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What can I do to maintain my lakefront property? | Ponds & Lakes Q&A

Posted on March 2, 2013 by thepondguy

What can I do to maintain my lakefront property?

Q: What can I do to maintain my lakefront property?

John – Beltsville, MD

A: Ahhh … waking up to the sun rising over your slice of a tranquil lake sounds divine—and it makes sense that you’d want to keep that piece of heaven pristine.

So what can you do to maintain it?

If you live by a large lake, pond dye may not be a feasible way to beautify your shoreline. But here are a few things you can do to help promote a healthy lakefront.

  • Use Natural Bacteria: You can apply beneficial bacteria, like those found in Pond Logic® MuckAway™, to shoreline areas to promote muck removal around your dock or beach. The bacteria consume the accumulated organic debris, improving water clarity and eliminating smell.
  • Install Circulators: Dock-mounted or float-mounted circulators , like the Kasco Circulator with Horizontal Float, can help speed up muck decomposition and guide muck away from a boat well or shorefront by moving the water and adding oxygen to it.
  • Control Weeds: If pesky phragmites grow on your lakefront, you can spray them with aquatic herbicides and cut them back with a weed cutter, like the Pond Logic® Weed Cutter & Beach Rake. Weed control will discourage critters and mosquito populations from moving in.

What’s the Catch?

Well, the catch is that treating a lakefront property is trickier than treating your private backyard pond or lake. Because you’re affecting water that you share with wildlife and other homeowners, you will need to contact your local environmental quality department for permission to treat the area with bacteria or chemicals. Once you get the OK, you can treat away!

Another option is to hire a licensed herbicide applicator in your area. These businesses can assist you with the permit process—and some can even be hired to maintain the area for you so you can spend more time lounging by the lake.

Pond Talk: If you live lakefront, what have you done to improve your beach or shoreline area?

Naturally Eliminate Pond Muck - Pond Logic® MuckAway™

Filed under: MuckAway, Natural Water Treatments, Phragmites, Pond & Lake | Tagged: , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

How Do I Revive My Aeration System After Storing It For The Entire Winter? | Ponds & Lakes Q&A

Posted on February 23, 2013 by thepondguy

How Do I Revive My Aeration System After Storing It For The Entire Winter?

Q: How Do I Revive My Aeration System After Storing It For The Entire Winter?

John – Sumner, IA

A: If you turned your aerator off and stored it for the winter they are a few quick steps you can take to have your aeration system prepped and installed for the spring. If your winter has been anything like ours in southeastern Michigan, spring already seems upon us.

Here’s 4 ways to prep and install your aeration system for spring.

1.)  Change the Air Filter: The air filter is vital for providing clean air through the compressor. With a clogged air filter, performance diminishes and over time can cause irreversible damage to the compressor. We recommend changing your air filter every 3-6 months depending on the environment.

2.)  Check for Air: Before installing the unit and connecting airlines it is best to do a quick check for air. Turn the unit on and ensure air is coming out of the flex hose(s). If you have a multiple diffuser plate system, make sure that the valves are not completely shut off. In the event where air is not coming from the flex hoses, you may need a maintenance kit to replace worn seals.

3.)  Reinstall the unit: To reinstall the unit, you’ll want to reposition the cabinet so it is sitting level, reconnect the airlines and plug it in. Adjust the airflow as needed, which you’ll need to do anyway if you have multiple diffuse plates. Adjust the flow so each air plate receives equal amounts of airflow and keep in mind that longer runs and deeper plates will require more airflow to operate than shallow plates and shorter lines. It usually takes a few minutes between adjustments to see the effect at the diffuser plant, so be patient!

4.)  Proper start up: Introduce your aeration system slowly in the beginning, and gradually increase its running time each day. Start by running it for an hour the first day, two hours the second day, doubling the amount of time each day until you can successfully run it for 24 hours. If you run the system immediately for 24 hours upon returning it to the pond, you could cause the warm and cold layers of water to mix too quickly which may harm fish.

These quick steps will ensure your aeration system is back up and running to keep your pond clean, clear and healthy for years to come.

POND TALK: Do you use your pond for recreation in the winter?

Airmax® Aeration Systems - Breathe Some Life Into Your Pond

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Fountain Basics – Spring Maintenance & Re-Installation | Ponds & Lakes Q&A

Posted on February 16, 2013 by thepondguy

Pond Season Has Begun!

