Aerate Your Pond with an Air Pump This Winter

With winter weather quickly arriving, it is essential to get your pond properly prepared for the chilly months ahead. The fish and other aquatic life in your pond require extra special attention as temperatures continue dropping. If you'll remember from my previous Pondliner blog post on solving your pond's winter woes, I discussed how decomposing pond matter removes oxygen from the water and releases toxic gasses that can become trapped in your pond when it freezes over in winter.


When a situation such as this arises, your fish are in danger of dying due to a lack of oxygen. You can use a pond heater to create a hole in your iced-over pond to allow proper gas exchange, but it would be in your very best interest to purchase an air pump as well, especially if your main pond pump is shut down for winter.

Pondliner air pumps help maintain adequate oxygen levels in your pond, even when your fish's metabolic rates reach their absolute lowest. Guaranteeing that your fish receive the proper amount of oxygen is essential to ensuring their survival through the cold winter months.

Be sure to choose an air pump that is big enough to pump air to the bottom of your pond. As the weather gets colder, your fish will gravitate to the lowest parts of your pond to stay warm, so there is no sense in buying an air pump that won't reach those depths. The specifications of each air pump will note the maximum pond size it should be used for as well as the pond depth it can reach.

To get the most out of your air pump, check out Pondliner's selection of aeration replacement parts and accessories. We have everything you need to keep your pond’s air pump functioning effectively.

As always, our dedicated and qualified staff of pond professionals is available to answer questions and provide additional help Monday – Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Contact us for assistance today!

Fish Feeding Tips for Winter Weather

As the weather turns colder and the air temperature begins to drop, the fish in your backyard pond need to go on a cold water fish food diet. Lucky for them, their diet has nothing to do with losing weight, but if you don't administer it properly, they won't make it through the winter. This is because fish's digestive systems slow down as the weather cools, and they are unable to digest the same foods they consume during warmer months. If they cannot digest the food you are feeding them, it will sit in their system undigested, and this can result in intestinal or stomach ulceration. Koi are particularly susceptible to this, because they have no stomach and undigested food passes directly into their intestines to rot.

The first step to properly feeding your fish during the winter is knowing the temperature of their water. If you do not have a thermometer now is the time to get one, and Pondliner offers a reliable and inexpensive model. Suspend your thermometer in your backyard pond about 18 inches deep in the water to get accurate readings.

Once you have a thermometer, you can use the temperature of the water as your guide for what to feed your fish. Once the water temperature drops below 65 degrees Fahrenheit, you should start feeding your fish wheat germ-based cold water fish food. Wheat germ is much easier to digest, making it the ideal base for cold water fish food. Pondliner's Micro-Lift Legacy cold water fish food is especially helpful, because it contains Probiotics that produce enzymes to aid the breakdown of carbohydrates, protein & fat.

Once the water temperature drops below 50 degrees Fahrenheit,you can stop feeding your fish altogether. It's likely that they will be spending the majority of their time dormant at the bottom of your pond at this point, and therefore they will not need cold water fish food to sustain them. Cease feeding for the remainder of the winter, unless temperatures warm unexpectedly, and resume a cold water fish food diet once temperatures start rising again in the spring.

As temperatures begin to drop this fall and winter keep your pond fish happy and healthy by feeding them Pondliner's Micro-Lift Legacy cold water fish food.

If you have any further questions, feel free to contact one of our helpful and qualified Pondliner professionals today!

Solve Your Pond's Winter Woes with a Pondliner Pond Heater

Long gone are the hot days and balmy nights of summer where you could sit in your backyard and enjoy the sights and sounds of your beautiful water gardens and fish ponds. Now the leaves are falling off the trees faster than you can rake them, and the air is turning cooler by the day. Fall has officially arrived and winter is right on its heels, which means it’s time to winterize your backyard pond. For additional resources on how to care for your pond year-round, visit Pondliner’s helpful Pond Reference Section.

