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Pond Due to space limitations we will only make a few brief comments regarding construction. We offer several books which provide specific, illustrated step by step instructions. Construction materials generally are of three types: concrete, preformed rigid liners or EPDM liner material. Concrete has two serious shortcomings; the tendency to crack and, unless properly sealed and/or cured, the propensity to make the water too alkaline for fish or plants to survive. Preformed rigid liners, due to their small volume capacity, poor volume-to-surface ratio and their depth restrictions, are very inappropriate for the inclusion of fish other than for the rearing of fry or use as a hospitalization facility. EPDM 45 mil liner material is the viable alternative offering excellent value when cost is related to useful life. Draped in a hole and filled with water, it will mold itself to every contour of the excavation. It can be obtained in almost any size giving the pond-maker freedom to design a pond which fulfills all his specified ideals of shape, size and profile and exactly suits the needs of his particular site. EPDM also stretches and can absorb the stresses resulting from ice pressure or soil movement. Only use a liner specifically approved for ponds. Materials designed for other uses may contain toxic chemicals. To determine the size of the liner required, add twice the maximum pond depth to both the maximum length and width measurements. Add one additional foot to each measurement for overlap around the pond edge. Come to a preliminary decision as to how big the pond will be and then MAKE IT BIGGER! This will allow for improved water quality, greater versatility and greater stocking capacity. Most first ponds are enlarged in less than two years; this process being more labor intensive and expensive than the original installation. Maximum surface area is of primary importance. The amount of gaseous exchange available at the surface will determine the stocking capacity of your pond. In the middle Tennessee area, the pond should have at least one area with a minimum depth of 18 to 24 inches. The pond should be located where it will receive the maximum amount of sunshine both in terms of intensity and longevity and as far away from trees and overhanging bushes as possible. Water lilies, the most popular pond plant, require a minimum of four hours per day of intense sunshine in order to develop to their maximum potential. Trees, in addition to casting shade, annually shed large quantities of leaves, pollen, petals, twigs, seeds, berries and fruit. This detritus, rotting in the pond, pollutes the water with the by products of decay having at least harmful, and possibly fatal, results to the fish. Further, the pond should be located and designed so that it does not receive run-off during heavy rainfall. Lawn and garden fertilizers will add concentrations of phosphate and nitrate to the pond water causing severe algae problems; insecticides and weed killers will poison the pond, resulting in fish death, and least problematical, silt will create brown, cloudy water.
It is imperative that you know the total gallonage capacity of your pond. Equipment size, stocking levels, water quality adjustments and medication dosages are all expressed in terms of total gallons. Guessing the total gallonage, particularly in the case of administering medication, could be lethal to your fish. Rectangular pond volume can be calculated by multiplying the length (in feet) by the width (in feet) by the average depth (in feet) by 7.5; the answer being total gallons. For circular ponds multiply ½ the diameter (in feet) by itself, by 3.142, by the average depth (in feet); the answer being total gallons. If your pond is too irregularly shaped to use either of the above formulas to calculate total gallonage, it must be determined at the time of the initial filling. Turn on your water and fill a measured container such as a five gallon bucket, recording the amount of time taken to fill this container. Fill the entire pond, recording the time to do so, and equate the two to determine total gallonage. For example: if it took one minute to fill the five gallon container and sixty minutes to fill the pond, the total pond volume would be 300 gallons (60 X 5). Note: For determining the proper size pump(s) and filter for a pond, the following modifications must be made to actual total gallonage:
Undesirable Water Conditions: Cause and Prevention An outdoor pond will never be totally free of algae, nor should it be. Algae serves as a source of food for many micro organisms and is a critical part of the food chain. Green water is caused by single-celled free-swimming algae. They are individually microscopic but may be present in such numbers as to make the pond appear as though it were filled with pea soup. Their existence depends on the presence of light and nutrients (primarily phosphate and nitrate) both of which are abundantly available in a newly filled pond in which plant growth is still relatively undeveloped. As the pond plants mature they will provide shade for the water and begin to absorb the dissolved nutrients required for the algae to survive. The algae begins to die and sinks to the bottom where it is eaten by the fish. The water clears, and it very often happens abruptly. There is no "normal" period for this; it depends on many variables... water chemistry, plant density, livestock levels, seasonal weather... that are different for every pond. Water changes will not accelerate the process. They may alleviate the problem temporarily, but in reality the newly added water is rich in nutrients which merely serve to start the cycle again. Plants and patience are the answer to most green water problems. Murky brown water is the result of muddy sediment being stirred up by fish or by water turbulence. It may have a greenish cast because such stirring tends to encourage algae growth. The sediment must be allowed to settle and then be siphoned off or removed by filtration. Milky, clouded water indicates decay and water pollution. It is caused by the decomposition of organic matter, particularly of fleshy origin. Change the water and search for the source of the problem; usually a decomposing fish.
