Helpful Summer tips for Water Garden Koi Fish Pond Owners

SUMMER TIPS FOR POND OWNERS

Now that summer is finally here there are some Helpful Summer tips for Water Garden Koi Fish Pond Owners.  The first and foremost piece of information to gather is an understanding of simple comfort. When you stand in direct sunlight at 95 degrees for any length of time, it becomes difficult for you to continue that particular venture. As with any living organism, comfort is king. This is no different of a concept for your koi, as it is with you.  Some simple and easy actions and tips are available for any level of water gardener pond owner to undertake for their koi comfort and overall water garden pond health.

SHADE

Shade trees and foliage are important to your pond for a variety of reasons. Beginning with healthy clear water which the aquatic plants add oxygen too.  These plants will not only remove harmful chemicals in the water by eating the nitrates, they will also create cooling spots for your fish to relax. At the same time aquatic plants can attract insects that the koi will eat naturally. By simply adding a floating planter you add necessary shade and oxygen.

FEEDING

Using an automated feeding device could help you keep track of just how much food you supply. Too much food left over from overfeeding, will contribute to an unsafe rise in phosphates and nitrites that if left untreated will cause an unsightly algae bloom.  If continued overfeeding occurs, an unhealthy rise in ammonia levels will occur resulting in possible death to the fish.

An easy way to tell if overfeeding is an issue is to remove any food that is still present after about 5 minutes. Keep in mind that during the summer months your ponds ecosystem is in overdrive. Food consumption will increase in warmer temps as metabolisms increase. Most koi will gather at the edge of the pond at feeding times, feed the koi liberally and allow them to eat as much as they want. Simply remove any food that is still present after the koi have had their fill. Removing excess food will drastically reduce the possibilities of Ph levels going haywire. Use of a skimmer net will help remove left over food.

PUMPS

During the summer months of pond keeping, paying close attention to the functioning of your pump is a key aspect of a healthy pond. Your pump is a mechanical component of the ecosystem, when left unchecked the systems pre-filter can become clogged and strain the pump into failure. One thing to check everyday is the amount of water being pumped back into the pond, if the volume of water is decreasing, inspect the pumps water intake for clogging, this is a great habit to begin, for optimal health and functioning of the water garden. We sell many types of filter media.

AIR

Its not only useful for us to breath, but our koi enjoy it as well. The oxygen levels in warm weather are lower than in cooler weather. The same is true in water for aquatic life. Colder water holds more oxygen than warmer waters do. A simple fix is to add an aeration stone or 2 to up the level of air for the fish to breath more easily. Lower oxygen levels in warm water could cause the koi to become sluggish or seem lethargic.   Solar oxygenators work in areas with full daily sunlight.

As with anything new, there will be some growing pains. Patience and learning are key ingredients to anything worthwhile. We here at Pond H2o are committed to helping all water gardeners/pond keepers get the most fulfillment possible from existing water gardens to new projects alike.