It may come as a surprise to you, but the ecosystem you’ve created in your pond remains active even in the freezing winter, and it requires a delicate balance of circumstances to keep life functioning properly. That is why it’s important that the winterization of your pond is done correctly from start to finish. One essential piece needed for winterization is a pond heater, also sometimes referred to as a pond de-icer.

As you begin the winterization process, a pond heater is going to serve as your pond’s personal detoxifier. During the winter months, decomposition of dead leaves, insects, algae, and solid fish waste occurs. This process uses up oxygen while simultaneously releasing small amounts of toxic hydrogen sulfide. Normally this doesn’t cause any problems, but if there is too much decomposition, or if a layer of ice prevents oxygen from entering and hydrogen sulfide from escaping, the results can be catastrophic for your pond life. However, never fear, Pondliner pond heaters can come to your rescue!

As you can see in the image below, pond heaters create a hole in the ice covering your pond, allowing oxygen to get in and hydrogen sulfide to escape. When this proper gas exchange occurs, you protect your fish, frogs, and other aquatic life from toxic gas build-up, and ensure that they stay happy and healthy throughout the cold winter months.

Whether you require a small pond heater, floating pond heater, or submersible pond heater, Pondliner is here to cover all your pond heating and pond winterization needs.Our pond heaters offer various kinds of thermostat control to prevent overheating and save you money, and they are designed with the safety of your pond life in mind.

An additional way to save money is by buying the appropriate pond heater for your climate. The only information you need is your temperature zone and the number of gallons your pond holds. If you need to figure out your pond’s volume, use our handy pond liner size calculator. To determine which pond heater is best suited for your climate, use the zone map below.

Pond heaters are a necessary component for effective pond winterization, and Pondliner is eager to provide you with the high-quality, affordable pond heater you need. Check out our entire collection of pond heaters, and be sure to consider the Pondliner current promotional discount on our OASE IceFree De-icer. Start winterizing your pond today!

If you have any additional questions, feel free to call our helpful technical assistance crew at (866) 766-3548.

Pond Leaf Netting Gone Wrong

Occasionally at Pondliner.com we get mail from customers who want to share a story about a pond product or pond experience.

Here is a letter we received about leaf netting that made me chuckle:

Dear Pondliner,

At the end of last season, I knew it was time to replace the leaf netting that I had been using for the past five years. I decided to go with the Premium Leaf Netting for my 20'x20' pond. It was a prefect fit. I was like a little boy again on Christmas morning, all excited to open and set up my latest pond purchase when it arrived. Like all other pond products, the leaf netting came with instructions on how to set it up, maintenance tips, and of course how to anchor it down.

After setting up my new leaf netting, I was sure my pond was safe from flying leaves and predators.

A few weeks later, I started to notice that leaves were in my pond. I was shocked because it was a brand-new leaf net. Being the self-proclaimed pond expert that I am, I was sure I did nothing wrong. So I thought. I removed the leaf netting and examined it for holes. Nothing. The leaf netting was good as new. I skimmed the top of my pond to remove the abundance of leaves and thought maybe they just slipped through the cracks. It has happened before, but I never had to skim out this many. I spent about two hours skimming the pond and wondering how this could have happened.

As I was putting the leaf netting back on my pond I noticed that some stakes used to anchor it down were missing. Again this was weird. I looked in the ground, nothing. I looked all around my yard, nothing. I was getting frustrated at this point. I lined up the leaf netting the same way I previously had it when I noticed there were no holes in the ground on one side of my pond. Yep, this pond expert forgot to properly secure his pond netting a few weeks earlier.

Point of the story, make sure that you properly anchor down your leaf netting and you won't have to rake out your pond like I did. I just wanted to share a story and thank you for offering a wide range of pond supplies. Your technical staff is always been great in helping me whenever I have a question or concern. Keep up the great work!

Rick
South Bend, IN



Good advice Rick. Thanks for being a loyal customer and remember Pondliner.com has all of your pond supplies for the fall and winter seasons.

OASE SwimSkim Product Review

The OASE SwimSkim is a unique self-contained in-pond skimmer that also functions as a pond aerator. The Swimskim is powered by an internal 580 gallon per hour magnetic-drive pump. Air is injected into the pump discharge to provide supplement aeration to the pond.