Well-nourished fish in a well-managed pond have a strong natural resistance to the potentially harmful organisms that always surround them. Continuing health depends more than anything else on keeping the water free from pollution in the form of organic debris. The water may look perfect but still be lethal. That is why a water change is often a necessary part of the treatment of disease problems. The fish can only symptomatically inform us of the nature of its malady. Consequently diagnosis must depend on intelligent observation of the owner, particularly of behavior and appearance before death. Water quality values (pH, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and dissolved oxygen) must be known quantities before a diagnosis can even be attempted. If the problem is a result of poor water quality, medication will serve no purpose whatsoever. The systematic use of test kits is a mandatory part of pond keeping. Parasites are the most common pond fish ailment and are usually of the ecto-parasite variety... that is, living on the outside of the fish. They may enter your pond from bird droppings, occur in live foods, or even be introduced from a fish purchased from The Aquatic Critter, though we make every effort to insure otherwise. Symptoms of parasitic infestation include clamped fins, listlessness, poor appetite, excess mucous secretion and/or rubbing (flashing) against the bottom or sides of the pond. Parasites affecting the gills will generally cause symptoms of rapid gill movement or gasping at the surface. It is generally the weakest fish in the pond or one with a damaged mucous coating that becomes the host. Fungus spores are present in all water; fish are surrounded by them all their lives. As long as the fish are well nourished, undamaged, and living in well oxygenated, unpolluted water their resistance to infection is complete. Fungus infection is always a secondary problem and a clear indication that there is something else amiss. In addition to treating the fish, it is vitally important to discover and correct the conditions that made the fish susceptible to infection. Fungus is not infectious from fish to fish. However, if a number of fish share the same unhealthy situation it is likely they will all develop fungus; but they will not have caught it from each other. Fungus, which destroys the area to which it is attached, appears on fish as a white cotton, wool-like growth on the skin, fins, or gills. It's commonly known as "cotton-wool" disease. The buildup of bacteria that can affect pond fish is generally caused by poor water conditions due to the accumulation of organic debris. Medication may provide temporary arrest of the infection but the condition is likely to reoccur if the underlying cause is not corrected by at least a partial water change. Symptoms may include clamped fins, listlessness, poor appetite, fin and tail deterioration, cloudy eyes, body film, blood red streaks in the fins and tail, and bloody patches on the skin. There are many suspected causes of this disease, but the primary causative is thought to be poor water quality. The most noticeable symptom is the protrusion of the scales away from the body, giving a "pine cone" appearance. The disease severely affects all of the internal organs and medication rarely provides long term benefits. The best course of treatment is to destroy the infected fish. The disease is not thought to be infectious from fish to fish. When the process is gradual, fish being lost at intervals, one or two at a time over a period of time, there must be a strong suspicion that they are suffering either from some form of water pollution or from flukes (parasites). All the possible causes of pollution should be considered and any necessary steps taken to correct them. The most common are too many fish, overfeeding and too much decaying debris. In all cases where pollution seems a plausible explanation, a water change is called for. The sudden death of a number of fish which had seemed to be in good health can only be explained in terms of some very drastic form of pollution rather than disease. The only action possible is a complete water change.
Feed twice per day; ideally at the same time and from the same location. In a short period of time the fish will associate your approach with feeding and will subsequently "greet" you each time you approach. Take this opportunity to enjoy the fish; study them. Are they all there? Are they actively feeding? Do they show any signs of stress or disease? Feed only that amount which will be consumed in approximately five minutes. Like people, fish will experience times when they are hungrier than others. Uneaten food will only add to the organic debris present in the pond. During the summer months the fish will have an abundant supply of insects, insect larvae and algae. The food you are providing is merely supplemental and should be of lesser quantity than that offered in spring and fall. As previously mentioned, the spring and fall diets should be of a high carbohydrate, low protein formula. The function of protein is to maximize growth. In the spring we are concerned with a digestive system which has been non-functional for many months and easily digestible food must be provided. In the fall, the concern is maximizing stored body fat for the approaching winter dormancy. Do your fish a favor and buy them a quality food. It will cost the same or only pennies more.
