Oxygen is crucial for your pond’s flora and fauna. But the presence of algae can lower the pond’s overall oxygen saturation. Algae consume more oxygen than it produces. As a result, it hardly leaves any oxygen for the plants and fishes to survive. It’s important that you keep your pond clean and free from elements that may lower the oxygen level. Here’s a quick guide on how to keep your pond water clean and clear:
1. Don’t overpopulate the pond with fishes
Overpopulating the pond with too many fishes may result in them dying sooner than you expect. That’s because they won’t get enough oxygen to absorb into their bloodstreams. Some people want to keep over 10” of fish per 100 gallons of water. It’s an incorrect ratio and your pond will soon get overpopulated. Fish waste also contributes to the low oxygen level in the water. If you feel that your pond is overpopulated, give a new home to some of the fishes instead of leaving them to die.
2. Don’t feed your fish frequently
Like humans, fishes also have a specific diet. Feeding them frequently will leave a significant amount of wasted food in the water. The waste food later decays in the pond, meaning you need to put extra effort into cleaning. Try choosing a fish food that floats instead of sinks into the water. That will help you clean the water if the fishes keep leftovers.
3. Maintain the balance between flora and fauna
A pond with hundreds of fishes and zero plants won’t make sense. But remember, you shouldn’t put too many plants, otherwise, they may cause an oxygen crisis for the fish. A pond with approximately 40 to 60% plant coverage is ideal for your fish to survive.
4. Clean the debris before it decays
There are two ways to clean the debris in your pond: first, use a pond skimmer to get rid of the debris that floats on the water. It removes dried leaves, dead insects, and other lightweight debris.
The second method involves using a pond net to deep clean your pond. You need to master the art of throwing the net into the pond water covering a huge area. Let the net sink to the bottom of the pond while you hold one end in your hand. Slowly lift the net as you walk into the shore. You will notice that the net contains algae and other debris and even a few fish. Put the fish back into the water and remove the debris. Repeat this process a few times from different parts of the pond to clean the water thoroughly.
5. Use a high-quality filter
Always choose a filter that fits the size of your pond. There are two types of filters available: mechanical filter and biological filter.
A mechanical filter removes the debris from the surface of the water. It does the work of a typical pond skimmer. You should install this filter if your pond is amidst a lot of greenery. Dried leaves, small sticks, and twigs may float on the water. A mechanical filter removes them on your behalf.
A biological filter contains bacteria that quickly break down the waste materials in your pond water into less harmful compounds, thus allowing the aquatic plants to absorb them easily.
6. Select the right pump
It is best to circulate the pond’s water at least once every hour. Select a pump whose flow is appropriate for your pond size. A small pump for a big pond would be useless.
Maintaining a pond may not seem challenging anymore if you think from the perspective of the aquatic plants and animals. Overpopulation is a strict no-no. Try to maintain the balance between flora and fauna to keep your pond clean and clear.
