The sun has (finally) arrived! And many of us budding fish keepers are taking the opportunity to get outside in the garden and make sure our pond remains an underwater paradise for all its residents.
Unfortunately, warmer water isn’t enjoyable for our finned friends, as it can’t hold oxygen as effectively. But fear not, there are some simple actions you can take to keep the good times flowing!
Here are our top tips for giving your garden pond some TLC this summer.
1.Throw some shade
The great British summer is usually a reliable source of amusement, with the thought of dashing into the shade making people howl with laughter. But the fact is, our ponds need shade in order to stay healthy during these hotter spells.
A quick fix is positioning a gazebo near your pond. As well as making your aquatic community happier, adding some seating (and a refreshments area) inside the canopy will help you and your guests make the most of your garden and pond area.
Or you could go ‘au naturel’ by planting a variety of border, submerged and floating aquatic plants. Not sure which plants to use? The Royal Horticultural Society has a helpful list here. Providing shade for your pond can also help reduce algae growth – more on that later!
It’s important to take care when doing work to your pond in the summer, as you may disturb the wildlife – make sure you do your research before making major changes.
2. Pump it up
Another way to increase the amount of dissolved oxygen in your garden pond is by adding a pump. It’ll agitate (in a good way!) the pond water to circulate and add loads of awesome oxygen, which is vital to sustaining all life.
Choose a pump that can move your total water capacity every hour. For example, a 9,000-litre pond would need a pump that’s capable of at least 9,000 litres per hour. At Closer Pets, our pond pumps feature a unique anti-clog design that eliminates the need for a filter foam when used with a filter. After all – the last place you want to be cleaning a foam filter is in a pump in the middle of your pond!
3. Feature piece
Another way of restoring the balance in your pond water is creating a feature, such as a waterfall or fountain. Water cascading over rocks or gently splashing from a fountain will add extra tranquillity to your garden space and also provide valuable aeration. Our pond pumps come with various fountain attachments to add some extra pizzazz to your pond.
4.Water your pond
It may sound like an oxymoron, but another super way of improving oxygen levels in the water during hot weather is to spray water to break the surface. Plus, the hot weather might mean your pond is running dry, which is a problem for your indigenous wildlife and aquatic pets who have made it their haven.
Use a water butt to collect rainwater (because it will no doubt drizzle at some point!), or you can use water from your mains, but you need to let it partially warm up so that you don’t shock the aquatic residents.
5. Evade the algae
Although topping up your pond is important, high levels of phosphates can encourage the growth of many a pond-owner’s nemesis: algae!
While August is usually the ‘witching hour’ for algae, you might find your water starting to look a tad on the murky side with the arrival of the warm weather. As well as looking rather unattractive (pea soup, anyone?), algae can restrict the movement of your fish.
But don’t be tempted to drain the pond, as this can make things worse. It’s far better to add some shade and increase the number of oxygenating plants. You could also try using barley straw.
6. Add a filter
Another effective long-term algae buster is adding a pond filter (or regularly cleaning your existing one). The most common types are pressure and gravity filters, with different types of filtration: mechanical, biological and UV. The latter can cause algae to clump up, enabling the filter to remove it.
We have plenty of pond filter options to suit different size ponds, keeping everything in perfect purified order! One of our most popular products is the 15000 PUV Pressurised Pond Filter, which uses both UV and biological filtration. This pressurised pond filter features Powerclenz, our patented automatic cleaning system that cleans the filter at the twist of a button. The filter can also be buried (not below pond level), so only the top can be seen.
7. Bye-bye, beaks
The spring might have encouraged some lovely new life in your pond, but the same likely applies to the sky too. It’s therefore important to protect your resident fish from herons and other birds by adding a fine net to the surface of your pond – especially if you have fish that spend most of their time near the surface.
8. Holiday help
It’s true – we love spending time in our gardens in the summer. But it’s also an opportunity to take some sunny day trips, weekends away, staycations or even full-blown abroad adventures. So, if you’re angling (so to speak) for some fish-feeding flexibility while you’re away, an automatic fish feeder is a must for keeping your fish happy and healthy.
Fish are more active in warmer temperatures, therefore eating more food. These versatile gadgets serve accurate portions over several hours to reduce the risk of overfeeding.
9. Plot in some pond care
Talking of planning ahead, it’s important to maintain a healthy (and not overgrown!) environment for your fish and any visiting wildlife. For example, it’s well worth trimming your pond plants to ensure there’s space for your fish to come to the surface.
Plus, if you’re concerned about disturbing your pond life by adding shade-giving plants this summer, grab your gazebo and get prepped for next year by planting seed trees to increase your natural shade in the future.
Discover our range today!
Ponds are a fun and enjoyable way of offering a home for all sorts of critters and plants. By undergoing effective fish pond maintenance, you can keep a clean, oxygenated and healthy living environment for all your pond-dwelling friends!
Here at Closer Pets, our range of pond accessories is here to help you ensure your pond, whatever size it is, remains beautifully clear and healthy. Check them out here.