Is My Pond Temperature Too Warm?

If you have a smaller pond, you might be worried about the warm temperatures it reaches in the summer. High temperatures from the sun can be harmful to your plants and fish. Your pond supplies, such as pumps and filters, could also be damaged by high temperatures that increase algae growth, so it’s important to monitor the water temperature.

 What is an Acceptable Pond Temperature? 

While higher temperatures can be tolerated in ponds without fish, the ideal pond temperature is 65˚F–75˚F. Fish can survive small pond temperatures of 35˚F–85˚F, but if the water is consistently above 85˚F, you will need to enact some cooling procedures to keep your fish and plants healthy.

How Should I Cool My Pond? 

Safe cooling procedures are often a good idea for keeping your fish healthy and minimizing sun exposure, which increases algae growth. Stay away from simply changing out hot water for cooler water, though. Your pond life will be shocked by the quick temperature change, and your fish and plants could die. Consider some of the following tips you can use to safely cool your pond:

·         Plant trees around your pond. By adding shade around your pond, you will decrease the pond’s exposure to sun and extreme heat. This is a natural way to cool your water without affecting any of the internal workings of the pond’s habitat.

·         Add lilies or other shady water plants. You can easily cool your pond and add a new decorative plant by adding lilies to your backyard water feature. Lilies lay on top of the water, protecting fish and the other plants from the sun’s heat.

·         Add a waterfall. If you want to make an addition to your pond and decrease its temperature at the same time, you can install a waterfall or fountain aerator. These pond supplies will aerate your pond, and you can blow a fan across the falling water to cool it before it enters the pond.

·         Use a pond tint. By treating your small pond with pond tint, you can help your pond filter during the hot sunlight. A slight blue tint will keep your pond cooler than it is with its natural color.

Using these cooling tips can help protect your pond life from the dangers of heat. If you need pond supplies to cool your backyard water feature, Pondliner.com is here to meet all of your pond maintenance needs.

Summer Lovin’: Giving Your Pond Summer TLC

Backyard pond maintenance in the summer doesn’t take much work. It’s the time of year when you can sit back and enjoy your backyard. You can’t completely neglect your pond, though. Fish are more active and your plants are growing, so problems could quickly arise. Learn how to keep your pond clean so it stays healthy in the summer.

Keep the O₂ Coming

If you don’t have an aerator for your pond yet, summer is the time to get one. Warm water doesn’t retain oxygen as well as cooler water, so it’s important to keep your aerator on 24/7. Increased oxygen allows more ammonia and nitrate reduction. This needs to happen so you can allow algae to grow healthily and fish to digest their food efficiently. You can talk to an expert from Pondliner.com to decide what pond aerator is best for you.

Algae Is Good, But Avoid Algae Blooms

You want the algae in your pond to grow at a healthy pace, but it could get out of control in the summer months. Increased sunlight, plant growth, and fish activity can create an abundance of algae. Consider trimming back your plants and adding some water lilies that block the sun. If you decide to use algaecide, be sure to avoid overuse, or purchase non-toxic chemicals so you don’t harm your fish.

Check Your Pond Supplies

With all of that pond life activity, it’s important to monitor your pond filters and pumps. Pond supplies might be more likely to break in the summer because of all the use they get. Stay on top of maintenance issues by checking to see if your pond pumps and filters are in working order. If not, you might need to buy some new products or get them fixed.

You pond can be healthier in the summer if you simply keep it oxygenated, beware of algae blooms, and monitor your pond supplies. Pondliner.com is here to help you with all of your summer pond maintenance needs. Contact us today.

How to Add Oxygen to Your Backyard Water Garden

When the sun starts shining and the weather begins to heat up, summer pond maintenance begins. One of your major summer pond maintenance responsibilities is adding oxygen to your pond. 

But, is oxygenating your pond really that important? And if it is, how do you go about adding oxygen?

This is actually one of the simpler pond tasks you will have this summer. It’s important to add oxygen to your pond, because the sun can cause your water garden to heat up which is unsafe for your fish and plants. Oxygen is necessary to maintaining an ecological balance in your pond.

Oxygenating Your Pond

The easiest way to ensure your pond has sufficient oxygen is to make sure there is constant aeration. There are testing devices some pond-owners use to test oxygen levels, but this is unnecessary if you maintain aeration in your pond.

