The Beauty of Barley

Barley Products come in different forms to accommodate the Water Garden/ Fish Pond owner.

Barley Products can be found in the form of Pellets, Flakes, Straw, and even as a Liquid Extract.

These different forms of Barley make it easy to find what works best for you and your Water Garden.
Barley Products are a more natural way of keeping your Water Garden looking great and are made to fit the personal preference of the Pond owner.

Barley Products are a great way of keeping your Pond water clean, clear, and they also help prevent that stringy growth in the Spring.

The Beauty of Barley, helps maintain the beauty of your Water Garden.

Fun Pond Fact

UV Clarifiers used for clearing up that pea soup look in Fish and Water Garden Ponds don't actually kill the algae causing it.

In Fact, the algae small enough to pass by the UV light is made sterile by the UV Clarifier.
Belief it or not, most algae doesn't have a very long lifespan.
Algae reproduces extremely fast and that is why it is able to turn Pond water into what looks like pea soup.

Taking away the algae's ability to reproduce makes the battle a whole lot easier to win.

Reducing the amount of nutrients in your Fish Pond by using Beneficial Bacteria, Algaecides, and having Plant coverage over half to three-fourths of the surface water of the Pond all help reduce the chances of pea soup look coming back.

Special Deal!

Right now PondMarket.com is having a special deal on Gift Certificates!

Purchase a Gift Certificate in the
amount of $100, $125, $150, or $200 for 15% off!!



Save Now!

The Importance of Oxygen

Having oxygen in your Fish Pond is the difference between life and death when it comes down to your Pond Fish.

Without oxygen in the water your Pond Fish will suffocate.

Winter can be a stressful time on Pond Fish.
When Fish Ponds freeze over completely, harmful gases get trapped under the ice and there is not enough oxygen for your Pond Fish to breathe.

If there is snow over the ice, then plants in the pond that would normally provide oxygen will then take oxygen away. The snow blocks sunlight from getting through to the plants in the Fish Pond that use it for photosynthesis.
Sweep snow off the ice over your Fish Pond to let sunlight in.
Be careful not to step on the ice, it may not support you.

Beneficial Bacteria needs oxygen to digest fish waste and decaying organic matter in the Pond.
The build up of harmful gases comes from fish waste as well as decaying organic matter.

It is very important to provide your Pond Fish & Beneficial Bacteria with oxygen!
Using an Air Pump will help your Pond Fish (and Beneficial Bacteria) breathe.
A De-Icer will leave a hole in the ice over the winter to let those harmful gases escape.

Help your Pond Fish breathe easy this winter.

Winter Tips

It is important to mark off the perimeter of your Fish Pond.
Snow on and around the Fish Pond can make it hard to distinguish where the yard ends and where the Pond begins.
Marking off the perimeter will help prevent anyone from falling into your Water Garden.

Marking the edges of the Fish Pond with stakes is a common way of distinguishing where it is safe to walk.

Some people like to put little flags on the top end of the stakes to make them more apparent.
A string can also be tied from stake to stake to really make the boundaries clear.
Outdoor holiday lights can also be used instead of a string to add to the beauty of your backyard.

When putting your stakes in the ground be sure to place them at least two feet outside the edge of the Fish Pond.
Putting them right at the edge could be dangerous to your liner.

Using Pond Lights in or around your Water Garden will bring life and excitement to your backyard.
Having Pond Lights in your Water Garden will also help make it easier to see that you have a water feature. This will help make your Fish Pond more safe and even more enjoyable to look at.
Pond Lights can be used to high-light your favorite parts of your Water Garden during the winter time.
Some Pond Lights can even be used in or outside the pond.

There is no reason that your Pond can't be safe and beautiful all year round.

Winter is Coming!

Pond Market Winter Check List Guide for Ponds
Fall has passed and Winter is just around the corner.
What do you do to protect your Pond from the harsh elements and the wrath that Mother Nature can bring us sometimes?
Below is a great Winter Checklist Guide.

Pond Plants

-Prune dead leaves (leave at least 3 or 4 inches of stems)
-Move hardy marginal Pond Plant into deeper water (several inches below the freezing line)
-Bring tropical marginal Pond Plant inside, store by a window and keep very moist all winter (some leaves will wilt but the plant will perk back up in the Spring)
-Check the cold hardiness of your Pond Plants
-Check the USDA Hardiness Map for your area
-Watch the Pond Plant Winterization Seminar Video


Pond Fish (Koi, Goldfish, Golden Orfe, etc)