Fountain Basics – Spring Maintenance & Re-Installation

When the weather warms and the ice on your lake melts, it’s time to kick off pond season! But before you dust off your boat and fishing pole, you need to do a little fountain maintenance and installation first.

If you didn’t perform regular upkeep on your fountain when you pulled it out last fall, now’s the time to do so. Here’s a quick list of to-do items before you put the fountain back in place:

  • Power wash the motor so built-up material doesn’t trap heat.
  • Inspect the cord for cuts.
  • If you have muskrats, protect the cord with ratcord.
  • Send the motor in for regular seal/oil maintenance if you haven’t done it in a few years.

Once it’s cleaned up an inspected, you can position your fountain. Be sure your mooring lines are snug enough to hold your fountain in place. If you’re anchoring it with blocks at the bottom of the pond, make sure they’re spread far enough apart so the fountain doesn’t spin from the force of the motor, which could cause the lines to get tangled.

Now is a great time to add that first dose of pond dye, too. Nature’s Blue™, Twilight Blue™ or Black DyeMond™ shade and protect the pond while enhancing its beauty. If you put the dye in at the same time as your fountain, the color will disperse evenly throughout the lake.

Pond Talk: What’s the first thing you plan to do once pond season begins?

Pond Logic® Pond Dye - Shade & Protect Your Pond

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Can I add barley to my 1/2 acre pond? | Ponds & Lakes Q&A

Posted on February 9, 2013 by thepondguy

Can I add barley to my 1/2 acre pond?

Q: Can I add barley to my 1/2 acre pond?

Bill – Ashville, OH

A: Barley straw and ponds have some great chemistry. As a barley straw bale breaks down in water, it produces and releases many chemical compounds—and one of them may actually control algae growth.

How? Scientists from the Ohio State University Extension report that the compound interferes with and prevents the new growth of algae cells. As the old algae cells naturally die off, few new algae cells are produced—thereby controlling the overall algae population.

Sounds like a perfect solution for your 1/2 acre lake, right?

Well, barley straw will technically work to control algae in all that water—but you’ll need a ton of barley to accomplish it! More precisely, you’ll need as much as 112 pounds per 1/2 acre of surface area, according to OSU experts.

That’s great if you live next to a barley field, but that’s not a reality for most of us …

And accessibility to all those pounds of straw isn’t the only challenge. The bales are also tough to handle. In a small 1,000-gallon pond, small bales of barley straw can be used and tucked away in the filter, out of view. But in a sizable pond or lake, large bales are cumbersome to haul and position.

Not only that, but they also need to be broken apart to allow the right amount of oxygen in the middle of the bale so it properly decomposes, which means all that loose material will float to the pond’s surface and really make a mess of things.

Rather than wrangle all that barley straw, try an Airmax® Aeration System instead coupled with a beneficial bacteria product, like MuckAway. The aeration system will circulate the pond water, allowing the bacteria to break down all the muck.

Low amounts of nutrients in the pond means less food for plants and weeds—and that’s some chemistry every lake owner should understand.

Pond Talk: Do you prefer aeration and beneficial bacteria over barley straw? If so, why?

Reduce Mucky Pond Bottoms - Pond Logic® MuckAway®

Filed under: Pond & Lake, Aeration, Algae Control, Season-Long Control, MuckAway, Natural Water Treatments | Tagged: , , , | Leave a Comment »

I saved my Christmas tree. Can I use it for a fish habitat in my pond? | Ponds & Lakes Q&A

Posted on February 2, 2013 by thepondguy

I saved my Christmas tree. Can I use it for a fish habitat in my pond?

Q: I saved my Christmas tree. Can I use it for a fish habitat in my pond?

Peter – Cedar Rapids, IA

A: Great question! Sure, after the holidays have come and gone, it makes complete sense to use your dried-up Christmas tree as a fish habitat. You’re benefitting the environment by repurposing the tree rather than sending it to the dump, and you’re saving money by providing your fish a free all-natural habitat.

Plus, your finned friends will love it. Though they probably won’t pile presents under a submerged Christmas tree, your fish can use it as a cozy place to hide from predators and a safe and effective spawning zone.

There are some drawbacks, however, to tossing a spent holiday tree in your lake or pond.

Because it is an organic object, a tree’s trunk, limbs and needles will break down and decompose over a long period of time. This all-natural process will contribute to the nutrient load in your lake’s water—and that means an increase in algae and weed growth.