The SwimSkim catches larger debris in its leaf basket while a smaller foam pad traps smaller particles. The foam pad does clog rather quickly- usually in one to two days in my pond- but OASE did have the foresight to include an extra pad which makes maintenance a little easier.

Does the SwimSkim work? Absolutely. In my pond, I use it in an area that does not skim properly and don’t rely on it to skim my 18’ x 19’ pond. The aeration feature does inject a rather healthy stream of small bubbles 24” down into the pond.

The only downside to the Oase SwimSkim is the frequency in which the foam pad has to be cleaned. I do have a heavy fish load in my pond, so you may not have to clean the foam as often. Oase does have a larger SwimSkim model available in Europe. Hopefully, we will see it introduced in North America in 2011.

Contractors- Looking for a New Pond Supplier?

Professional Pond Builders, if you are currently buying your pond equipment from a certain company in the Chicago area, you owe it to company to give us a call and immediately improve your profit margins. Don’t worry about what the others will think, many of your brothers have already made the switch and are ecstatic about our prices and our service. The icing on the cake is that we are really nice people and care about your business.

So if you are experiencing any of the following symptoms, it’s time to call us:

· You try to be cool by clapping and whooping to begin your company meetings

· You still rent a kiosk at your local mall

· You buy over-priced products from irrigation companies who are clueless about building ponds

· You are still waiting for their “engineers” to design a revolutionary waterfall pump

· Instead of finding a better supplier, you get your ponytail cut off in front of hundreds of people just to change your “bad luck”

· You have a tattoo of their old logo-too bad they changed it

· You were there in person three years ago to see me roast Greg’s rear end (wasn't thast fun)

Pondliner.com Wholesale can be reached at 866-766-3561. Find out why we should be your choice for your pond supplies.

You Might be a Water Garden Redneck ....

• Here is a list just for fun, with my apologies to Jeff Foxworthy. Don't take it personally if you've done something on this list, I've done one of them myself.
  
• 
  
• You might be a Water Garden Redneck if you bought your best koi at a bait shop.
  

You might be a Water Garden Redneck if you've ever tried using trash bags and duct tape to line your pond.

You might be a Water Garden Redneck if you pond filter is a rubbermaid trash can full of gravel.

You might be a Water Garden Redneck if you used an old satellite dish to build your pond.

You might be a Water Garden Redneck if kou feed catfish chow to your koi.

You might be a Water Garden Redneck if you’ve owned a UV clarifier for five years, but have never changed the bulb.

You might be a Water Garden Redneck if you use septic tank bacteria in your pond.

You might be a Water Garden Redneck if your garden pond is stocked with game fish.

You might be a Water Garden Redneck if you use shop lights to illuminate your waterfall.

You might be a Water Garden Redneck if you've ever tried to aerate your pond using a boat oar.

You might be a Water Garden Redneck if you've ever used a pacemaker or crank-telephone to catch your koi.

Do you have an addition to the list? Leave a comment and let's add it!

Life is Good, Busy, but Good

At 43 years old, I thought that my life would be less hectic and much more leisurely. After all, I have two daughters, 21 and 15, who are wonderful. They both are active in church and neither have been in any serious trouble. My wife and I have a great relationship and really enjoy being with each other.

Enter three foster daughters, 5, 3 and 1 and suddenly we are thrust back into dance recitals, T-ball, bedtime stories and all the other neat stuff we did with our girls. Don't get me wrong, we absolutely love it. The comedy that three young rug rats can produce would put Robin Williams to shame. When is the last time you've seen someone eat a half a tub of butter sitting in a towel drawer or seen someone pour a box of corn starch on their head. But I also understand why grandparents ideally shouldn't be asked to raise their grand kids. It takes energy, lots and lots of energy!!!!

Still, when things get stressful, I simply step outside and spend time around my pond. Thankfully, I did install a great system that requires very little maintenance. Heaven knows I have much time to do major upkeep. I just feed the fish and watch the water cascade down the waterfall. Life slows down and my thoughts return to what is truly important in life.