There are several ways to add oxygen to your pond:

1. Pond pumps keep water moving constantly in your backyard pond and make a practical solution to filtering your water and oxygenating your water.
2. Water features are another simple way to introduce oxygen to your pond water. Using waterfalls, fountains and other devices constantly aerate your pond water
3. Airstones are designed to bubble air into your water to keep oxygen at sufficient levels throughout the warmer months.
4. Decreasing plant life is another way to increase oxygen levels. Oftentimes, your plants grow more during the warmer months, which could be depleting your pond of precious oxygen.

It’s not hard to keep your pond oxygenated, but it is vitally important that you do. The health and wellness of your fish depends on the amount of oxygen in your pond water. Your best bet to avoid algae growth and promote aeration is to constantly keep the water moving and producing oxygen day and night. 

*Photo courtesy of Stellajo1976 via Flickr

Help...Solve My Pond Disasters!

If you are a new pond-owner or struggling to keep your pond in proper working order this summer, we’re here to help.

What you see as a major pond disaster might just really be a hiccup on your journey to pond perfection.

Check out some of the common disasters pond-owners tend to encounter and the simple solutions to these problems:

My Pond Looks Green!

Believe it or not, it’s very common for a backyard pond to turn a shade of green. It’s a fairly simple fix. Ponds turn green because they are not ecologically balanced. The warmer weather allows more sun to hit the water, promoting algae growth. There is no way to prevent this.

However, there is a simple solution. When your pond water turns a shade of green, check for one of two things:

• Microscopic particles of algae
•  Floating hair-like particles

If you notice microscopic particles in your backyard pond, you can use an oxygenated pond filter to clear out the debris. You can also use some submerged vegetation, such as anacharis to help clear out the algae growth.

Next, cover the surface of your pond with floating plants. Using lily pads, water hyacinths, water clover and other surface-floating plants, you can prevent the sun from shining directly on your pond and causing it to heat up.

Why is Water Splashing Out?!

Another common issue pond-owners face, water can splash out of your pond for a simple reason. If the area the water is falling into is more than one half the width of what it is falling into, it will splash out. Basically, if water is falling into a 5’ area, the water will splash if it falls more than 2.5’.

How can you solve this disaster? Create smaller waterfalls, or make the width of your pond wider. Consider using a water feature that is designed for small ponds or get used to filling your pond more often.

Uh Oh…My Pond is Leaking!

Don’t panic! If your pond is leaking, know that this is an easily fixable disaster. Often times, the “leak” could really just be water splashing out from a water feature or leaking out of the back or sides of your waterfall. Find the source of your waterfall leak and simply move the hoses toward the pond so that any lost water will go back into the pond water.

Sometimes, your pond disasters aren’t as disastrous as they may seem. The key is to not panic, and investigate the problem for what it really is. Still need help? Contact the professionals at Pondliner.com for even more guidance. 

Top 5 Tips for Keeping Cool in the Summer Sun

Summer is about to be in full swing! Is your pond ready? While you may know the basics of summer pond care, it’s important that you pay attention to all the hazards your pond faces when the sun starts to shine.

Check out our top five tips for keeping your pond cool in the summer:

• Avoid overfeeding your fish – Overfeeding your fish in the summer months can cause poor water quality in your backyard pond or water garden.  During summer your fish become more active and can even go into “overdrive.” They grow faster and eat more, which increases the amount of waste production. Monitor how much you feed your pond fish to avoid impacting your water quality and pond filter. 
• Add more oxygen – By using your pond filter, you can help increase oxygen production in your pond, which is essential in the summer months. As your pond warms up, it can lose its ability to hold oxygen. Using a filter can add aeration to your water garden and reduce build-up of armful gases.
• Control mosquitoes – When the surface of your pond is constantly moving, it’s much more difficult for mosquitoes to start breeding. How can you achieve this? Use a waterfall, fountain or other pond decoration to keep the water in your pond from settling. 
• Protect your fish from predators – If you live in an area where your fish could be in danger, consider investing in pond covers or nets to cover shallow areas in your pond. Protecting your fish is vital to truly enjoying your backyard pond. 
• Sunblock your goldfish – Yep, your fish are susceptible to the sun, just like you. On days when the sun is strong, consider using water lilies or rock overhang to keep your fish out of direct sunlight.  Short on resources? Even a small summer umbrella will do the trick!

