Discuss – Ensure that you have good mechanical and biological filtration and that your pump will turn the pond water over totally at least twice per day.
A pond without plants is like cake without icing. Pond plants
fight algae, give fish a hiding place against predators, and
beautify our own little slice of paradise to plunk down in at the
end of a tiring day.
Don’t smother your pond with plants, however. Start with half the
surface area, and don’t let them cover more than two-thirds to
three-quarters at their growing peak. Overcrowding stresses them
out, and hey – it just looks bad!
Don’t let the terms “hardy” and “tropical” throw you when
choosing plants for your pond. Just remember that these terms
refer to the environment in which the plant has originally been
adapted – and not to whether it can be thrown across the room or
how well it looks in a fancy mixed drink.
Hardy pond plants, as a rule, can handle cold temperatures and
frost. Of course, this is relative to your USDA agricultural
zone, found here: http://www.usna.usda.gov/Hardzone/ushzmap.html.
Discuss – Including an assortment of plants inside the fish pond, and planting it around the edges will help manage and absorb the nutrients in the fish pond. Some water plants will also help to control the presence of algae.
Ask your plant professional or check the plant’s label before
taking home that plant that does great in Hawaii, but not so
great in Maine.
Tropicals, on the other hand, pretty much hold true to what
they’re called: They will take a nosedive if temperatures get
much below 70 degrees, turning into a messy mush if it freezes.
But, ah, Grasshopper, there are ways to save even those hardy
plants that aren’t quite up to a northern blizzard, as well as
those tender-toed tropicals with which you’ve fallen madly in
love.
Bury hardy pond plants, pot and all, into a south-facing part of
your yard and cover with a thick, warm blanket of mulch. Or put
them into a garage or basement, making sure they’re kept wet and
have good air circulation.
Discuss – When used to reduce stress in separate treatment tanks or during fish transportation, use 4 tablespoons full (95.2g) of Pond Salt for each 10 gallons (37.
Tropicals, on the other hand, need light and moisture year
‘round. If you don’t have a greenhouse, place tropicals in your
sunniest window and keep misted, several times a day if possible,
to provide the humidity they crave in order to flourish. “Grow
lights” do a fabulous fake of the sun, however, and many tropical
pond plants thrive under them.
Marginal pond plants – those that grow around the edges, or
margins, of a pond – can be either hardy or tropical. Some hardy
marginals are cattail, plantain, and rush. Tropical marginals
include taro, spider lily, and water hibiscus. Of course there
are legions more to lust after in both hardy and tropical
marginals. Place marginals with their pot tops one to six inches
under water. Very tall plants, like cattail, can be moved as deep
as a foot beneath the surface one they’ve gotten full-sized.
Discuss – Individuals should make sure that they do not make their fish pond too small. This is a mistake that a lot of beginners make.
Water lilies, however, like their water deep – between 18 and 30
inches – after starting the season in the 6″-12″ shallower end.
This gives them a nice, springtime shot of sunshine to get going
again. And when the plant pro recommends those funny-looking pots
with all the little holes in them, go for it. Pond plants poke
their toes (roots) through them to develop tiny,
nutrient-extracting feeder roots. Meshing with one another, these
roots provide stability and protection against wind, kids, pets,
and adults that have a tendency to stumble into them.
Fertilize pond plants when they need them. “Ha!” you say. “And
when is that?” Well, go back to your plant pro, the Internet, or
the plant label you so wisely saved. Each plant may have
different requirements, but one rule of thumb: Plants need much
more fertilizer in warm-weather months than when it’s cool
outside.
So go have fun with your pond and your plants!
Brett Fogle is the owner of MacArthur Water Gardens and several
pond-related websites including macarthurwatergardens.com and
pond-filters-online.com. He also publishes a free monthly
newsletter called PondStuff! with a reader circulation of over
9,000 pond owners. To sign up for the free newsletter and
receive a complimentary ‘New Pond Owners Guide’ for joining,
just visit MacArthur Water Gardens
<< Specializing in pond filtration and clear water solutions >>
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Filed under Koi Garden Pond by on Feb 2nd, 2009. Comment. 
Build An Easy Koi Fish Pond. Easy To Build Backyard Koi Fish Pond With Full Illustrations, eBook(R) & Bonus.
Goldfish ponds are a beautiful addition to any garden and a stunning focal point. Goldfish ponds have been admired in Asia for centuries, especially in China and Japan. Today, you will find goldfish ponds all over the world, including Europe and North America. Since the Goldfish hails from a wild carp that can live in cold water, the Goldfish will survive outdoors during the winter even in colder parts of the world. In some regions it is however advisable to house your fish indoors during the roughest months since it can suffocate in a pond if the ice freezes across the entire surface.
Goldfish can be kept in ponds as well as in aboveground pools. It is recommended to plant your pond/pool since goldfish will feel much safer in a planted environment. It will also be able to hide among the plants in order to avoid predators. A lot of animals like to chase and eat goldfish, including cats, birds and raccoons. Sometimes plants are not enough to guard your fish and you will be forced to cover the pond with netting during the night. In an above ground pool with straight sides, the predators will be unable to wade in and must instead perch themselves at the edge of the pool when looking for prey. This will usually be noticed by your Goldfish and it can seek shelter deep down in the pool.
Discuss – Another way to obtain Koi pond aeration is to have different kinds of under water pond plants such as Anacharis and Hornwort. These plants will grow and spread out very well under water.