So the next time you feel overwhelmed by life's challenges, go spend some time alone around your pond. Relax and realize how good your life is. I know that my life couldn't be better.

Happy Earth Day!

While I’m not an environmentalist, I do believe that we should be good stewards to what God has given us. With energy prices still fairly high and the economy still very shaky in many areas of the country, it just makes good economic sense not to waste money.

The next time you replace that cheap waterfall pump, check the energy consumption of the replacement pump.  Many direct drive pumps show a range in the power consumption numbers. Direct-drive pumps use less energy as head pressure increases. As most water garden applications use under 5’ of head pressure, use the largest number when deciding on a pump. Pondliner.com has a handy energy cost calculator so that you can see just how much money that particular pump costs to operate.

New pump technologies can give you a longer pump life at a lower operating cost. For the last two years, we have been switching our customers from the Cal Pump PW Waterfall Pumps into their PWM Waterfall Pumps. The Cal Pump PWM Waterfall Pumps less about 30-40% less energy and warranty returns have dropped by 800%.

If you are looking at replacing your filtration system or just building a pond, I highly recommend the OASE products. Although the initial price is higher, the savings in energy alone will pay for the cost difference in less than 18 months. The OASE systems also include a Clear Water Guarantee that is good for the life of the pond. 

Prep Your Pond for the Spring

Now is the time to get your pond into shape. Here's are some helpful suggestions that will make your pond even better this year.

• Clean out debris from the pond bottom and edges using your net and a pond vacuum. Bacteria will eventually break down decaying organic matter, but don't wait. Not only does this process take time, the by-product of this process is nitrate which leads to algae blooms and excessive string algae growth.
  
• Spend some time on component maintenance. Clean the pump intake and check the condition of tubing, hose clamps and fittings. Clean media pads in the pond skimmer and pond filter. Replace pads if needed. Remove any sludge that has accumulated in either.
  
• Clean the quartz sleeve on your UV Clarifier with a soft rag. If the sleeve has lime scale build-up, you may need to soak it in CLR or another scale remover. Replace the UV lamp if the bulb has been used for over 12 months.
  
• Remove any dead aquatic plant growth that you missed last autumn. Re-pot aquatic plants that are root-bound in pots. Older plants that continue growing become beautiful specimens, but also continue to consume nutrients that otherwise would fuel algae growth.
  
• Check the condition of your pond fish. Look for signs of parasites or disease. Excessive flashing, staying on the pond bottom away from the other fish or staying under the waterfall can be signs of health probelms. Remember, no matter how hungry your fish look or beg for food, don't feed them until the pond water temperature is 50 degrees.
  
• Finally, check your pond lighting. Replace bulbs, fixtures or transformers as needed.

I always look for ways to improve my water garden while I'm doing routine maintenance. A waterfall or stream effect can be changed simply by moving one or two rocks. Adding a small accent pond light to show off a large marginal plant can be dramatic. The possibilities are endless.

Savio Water Feature Institute

Last week, we hosted a Savio Certification Event as a part of the Savio Water Feature Institute at our facility in Shawnee, Oklahoma. The two-day event featured a hands-on Pond-Free water feature construction class and several hours of classroom instruction. Class participants traveled from as far as St Louis, Missouri and Houston, Texas to attend. At the conclusion of the seminar, participants were able to test to become part of the Savio Certified Contractor Program. The test was administered by the National Association of Pond Professionals.

Rick Bartel, Director of the Savio Water Feature Institute, led the instruction. Rick is one of the most decorated and experienced water feature installers in the United States. His creditials would take most of the page if I were to list them here, but if you want to see for yourself they can be found on the Institute's web site. Besides Rick's experience, expertise and subperb ability pass along his knowldge, you come away from the event impressed with what a genuinely nice person he is.

The Savio Pond-Free water feature installation incorporated the RISE construction method, which produces a more appealing and natural water features while using less stone and the same or less man hours for the installation. Instruction included water feature pricing, best business practices, marketing, Savio product training and basic water feature knowledge including working with pond liners, pumps, filtration, pond skimmers, ultraviolet clarification and water treatments.

