Q: How many fish should I put in my pond?

Grady – Nevis, MN

A: The general rule for stocking your pond is 1” of fish for every one square foot of surface area, but of course there are exceptions to every rule. First and foremost, don’t forget to leave room for your pond fish to grow. Stocking your pond with 10 one-inch fish may be fine for now, but what about next year when your pond fish have doubled or tripled in size?

Additionally, larger pond fish produce exponentially more waste than smaller fish so you need to factor this into your plans. Look at the chart below for an example of what I mean. One 6” fish produces 3.3 times more waste than one 4” fish and 26 times more waste than one 2” fish. In general, it’s probably best not to stock your pond to the max right away. As your pond is more established and you add better aeration and filtration, your pond will be able to handle more fish.

There are a variety of koi fish packages to choose from when you are ready to get started.

Pond Talk: Do you find that your fish are cozy or crowded?

Q: What is the difference between a retention pond and detention pond?

Peter – Harrison, AR

A: A retention pond holds a specific amount of water indefinitely. The pond is designed to have drainage leading to another location to keep the pond from overflowing during heavy rains, but otherwise the pond is intended to always be full. You’ll frequently see these types of ponds in commercial properties or subdivisions, often with decorative fountains in the center.

A detention pond, or “dry pond,” is a low-lying area that temporarily holds water until the water drains to another location. It is not filled with water all the time. A detention pond is generally used for flood control when large amounts of rain and storm water runoff could cause flash flooding if not dealt with properly.

Poor maintenance of either type of pond can create unpleasant odors, nuisance insects, algae blooms, and an unkempt area. Due to the nature of runoff having exceptional amounts of nutrients, using natural products such as Pond Logic® Eco Boost™ or Pond Logic® Muck Away™ can help control these flash floods of nutrients.

Pond Talk: Do you live near a retention or detention pond? How is it cared for?

Are Floating Plants Good For My Water Garden?

Jean – Emmaus, PA

Yes. To maintain a healthy, well-balanced eco-system for your fish and prevent algae build-up, aim for 40-60% coverage of your pond with pond plants. Floating plants are an important part of the mix. Floating plants such as water hyacinth and water lettuce are chosen most often because they are prolific growers so just a few go a long way. In an 8′ x 10′ pond, 6-10 floating plants are more than enough to get started.

Floating plants protect your fish from the sun, (Yes, fish can get sunburned!) as well as hide them from predators. Floating plants also have extensive root systems to remove excess nutrients from the water. Removing these excessive nutrients will clear the water and help reducer future algae blooms.

While floating plants are a must, there are many other aquatic plants that should be part of the mix. Click over to our Planting Aquatic Plants article to read more about aquatic plant selections and how to plant pond plants.

Pond Talk: What floating plants are in your pond?

How Do I Tell Chara & Naiad Apart?

Thomas – Williamston, MI

It’s very important to be able to tell Chara and Naiad apart. Why? Because Chara is actually a form of algae and you must use an algaecide, like Algae Defense or Cutrine®-Plus, to treat it. Naiad, which looks similar to Chara, is an aquatic weed and you should use an herbicide, like Pond Logic® PondWeed Defense®, to treat it.
A couple of things to look for to help you differentiate between the two pond nuisances:

• Chara lacks true leaves because it is algae. Instead, it has 6 to 16 leaf-like branchlets that grow in spirals (whorls) around the stem. These branchlets often have tiny, thorn-like projections.
• Naiad has dark-green to greenish-purple, ribbon-like leaves. Naiad leaves are arranged oppositely on the stem, or sometimes in whorls of 3.
• Chara has no defined root system
• Naiad has a well-established root system
• Chara gets a foul, musky, almost garlic-like odor late in the season

If you are still unsure what type of plant you are dealing with, consider applying Hydrothol 191. A granular algaecide/herbicide, Hydrotol 191 is proven to treat both algae AND aquatic weeds but carries a 25 day irrigation & 3 day fish consumption restriction.

Pond Talk: Have you battled Chara or Naiad in your pond? How did you treat it?

Robert – Santee, SC

Start Feeding Pond Fish When The Weather Warms - Once your pond temperature reaches to 45 degrees, fish feeding can begin. During the colder months, your fish are hibernating live off of their stored body fat.

Train Your Fish - Fish need a schedule. Feed them in the same area at roughly the same time each day. Eventually, they will show you that they are ready for food by rushing to greet you at the edge of the pond with their mouths open.

Feed Pond Fish Slowly - At first, add only one or two pellets to the pond. This causes a ripple on the pond surface that will get the fish’s attention. Once the fish begin coming up for food, you can increase the amount of food given.

Don’t Over-Feed Your Fish - New fish may only be able to eat a small amount. Once they become more alert and accustomed to being fed, they may start to eat a little more. Don’t offer any more food than what your fish can eat in about five minutes.