The summer months are the very best for enjoying your backyard pond. Be sure to follow our simple tips to keep your pond in proper working order all spring and summer long

Do Water Gardens Really Need Filtration?

You may have read articles that say a backyard water garden can sustain itself without a filter. Well, that’s not really true. A water garden can sustain itself, but only if you don’t really care what it looks like.

If you want to have a backyard pond that’s beautiful, it’s going to take a little more than just Mother Nature. It makes sense to think that if you create a natural environment for your pond, it should naturally create an environment that takes care of itself. However, this is not the case.

When you create a manmade backyard pond, you are installing a liner, rocks purchased from a store and water from the faucet. All of these elements create a beautiful pond, but not a natural one. A natural pond is not chlorinated and it does not have anything plastic in it.

It’s important to face reality when it comes to a water garden. Whether or not you choose to have fish in your pond, it still needs proper filtration. Pond filters are designed to help your water garden remain clean, attractive and relatively maintenance-free.

It’s understandable that you want to enjoy your backyard pond more than you clean it, which is why a quality pond pump and filter are necessary. The pond pump works to move water throughout the water garden so that all of the water is properly filtered. This filtration system will keep debris, muck, bacteria and sludge from occupying space in your water garden.

So, ultimately the decision is yours. You can choose to live with a cess pool in your backyard or invest in a quality pond filter and enjoy the man-made beauty of your water garden all spring and summer.

*Photo courtesy of the Italian voice via Flickr.

How to Keep Your Fish Healthy in 2012

What you might not realize is spring is the most crucial time for your koi and goldfish. During the winter, your fish are very low-maintenance. They’re metabolism slows down, they don’t eat and they lay dormant at the bottom of your pond. But as soon as warm weather approaches, it’s time to step back in.

By going dormant all winter and not eating, your koi fish can have a compromised immune system. This makes them more susceptible to contracting disease from bacteria and parasites breeding in your backyard pond.

Until your water reaches a constant 70 degrees F, your fish will not have developed a full immune system. This is why proper backyard pond cleaning is essential.

As soon as spring approaches, you need to start getting out your pond supplies and doing a thorough cleaning of all areas of your pond. This includes cleaning pond filters, pond liners, pond pumps, plants and rocks.

Once your pond is thoroughly cleaned, your goldfish and koi will have a much stronger chance of survival. Even with depleted immune systems, if your fish are habituating in an environment free of bacteria, scum and sludge, they will be safe and sound.

Don’t be intimidated by the task of a pond cleaning. Think of it as a way to start an entire season of enjoying your backyard pond while also enjoying the sunshine and warm weather.

Need help with your spring cleaning? Check out the Pondliner.com Backyard Pond Spring CleaningGuide.

*Photo courtesy of dboy via Flickr.

How to Clean Up After a Storm

There is nothing worse than a dirty koi pond. And if there is rain in your forecast, all you can do is cross your fingers and hope Mother Nature decides to be kind.

But, what do you do if the storms come anyway? How can you quickly and effectively clean your pond after the storms have passed?

If you notice that your pond is constantly looking dirty, there are a variety of common reasons this could be happening:

1. Your plants are dying and you are not properly cleaning out the debris
2. Mother Nature took her chance to wreak havoc on your pond surface
3. Crevices in your pond liner are hiding dirt and sludge
4. Your rocks are hiding bacteria and muck

So, is it hopeless? No! The answer to a dirty pond is easier than you think. The number one way to help your pond stay healthy, clean and beautiful is by investing in a quality pond filter. If you are experiencing issues with the cleanliness of your pond, it’s time to re-evaluate the effectiveness of your current pond filter.

The better your pond pump works, the cleaner your pond will be. A pond filter is designed to clean out all the sludge and debris that occurs from storms, dead plants and other issues.

It’s really that simple! Make sure you only buy the very best pond filters for your pond so you can spend more time enjoying your backyard water garden and less time watching the forecast. 

*Photo courtesy of Slawek Puklo via Flickr.