Not only that, but the tree’s tight interwoven branches make a great hiding place from your fish hook, which means you’ll have a harder time catching them for dinner!

So rather than throw your Christmas tree into your lake or pond, you should use it as firewood to fuel a lakeside bonfire instead. And if you really want to give your fish a new habitat for Christmas, invest in one that befits the fish while keeping the pond clean, such as the Porcupine Fish Attractor Spheres. When you outfit these 6-inch-diameter units with 26 lengths of ½-inch PVC pipe, they become ideal habitats that are effective without impeding fish catches or adding algae-loving nutrients to your water.

Pond Talk: What do you typically do with your Christmas tree after the holidays?

Porcupine Fish Attractor Spheres - Provide Refuge & Attract Fish

Filed under: Fish, Fish Habitat, Pond & Lake, Winterizing | Tagged: , , , , , | 4 Comments »

Setting Pond Resolutions

Posted on January 19, 2013 by thepondguy

Setting Pond Resolutions

Setting Pond Resolutions

It’s that time of year—the season when New Year revelers set lofty self-improvement goals and strive to stick to them. Unfortunately, many of these resolutions are long forgotten after a few short weeks. Sound familiar? (I don’t know about you, but my running shoes are still hidden away in the closet!)

Well, set those aspirations aside. Let’s refocus your resolution energy on improving your lake, pond or water garden instead. Here’s how to formulate some attainable goals—and actually reach them—when spring arrives.

1. Realistic Evaluation

First of all, realistically assess the situation in your pond and your experiences with it over the past year. What problems or challenges did you face? Did you have an out-of-control algae problem last spring? A fish population boom (or bust)? Wild water temperature fluctuations? Are you sick of looking at all the cattails?

As you’re brainstorming, make a list of these potential pond projects. Be as detailed as possible about what the problems were and the circumstances surrounding them.

2. Pick your Problem

With your list in hand, identify the problem (or problems) you’d like to fix—but pick only one or two to tackle. Then, research the topic(s) to get to the root of the situation and find out what’s causing the problem.

For instance, if you had crazy algae blooms last spring, perhaps you have excess nutrients in the water that need to be removed with a filter or broken down by beneficial bacterial. If a particular fish species is exploding in your lake, maybe you need to add some predator fish to keep the numbers in check. If your water temperatures are all over the place, aerating it could help. And if the cattails have taken over, it could be time to do some weed whacking.

3. Formulate a Plan

Next, develop a doable plan—complete with easily attainable goals so you don’t get burned out or overwhelmed. Think manageable benchmarks rather than big-picture dreams.

Let’s take on algae blooms. Your action plan would include removing dead vegetation with a pond rake and cutter; adding beneficial bacteria, such as DefensePAC® (water gardens) or ClearPAC® (pond and lake), to break down detritus and subsurface nutrients; adding or cleaning your mechanical filtration system; and setting up an aeration system, like an Airmax Pond Aeration System. These are all attainable goals that don’t take too much effort when they’re laid out in such a way.

4. Act on It!

Finally, take action before it’s too late. No pressure here—but time is of the essence, particularly with pond resolutions. Small problems, like the occasional algae bloom, can quickly become big problems and may even threaten the health of your lake or pond inhabitants.

Why wait? Before the weather warms, get a jump start to the season by identifying problems, developing action plans, and readying the tools you’ll need. Then you’ll be able to get a hold of these issues before they’re in full swing so you can enjoy the season!

Pond Talk: What are your pond resolutions for the New Year?

5 Steps to Clear Water - Pond Logic® DefensePAC®

Filed under: Algae Control, Algae Control, Natural Water Treatments, Pond & Lake, Water Gardens & Features | Tagged: , | 6 Comments »

Ice Formation Demystified | Ponds & Lakes Q&A

Posted on January 12, 2013 by thepondguy

Ice Formation Demystified

Ice Formation Demystified

Ice is cool. It’s fun to play on. And, to some, it’s a mystery. How in the world does ice form on your pond? Why does it expand when it freezes? Why does it float? And how is it possible that ice can actually support the weight of a vehicle?

Don’t glaze over just yet. Unlike lessons from those boring middle school science classes, this explanation will be simple—and as interesting as possible.

