Feed on
Posts
Comments

Along with the everyday things you can do to keep algal matter in your pond to a minimum, there are a few more steps you can take to ensure that your pond stays clear and clean all throughout those pivotal summer days when algae tries its hardest to make a comeback.

Easy Long Term Solutions

  • Clear Debris—every day when you walk out to your pond to enjoy its ambience, take a rake and clear the surface of organic and inorganic debris. Debris can easily turn into a food source for algae to feast upon. Take care of big debris yourself so your pond can take care of the little stuff you can’t see, like excess fish food and fish excrement.
  • Plant some lotus and marginal plants—lotus plants have big lily pads that block out the sun, which algae has to have in order to thrive. Marginal plants help stop bigger debris from rolling into your pond and causing a bigger problem later. Both plants out-compete algae for food sources within the pond, thereby starving algae and making it harder for it to thrive.

Other Options

Along with products like Pond Keeper Beneficial Bacteria, there are other ways to control the three factors—sunlight, nutrient/food supply, limited oxygen—that helps algal matter thrive.

Sunlight Reduction

Consider pond dyes to control the amount of sunlight your pond sees. Inert pond dyes change your pond to various shades of blue and block out the sun. Natural Environmental Systems’ “Pond Keeper Blue Pond Dye” is a water colorant that gives water an aesthetically pleasing blue tint, and helps filter out sunlight at the same time. Pond Keeper Blue Pond Dye has a natural blue appearance, is non-staining after application, is compatible with other water treatments and is safe for fish, animals and plants.

And, as always, planting some lotus and bog plants never hurt anybody!

Nutrient Reduction

While plants can out-compete algae for nutrients, they provide a more long-term solution for your pond. If you already have a bit of an algae problem, biological filtration could help. By introducing beneficial bacteria to your pond, microbes take advantage of the decaying matter and dissolve it so that algae won’t have a chance to eat. Bio filtration isn’t a quick fix, but it does help place into cycle a system that will not allow algal problems to fester and bloom. Natural Environmental Systems’ “Pond Keeper Beneficial Bacteria with Barley Straw” Packets is a powder formulation that combines multi-strain bacteria blend with pulverized barley straw to form a 2-in-1 product ideal for exceptional pond clarity and health. This Pond Keeper product provides an all-natural solution that breaks down excess fish food, dead vegetation and organic waste, is safe for fish and plants and is easy to apply. It also combines a great product with barley straw, which has been used to control algae for decades simply because it creates an environment for tiny insects and microbes that eat algae to thrive.

Aeration

Algae typically enjoy stagnant, oxygen-less water in which to bloom. In order to prevent stratification—a process that occurs when warm, oxygen-rich water stacks and layers on top of cold, oxygen-less water—aeration is necessary to ensure that that colder water warms up and gets its share of oxygen and beneficial bacteria to stop algae blooms from blossoming below the surface. Plants naturally aerate waters, especially long-rooted plants like some lotus and bogs plants that are planted near the water’s edge. Aeration pumps are also a good idea, as these take in water and circulate it so that it is always moving. Fountains are always a good idea, as well as they are aesthetically pleasing. However, fountains only work best in small, shallow ponds and should not be used for larger areas. Aeration is a simple and cost-effective way to make sure the water in your pond is always moving so that algae can’t form blooms in stagnation.

The benefits of water lilies far outweigh the disadvantages of the plants.

Water lilies do a great job of providing a cool and shady habitat for fish. This is because the lily pads that hold the flower afloat spans out wide to shade the water surface from the hot sun. They also serve as competition with other plants for nutrients and space, furthering the nitrogen cycle and allowing your pond to follow a natural balance. Also, water lilies are easy to plant and they require very little maintenance. It’s just a matter of where to place the plant. Just float it atop the surface of the water and it’ll take care of itself. One thing to remember is that certain varieties of water lilies are very far-reaching. Later maintenance may be needed to keep the lilies from completely overflowing your pond. They are a gorgeous addition to any pond and they serve many great purposes.

In addition to competition with other plants, water lilies compete with phytoplankton for nutrients. Also, some flowers of certain water lily varieties aren’t tolerant of high temperatures, so that’s something to watch out for when choosing varieties.

Water lilies are a beautiful and beneficial way to spruce up your pond and add color. They also hold a great deal of benefits to the natural cycle of the life in your pond, which makes them more beneficial than not.

