The OASE Pondovac 3 pond vacuum is a major upgrade from its predecessor, the Pondovac 2. It seems to have more suctioning power and is much more "beefy" in appearance.
The Pondovac 3 runs continuously without pausing to allow the tank to drain during the vacuuming process which is a huge plus. I got finished much faster and my time spent cleaning the pond was more productive.
OASE added wheel to the Pondovac 3 to make transporting the pond vacuum easier. I have a large water garden which requires the vacuum to be moved two or three times. I found the wheels very convenient.
My overall experience with the OASE Pondovac 3 was positive. I recommend it to anyone with a pond up to 6000 gallons.
Friday, April 28, 2006
Thursday, April 27, 2006
Maintaining Good Water Quality in Your Pond
Limit your fish load. A good rule of thumb is 1 inch of fish for every 10 gallons of pond water. Keep in mind that fish grow and reproduce. Take in account the fish’s maximum size when stocking your pond.
Don’t overfeed the fish. Feed only what they’ll eat in a few minutes. Remove any uneaten food from the pond water.
Maintain your pond filter. Sludge on the filter media in the filter can suffocate beneficial bacteria causing the filter to crash.
Test your water quality regularly. Normal testing should include pH, ammonia and nitrite. The water quality in small ponds can change quickly.
Do water changes. Change 10% of the pond volume weekly or 20% every two weeks. Remember to dechlorinate your water if you are using a municipal water source
Don’t overfeed the fish. Feed only what they’ll eat in a few minutes. Remove any uneaten food from the pond water.
Maintain your pond filter. Sludge on the filter media in the filter can suffocate beneficial bacteria causing the filter to crash.
Test your water quality regularly. Normal testing should include pH, ammonia and nitrite. The water quality in small ponds can change quickly.
Do water changes. Change 10% of the pond volume weekly or 20% every two weeks. Remember to dechlorinate your water if you are using a municipal water source
Wednesday, April 26, 2006
The Water Garden Balancing Act
Too many fish can cause problems in your water garden. A general rule of thumb for most water gardens is 1 inch of fish for every ten gallons of pond water. A five hundred gallon water garden should contain a maximum of fifty inches of fish, or five ten-inch fish.
Keep in mind that fish grow throughout their entire life and fish, especially goldfish, reproduce. Always stock your water garden to match your fish’s expected maximum size. Koi routinely reach 26-30 inches while most goldfish will reach 14 inches.
Overstocked ponds will result in poor water quality and clarity. Fish disease and algae in the garden pond will become major issues if action is not taken in a timely manner.
Increasing the size of the pond filter may temporarily solve this problem but often the fish load must be decreased or the water garden size increased.
Keep in mind that fish grow throughout their entire life and fish, especially goldfish, reproduce. Always stock your water garden to match your fish’s expected maximum size. Koi routinely reach 26-30 inches while most goldfish will reach 14 inches.
Overstocked ponds will result in poor water quality and clarity. Fish disease and algae in the garden pond will become major issues if action is not taken in a timely manner.
Increasing the size of the pond filter may temporarily solve this problem but often the fish load must be decreased or the water garden size increased.
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Pond Filters for Your Water Garden
Why do I need a pond filter?
Pond filters perform two vital functions for your pond. First, the pond
filter will clean the pond water make the pond clearer and healthier. But the main purpose of the pond filter is convert toxins in the water into substances that can be absorbed by the ecosystem. Ponds without filters, or that have poor or undersized filters, are usually dirtier and may have problems with water quality.
How does a pond filter work?
Most pond filters provide at least two of the three types filtration. These are:
Biological Filtration is performed by beneficial bacteria that break down ammonia in the water caused by fish waste, uneaten fish food and other naturally decaying organic matter. Nitrosmonas bacteria convert the ammonia into nitrites. Nitrobacter bacteria then convert the nitrites into less toxic nitrates. Aquatic plants then absorb the nitrates as food.
Mechanical Filtration is simply the removal of suspended particles from the pond water usually by a foam or polyester mat or pad in the pond filter. Generally the finer the media, such as foam, the more particles will be removed. But beware, the finer the media, the more maintenance the pond filter will require.
Chemical Filtration uses chemical processes to remove toxins from the pond water.
Zeolite is commonly used in the pond filter to trap ammonia from the pond water. Zeolite does become saturated with ammonia and should be "recharged" every two to three weeks. Simply soak the zeolite in a salt bath over night and rinse thoroughly. Salt causes the zeolite to release the captured ammonia and regain is effectiveness. Always remove zeolite from the filter before applying salt to the pond to avoid a deadly ammonia spike in the water.
What common mistake should I avoid when selecting a pond filter?
The most common mistake pond owner's make is selecting a pond filter rated for just at or below the pond's volume. By stretching the manufacturer's specifications, which may already be exaggerated, the pond filter may simply be too small to properly clean and filter the pond. The result will be a dirty, unhealthy pond with a pond filter that requires frequent cleaning. Always oversize the pond filter so that the pond will be cleaner, healthier with a pond filter that will need little maintenance. After all, who wants a dirty pond filter that needs to constantly be cleaned?
Pond filters perform two vital functions for your pond. First, the pond
filter will clean the pond water make the pond clearer and healthier. But the main purpose of the pond filter is convert toxins in the water into substances that can be absorbed by the ecosystem. Ponds without filters, or that have poor or undersized filters, are usually dirtier and may have problems with water quality.
How does a pond filter work?
Most pond filters provide at least two of the three types filtration. These are:
Biological Filtration is performed by beneficial bacteria that break down ammonia in the water caused by fish waste, uneaten fish food and other naturally decaying organic matter. Nitrosmonas bacteria convert the ammonia into nitrites. Nitrobacter bacteria then convert the nitrites into less toxic nitrates. Aquatic plants then absorb the nitrates as food.
Mechanical Filtration is simply the removal of suspended particles from the pond water usually by a foam or polyester mat or pad in the pond filter. Generally the finer the media, such as foam, the more particles will be removed. But beware, the finer the media, the more maintenance the pond filter will require.
Chemical Filtration uses chemical processes to remove toxins from the pond water.
Zeolite is commonly used in the pond filter to trap ammonia from the pond water. Zeolite does become saturated with ammonia and should be "recharged" every two to three weeks. Simply soak the zeolite in a salt bath over night and rinse thoroughly. Salt causes the zeolite to release the captured ammonia and regain is effectiveness. Always remove zeolite from the filter before applying salt to the pond to avoid a deadly ammonia spike in the water.
What common mistake should I avoid when selecting a pond filter?
The most common mistake pond owner's make is selecting a pond filter rated for just at or below the pond's volume. By stretching the manufacturer's specifications, which may already be exaggerated, the pond filter may simply be too small to properly clean and filter the pond. The result will be a dirty, unhealthy pond with a pond filter that requires frequent cleaning. Always oversize the pond filter so that the pond will be cleaner, healthier with a pond filter that will need little maintenance. After all, who wants a dirty pond filter that needs to constantly be cleaned?
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