Lesson #1: Cold Water is Heavy Stuff

When the air temperature cools, the water on the surface of your lake or pond loses its heat and becomes heavier. This cold, heavy water sinks to the bottom while the warmer water from the bottom rises to the top and cools. The cycling process continues until the overall water temperature reaches 39 degrees Fahrenheit (or about 4 degrees Celsius). Before long, the water on top cools enough to freeze.

Lesson #2: Water Crystals Need Their Space

As the water in your pond freezes, the liquid molecules transform into solid ice crystals—and those things expand and space themselves out when they form, which is why ice takes up more room than liquid. Think of how freezing water can cause a pipe to burst when temperatures dip below freezing, or how expanding ice can crack a rock in two.

Lesson #3: Ice Floats

The spaced-out ice crystals are also less dense than liquid, which is why ice floats. As mentioned in Lesson #1, cold water is heavier than warmer water—but ice is lighter than them both. Confusing? Consider the ice cubes in your glass of lemonade: The crystallized water molecules float on the surface, the lemonade that’s cooled by the ice becomes more dense and sinks to the bottom, and the warmest liquid in the glass rises to the top where it’s cooled by the cubes.

Lesson #4: It’s Strong Stuff

When given enough time to form, the ice layer formed by this crystallized frozen water thickens—and becomes strong enough to support critters, humans and even vehicles! An inch of ice can hold a small animal without cracking, 3 inches of ice can bear the weight of an average person, and 6 to 8 inches of ice can host a hockey team or even a snowmobile. Once the ice layer grows to 8 to 12 inches, it can support a slow-moving vehicle—but we don’t recommend it!

Pond Talk: What burning questions do you have about ice formation and safety?

Taylor Made Life Rings - Promote Pond Safety

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Ice Safety 101 | Ponds & Lakes Q&A

Posted on January 5, 2013 by thepondguy

Ice Safety 101

Ice Safety 101

Ice is fun—but it can be dangerous business.

Winter brings cold weather and snow to your pond or lake, as well as a perfect layer of ice for skating, ice fishing, snowmobiling and more. You may want to get out there and play, but it’s important to know whether your ice is safe and strong or a potential hazard.

Here’s how to determine whether the ice on your pond is thick enough and safe for wintertime fun.

1. Check Its Temperature, Formation

After about two to three weeks of freezing temperatures, a solid sheet of ice will begin to form on your pond or lake. But low temps aren’t the only thing that influence ice formation. Water currents, wind and snow coverage will also make a difference in the integrity of the frozen surface. So once the weather and temperatures stabilize after several weeks, you can venture onto the ice and inspect its thickness.

2. Check Surface for Quality

Ice quality matters. When you inspect the ice, you can visually gauge its quality by looking for bubbles, trapped snow and cracks. You can also determine its quality by color, as a solid blue ice sheet is much stronger than a white brittle layer, which is caused by air pockets and other flaws. Of course, new ice is stronger than old ice, too, as temperature fluctuations haven’t thawed and refrozen the ice, which can weaken its integrity.

In addition, if you’ve left your aeration system running while the ice has been forming, the ice layer will have air pockets—and be unsafe for winter recreation.

3. Verify Its Thickness

You’ve given the water time to freeze and the ice time to form, and you’ve ensured the quality of the ice sheet’s surface. The next step is to verify its thickness. You can either drill or cut samples—but make sure you do so in multiple locations as you work your way toward the center of the pond as the water won’t necessarily freeze evenly.

In general, a layer of ice less than 3 inches is too thin for most people to walk out on. It may be able to hold up lighter people or small animals but can easily crack. So if you plan to have a group of people on the pond or want to take your snowmobile out on your lake, an ice formation of 6 to 8 inches minimum is ideal.

4. Be Patient, Stay Safe

Winter recreation on an ice-covered pond is fun—but be patient and use extreme caution when venturing on the ice. Take time to inspect the ice quality and take samples because doing so can make all the difference between a blast and a disaster.

Always make sure you have a life ring or floatation device within reach in case someone accidentally falls through the ice. And always use common sense when venturing out—better to be safe than sorry!

Pond Talk: What is your favorite wintertime activity on your frozen lake or pond?

Promote Pond Safety

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How do I create the perfect hockey or skating rink? | Ponds & Lakes Q&A

Posted on December 22, 2012 by thepondguy

How do I create the perfect hockey or skating rink?

Q: How do I create the perfect hockey or skating rink?