-Switch to Cool Weather Pond Fish Food once the water temperature of the Pond drops below 60 degrees Fahrenheit (Pond Fish do not have a stomach and their digestion slows which can lead to impaction if food with too much protein is fed in cooler water)
-Keep a Pond Thermometer in the Pond to closely monitor water temperature
-Stop feeding the Pond Fish once the water temperature drops below 48 degrees
-Add Pond Salt & Koi TLC to increase the slime coat, help ward off parasites & disease & reduce stress
-Watch the Pond Fish Winterization Seminar


Pond Filters

-Thoroughly clean the Pond Filter
-Inspect the Pond Filter for any wear or damage (it is best to order Pond Filter Replacement Parts now, so the Pond Filter is ready to go in the spring)
-Submersible Pond Filters & Pond Filters without UV should be disconnected & stored in a frost free area
-External Pond Filters w/UV should be stored in a frost free area if you plan to turn it off during the winter
-Watch the Pond Filter Winterization Seminar


Pond Pumps

-Thoroughly clean the Pond Pump
-Inspect the Pond Pump for wear and damage (order Pond Pump Replacement Parts now so it is ready for spring)
-Move the Pond Pump well below the freezing line if it will be left running
-Take the Pond Pump inside if it will be turned off
-Watch the Pond Equipment Winterization Seminar


Pond Water Quality

-Use a Pond Fish Net or Skimmer Net to scoop out dead leaves & other debris on the pond bottom
-Change 1/3 of the Pond Water (be sure to use de-chlorinator)
-Test the Pond Water for pH level, Ammonia and Nitrite
-Make further slow water changes if Ammonia and Nitrite are present
-Adjust the pH level to within 6.8 - 8.0
-Add cool weather Beneficial Bacteria to digest any left-over leaf debris and organic waste (this goes a long way to avoiding a complete pond draining in the spring)
-Use a Barley Product to inhibit stringy growth on pond rocks, waterfall, liner and other water features
-Use Restor to clean existing stringy and slimy growth off the waterfall, rocks, liner and pond plants


Pond Winterization Equipment

-Install a Pond De-Icer to keep a hole in the ice on the Pond surface to let toxic gases escape (carbon monoxide produced by the Pond Fish)
-Use a Pond Air Pump in Ponds with Koi or high Pond Fish Populations to ensure sufficient oxygen when the Pond freezes over
-Cover the Pond with Pond Netting to keep out leaves and protect the Pond Fish from predators

Pond and Garden Fun Fact

Green Water Algae has a relatively short life span.
I know that it is hard to believe when your Fish Pond looks like pea soup, but the individual cells making your water green actually only live for a few days.
These individual algae cells reproduce on such a fast rate that they are capable of making your water look green.


Not to worry though, because UV Clarifiers help keep your Green Water Algae under control. Algaecides and reducing the amount of nutrients in your water garden by using Beneficial Bacteria helps even more.

Ice Over the Pond

Having a hole in the ice of the Pond over the winter is very important. The need for a hole in the ice for toxic gases to escape during the winter can mean the difference between life and death when it comes to you Pond Fish.

Leaving a hole for noxious gases to escape will make it easier for your fish to breathe. Dangerous gases caused by plant decomposition, fish waste, etc. can do serious harm to or even kill your Pond Fish.

A Pond De-Icer will ensure a hole in the ice for these dangerous gases to escape.
Using an aerator will put oxygen back into the water so your fish can breathe.

Make sure that your Pond Fish are happy and can breathe easy.
That's what they would want from you.

Fun Pond Fact

Toads like to spend the winter close to the Pond!
Don't clean up too good around the Pond, leave a brush pile or two
for them to dig into and hide!

Pond Algae

There are many kinds of Pond Algae that come in different colors and different forms.
Surprisingly enough, algae can be green, red, and even brown.
Sometimes Pond Algae is small and makes your water look like pea soup and sometimes it's stringly like hair.
There are many ways to Treat and Control Algae in your Fish Pond.

There are Liquid and Granular types of Algeacides to keep your unpleasant Pond Algae under control.

Before treating your Fish Pond with an Algaecide it is important to make sure that your pond has a Balanced pH between 7.0 and 8.0. The closer to 7, the better.
Having a balanced pond will make your Algaecide more effective.

Using a Beneficial Bacteria will also up your chances of controlling your Algae. Beneficial Bacteria will help eliminate the nutrients that Algae feeds on.

UV Clarifiers in conjunction with a good Pond Filter make controlling all that green water a breeze. The UV clarifier makes the Algae that passes by it, sterile. Usually Algae reproduces at a fast pace, but by taking away this possibility it is easy to understand just how quickly a UV Clarifier can work. Having a good Pond Filter to catch all the sterile Algae, will help prevent Algae from going back into the pond.

After getting your Algae under control, the use of Barley Products will help ensure that you won't have Algae problems later on.