The Difference Between Success and Failure in Any Garden Fish Pond

I know I keep stressing this but these 3 points discussed below are THE SECRET to pond success ... and sure like any hobby you can learn a heck of a lot more to get even more enjoyment and of course you can spend money for the rest of your life if you're so inclined. Take me and my flyfishing ... I've got 10 rods, 5 reels, countless flies and gadgets and only one arm to cast with. But I love it ... the hype, the serenity, the literature and challenge to do better and ... luckily I can afford it)

Know how to choose your pond pump correctly.

IMPORTANT Note about FREE calculators below ... to download them RIGHT click and select Save Target As ...

You're welcome to download my Excel calculator to help you ... if this is too daunting for you then follow the links below or ask me the question in the form you'll see later. I do not support the calculators so please do not ask questions about the calculators and how they work etc

For people who've followed my gazettes over the years they know that you can save a lot of money on electricity by using 2 pumps ... a small one to run the biofilter 24/7 and a larger one for a waterfall which can be used as and when required. If you only have a single large pump then it must run 24/7 to keep the biofilter bugs alive and this wastes lots of unnecessary power (who's there to admire the waterfall while you're sleeping or at work?)

Download this calculator to see how much money you're wasting .... SaveMoneyRun2Pumps.xlsthen save lots, guaranteed, by buying a second smaller pump. You'll find low cost low power consumption pumps hereIf you need a refresher click this link save money with 2 pumps

If you want to choose the easy but less rigorous way (or if you don't have Excel) just click here pump selection can't be easier than this

As I've said many times .... a large number of retailers do not understand a water pump's specification requirements well enough to give money saving advice consistent with correct water pump performance. Selecting a simple water fountain pump is easier than selecting waterfall or pond pumps. For a pond you will generally want to select a submersible pump and not one that sits outside the pond itself.

Every Fish Pond Needs A Biofilter

You can learn a lot about the need and understanding behind a biofilter by searching my site ... see Google search box below .. so all I want to say here 2 things ...

You MUST have a biofilter even if you make one yourself if you keep fish in a garden pond ... end of story

Physical size is not important ... BUT the media inside a biofilter is and that's why I recommend the filters and suppliers I do. Most filters are sold on the principle of "the bigger the box the the better (and of course more expensive) the filter must be". This is NOT TRUE. To select the right filter you need to know your pond volume so get another of my calculators by clicking here

BIOFILTERS FOR BIG PONDS ...

For ponds greater than about 5,000 gallons I recommend serious equipment that does a seriously good job without lots of cleaning hassles. Do yourself a favor if you're contemplating a big pond and have a discussion with a reliable vendor for these large items ... speak to Brett Fogle (if you live in USA) get large koi pond filters advice here

Your Fish Pond Will Go Green and Murky This Summer If you Do Not Have an UV

Murky green or brown ponds especially in Summer are caused by suspended algae coming to the pond surface to gather as much light as possible (algae are plants and need sunlight to breathe and multiply). This means you will not be able to see deeper than about 2 inches from the surface and this is not the idea behind having a pond in the first place. The solution is simple and guaranteed to work every time if you install an UV clarifier, UV sterilizer or any other name given to these miracle workers.

You can install a combo biofilter + UV and this is normally easiest and best solution .. and they do not cost an arm and a leg here

"The Complete Pond Solver 2005" by Tony Roocroft ...