Controlling Algae

The most common problem experienced by pond owners is algae. Of all the technical questions we are asked, questions about algae in the pond is far and away the most common topic. So let’s take a look at pond algae and the best ways to deal with it.

What is algae?

Pond algae may be the floating single-celled variety that turns the pond water into pea green soup. String algae is usually first found in your waterfall or around the pond edges. Unchecked, string algae may take over the majority of your water garden.

Algae is really nothing more than an aquatic plant. It thrives on excess nutrients in the pond water and sunlight. Take one or both of those away, and pond algae is easily controlled.
Excess nutrients can come from many sources. Uneaten fish food, decaying plant matter, fish waste and leaves and other organic debris that may blow into the pond all can cause nutrient levels to increase. In a balanced water garden, aquatic plants absorb almost all of the nutrients leaving no fuel for pond algae. The key to controlling algae in ponds and water gardens is to have enough aquatic plants and the right type of aquatic plants.

Floating plants, such as water lettuce, water hyacinth, water are excellent at absorbing nutrients and providing shade for the pond water to reduce the sunlight reaching the pond water. Water lilies and lotus are great at producing shade, but don’t help much with nutrient reduction. Marginal aquatic plants along the pond edge help in reducing nutrient levels and may help a little with shading. Submerged aquatic plants are the best at absorbing nutrients and are a must for any pond.

String algae and green water problems are common in the early spring when the pond water temperature warms. The pond fish return from being dormant all winter and begin to eat and produce waste. Organic debris on the pond bottom begins to be broken down by bacteria producing more nutrients in the pond water. As the nutrient levels continue to rise, most of the pond’s aquatic plants may still be dormant or just beginning to come back to life. Algae begins to grow at a rapid rate temporally until the pond’s aquatic plants return to prominence. You can help lower nutrient levels during this time by physically removing debris from the pond bottom and abstaining from feeding your pond fish until the water garden becomes balanced again.

Other Ways to Control Garden Pond Algae

An Ultraviolet clarifier is best way to control single-cell floating algae. This device is plumbed inline between the pond pump and pond filter. As the pond water is pumped through the ultraviolet clarifier, the algae cells in the water are altered so that they stick together and cannot reproduce. The algae cells are then removed by the pond filter or sink to the pond bottom where bacteria consume them. Ultraviolet clarifiers are completely ineffective for string algae as the string algae never passes through the UV Clarifier.

EPA registered algaecides are very effective at controlling string algae. Oxidizing algaecides, such as CrystalClear Algae-Off, work upon contact by removing algae directly from rocks and the pond bottom. Algaecides, such as Pond Care AlgaeFix, work over time to kill string algae- usually within a week. We use both products and both have been proven to work every time. Liquid treatments may claim to control single-cell algae that causes green pond water, but we have had very little success using them for this application.

Other products that have not been registered by the EPA as algaecides can be very effective at algae control as well. The EPA is very sensitive that any product that claims to control, kill or eliminate algae must be registered as such. A very hefty fine will be levied against any manufacturer who does not comply, and several in the water garden industry have learned that painful lesson firsthand. The EPA approval process is rumored by cost manufacturers in excess of $250,000 for each product they register. This cost deters many manufacturers from listing products that are very effective in algae control from going through the EPA registration process.

Spring-Kick Off 2009

Pondliner.com just hosted our fourth annaul Spring Kick-Off for our pond dealers and contractors. The two day event featured a water feature construction class led by Mike Garcia of Enviroscape, Inc of Redondo Beach, California held in Pondliner.com's indoor pond building facility.

Day two features seminars led by some of the pond industry's top experts including self-proclaimed fish nerd Jay Warrick of the Aquarium Center of North Carolina , Joseph Ortega of Savio Engineering, Andy Schoenberger of Franklin Electric/Little Giant Pump and Frayne McAtee of OASE Living Water. Over fifteen manufacturers were represented in the mini-trade show giving attendees ample opportunity to see new this year's products and visit face-to-face with factory representatives.