Acclimate Your Fish in Just 3 Simple Steps

When purchasing new fish for your backyard pond or water garden, it’s important for you to understand how to properly acclimate your fish to their new surroundings. While this may sound complicated, you can easily and effectively put fish in your pond by following these three simple steps:

1. Perform a clean sweep of your fish pond – By deeply cleaning your rocks, waterfall, pond filters, pumps and other equipment, you can speed up the process when it comes time to add fish.

2. Start Your Pond Filters – Once you have thoroughly cleaned and filled your pond, replace your filter to ensure it is properly working when you add your fish. It may be helpful to install new filter pads and add chemicals to clean bacteria. Once everything is in order you can begin running your pond pump.

3. Test your water – It’s important that you have your pond water balanced before putting in your fish. Use a test kit to check the levels of pH, nitrate and ammonia in the water.

That’s it! Now it’s time to add your new fish. Once you have your water perfectly filtered and tested, it is safe to add your favorite aquatic fish. Be sure to choose fish that are low-maintenance and that suit the size pond you have.

*Photo courtesy of Martin Pettitt via Flickr.

The Four Easiest and Four Hardest Fish to Keep in Your Pond

When choosing the right fish for your backyard water garden, it usually comes down to preference. However, it may be helpful for you to explore the types of fish that are the easiest to maintain and the hardest to maintain in a backyard pond.

There are a wide variety of fish you can choose to have in your backyard pond, and many of your choices will depend on the size of your pond and climate in your area. Learning as much as you can about a fish species will make it easier for you to find success with any fish you choose.

Decide for yourself if you are up for a challenge, or looking for fish that will sustain with little maintenance by checking out our list of the four easiest and hardest fish to keep in your pond.

Four Easiest Fish to Keep in a Pond

1. Goldfish
2. Koi fish
3. Golden Orfe
4. Mosquito Fish

Four Hardest Fish to Keep in a Pond

1. Red lobsters
2. Killifish
3. Blue Channel Catfish
4. Pingi Logsucker

Understand that this list is not comprehensive and that you may find ease at keeping any of these fish. There are many factors that should go into choosing fish for your pond. Take the time to learn more about fish species before you decide so you can make the best choice for your fish pond.

*Image courtesy of JoshBerglund19 via Flickr.

How to Filter Your Water Garden

Your water garden is beautiful, but what happens when leaves and other debris builds up in your fish pond? Even if you skim your pond every single day, it may still develop a build-up of debris from storms and adverse weather conditions.

So what is the alternative to dealing with muck and debris in your backyard water garden? It may be time to invest in a water filter. Water filters are a practical investment in the maintenance of your backyard pond.

What kind of filter system do you need for your backyard water garden? There are a variety of pond filters on the market that you can choose from and each one has their own advantages.

For a small or large water garden, you can invest in an Atlantic water garden FilterFall. Not only do they feature the latest technology, but they also create an attractive feature that will enhance the appeal of your water garden.

A waterfall garden filter will help keep the water in your backyard garden flowing so that insects and other debris can’t gather. Finding the right pond supplies for your backyard pond is as simple as understanding what’s available and how it will work with your budget.

Browse the enormous selection of pond supplies and pond filters at Pondliner.com to find the perfect one for your backyard water garden.

*Photo courtesy of ConspiracyofHappiness via Flickr

Disaster Zone! Dealing with Pond Damage

Whether from Mother Nature or unwanted guests, if your pond has experienced damage, you need to understand your options.

A backyard pond is meant to be one of the highlights of your home. Keeping your home protected from muskrats, beavers, turtles, weeds and muddy water is just part of the job. But, if you know how to effectively deal with these unwanted problems, you can continue to enjoy your pond for many years to come.

Beavers, Muskrats & Turtles, Oh My!

In many states, animals can be a serious problem for pond owners. These pests can kill fish, damage your pond pumps and block your drain pipes. In some cases, larger animals can even cause pond banks to collapse and leak.

The best way to remove these unwanted pests is to contact a licensed trapper and have them remove the animal from your yard. It may be difficult to prevent animals from coming back, but the best way to avoid unwanted house guests is to maintain your pond. By trimming away weeds and keeping your grass mowed, these animals will have nowhere in your yard to hide and they will seek shelter elsewhere.

