As water temperatures begin to dip, your pond fish will have to adjust to their surroundings.

It is important to start changing fish diets to accommodate the changes these cold-blooded creatures will undergo. We recommend following a Seasonal Feeding Cycle.

• When temperatures are between 39°F and 50°F, a wheat-germ-based diet is best for your pond fish.

High-quality wheat-germ foods are formed from easily digestible plant ingredients, which enhance digestion and reduce the time it takes for the nutrients to be absorbed. Compared with an animal-protein-based food, a wheat-germ-based food will spend 25% less time in the intestine.

This is beneficial since in low temperatures, metabolism in fish is greatly diminished.

Since Koi and goldfish do not have true stomachs, a food with wheat-germ is the optimal diet to transition fish in and out of the season safely and healthily.

• Good pond supplies such as pond pumps and filtration system
• Keeping proper maintenance habits, cleaning filters, testing water
• Not overstocking your pond
• Proper feeding of the fish
• Routine inspection of fish, to identify problems early

When all of these measures are in place which really doesn’t take much time, and it is more a matter of making it routine for the most part, you will have problem free fish.

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• Pond Fish and Plant Care
• Pond Hardware like pumps and fountains
• Pond Seasonal Solutions
• Pond Water Conditioning, Testing and Care

Featured to the right is Laguna Water Prep, a popular backyard pond product that makes caring for your pond a bit easier.  It makes tap water or well water save for your pond fish and plants.  It eliminates harmful chlorine or chloramine from newly added tap water, immediately. It also neutralizes toxic metal ions found in tap water before they harm fish.  It has coating agents that bond to fish skin and scales where the natural coating has been breached, offering time for the natural production of the protective slime coat.

1.  Add some koi, goldfish, or minnows to your pond.  These fish will eat mosquito eggs and larvae, preventing adult mosquitoes from hatching.

2.  Some areas that mosquitoes favor in ponds are areas of shallow water, such as the water that sits in top of algae.  Getting rid of algae can be a huge step in the direction of preventing mosquitoes from laying eggs in your pond.  If you have plants that are growing on the edge of your pond, keep them trimmed so that they do not sit in your pond.  Leaves can gather a thin layer of water, which is an ideal spot for mosquitoes to lay eggs.

3.  Ponds are generally stagnant, especially if you do not have any fountains or bubblers in them to get the water moving.  Thismakes it easy for eggs to be laid.  Getting a fountain or bubbler will ensure that water is continually cycling, and therefore continually moving.  No matter what size pond you have, a fountain or bubbler can be a major help for mosquito control.

4.  Purchase mosquito “dunks” or “plunks” that can be placed directly in your pond.  Mosquito Plunks – 0.2 oz / 24 pack work to kill mosquito larvae in up to 50 square feet of water.  If your pond is larger, you can use more plunks.  The Mosquito Plunks – 0.2 oz / 24 pack will work for 2 weeks, before you will have to drop more into your pond.  It is non toxic to your fish or aquatic animals.  There are “dunks,” known as Mosquito Dunks, which float on your pond and gradually release pesticide that works to kill any mosquito larvae that are in your pond.  One dunk of the Mosquito Dunks can be used in 100 square feet of water, and will last for a month.

5.  You can also use a mosquito controlling product around your pond area.  I like Dr. T’s Mosquito Repelling Granules 5 lbs formula, pictured above.  You can apply it to anywhere in your yard, but you should concentrate to areas near your pond.  Dr. T’s Mosquito Repelling Granules 5 lbs can be applied just like fertilizer.  It is not dangerous to use around pets or people.

1) Lower the water temperature. Ponds that are shallow are particularly susceptible to becoming over-heated.  Also, the more plants you have means more coverage that will keep the heat out of the pond.  You can also put an umbrella over the pond during the time of the day when the sun is at its hottest.