The Needs of Nitrifying Bacteria

Not only is ammonia produced by bacterial mineralization, it is also pumped into the water by the fish excrement. Basically, fish are swimming in a pool of their own filth and it is this that poisons them, causing damaged tissue, especially of the gills and kidneys. Ammonia poisoning also lowers resistance to disease, making the fish more susceptible to death, which is why aquarium hobbyists and pond enthusiasts refer to fish that have been poisoned by high levels of ammonia as “New Tank Syndrome.”

Along with toxic levels of ammonia, high nitrite levels also pose a problem. Nitrite poisoning keeps red blood cells from taking in oxygen, converting the hemoglobin in red blood cells to methemoglobin, a form of hemoglobin that does not bind oxygen, heightening the possibility of tissue hypoxia.

Because of this risk, it is important for pond keepers to establish the nitrogen cycle quickly and with as little stress to the fish and aquatic life in their pond as possible. Nitrifying bacteria (Nitrosomonas and Nitrobacter, respectively) use inorganics for their energy source and oxidize toxic ammonia and nitrite. Nitrosomonas breaks down ammonia into nitrite while Nitrobacter converts nitrite into nitrate, which can then be used as a source of nutrition for surrounding plants. These nitrifying bacteria colonize on gravel and sand and emit a slimy secretion that helps them attach to those surfaces. Both bacteria rely on their abilities to “fix” CO2 to fulfill their requirement for carbon. Because most of their energy goes into “fixing” CO2, very little is left over for reproduction. But it’s okay, considering their efficiency; a single Nitrosomonas cell can covert about the same amount of ammonia that it takes 1 million standard pond bacteria (heterotrophic bacteria) to convert.

To ensure that nitrifying bacteria grow and do their job, take care of a few things so that they can take care of business.

  1. Make sure that your pond has micronutrients for nitrifying bacteria, most importantly, ATP (Adenosine Tri-Phosphate.) This nutrient provides energy for the nitrifying bacteria to carry out cellular functions. Phosphates are also needed, particularly because Nitrobacter cannot oxidize nitrite without it.
  2. It is also important to make sure that the temperature of your pond is conducive to the growth of nitrifying bacteria. A good temperature is 75 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit. Ten degrees colder and its growth rate is substantially cut in half. At 120 degrees Fahrenheit, nitrifying bacteria cannot live to convert another day.
  3. Nitrifying bacteria also need specific pH levels in order to thrive. pH must be slightly basic at 7.8 to 8.0 for Nitrosonomas and 7.3 to 7.5 for Nitrobacter. Bacterial growth is stunted the more acidic the water pH gets.
  4. Dissolved oxygen levels must exceed 80% saturation in order for maximum nitrification. If levels drop below 2 parts per million, nitrification will not occur.

In order for nitrifying bacteria to make the biggest impact in restoring a natural nitrogen cycle to your pond, make sure these few things are taken care of. This will make it easier for the bacteria to do its job to make sure you have the cleanest, clearest pond possible.

Is Going Green Right for You?

There’s no simple answer to that question. It really depends on your situation. If you have a fairly small-to-medium sized pond, allowing the pond to become self-reliant and only stepping in to do minimal maintenance on it is generally a good idea, especially if you have enough beneficial plants to aid in the process that helps keep your pond clean naturally.

There comes a size that having a completely natural pond is beyond unreasonable. Let’s say for instance you have a very large pond and are trying to help it by adding a lot of beneficial plants including marginals and lotus plants. These plants still have leaves and roots that die and create organic waste, which may end up causing more of a problem than it helps to solve.

Either way—chemical or natural—it is important to research contractors and make sure that the person servicing your pond is a licensed professional and that they make you aware of all options available for your specific circumstance. Because anyone can swindle you, make sure to educate yourself as well. Know about biofilters and other natural ways of cleaning your pond and making sure it stays clean. Know about the chemicals that are used to clear algae and learn about the different techniques. This knowledge could save you a lot of money in that you could learn to do it all yourself and not waste money on a contractor to have his well-paid crew to do it for you.

Pond maintenance is work, yes, but it pays off in that you have a nice, clean and clear pond at which to lovingly gaze. And a little bit of maintenance work just helps you appreciate your pond all the more.

Found this in one of my favorite Stumbles and thought it was pertinent. (wish I could find the link so I could give proper credit, but it came from Going Green Today.com).  Perhaps when we see how our daily lives are taxing on the environment, we will be swayed to change our daily habits. Start small at first (like, for goodness sakes, carpool) and then look for other ways to further protect the Earth that we all call “home.”