Muddy Water

The first step to cleaning a muddy pond is to eliminate the source of the dirt. Commonly, muddy water can occur when there is a runoff of dirt and debris seeping in from areas around your pond, when animals get in your pond, or from fish unsettling the bottom.

Dealing with these issues is simple, once you know how to eliminate the source of the dirt and debris, you can simply clean it up and enjoy. It may take a while for your pond pump and filter to restore your pond to its healthy appearance, but once it does your pond should be good as new.

If your pond will not clean out naturally, you may need to check that your pond filter is working properly and help things along by using a treatment recommended by your pond supplies store.

Be prepared for any pond damage by stocking up on essentials from Pondlliner.com. Shop today.

*Photo courtesy of James Preston via Flickr.

How to Plan Your Pond Supplies Since the Ground Hog Saw His Shadow

On February 2^nd, Punxsutawney Phil was scared by his shadow as the crowds gathered around Gobbler’s Knob. While this may not have normally affected you, as a backyard pond owner, it may ruin the plans you had for an early spring. What are you supposed to do now?

Punxsutawney Phil may have actually helped you out! Spring is one of the hardest seasons to predict. Weather can warm up and then instantly turn cold again. Just when the trees are ready to bud, an icy frost comes to ruin their early development. But, this unpredictable weather just gives you more time to stock up on the pond supplies you will need to prepare your pond for the warmer months ahead.

As spring approaches, there are several things you should do to prepare your backyard pond. Check the temperature of your water garden occasionally. Once the temperature hits about 10 degrees C, you can begin to pull out your pond supplies and give your pond a thorough cleaning.

Some of the pond supplies you need to start preparing for your spring pond opening include:

• Pond vacuum
• Pond skimmer
• UV Sterilizers/clarifiers
• Pond filters
• Test kits
• Pond treatments
• Pond thermometers

After cleaning your backyard pond it’s important to test the water and ensure the pH is at proper levels. You will also want to test for nitrates, ammonia and oxygen levels.

Punxsutawney Phil also gave you a little extra time to make sure your pond pump and filter are working properly. If not, you might need to invest in more pond supplies than you anticipated. Even if all parts are working at 100%, you will still need to clean the outside of the pump and ensure all filters and strainers are completely clear.

Spring also means it’s time to start feeding your fish again. If your backyard water garden has fish, you can start feeding your fish when the pond reaches a constant temperature of 8 to 10 degrees C. Only feed your fish in low quantities and remove excess food when necessary.

Stay one step ahead by preparing your pond with pond supplies from Pondliner.com.

*Photo courtesy of El Frito via Flickr

Fish Safety Around Pond Pumps

How can you keep your fish protected from the pond pump in your backyard pond? Fish safety is an important aspect of being a pond-owner. It is your responsibility to properly feed your fish and protect them from weather fluctuations and unclean or unsafe water conditions.

Having a pond pump is a necessary component to keeping your backyard pond clean and clear. However, it’s also important to understand how to place your pond fixtures to ensure your pond pump won’t harm your fish.

By placing your pond pump in a larger pond, your fish will have more room to swim around without every interfering with the pump. Properly placed rocks and water decorations can also help keep your pond pump away from your fish.

It’s important to only add as many fish as your backyard pond can handle. By adding only two to three fish at a time you can see how they acclimate themselves to the pond and decide if any more fish will fit. Over time, you will be able to more easily determine how many fish fit in your backyard pond without interfering with your existing water garden and pond pump.

Looking for a new pond pump? The newer the pond pump you have the better it will protect your fish and your backyard garden. Shop the Pondliner.com collection of functional pond pumps to find one that will work with your backyard.

*Image courtesy of P_Linehan via Flickr.

Take Advantage of Pondliner’s Spring Pond Supplies Promotions

With spring only a month away, it’s important for you to start investing in the quality pond supplies you need to get your backyard water garden back in shape. In an effort to make things a little easier on your wallet, Pondliner.com is offering special spring promotions on a few of our top-selling items.

Save on your next Pondliner.com purchase by taking advantage of our current pond supplies promotions below:

• Enter the Promo Code "power" for a special price of $220.00 on Laguna PowerClean Cordless Pond Vacuum - a $55 Savings!

• Purchase any Pond Vacuum and Receive a FREE 8.8 oz bottle of Aquascape EcoBlast Debris Remover – a $12.99 Value!