2) Make sure there is not excessive fish food. The food that is not eaten by fish becomes a product algae can feed on.  What you can do is only feed the fish as much as they can eat within about 10 minutes.  Also, fish waste and the ammonia byproduct in the waste can also encourage algae growth.  One way to prevent this problem is by using PondCare Ammo-Lock, shown to the right.  PondCare Ammo-Lock breaks down ammonia in pond water and turns it into a non-toxic product.  If you still notice excess algae levels, you can also remove the number of fish in your pond.

3) Prevent excessive nutrients. Excessive nutrients in your pond can come from a variety of places.  Fertilizer from your lawn and garden plants can runoff into the pond.  Fix this problem by preventing fertilizer runoff from falling into your pond.  Also, excessive nutrients could be a problem if you are not properly maintaining your garden plants.  For example, if you do not trim yellowing plant parts, they will fall off into the pond and break down into nutrients that algae will feed on.

4) Balance the water pH levels. Using a product like the Pond Water Balance solution, you will be able to keep your pond’s pH levels properly balanced.  The main nutrient that leads to an imbalanced pond is an overabundance of phosphate, and Pond Water Balance works to reduce the amount of phosphate in your pond.  This 16.9 oz solution can treat up to 2,500 gallons of pond water!

Free Floating – Algae or Bacteria Bloom 

A bloom is a natural process – it occurs when sunlight hits the water. The difference between an algae or bacteria bloom is the color and the time it occurs. 

String Algae looks like green string attached to the sides of the pond, rocks and other places. Blanket Algae forms clumps and floats on top of the water and among the plants. Both can grow to the extent that it overruns the pond and will rob important oxygen and looks gross. 

Is it a new pond? Early in the spring problem? 

Bacterial Bloom – slight haze in new ponds and in the spring. Normally occurs as the pond reaches its natural balance and plants haven’t had time to grow and multiply. Typically it will go away in a week or so. Adding enzymes or bacteria helps speed the process along. 

During the season problem & free floating? 

Green particles that float in the water is considered an Algae Bloom and can create a cloud that can be so thick that you cannot see your hand below the surface of the water. Brown suspended particles is not an algae bloom but the solution is the same. 

Is the pond in full sun? How many plants? 

If the pond is in full sun with no UV sterilizer/clarifier you will need 70% plant cover to combat algae “naturally”. 

If the pond is in partial sun with no UV sterilizer/clarifier you should havae 50% plant cover to combat algae “naturally”. 

Plants help control the amount of sunlight the pond receives. They also utilize the same nutrients that algae needs to survive. Plants: floating, potted & submersible plants need food. 

Do you have an UV sterlizer/clarifier? 

Check – is the correct size for the pond. 

Check – is it working? (DO NOT LOOK INTO THE STERILIZER – You should be able to see a blue light) 

When was the bulb changed? (bulb should be changed 1 -3 years based on mfg recommendations) 

Water flow from pump is too fast. (Once the UV sterilizer is installed you should see a difference in the water quality within 3 – 7 days. If the above three are met and there is no difference slow the flow of the water down. Install either a “T” or “Y” valve on the hose coming from the pump; run one portion of the water through the UV and the other back to the pond or waterfall) 

Do you have a filter? 

Add a filter based on size of pond. A biologicial filter is recommended for ponds with fish. 

Do you have fish and plants? 

This will determine which solution is best. 

Do you have sludge build-up? 

Sludge more than an inch deep that has accumulated between the rocks, on the bottom of the pond and in between plant pots can become harmful to the pond. This accumulation of bad bacteria (dead plants, uneaten food, fish waste) thrive in a low oxygen environment and can cause health problems for the fish.

