How to make your Pond Fish Comfy this Season.

If your Pond Fish could have a say in furnishing their own space for the upcoming season, this is what they would want:

1) An open Window into the World: A De-Icer to keep a hole in the ice for toxic gases to get out and oxygen to get in - just like in your house

2) A Fireplace give you that cozy feeling? An Air Pump does that for your Fish! It makes them more comfortable, helps them keep healthy and improves their color in all seasons!

3) Light makes us all feel better, especially on short, dark and dreary winter days. Underwater Lights make the Pond look great, even wondrous under snow and ice and attract the errant, still moving bug as a special treat for Fish.

4) We all like a nice, safe place to rest. Fish do not need a Bed, but they do need safe places to hide from predators and Pond Netting and Koi Kastles provide that much needed protection!

Go ahead and make your Pond Fish comfy this season.
They'll love you for it!

Pond Beneficial Bacteria

Pond Beneficial Bacteria is a great thing to use in your pond all year round.

There are different kinds of Beneficial Bacteria for your pond.
Beneficial Bacteria can be found in a liquid form and dry granular form.
There is Beneficial Bacteria to use in your pond with warm weather and there is Beneficial Bacteria to use in cool weather.

With the Fall time here upon us, now is a great time to be using the Cool Weather Beneficial Bacteria in your pond if you haven't been using it already.
Cool Weather Beneficial Bacteria is specially made to be used in cool temperatures.
It is effective even in the dark(ie. under ice or snow)and it helps reduce the build up of leaves, fish waste, and other organic debris.

Beneficial Bacteria in your pond helps keep your fish healthy and your pond clean, too!

Fall is Here

Leaves are falling from the trees and blowing into the pond.
It is important to be scooping the leaves out with a Net now before the wintertime comes.
The leaves will otherwise sink to the bottom and begin to break down creating unwanted organic debris.

Keeping up with the leaves now will make for an easier clean up in the Spring.
Using a Cover Net will help prevent leaves from getting into the pond in the first place.

Keeping up on pond maintenence now will make for a happy pond owner later.
Your Koi and Goldfish will thank you too!

Pond Market Fall Check List Guide for Ponds

Fall is here. What do you do to protect your Pond from the elements and the wrath that Mother Nature can bring us sometimes? Below is a great Fall Checklist Guide.

1) Prepare Pond Plants for Fall by pruning dead leaves and moving marginal plants to deeper water.

2) Pond Filter System: Clean and store if turning it off, clean and inspect for worn parts if it will be running. Protect Pressurized Filters with straw bales if necessary.

3) Cover the pond with Pond Netting to keep leaves out and protect the Pond Fish from predators.

4) Use a Pond Aerator to provide sufficient oxygen for the Fish to insure survival.

5) A Pond Heater/De-Icer will keep a hole in the ice to let harmful gases (carbon monoxide) escape.

6) Feed an easily digestible Cool Weather Food to let the Fish add to their fat reserves before the water gets too cold for them to eat (48 degrees Fahrenheit).

7) Add Beneficial Bacteria that is formulated to work in cooler water temperatures to help reduce build up of decomposing leaves and make spring start-up easier.

8) Keep a Pond Thermometer in the water to show when to feed Cool Weather Food and when to stop feeding completely.

9) Test the pH, Salt, Nitrite, Ammonia to insure the fish stay healthy.

10) Using Barley will help prevent too much stringy growth.

11) Phos–X will remove Phospahtes to help keep the water clear.

12) Use Restor to help eliminate existing stringy growth on Waterfall, Plants and rocks.


Remember, A Healthy Pond is a Happy Pond.

Seasonal Pond Tips

If you could mine your Pond.....
you would find minerals and metals!

These minerals and metals are normally found in fresh water and evaporation and consequent topping off concentrates these minerals and metals more and more.
This accumulation of minerals can be harmful to the Pond Fish!

It is best to do a partial water change in the Autumn (20 - 30%) to dilute these substances and make the Pond healthier for your Fish to survive the winter.
We have talked many times of the importance of de-chlorinating all tap water that is added to the Pond, no matter how small a quantity it is. This time of year it is helpful to use a De-Chlorinator such as "Stress Coat" which helps to increase the slime coat that protects your Pond Fish from disease and parasites during the time when they are most vulnerable: Winter!

Seasonal Preparation Tips

Have you checked the bottom of your Pond?
Cleaning it up now and keeping it clean may eliminate the big Spring clean-out.

We always like to avoid draining the Pond in the Spring.
It is too much work, not good for the Pond Fish (or your back) and puts the Pond back to "brand new status" with all the potential problems of aging it and getting it balanced all over again.

It is much better to take a little bit of time now to prepare properly!
Check the pH to make sure the Beneficial Bacteria colony can flourish as long as possible - add some if necessary.
In far northern area where leaves may be falling already Pond Netting should be used to keep as much leaf debris off the bottom as possible.

Nutrient levels (in other words: fish poo) can get out of hand in cooler weather making that awful stringy stuff grow all over the place. Adding Barley Extract can help prevent that (and prevent some rock scrubbing).