When you are looking to prepare your backyard pond for the warmer months ahead, you quickly realize the importance of owning a quality pond vacuum. It is important to remove all the debris and scum that has built up during the winter months and with these special offers, Pondliner.com is making it a little easier.

It is our goal to help you create the backyard pond of your dreams, which is why we try to facilitate your needs with our pond supplies promotions.

Interested in saving even more with Pondliner.com? Sign up to receive our special email promotions and check back often for Pondliner.com promotion codes!

*Image provided by 401K

Which Fish are Right for Your Backyard Water Garden?

When you are creating a backyard water garden, there are so many decisions you have to make. What size pond do you want? Where are you going to put it? What kind of water features should you add? What kind of plants are you going to buy? What kind of pond supplies do you need?

But, even though there are millions of decisions you will have to make during the process, choosing the right Koi and Goldfish is by far the most important.

Your Koi and Goldfish will be the most important aspect of your backyard pond. At Pondliner.com we offer a wide variety of decorative koi fish, comet goldfish and other lively fish to help you create the backyard water garden you’ve always dreamed of having.

So how do you know which fish are the right fish for your backyard pond? Read below to learn more about the beautiful fish offered through Pondliner.com:

• Decorative Koi – Koi add relaxation and tranquility to a water garden while also adding a pop of color. Decorative koi are known for having random patterns and color varieties.

• Decorative Butterfly Koi – These fish feature the same random patterns and colors of decorative koi, but they also have long fins that come in a variety of sizes.

• Premium Koi – A top grade of koi fish, these can be purchased in a variety of colors to suit your personal tastes.

• Comet Goldfish – Comet goldfish are known for their vibrant reddish-orange color. These fish are known for being personable and fun to watch.

• Fantail Sarassa Goldfish – These goldfish have short, robust bodies with double fan-shaped tails. They are a brilliant red color with white patches and are slow, graceful swimmers.

Remember, Pondliner.com offers more than just pond pumps and pond supplies, we also offer a wide selection of koi and goldfish to help you personalize your backyard water garden.

*Image provided by DanCentury

Top Ten Tips for Building Your Dream Backyard Pond

If you are looking for a way to turn your backyard into an escape from the everyday, you know a backyard pond is the way to go. And you also know that when installing a backyard pond, you need to consult the experts at Pondliner.com.

While there are a million different things you need to know when creating a backyard pond or water garden, there are ten basic tips that will help you break down the process into manageable chunks. And with spring just around the corner, now is the perfect time to start planning your backyard getaway.

1. Plan your pond – Make sure you have a large enough area for a pond and ensure that the soil is stable enough to support one.

2. Determine your depth – If you are considering fish in your backyard pond, it’s important that you have enough depth to allow the fish to hibernate during the winter months.

3. Purchase pond supplies – A pond supplies kit can be a great way for you to guarantee you have the pond supplies you need to start your backyard pond.

4. The thicker the liner, the better – When it comes to lining your backyard pond, spare no expense. Your liner should be thick and contour nicely to protect against tears and pebbles.

5. Incorporate oxygen – Incorporating a waterfall, fountain or pond pump into your backyard pond is a necessity. By circulating the water, pond pumps and waterfalls prevent algae from growing and mosquitoes from laying eggs.

6. Use edging – Proper edging can ensure your pond looks natural and fits with the current landscaping in your yard. You can purchase natural rocks and plants at any pond supplies store to hide exposed liner

7. Invest in quality pond supplies – When it comes to the maintenance of your pond, it’s important to invest in all the pond supplies and essentials you need to maintain a clean pond.

8. Choose the right pond pump – There are a variety of available pond pumps on the market and it is important that you choose the right size for your pond. Understand that backyard ponds with fish have to be run constantly.

9. Build a curb around your pond – By creating a curb around your backyard pond or water garden, you can prevent any chance of an overflow during heavy rains.

10. Choose Pondliner.com – You can trust the experts at Pondliner.com will help you find the perfect pond supplies you need to create a backyard pond that suits you and your yard perfectly.

Take this backyard project one step at a time! Shop Pondliner.com today for quality pond pumps and the pond supplies you need to create your backyard oasis.