Use The Right Food - This one depends on what kind of fish you have. Some of the most popular pond fish for backyard water gardens are Goldfish and Koi. We recommend feeding these fish either Pond Logic® Growth & Color or Tetra Pond™ Koi Vibrance.

How Do I Get Rid Of Phragmites?

Robert – Steamboat Springs, CO

Phragmites, also known as common reeds, are wetland grasses that can grow up to 15 feet in height. They quickly become a nuisance because they form dense patches that choke out native plant and wildlife species, block shoreline views, and reduce access for swimming and fishing.

Completely eliminating phragmites takes several treatments. The majority of the plant is an extensive underground root system that is very difficult to fully eliminate. You can control the density and spread of phragmites with regular chemical treatments applied with a pressurized pond sprayer. Consider using an herbicide such as Kraken, which carries no restrictions on recreational use or livestock consumption of water from the treatment area.

Once phragmites have died, you should cut or burn the dead vegetation. The best time to treat phragmites is the summer when the plant is actively growing and seeding.

Alice – Chesterfield, VA

Know your hardiness zone. The USDA publishes a hardiness zone map that shows in which areas of the country various types of plants can survive and grow. The majority of your pond plants should be from your hardiness zone because they are best able to tolerate the year-round conditions of your area.

Know your pond’s depth. Some pond plants prefer deep water and some pond plants prefer shallow. Hardy water lilies prefer deep water, for example, while bog plants prefer shallow.

Know what type of sun exposure your pond receives. In addition to hardiness zones, plants also are categorized by the type of light they like to receive (full sun, partial sun, or shade). Marsh Marigolds yearn for sun, while Clyde Ikins Water Lily can tolerate the shade.

Know your pond’s flow. This is a factor that water gardeners often overlook. Some pond plants love moving water while others prefer the water stand still. Dwarf cattails, for example, do well in streams because they enjoy moving water, but water lilies are not fans of being right underneath a waterfall.

Will Algaecides & Herbicides Harm My Beneficial Bacteria?

Kenneth – Lawton, OK

Some chemical treatments can affect the performance of your beneficial bacteria. It’s best to wait 72 hours after a chemical treatment to add bacteria. Certain chemical treatments contain copper, and copper can reduce the effectiveness of bacteria. If you wait a few days, you’ll ensure no loss of bacteria from a chemical interaction and the bacteria will have a lot of newly killed weeds to feed on. If you can’t wait, apply bacteria away from the treated areas of your pond. For example, if you put chemicals around the edge of your pond, add bacteria such Pond Logic® PondClear™, to the center. This will prevent the chance of overlapping chemicals with natural bacteria.

Cindy – Galesburg, IL

Dividing lilies may seem somewhat complicated, but our step-by-step process will explain exactly what you need to do. Try to plan it so you divide them during your spring cleanout, which would give easy access to tubers. Dividing is necessary every two to three years, and it is helpful if you notice the lily grew mostly pads and few lilies over the past season.

Step 1: Remove lilies from pond or container and rinse off. Plant baskets are ideal containers until they are ready to be moved to the pond.

Step 2: Trim away root growth and old foliage.

Step 3: Cut the tuber down to size. You can safely cut the tuber down between two to three inches on the growing part with a sharp knife. This can be increased to five to six inches on longer plants. Remember to also cut off new buds and older leaves, so that the new root system has a chance to grow.

Step 4: Plant each tuber separately or discard if you wish to reduce the lilies’ quantity in your pond. Use plant fertilizer and planting media for best results and a continuing healthy pond.

Step 5: Replant them shallow in the pond until new growth begins.

Step 6: Upon new growth lilies can be moved deeper into the pond.

I Want To Build My Own Pond. How Do I Go About Planning It Out?

William – Scottsboro, AL

There are a number of considerations that need to be made when planning for a large pond. These basic and important tips will help make sure you are on the right track and well prepared for constructing and maintaining the large pond that’s right for you.

Purpose– What do you want to use your pond for? If for fishing, plan for depth and habitat. If for swimming, consider implementing a shallow beach and gradual slopes.

Shape – What do you want your pond to look like? Ponds with uniform shape are often easier to care for as they typically posses less shoreline and can be circulated with less obstruction.

Size – How big do your want your pond to be? The size of your yard can play a large role in determining pond size. Purpose is an equally important factor; do you want to use your pond for swimming and skating?

Surroundings – What will be around your pond? Avoid areas that introduce excessive amounts of debris. Runoff and foliage are two common contributors to pond muck. Berm the edges of your pond to prevent runoff and distance trees away from the shoreline.

Depth – How deep should your pond be? A typical depth for a large pond is six to eight feet, though if you plan on stocking specific fish such as walleye you will want to increase the depth to provide adequate habitat.