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Q:
Is pond maintenance time
consuming?
A: Not
necessarily.. For example, if you want a wildlife
pond that attracts frogs, newts and dragon flies, it will
be a very low maintenance pond that can be left to it`s own devices in
many ways.. But even these types of ponds benefit from having the
planting thinned out and the water refreshed from time to time,
otherwise you could end up with just a muddy and very smelly swamp.
However, if you want a fish pond to display expensive Koi
and other types of coldwater fish, then you will need a filter system
in order to maintain the good water quality that enables your fish to
thrive and this will need a lot of input to keep in tip top
condition. There is more information about filtration systems
below
Even a simple
pebble pool or fountain will need regular maintenance to make sure the
electric connections are in good order and the water has not become smelly
and stagnant. I have a water feature on the patio at the bottom of our long
garden.. It is surrounded by exotic planting and beautiful pebbles, with the
electric switch in a shed at the end of the garden. Needless to say the
novelty of remembering to switch it on and off soon faded and there it
remains, a smelly embarrassment, but a good reminder that I wouldn`t be a
good pond keeper these days!
 It is well worth
thinking then, just how much time you have, or are willing to spend
maintaining your garden pond. If you are nearing retirement age you might also be
planning to do more travelling away from home, in which case a simple low maintenance
wildlife pond will be the sensible choice. These wildlife ponds can be the
most dangerous for young children though and should be protected by a pond
cover or pond grid such as those I mentioned last week, made by this company, Safapond.
Even if you don`t have young children visiting,
your neighbours might have and these children could well stray onto your
property!
I often miss my
pond, but taking into account my busy lifestyle it
would be an unwise decision to take on more work: besides my labrador has
recently learnt to swim and it could be messy!
Q: What
sort of garden pond should I have?
A: There are many considerations to
choosing the right type of pond for you, and it does depend on whether you
want a fish pond, an ornamental pond, a wildlife pond or even just a water
feature..
A pond or water
feature could be the focal
point on your patio, or a feature of your lawn. It would also be a great
idea to brighten a gloomy or neglected corner of your garden.
If your garden is
suitable you could create a natural pond which will be a haven for all
types of wildlife. This type of pond is not suitable for ornamental fish
because of the lack of proper filtration and it's vulnerability to predators
such as herons. Again you would be wise to think about
pond safety by using a pond guard
or grid to protect young children from drowning.
The next consideration is
whether you wish to keep plants and ordinary ornamental fish in your
pond or whether you are considering a specialist Koi set up, because the site and construction for both ponds are
quite different.
You could have two
different styles of pond.. An informal pond has no straight edges and no
symmetrical shape and may be designed to blend in with the contours of your
garden landscape. Alternatively, a formal pond does have a regular shape and
can be raised above the ground using brickwork to draw the eye to its
symmetry. Both types of pond are ideal
for keeping aquatic plants and pond fish. A waterfall and a fountain or
other moving water feature would usually compliment such pools.
Then there is the fabric
of the pond to consider. This can either be a pre-formed fibre glass
shell, which come in all shapes and sizes, or it can be formed from a hole
dug to your preferred shape and lined with either butyl rubber lining or
concrete rendered brick, with a final coat of waterproof rubber aquatic
paint.
Q:
What pond accessories
will I need?
If you
have chosen to have a koi pond or a pond with ordinary ornamental fish
you will need a filtration system which is made up of the following
three main items:
-
The
pond filter,
which works in two ways, mechanically and biologically. Mechanical
filtration removes the solid particles that cloud the water. Biological
filtration removes pollutants that can be harmful to plants and
fish.
-
UVC or Ultra Violet Clarifier, which
clumps together the algae that causes green water so that the filter can
then remove it.
-
Pump - A solid handling pump
that
conveys the dirty water into the UVC and filter for treatment. It also
introduces much needed oxygen and stops the fish gasping at the pond
surface..
For an excellent website packed with
information about filter systems have a look
here
 If you have chosen to
have a pond or water feature without livestock but with a fountain and
plants, you will still need a pump to operate the fountain. You will perhaps
want lighting by the pond too.
The outside
electricity supply needed for all your accessories should be installed by a
qualified electrician.
Next month:
Q: How
much will a garden pond cost?
Q: What
fish/wildlife should I stock the pond with?
Q:
Would a simple water feature be safer and easier to maintain than a garden
pond?
This pond safety product is a `must` if you have young
children visiting and a pond in your garden:-
 www.safapond.com
Specialist suppliers and installers of garden pond safety systems.
Designed with kids in mind. Protecting young children from the dangers of
garden ponds and water features..
Garden Ponds - Part
One
Garden Ponds - Part Two
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