*Image provided by cwwycoff1

Put the Spring Back in Your Yard with Spring Pond Supplies

While it may seem hard to believe, spring is just around the corner. The first official day of spring is March 20^th. That gives you just over a month to start putting the spring back in your yard with pond supplies and pumps from Pondliner.com.

What do we suggest you do to prepare for spring? The second the snow melts and the temperature starts to change, it’s time for you to prepare your pond for the warmer months ahead. Pondliner.com is happy to help you shop for all the pond supplies you need to get your backyard in shape for spring and summer.

While every backyard koi pond and water garden is going to have different needs, there are some general preparations you should make as spring approaches:

• “De-winterize” your pond by turning on your pond pump and replacing your dirty pond filter
• Clean your pond filter and check your pond pump to ensure both are in proper working order
• Begin feeding your fish once the water temperature in your pond returns to a consistent 50 degrees – simply invest in cold weather food
• Remove any debris that accumulated during winter using pond supplies such as a pond vacuum or pond skimmer
• Fertilize your existing plants and consider purchasing any new plants for your pond

Keep in mind that when spring is on the horizon, it may be a good time to invest in a variety of pond supplies you will need during the summer months. Because when you are in the middle of cleaning your pond or trying to “de-winterize” it, you don’t want to find out you’re missing the pond supplies you need.

Now is the perfect time to start investing in fertilizer, cold weather fish food, pond skimmers, a pond vacuum and other warm weather essentials.

Need further instructions about how to get your pond back in shape for spring? Check out the instructional Pondliner.com video on preparing your water garden pond for spring.

*Image provided by Andrea_44

Wait, I’m Supposed to Stop Feeding My Fish during Winter?

This is a question I hear from many first-time pond owners because there is a lot of confusion around the topic of feeding fish in wintertime. With most pets, you feed them consistently regardless of the temperature or time of year. However, when you have fish that live outside, you have to take a different approach.

I’ve talked about this before, but it never hurts to reiterate, especially because so many questions seem to surround it. When temperatures get cold enough, you need to stop feeding your fish completely. Yes, that’s right. Your fish don’t need any food to survive when temperatures are really cold.

How is that possible? Well, as previous posts have discussed, fish require different kinds of nutrition at different times of the year. For example, when temperatures begin to consistently hover around 60 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit, you are supposed to start giving your fish cold weather fish food. Then, when temperatures hit about 50 degrees Fahrenheit, you should stop feeding your fish completely.

At those temperatures, it is simply too difficult for your fish’s digestive systems to function. Their metabolisms are almost completely slowed down, and their bodies are in a semi-hibernation state. Any food you would give them at that point would do more harm than good because they would have difficulty processing it.

Now, if you hit one of those unseasonably warm stretches of weather that sometimes occur during winter, you can give your fish a little bit of cold weather fish food to tide them over during that time. However, temperatures will inevitably drop again, so you want to still feed sparingly during any periods of semi-warmness.

If you have other questions about cold weather fish food or general winter pond care, please contact one of our pond supplies professionals today.

*Image provided by yo Alex (away launching a new web site)

What Size of Pond Heater is Right for My Pond?

Finding the right pond heater for your pond is much easier than you may think. You have lots of options, but the most important things to pay attention to are climate and size.

Starting with size, all you need to do is determine how many gallons of water your pond holds. Not sure how to do this? Use our handy pond liner size calculator. Just enter the appropriate measurements of your backyard pond and our tool will determine the volume for you.

Once you have the volume of your pond, it’s time to think about your local climate. The average winter temperatures your pond is going to be battling directly influence what kind of pond heater you need to buy.

Use the map below to identify your zone. Then use the corresponding chart to match your temperature zone and your pond volume to determine how powerful your pond heater needs to be. (to view a larger image of the map, click here and scroll to the bottom of the page)

Does it even really matter how powerful my pond heater is? Absolutely. If it isn’t powerful enough, it won’t work effectively to keep a section of your pond from freezing over and your fish could suffer. However, if it’s too powerful, you’ll be losing lots of money in energy costs. Either way, it definitely pays off to choose a pond heater that accurately meets your pond’s specific needs.

Have more questions about pond heaters and other pond supplies? Contact a professional at Pondliner.com today.

*Image provided by Sparkling Backyard Garden Koi Ponds, LLC