Whether it is hard or soft, alkaline or acid, will not greatly worry the sort of fish that are likely to occupy your pond unless it runs to exceptional extremes. In any case, you have to use the water supply you have, and there is not much you can or need do to change it. Nature’s alchemy, operating through the growth and decay of plant life, and the living processes of fish and other organisms, works steadily to modify any extremes you may start with. However, all pond life is dependent on the quality of the water. It is not possible to know the condition of the water without testing it.
Assuming an acceptable volume to surface ratio (a 10 ft. deep pond can support no more fish than a 2 ft. deep pond) the maximum stocking level of adult fish should not exceed one inch of fish per ten gallons of water. This level, given proper design and plant population, would allow for a perfectly balanced ecological system mimicking nature; totally capable of self perpetuating without the intervention of man. However, either by owner design or natural spawning, very few ponds are this lightly stocked. Thus the necessity of man’s intervention in the form of pumps, filters (biological and mechanical), and UV. clarifiers.
Pumps The type of pump you need depends on what you are trying to achieve. Basically there are two types of pumps; a circulating pump and a filtration pump. Circulating pumps are used for powering fountains, waterfalls, and other simple water devices including internal mechanical filters for smaller ponds. Filtration pumps are used for removing solids from the pond. Pumps should be located so that the point at which water is drawn from the pond is as close as possible to where it returns. This reduces both the turbulence which has an inhibiting effect on water lilies and the stirring up of silt which clouds the water and promotes algae bloom. Further advantages of this design include less visible plumbing apparatus and increased head pressure. Circulating pumps should not be placed directly on the bottom of the pond where they can become clogged by silt or debris. They should be raised on bricks or placed on a shelf providing there is sufficient water to cover them. On the suction side it is important to use hose or tubing designed not to collapse under pressure. The suction hose must be of the correct size to ensure adequate water flow into the pump and must never be smaller in diameter than the size recommended by the manufacturer. On the delivery side there can be any number of outlets of any size within the capacity of the pump. Control valves restricting water flow on the delivery side will not harm the pump. It is only on the suction side that the reduction of water flow is dangerous. Pumps containing oil should be avoided. A rupture of the seal allowing oil to seep into the pond will create a film on the surface of the water suffocating the fish.
Filters are either mechanical or biological although some incorporate both functions into the same unit. The function of mechanical filtration is the removal of suspended debris from the pond. It can best be likened to a "straining" process where the effectiveness of the media is related to both the size of the hole in the "strainer" and the "straining" area provided. A number of different kinds of mechanical filters with pads of varying sizes are available. You can usually reuse the filter pad many times, but it must be cleaned regularly for the filtering process to be effective. A weekly rinsing of the filter pad is recommended. Rinsing more often, even daily, produces the clearest water. In smaller ponds (1,000 gallons or less) the mechanical filter is usually located in the pond and driven by an appropriately sized circulating pump. Larger ponds usually have an external mechanical filter for ease of service and are operated by a filtration pump. Biological filtration is the interaction of live beneficial bacteria on ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, phosphorous, and the solid waste products of fish. The bacteria converts the harmful ammonia and nitrite to safe nitrate forms of nitrogen (nitrification) and breaks down the solid organic waste products to harmless by-products. Bacteria absorb the nitrogen and phosphorous into their cells where they are for cell metabolism, thus depriving algae of these essential growth nutrients. The purpose of the biological filter is to provide the filter media necessary for live, beneficial bacteria to grow in an environment suitable for the nitrification process to take place. Biological filters are external filters operated by a filtration pump.
The more common name for this piece of equipment is UV. sterilizer. "Clarifier" is a trade name used by Cyprio Pond Products which more aptly describes its function in a pond application. A properly sized and operated clarifier exposes unwanted organisms and algae to ultraviolet radiation. The lethal effects of this energy kill the organisms preventing disease and undesirable algae. Clarifiers are the permanent solution to green water. In order to work effectively, a UV. clarifier will require periodic cleaning as slime and bacteria will build up inside the unit reducing the penetration of UV. light into the water flowing through it. Also, you will have to replace the UV. lamp every six or twelve months, depending on the manufacturer, to maintain effectiveness. Clarifiers can be a single, independent component of the pond or be incorporated into the filtration unit.••• ### 
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