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Is Your Pond Summer Ready?
Summer is here and it is bringing the heat. The long days of summer expose your pond to the strong rays of the sun for longer periods of time. This causes the water temperatures to rise which can cause several problems like fish kills, algae blooms, and water stratification. In this article, we’ll go over potential problems that may arise during the summer and what you can do about them. Fish Kills Warm water holds less oxygen making it harder for the fish in your pond to breathe. The stress of trying to find oxygen can lead to the development of diseases, while the lack of oxygen can cause the fish to suffocate, ultimately killing them. Algae Bloom During the long days of summer, you may also see a bloom in algae. While algae is essential to your pond’s health, an excess of algae can quickly cover the surface of the water making the pond look unappealing and further reducing the oxygen in the water. Water Stratification Stratification happens when bodies of water have no natural movement in the water causing it to separate into layers because of changes in temperatures. This leads to the warmer oxygen-rich water to separate to the surface and the colder less oxygen-rich water to settle on the bottom. Stratification can cause fish to die and make it hard for beneficial bacteria to break down excess nutrients. How to Beat the Heat The summer can be a stressful time for ponds, but it shouldn’t be for you. The key to these issues is introducing movement and more oxygen with pond aeration. Outdoor Water Solutions offers a full line of products to keep your pond properly maintained and summer ready. Fountains are not only an excellent way to aerate your pond, but will also make your pond look great at the same time! Pond fountains help mix the water in the pond causing the temperature to even out, and helps accelerate the decomposition of muck and nutrient buildup; helping control algae blooms and maintain the health of your pond. The Elite Solar Pond Fountains will not only aerate your pond but may also save you money on energy costs. A solar pond fountain is a great alternative to wind or electric power aeration systems. Our floating solar powered fountains are available in three different sizes. They work in ponds as small as ¼ acre to ponds larger than 5 acres. Our Classic™ line of floating pond fountains are made to outperform other manufacturer’s fountains and carry a 4 year warranty on the pumps and motors. These fountains are available in 5 different horsepower capacities including ¾ HP, 1½ HP, 2 HP, 3 HP, and 5 HP. Outdoor Water Solutions offers high-quality products to keep your lakes or ponds summer ready, so you can relax and enjoy them. Please email or call us at 866.471.1614 and we can provide you with a detailed quote and can even help you choose the right products for your needs.
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How to Care for an Old Pond
Improving Your Pond A pond can be an aesthetically pleasing feature for any home. The properly kept pond will enhance the overall natural beauty of the outdoors. Your pond may have crystal blue waters, koi fish, a water fountain, and more. However, what happens when you have an old pond to take care of that doesn’t have these types of displays anymore? Should you just cover the pond and give up any future improvements? This is not necessarily your only option. In this article, we’ll go over some of the things you can do to bring your old pond back to life. Using a Bottom Aeration System Anyone who has cared for a pond before knows the importance of aeration. Although most ponds use surface aerators, you will want to use a bottom aeration system instead of a surface aerator. The main reason for this is because old and dirty ponds will usually have all of the muck and pond scum stuck at the bottom of the pond. A bottom aerator can turn the anaerobic cycle at the bottom of the pond into an aerobic cycle. This will begin to circulate the water while the cycle slowly begins to break up the muck and other organic material. The type of aeration system you need will depend on the size of your pond and the availability of wind, solar, or electric power. We offer a wide variety of aeration systems to meet all your needs. Controlling Algae Makes a Difference Algae is an essential part of a pond and its ecosystem. However, you can have too much algae bloom in a pond. When this happens, your pond may develop a foul odor and large green areas that indicate blooms of algae overgrowth. We recommend using algaecide to help control algae in your pond. Outdoor Water Solutions recommends an algaecide like Green Clean Algaecide. This granular peroxide-based algaecide is available in 8- or 50-pound containers for a wide variety of pond sizes. Adding Beneficial Bacteria and Colorants If you want to speed up the process of getting your old pond back to a healthy environment, you can also add beneficial bacteria. This type of bacteria will aid the aeration process in breaking down the muck and algae in the pond. Colorants will also help to keep algae at bay. Besides adding beautiful color to the surface of your pond, a dye will also block sunlight from reaching deep into the pond. Because sunlight is one of the main ingredients needed for algae to thrive, eliminating its source helps prevent excessive algae growth. The Results All of these things working together will surely give your pond new life. Another thing you can do to get your pond looking nice and clean is to use a skimmer to clear off any large debris. By doing this, you will let your pond breathe by allowing the water to circulate freely with the aeration system. Having large parts of debris lodged in the pond can get in the way of its cleaning process. The final results will leave your old pond looking clean, beautiful, and a perfect place for new fish. Make sure that you consider Outdoor Water Solutions for all your pond equipment. Outdoor Water Solutions offers high-quality pond & lake aerators (solar, electric & wind) and aeration windmill systems, fish feeders, fountains, and all-natural pond care products. Please email or call us at 866.471.1614 and we can provide you with a detailed quote and can even help you design the best solar aeration system for your needs.
