sure about koi, but do want a fairly large pond - install a bottom drain! It doesn't require immediate hookup to a pump or filter, but even without fish it can be invaluable if you need to drain the pond for cleaning, or to repair a leak. Then, if/when you decide to add koi at some later date, your bottom drain is already plumbed and just waiting for the addition of a mechanical filter and pump! The plumbing costs very little at this point in time, and can save a lot at a later date.
Here are just a few other things to think about as you are planning your new addition. First, all the dirt that comes out of that hole can be used to a) create a raised planting bed along the back; b) raise the sides of your pond and reduce the depth you need to dig; or c) build up the area where you want a waterfall. For oxygenation - or just to hear the sound of water - you might also add a fountain, perhaps in statue form. Plants include bog plants - these can be separated from the main pond with a narrow border that still allows water in to maintain the moisture these plants need. A stream can add more movement with additional oxygenation and filtering, and waterfalls are great for movement, the music of water in motion, and oxygenation. A path and bridge can add to your viewing enjoyment. And edging can be grass, slate, brick, rock, or any combination - such as slate for your sitting area, with large rock around the rest of the pond perimeter.
A water feature in your garden or back yard adds beauty, value, movement - and an amazing sense of tranquility and peace! This article is intended to provide a few tips and ideas to help make the job of installation easier, save money, avoid mistakes, and help you get the most from your new addition!
First, you should decide exactly what you want. A water garden could be anything from a large tub with a few water plants to a huge pond with stream, waterfall, bridge, and extensive plantings of waterlilies, bog iris and marginal plants. However, if you also want fish - especially koi - this adds another level of planning.
With any water feature, nice clean water enhances the overall picture. With koi, you will also need well-oxygenated water free of chemicals and toxins that could harm your fish. This includes ammonia generated by fish wastes, and chemicals which might help clear your water and be harmless to plants, but could be toxic to your fish. This is where filtration comes in - and a good filtration system can ease the maintenance of a larger pond even if it doesn't have fish.
Once you've decided what you want, you need to decide how large you want it. And let me tell you - almost anyone who has installed a water feature or pond will tell you that one of the main things they would change would be to make their pond bigger! Yes, it's possible to expand or add onto an existing installation, but it's almost always less expensive to make the larger installation in the first place!
While you are making plans for rocks, waterfall, plants and so forth, be sure to include a spot to sit and enjoy your pond - and fish, if you have them. Consider adding a feature such as a pergola - these provide broken shade for you and can do the same for the koi in your pond if extended over a portion of the pond. You can also wire these to include lighting, or an overhead fan to further add to the comfort of relaxing and enjoying the peace and tranquility of your new addition.
If you aren't sure about koi, but do want a fairly large pond - install a bottom drain! It doesn't require immediate hookup to a pump or filter, but even without fish it can be invaluable if you need to drain the pond for cleaning, or to repair a leak. Then, if/when you decide to add koi at some later date, your bottom drain is already plumbed and just waiting for the addition of a mechanical filter and pump! The plumbing costs very little at this point in time, and can save a lot at a later date.
Here are just a few other things to think about as you are planning your new addition. First, all the dirt that comes out of that hole can be used to a) create a raised planting bed along the back; b) raise the sides of your pond and reduce the depth you need to dig; or c) build up the area where you want a waterfall. For oxygenation - or just to hear the sound of water - you might also add a fountain, perhaps in statue form. Plants include bog plants - these can be separated from the main pond with a narrow border that still allows water in to maintain the moisture these plants need. A stream can add more movement with additional oxygenation and filtering, and waterfalls are great for movement, the music of water in motion, and oxygenation. A path and bridge can add to your viewing enjoyment. And edging can be grass, slate, brick, rock, or any combination - such as slate for your sitting area, with large rock around the rest of the pond perimeter.
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