A planted goldfish pond is easier to maintain since the plants will aid you in keeping up the water quality. Live plants can use organic compounds excreted by fish as nutrition. This means that the organic waste will be absorbed by the plant instead of staying in the water and polluting it. Live plants will also inhibit algae growth since plants and algae compete for the same nutrients. If you still experience excess algae growth, you might be feeding your Goldfish too much. If you feed your fish a lot of food, they will subsequently produce a lot of waste and there will be plenty of nutrients for plants as well as algae in the water. Some algae are a natural part of any pond or aquarium, but excessive algae growth should be counteracted since it is unhealthy for the fish. Keep in mind that if you use a chemical to kill the algae, or if an algaecide is involuntary introduced to the pond, the dead and decaying algae will use up a lot of oxygen and your Goldfish might suffocate and die. Using natural methods to combat algae, such as plants, is therefore recommended.
Discuss – Provide adequate shade by having 60 to 70% of the pond’s surface area covered with floating plants or other types of shade.
When you have filled your Goldfish pond you should treat the water with a water conditioner if you use tap water containing chlorine and/or ammonia to fill your pond. Check that the water temperature in the pond is at least 60 o F before you add any fish. A common beginner mistake is to add all the Goldfish simultaneously to their new home. This will cause a rapid change in water quality since the bacterial colonies that inhabit the pond are too small to process the sudden increase in organic waste. Instead, you should ideally add one or two fish and allow the bacterial colonies to grow larger before you add any new fish. This will naturally also depend on the size of your pond and if you are using any type of filtration. In a large pond, excess waste will be dilute by a very large amount of water and therefore less likely to reach concentrations high enough to harm you fish. Good filtration will also help removing organic waste and other toxins from the water.
So, how much Goldfish can I fill my pond with? As a rule of thumb, one Goldfish per 30 gallons is recommended, but this is naturally a very imprecise ratio. As mentioned earlier, the water quality is one of the limiting factors. Plenty of water, developed bacterial colonies and good filtration will make it possible for you to house a larger number of Goldfish. There are three basic types of filtration: biological, mechanical and chemical. Biological filtration will be taken care of by the mentioned bacterial colonies. A mechanical filter will filter the water through some form of filtering media where larger debris will get caught. The most common form of chemical filtration is the addition of carbon to the mechanical filter, where the carbon will bind various types of toxins.
Discuss – A Koi pond is also much larger than a water garden because Koi can grow to be very large in size, some growing to be the size of large trout or catfish. It is recommended that a Koi pond be large enough to hold at least a thousand gallons of water in order to keep the fish healthy.
Another important factor to keep in mind when you decide how much fish you wish to add to your pond is aeration. Fish require air to breath and will suffocate in a poorly aerated pond, especially if decaying plant matter consumes a lot of the dissolved oxygen. In an open pond, there will however be a considerable gas exchange between the water and the surrounding air. The larger the surface area of your pond, the more oxygen will be brought to the water. A large surface area will also make it easier for the water to release carbon dioxide. Plants in the pond will also produce oxygen and consume carbon dioxide. In some ponds, this will however not be enough and if you want to be able to house a large number of Goldfish some type of aeration is recommended.
Read more about garden ponds or Goldfish and types of Goldfish.
Filed under Koi Garden Pond, Koi Pond Building, Koi Ponds by on Nov 13th, 2008. Comment.
Discuss – Provide adequate shade by having 60 to 70% of the pond’s surface area covered with floating plants or other types of shade.
If you are using a soft liner your water garden or fish pond can take any shape you like, square, round, oblong or just about anything else that your imagination can think of. If you are using a rigid or preformed pond then you are probably looking at a kidney shaped liner, this is the most popular. It is not the shape of the garden pond that gives it it’s charm or character, it is the water plants, fish and the plants that surround the pond.
Basically think of pond styles to be one of two formal and informal designs.
Formal pond styles have clean straight lines and geometric shapes. They have rigid borders made of brick, preformed tiles or rocks. Formal garden ponds are used as reflecting pools. Meaning they are very calm and reflect the surrounding trees and flowers. You don’t normally see this style of water garden in backyards.
Discuss – Those who want to have plants on their fish pond should keep in mind that they should place their fish pond in a place where it can be exposed to great amount of sun light.
Rectangles and squares are thought of to be formal styles and the more they are stretched to being oval the more informal it looks. Which means kidney and pie shapes are informal styles.
Informal garden ponds have curving fluid lines that flow without defined edges into the surrounding gardens and vegetation. They have a more natural appearance and function. Unlike formal styles the plants are not used as a decoration or ornament but as the main feature. Waterfalls are normally added to this type of design. Edging compliments the landscaping which can be irregular and hilly. Use large rocks and river rocks on the bottom and edges of the pond, which makes it seem more natural.
Rectangles are the easiest to install, they are easier to dig a hole for and when using soft liners you only have to make a few folds in the corners. Preformed ponds like kidney shapes are even easier to install. Free formed, where you define the shape by digging and then lining with a soft pond liner are more difficult and the most expensive water gardens to install yourself. They require that you buy almost twice as much liner than you think you will need. If you are installing it yourself avoid shapes that produce arms or very irregular designs, it will be a nightmare trying to get the liners to fit.
Discuss – Another way to obtain Koi pond aeration is to have different kinds of under water pond plants such as Anacharis and Hornwort. These plants will grow and spread out very well under water.
Just remember what ever shape you choose, it will not be very apparent once the surrounding plants mature. So you see it is not that important, just go with the easiest to install and decorate with beautiful plants and fish. You can read more information about and pond kits and water gardening here.
Carry Staltz provides information on gardening and water features for Decorativewaterfountains.com. Landscaping using water gardens and fish ponds is a hobby and she brings her tips and ideas that have worked for her over the years to make you next project go smoother and easier.
Filed under Koi Garden Pond by on Jun 19th, 2008. Comment.