Comments for The Pond Guy's Blog

Comment on Treating ponds in winter. – Pond & Lake Q & A – Week Ending November 7th by thepondguy

thepondguy — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 14:33:16 +0000

Hi Ben, Early fall would be the recommended time to draw down your pond to leave plant roots, such as Cattails, exposed to winter’s coldest temperatures. This will help reduce the amount of plants that reemerge in the spring; it will also allow you to chemically treat what does emerge. At this time of year, turtles and frogs would not have started to go into hibernation. Once late fall arrives and they have begun hibernating, reducing the water level would make them vulnerable to die from exposure. You could deplete oxygen levels in the pond if the water levels are dropped too low — especially if the pond does not have aeration. If you have an aeration unit running in the pond year round, such as a bottom-bubbler, the oxygen concentration in the pond would not be an issue for your fish.

Comment on Shop Pond Supplies by thepondguy

thepondguy — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 21:20:05 +0000

Hello Richard, Pools are different than ponds with fish. Vinegar, which is acetic acid, is actually toxic to fish — it is an eye and gill irritant. The use of baking soda is not recommended. It will adjust the pH level too quickly; that sudden increase in the pH will be detrimental to the fish. pH should be either raised or lowered by no more than 0.5 units every 24 hours. A range between 6.8 and 8.0 is ideal in garden ponds. The pH in your pond will fluctuate over a 24 hour period. Test the pond’s pH at the same time of day for an accurate reading, preferably in the morning. Attempting to regulate pH levels without tracking the daily readings may result in an unnecessary — and possibly dangerous — altering of your pond.

Comment on Treating ponds in winter. – Pond & Lake Q & A – Week Ending November 7th by Ben Gibson

Ben Gibson — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 18:23:54 +0000

I plan to draw down the level of water in my pond soon. I was told that this will freeze the weeds and kill them around the perimeter of the pond. The draw down will be about 2 feet of a 10 foot deep pond. Its dimensions are about 50 feet wide by 100 feet long and is oval shaped. This procedure is supposed to create a better looking shore line next year. Will the draw down kill hibernating aquatic life like frogs, turtles, etc.? Also, will it be harmful to fish?

Thanks,
Ben

Comment on Treating ponds in winter. – Pond & Lake Q & A – Week Ending November 7th by thepondguy

thepondguy — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 14:32:39 +0000
Hi Paula, In some cases, a pond that stays clean and clear through the summer can blow up into an algae nightmare in the fall. Shutting down your water garden ceases the flow-through characteristics of the pond. This reduces the amount of filtration that occurs both mechanically (skimmers) and biologically (filter falls). Since there is less flow, it's a good idea to bump up the amount of bacteria in the pond by adding Seasonal Defense® Bacteria with Barley. These bacteria operate in cooler conditions and will greatly reduce the amount of nutrients in the water; they also contain barley straw to naturally help with algae. Also, using Oxy-Lift™ Defense® to scrub down your rocks will help remove any debris build up.

Comment on Treating ponds in winter. – Pond & Lake Q & A – Week Ending November 7th by thepondguy

thepondguy — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 14:27:27 +0000

Hi Christine,
If you could rely on the snow remaining on the ice all winter, this might be true. However, with wind blowing the snow off, temperature warm-ups and rain melting the snow throughout the winter, you cannot be sure that you will have sunlight blocked from your pond. It’s better to add dye than worry about it during the winter months.

Comment on Where do frogs go in the winter? – Water Garden & Features Q & A – Week Ending November 7th by thepondguy

thepondguy — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 14:25:19 +0000

Hi Martha,
A snake can eat the fish in your pond — if the fish are small enough for the snake to handle. It may stay for awhile and decide to move on. You could try to catch the snake with a net and release in an area away from your pond and out of your yard. If it is a Garter snake, they are not harmful to people. Use of pond netting with smaller holes would be a deterrent for snakes getting into your pond.

Comment on Controlling Cattails & Phragmites – Pond & Lake Q & A – Week of May 2nd by thepondguy

thepondguy — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 23:01:36 +0000

Nice!

Comment on Controlling Leeches – Pond & Lake Q & A – Week of May 16th by thepondguy

thepondguy — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 23:01:02 +0000

Let us know your results with the coffee can and liver!

Comment on Where do frogs go in the winter? – Water Garden & Features Q & A – Week Ending November 7th by thepondguy

thepondguy — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 23:00:03 +0000

Thanks for submitting your question, Lynda! We recently received the same question from several people, so we knew it was time to post an article about it.

Comment on Do I really need a pond deicer? It costs a small fortune to run it. Are there any other options? – Water Garden & Features Q & A – Week Ending October 24th by thepondguy

thepondguy — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 22:54:54 +0000
Hi Rod, The most energy efficient way to de-ice your pond is with an aeration unit. During the winter, it is very important to keep a hole open on the surface of your pond. This hole allows toxic gases to escape. An aeration unit also adds oxygen to your pond during the winter months. Placing your air stone /air stones in the shallower area of your pond will leave the deeper water undisturbed and warmer for your fish. The constant bubbling action of the air stones under the water surface will keep the water open.