How to Successfully Maintain an Outdoor Pond

Outdoor ponds can be calming to have in your backyard, and they can be a place to escape when you need a break. However, they can also create a more stressful environment if not taken care of properly. Algae and greenish water can be difficult to clean and can make your backyard smell. When maintained on a regular basis, algae and greenish water can be prevented, providing your house with a peaceful haven. Consider the following tips for maintaining your outdoor pond, provided by Aquatic Warehouse, a leading pond equipment supplier in San Diego, CA.

Add Mix of Emergent, Submergent, and Floating Plants

Having plants in your pond increases the levels of oxygen in the water and also allows nutrients and sunlight to take care of the plants instead of taking care of algae. Emergent plants like cattails and water lilies have their roots under the water, but their foliage is above water. Fish like to use the roots as forms of shelter. Submergent plants like anacharis and waterweed are entirely underwater. These plants are the main providers of oxygen to the pond wildlife, and they also remove carbon dioxide from the water. Floating plants like water lettuce and duckweed are not anchored by their roots and they limit the amount of sunlight available to algae. Provide enough plants to cover 40 to 50 percent of your pond with shade. Apply proper fertilizer to your plants in the pond.

Include Fish and Other Wildlife

Allowing fish such as goldfish, koi, and mosquito fish to live in your pond keeps the bugs away, which then keeps algae away. Having scavengers such as tadpoles, snails, and catfish in your pond is beneficial because they eat dead and decaying matter, which also limits the amount of algae. It’s advisable to allow one inch of fish for every 10 gallons of water in your pond. Don’t overfeed your fish because excess food may worsen algae problems. Don’t add chemical algae removers because they could harm the plants and wildlife in the pond.

Install Pond Filters and Clean Your Pond Weekly

The water in your pond needs to be filtered of any excess nutrients and bad bacteria, but cleaning this filter is also important because bad bacteria grow and thrive on them. Also, possessing an aeration kit would be helpful because these kits pull air through their filters, which allows the pond to have balanced levels of oxygen. Don’t completely change the water because it will delay the creation of having a balanced ecosystem and thus lower the chances of your pond maintaining clear water.

For additional tips on maintaining an outdoor pond, get in touch with Aquatic Warehouse. Whether you need to manage an outdoor pond or a freshwater aquarium, we have all the supplies you need. Visit our website at www.AquaticWarehouse.com, give us a call at 858-467-9297, or stop by our store in Kearny Mesa today.