Chris – Gardners, PA

A: One of the many benefits of having a lake is inviting friends and family over for fun water-related activities—including ice skating or hockey scrimmages during the wintertime. Here are some simple four-step instructions for how to create a nearly NHL-ready rink on your pond.

  1. First, using a pond rake and some weed cutters, remove dead floating debris, such as dead cattails and Phragmites. If those are on the water’s surface or along the lake’s edges as the ice forms, you could wind up with bumpy or weak ice.
  2. Next, if you haven’t done so already, turn off and remove the aeration system from your lake. If you keep it running while the ice forms, that could result in uneven ice formation—and that can be a dangerous situation for skaters.
  3. Once snow begins to fall, regularly remove the snow from the ice with a snow shovel before nightfall so the lake freezes evenly. Make sure, however, that the pond ice is at least 4 inches deep before walking on it.
  4. On a calm night so the water stays still, use your thermostatically controlled
    K&H™ PVC ThermoHose™ to flood the rink area with a thin layer of water to fill in any gaps. By the next morning—weather permitting—the new ice layer should be frozen and the rink ready to enjoy!

Remember to practice water and ice safety by having a life ring available in case of emergency, and by marking the acceptable rink area, particularly if you are using just a portion of a much larger body of water.

Sharpen your blades, pull on your skates—and have fun!

Pond Talk: What’s your favorite activity on an ice-covered pond?

Create A Smooth Skating Surface

Filed under: Pond & Lake, Winterizing | Tagged: , , , , , , | 2 Comments »

What should I do if I have a power outage over the winter and my aeration stops? | Decorative Ponds & Water Gardens Q & A

Posted on December 8, 2012 by thepondguy

What should I do if I have a power outage over the winter and my aeration stops?

Q: What should I do if I have a power outage over the winter and my aeration stops?

Johnny – Point Marion, PA

A: Power outages happen. Whether they’re caused by Mother Nature, like hurricane Sandy, or the result of an accident or a blown transformer, chances are pretty good that you’ll contend with at least one lights-out experience this winter—but your chandelier won’t be the only thing not electrified.

Out in your lake or water garden, your aeration system will also shut down when the electricity stops. No aeration for an extended period of time means your pond’s water quality could suffer and your fishes’ health could be compromised.

Don’t worry: If you’re prepared, a power outage won’t be a big deal at all. Here’s what you need to know.

Your Fish will be Fine …

As long as the water temperature remains cold and your pond is relatively free of dead or decomposing debris, your fish will survive the power outage without even blinking an eye.

Thanks to one of the many unique properties of water, cold water retains more dissolved oxygen than warm water. “Think about how much bubblier a cold soda is compared to a warm one,” describes the United States Geological Survey. “The cold soda can keep more of the carbon dioxide bubbles dissolved in the liquid than the warm one can, which makes it seem fizzier when you drink it.”

It’s the same thing with oxygen. Colder water molecules are more densely packed and can therefore hold more oxygen, which your fish and other pond inhabitants need to survive.

In addition, the pond should not have a lot of dead or decomposing materials, like leaves and plant matter. All that breaking-down vegetation depletes the water of oxygen while imbuing it with harmful toxic gases like ammonia.

Bottom line: If your water is cold and your pond is clean when the power goes out, your finned friends will be just fine, short-term.

Service & Protect Your Aerator

After the power is restored and the candles are blown out, plan to head out to your aeration system and assess the situation. Any built-up air pressure could prevent the aerator from turning back on, so you’ll need to relieve the air pressure by pulling the relief valve or disconnecting the airline before you turn the system back on again. In addition, condensation could form on the motor, which will need to be wiped down to prevent rust from forming.

To protect your aerator from the elements—which could cause an isolated power outage in your pond or lake—make sure it’s protected. Larger units, such as those for ponds and lakes, should be in a cabinet; smaller units, such as those for water gardens, should be hidden within a faux rock, like the Pond Logic® TruRock™ Small Boulder Cover. It’s designed to blend into the landscape while protecting pond equipment.

Pond Talk: In case of long-term power outage, would you ever use a generator to power your aerator? Why or why not?

Protect Your Aeration Units - Pond Logic® PondAir™ & TrueRock™ Combo

Filed under: Aeration, Aeration - WG, Fish, Koi & Goldfish, Pond & Lake, Seasonal Care, Water Gardens & Features, WG-Winterizing, Winterizing | Tagged: , | 5 Comments »

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