The Secret to Large Pond Maintenance

Aside from its size, a larger fish pond has a lot of differences from the usual-sized ponds. The water system itself requires extra care and pond maintenance. The creatures like the fish and the aquatic plants that dwell in large ponds require even more attention and concern.

Basic fish ponds normally use a biological pond filter to maintain the cleanness and health of the pond. However, a usual biological pond filter cannot function well in a large pond due to the volumes of water in the pond. Some the reasons why bio filters do not work in large ponds include the requirement of effective water flow which cannot be ensured in a large pond.

If you are thinking of compacting gravel to sustain the filtration needs of a large pond, think again. This will just trap solid wastes which will decay in time. If this happens, anaerobic bacteria have a higher chance of developing.

There are three things that you need to remember in order to have a healthy and well-maintained large pond. The first thing is the control of nutrient contribution in the pond. The presence of a number of aquatic plants can be harmful to the pond as they consume most of the nutrients in the water system. And the third and most important of all is the addition of pond aerators. Oxygen is essential to small and large ponds. That’s why aerators are needed to circulate oxygen properly.

To effectively maintain a healthy large pond, the oxygen present should always be sufficient in order to let nature take care of itself. If the pond water is well-circulated, wind effects are encouraged which also adds up to the aesthetic value of the water system. Keep in mind that a submersible pond aerator will not be as effective as it is in small ponds since large ponds have a higher water volume and requires stronger power.

With enough oxygen, accumulated debris has a lesser chance of settling at the bottom of the pond and forming silt. Also oxygen allows the nitrification to take place with ease.

Large pond aerators are critically needed especially in the summer. The warm temperature in this season affects the pond water and its dwellers. If the addition of aerators is taken for granted, there will be insufficient oxygen to sustain the life in the pond. If worse comes to worst, your pond will end up with dead fish and plants.

Once you have already set up a pond that is rich in oxygen, this is the perfect time to do Bioaugmentaion or simply the use of pond treatments. Large ponds require more than what small ponds need. Pond treatments like pond sludge removers, pond conditioners, pond dye and others are but a requirement in order to have a healthy pond. But bioaugmentation doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to resort to the use of chemicals. Keep in mind that the use of chemicals like algaecides can totally harm the water system if abused.

For those who are not fans of bioaugmentation, you can prefer to use pond mechanicals like bio filters and UV clarifiers. These will help you to have an algae-free and a dirt-free pond. However, you still have to make sure that the you have enough money and time to spend in order to maximize the functions of the mentioned mechanicals.