The following are the basic issues that need to be addressed:

•  As with all fish a hole needs to be maintained in the ice to allow unwanted/dangerous gasses to escape.
• Koi are sensitive to fast changes in temperature. The key to is keep the water temperature stable as opposed maintaining warmer temperatures.
• Feed Koi easily digestible food down from about
• Stop feeding the fish in the 45 to 50 degree range

Keeping a hole in the pond ice:

You can use a pond heater to keep a hole in the ice at the water surface. Koi will tolerate being left outside if the pond is deep enough and you keep a hole in the surface of the ice to allow gases to vent. We recommend using  a floating de-icer that will keep an opening in the ice and not disturb the layer of warmer water that is required on the bottom of the pond.

We have seen suggestions that to make any deicer more efficient, you can use something to insulate it. If the deicer can be set in the corner of the pond, you can consider using a shelter over the unit (plastic dome or plywood shelter), so that it that traps lost heat. This may help the heater to work more efficiently and be especially applicable in colder climates/temperatures. If the pond does completely freeze over never open a hole by pounding or hitting the ice. This will cause shock waves that injure the fish. Instead, pour hot water (de-chlorinated ) over a section until the ice is melted.

More to come tomorrow!

In most cases, fish can be left in the pond during the winter, providing the depth of the pond is adequate (18 inches minimum or deeper in harsher climate zones) with little or no water circulation. Fish will gather in this deepest area of the pond where the water temperature remains more stable and go into a state of hibernation during the winter months. Note that some types of fish, such as fancy goldfish, bubble eyes and lion heads, are sensitive to cold weather and should be brought indoors.

As winter approaches, you should monitor pond water temperatures daily. When the pond’s water temperature is between 39°F and 50°F, a wheat-germ based pond fish diet is best for your pond fish.  Pictured to the right is Tetra Pond’s excellent quality wheatgerm pond fish diet for fall and spring. And don’t forget, when the water temperature falls below 39°F, you should stop feeding the fish altogether. Some may worry about not feeding their fish, but you can rest assured that your fish will naturally rely on stored energy reserves built up during the summer to sustain them throughout the winter months.

Don’t forget your plants!

Many aquatic plants (with the exception of tropical lilies and water hyacinths) can be left in the pond through the winter. Trim back all dead foliage, and then submerge the plants in the bottom or deeper section of the pond to prevent the plants from freezing. Hardy water garden plants will come back year after year. Consider bringing tropical lilies and water hyacinths indoors for the colder months.

Pictured to the right is Tetra’s Pond Test kit – 5 tests in one strip – which will save you time and money when testing your pond and more important – ensure a thorough job is done.

1. Wondering if your pond equipment is working properly?
2. Not sure why your fish look listless?
3. Did you just do a water change?

Before the weather changes, test the water by using an easy-to-use test strip. Some all-in-one strips test for General Hardness (GH), nitrite (NO2), nitrate (NO3), pH and Alkalinity (KH).

Testing your water makes it easier and faster to monitor the health of your pond and protect your fish.

Additionally, testing your water once a month helps you to make necessary water adjustments before your fish are in danger.

If you have let your pond fish go dormant for the winter, it is a good time to check on your pond de-icer and water temperature to see if it is still needed.  If you live in a warmer climate, now may be the time to remove the pond de-icer.  You may be able to remove the pond de-icer if the temperature in the pond is staying in the 40′s and there is no chance that it will freeze over in the spring.  If your pond is deep, the fish will be living at the bottom and may not require the use of a pond de-icer because the soil will insulate the water temperature in the pond.  If your pond is shallow, you may want to consider leaving your pond de-icer in the pond longer for the fish to make sure that the pond water is warm enough. Many pond de-icers are thermostatically controlled and will shut off when the water maintains a certain temperature.  Typically this occurs when the water temperature is in the mid 40′s.

When the temperature reaches the 50′s, start thinking about feeding your pond fish.  Pond fish will require fish food, such as the Tetra Spring and Fall Diet, when the water temperature is in the 50′s.  This diet is made for colder temperature and perfectly balanced to keep your pond fish healthy.   After the temperature gets above 60 degrees, you can switch your pond fish to a regular diet.