The 3 Basic Secrets Behind Every Successful Garden Fish Pond

As in most things the difference between success and failure is knowledge.

In other words knowing the really important bits. Many people refer to these "really important " bits of information as secrets.

Of course they aren't secrets since the systems and techniques are well known it's just that they are not widely spread around or discussed in language anyone can understand. It's the same with water gardening and pond keeping. You don't have to know everything about pond keeping but some things are vital to understand ... being able to specify 3 vital pieces of equipment is important and this relates to: (1) the pond pump, (2) the biofilter and (3) the UVC (Ultra Violet Light Clarifier). We'll discuss each below...

Know how to choose your pond pump correctly.

There are 2 important pieces of information required to specify a pump. They are pump head (ie the height to which water will be pumped) and the expected flow rate from the pump. A given pump will pump less and less water as the height to which the water is pumped increases. This pond pump selection article provides all the detailed information you need to know to select a pump for any pond and waterfall configuration

You can save a lot of money on electricity by using 2 pumps in a garden fish pond ... 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 beneficial biofilter bacteria alive and this wastes electricity. In practice the waterfall can be switched off any time but the biofilter must be fed with water continuously.

One of the pond calculators you can download will show you how much money you can save by installing two pumps. The cost of running any pump exceeds the purchase price after a couple of years. This means it is more important to consider pump running costs (as measured by wattage consumed; normally printed on pump boxes) than the initial purchase price.

Many retailers of pond equipment do not understand how to specify a pond pump in order to minimize total cost whilst ensuring pumping requirements are met. Selecting a simple water fountain pump is easier than selecting a waterfall or pond pump.

To calculate the annual running costs of a pump use this simple formula: 8.76 x pump wattage x cost of unit of electricity (ie 1 kWhr).

For example a pump consuming 100 watts and for a unit of electricity costing 20 cents the annual electricity cost will be $175.20.  Over 5 years the pump running cost excluding inflation will be $876 ... far more than the cost of the pump.

For a pond you will generally want to select a submersible pump and not one that sits outside the pond itself.

This latter type of pump is often used in large koi pond installations but is overkill for most garden ponds because they are expensive to run; typically consuming between 750 and 1000 watts. They are also noisy.

Always look for at least a 2 year guarantee with 3 years being common these days

Every Fish Pond Needs A Biofilter

You can learn a lot about the need for a biofilter by checking this biofilter site.

Here are 2 important considerations if you want to enjoy your pond and to prevent it becoming an eyesore...

1. You MUST have a biofilter (even if you make one yourself) if you keep fish in a garden pond.

2. 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. To help you work out your pond volume you can download another free calculator by clicking here

A pond filter will not prevent green water problems caused by suspended algae. A pond filter's first job is to purify the contaminated pond water ... the contaminants which are mainly nitrogen compounds (ammonia and nitrites) come from the fish's normal metabolic processes. If these contaminants are allowed to build up they reach toxic levels. Under these conditions the fish become stressed, at best, and may even die.

The image shows what a typical gravity flow pond filter looks like.

Biofilters for BIG ponds

For ponds greater than about 5,000 gallons I recommend serious equipment that does a well designed job without lots of cleaning hassles. Do yourself a favour if you're contemplating a big pond and have a discussion with a reliable vendor for these large items ... Get large koi pond filters advice

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

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 and oxygen to breathe and multiply). This means you will not be able to see deeper than about 2 inches from the surface because the water will appear green and murky. The solution is simple and guaranteed to work every time.

The problem is solved by installing an UV clarifier into the water circulating system.

You can install a combo biofilter + UV and this is normally the easiest and best solution. A typical modern UVC +  filter combo can be seen in the adjacent image. This particular model works under pressure unlike the example of a gravity flow filter shown above.This makes it easier to hide the filter from view (eg it can be buried or located some distance away from the pond).

If you cannot afford an UV clarifier or you don't have a power supply to your pond there is an excellent alternative that works well. This is a product made in the UK called Viresco. There are two versions of  Viresco... one for koi ponds with bottom drains and one for the average garden fish pond.

Viresco is a natural product and is available in small packs. The price is the same delivered anywhere in the world.. Viresco was primarily designed to solve pond blanketweed problems but is just as effective with green pond algae.

A properly specified UV light will guarantee clear water for any pond. It achieves this by killing the algae circulated around the pump system and across the UV light source. As the algae die the ruptured cells clump together and this increase in particle size allows the filter to remove the dead algae.

Now for the Exciting Bit...

With these basics sorted out then its time to add some of those magical aquatic plants and shimmering, sparkling fish that bring life to your pond. Go ahead and do it with confidence. Your pond will bring great joy.

Pond Calculators

You're welcome to download these Excel pond calculators free of charge. There are 12 in total.