10 Green Facts That Will Make Your Head Spin

1. In 2008, the United States consumed 99 Quadrillion Btus (British thermal units) of energy, mostly in the form of fossil fuels such as coal, natural gas, and oil. One Btu is equivalent to the energy released by burning one match. So, the United State’s annual energy consumption adds up to a mind boggling 99,000,000,000,000,000 matches. That’s 271 trillion each day, or roughly 1 million matches per person per day.

2. A governmental study calculated that the gasoline equivalent of the lifetime energy savings offered by using a single 24 watt compact fluourescent lamp (CFL) in lieu of a 100 watt incandescent bulb would be sufficient to drive a Toyota Prius from San Francisco to New York. Replacing that 100 Watt bulb with a CFL will prevent the release of 800 pounds of carbon dioxide over the CFL’s operating life.

3. According to the American Solar Energy Society, the amount of sunlight that falls on the Earth’s surface in one minute is sufficient to meet world energy demand for an entire year.

4. Manufacturing cell phones, computers, and other consumer electronics require a lot of energy. In fact, 81% of the life-cycle energy costs associated with a single computer is from its manufacture, only 19% from its operation. In other words, the computer you’re using right now, in all the years you’ll own it, will never consume more energy than was required to create it. The production of a single computer also uses 42,000 gallons of water. Please recycle your used electronics and turn them off when not in use.

5. If the entire population of the United States washed their clothes exclusively with cold water (instead of hot), we would save $3 billion in energy costs annually and cut national CO2 emissions by over a full percent!

6. Did you know that recycling one ton of paper saves 20 trees, 7,000 gallons of water, three cubic yards of landfill space, 60 pounds of air pollutants, and saves enough energy to power the average home for six months?

7. The energy saved by recycling a single aluminum can would run a TV for three hours. Every three months, Americans toss out enough aluminum to completely rebuild the nation’s commercial airline fleet.

8. It takes, on average, 10 calories of fossil fuel energy to grow, process, and deliver 1 calorie of food energy to our tables.

9. Burning one gallon of gasoline creates about 19 pounds of carbon dioxide. The average mature tree can absorb 48 pounds of CO2 per year.

10. An estimated 15% to 30% of a home’s total heating and cooling energy is lost through poorly sealed duct-work, costing consumers about $5 billion dollars annually.

Just added on our website is a new article on How to Plant and Care for your Water Plants.

Since we sell plants bare root or in small 4″ pots, you will need to plant them yourself, so we have added this helpful guide to show you how to do it.

As always, let us know if we can help.

Finally after a lot of hard work, we are now offering pond plants for sale online.  We are offering one of the largest selections of pond plants anywhere encompassing lotus, lilies, marginals and oxygenators.  All of our plants are harvested and shipped direct from the grower.  We ship plants bare root in the case of lotus and water lilies and in 4″ pots in the case of marginals and oxygenators.

Adding pond plants to your pond or water garden is the most natural means of keeping your water clear, clean and healthy.  The combination of shade offered by lilies and the voracious appetite for excess nutrients possessed by marginals combine for a very effective means of controlling algae without the constant use of chemical treatments. The addition of pond plants (particularly lilies and lotus) also add a tremendous visual appeal with the wide array of colors available from each plant type.  Our water lily collection is enormous and includes both hardy lilies and tropical lilies.  We even offer night blooming lilies for those night owls who like to spend evenings by the pond.

Due to the sensitivity of shipping plants across the country, we only ship out plants Mon-Wed.  We like to try and eliminate the likelihood that ashipment has to sit in a hot warehouse over the weekend.  So, if you are looking to add some color or just trying to get a control over that terrible green water problem, we are sure to have the plant you are looking for and if we don’ t, just ask us.  We might be able to get it.

Any of you with a diffuser based pond aerator should take a look at this short article on the importance of maintaining your diffusers.  May save you some money down the road.

Diffuser Maintenance

The past few months have been busy at Natural Environmental Systems, but in a good way.  New customers and new products have kept us busy and away from our blog, but we are back and plan to be more consistent moving forward so that we can keep our customers informed of information, news and other happenings that relate to our business and industry.

One product line in particular that has kept us busy is our wastewater treatment bacteria products.  We carry pretty large assortment of products to treat a wide range of wastes in ranging from septic tanks and grease traps to municipal treatment plants and industrial facilities.  We have added new customers in Malaysia and Canada and are very excited that these products are gaining traction, so any of you out there that deal in wastewater or even own a septic system or restaurant, give us a call or check out the products online.  Chances are we have something that can help.

World Largest WInd Farm to be Built in the US http://www.enn.com/business/article/40827

Older Posts »