Why Do I Need A Solar Pond Aerator?
If you have a pond, you know that stagnant water can cause unwanted bacteria, pests, as well as illnesses that can harm your fish. Having a pond aerator is essential to keep circulation of water and air inside your pond. The more oxygen you have the better off your pond will look and also healthier your fish will be. A great option for an aerator is a solar pond aerator. These aerators are made up of solar panels that transform sunlight into electrical energy to power the aeration system. By using sunlight to power your pond aerator, you can minimize the use of environmental resources thus saving on electricity. Solar pond aerators are also a great option when you can’t run a cable from your power source to your pond. Solar pond aerators come in different sizes. The larger the solar panel, the more sunlight it can absorb and convert. Larger solar panels are able to emit and create higher amounts of electrical energy. It can, therefore, operate a more powerful and efficient aerator. Ponds with lots of direct sunlight will be ideal to power a solar pond aerator. There are several choices of solar pond aerators. Knowing the depth of your pond, size and also your sunlight conditions will help with choosing the most efficient solar pond aerator for your pond. Outdoor Water Solutions offers high quality pond & lake aerators (solar, electric & wind) and aeration windmill systems, fish feeders, fountains, and all natural pond care products. Please email or call us at 1-866-471-1614 and we can provide you with a detailed quote.
What is Pond Muck?
Have you ever swum in a pond that smells bad, and when you get out you have black goo on your feet and legs? If your pond does not have aeration, chances are Muck has been accumulating on your pond bed since its inception. But what exactly is Muck? Muck’s physical appearance is often a blackish-brown slimy substance that will often time smell of sulfur or other pungent odors. Organic material of all kinds, such as grass clippings, droppings, dead organisms, and other forms of life will fall to the bottom and begin its transformation into this nasty smelling goo. Due to the anaerobic (no oxygen) nature of unaerated ponds, this organic material will slowly accumulate, all while leaching potent nutrients into the water column; nutrients that allow algae and other nuisance vegetation to thrive. In this way, Muck is a food source to all sorts of unwanted plants. Therefore over the years; ponds will get worse each season in regard to algae and other unwanted vegetation. Muck can also be a breeding ground for leeches, as they love to grow in it. This is just another reason on a long list of reasons to want to get rid of Muck if you have it or avoid getting it if you do not. If there is nothing in place that can negate the large quantities of nutrients that accumulate in the pond, you can be certain it will only get worse with time. And because the pond is anaerobic, the processes that could break down this muck cannot occur, as they are aerobic (require oxygen). Due to the anaerobicity, this oxygen free zone along the bottom of the pond will produce harmful bacteria and hydrogen sulfide. As a result, other living organisms in the pond can be harmed from the production of these byproducts. So, what can you do to proactively assure that you avoid Muck accumulation? Methods to Avoid Muck Accumulation: Bottom Diffused Aeration – With a bottom diffused aeration system, you ensure that your water column is completely destratified. That means that there is little change in temperature and oxygen concentration the deeper you go. This type of system will assure that oxygen is present where the Muck has settled, allowing beneficial aerobic bacteria in the water column to breakdown the Muck, in turn, lowering nutrient concentration in the water. Often, people will start to regain depth in their ponds just from this change, depending on how many years’ worth of Muck a pond has accumulated. Additionally, if you are applying an herbicide or algaecide when needed, you are simply masking the symptoms of an already sick pond, and even making it worse. If the pond does not have aeration, those dead plants and algae will simply sink to the bottom and begin leaching nutrients, repeating the cycle. Beneficial Microbes – The aerobic bacteria that breaks down the Muck can be supplemented in high concentrations to ensure breakdown of matter on the bottom of the pond. With oxygen present, these bacteria will deplete the nutrient load and mitigate the foul odor often produced by stagnant ponds. At Outdoor Water Solutions, we sell a dry proprietary Barley Straw Blend of 5 strains of Microbes specifically designed for ponds and lakes. The bacteria come in water soluble packs that are easy to apply and require no preparation. Due to its dry nature, we can fit 20-50x live bacteria in the package when compared to a liquid product. This high concentration ensures that the bacteria can cultivate and thrive in the water column long enough to do its job. Muck Pellets – Muck Pellets are similar in function to the Beneficial Microbes, but vary in application. These pellets are formulated to sink to the bottom and eat the Muck in a localized area, quickly and effectively, whereas the Beneficial Microbes cultivate in the water column, spanning across the entire pond. The benefit of Muck Pellets is that if there is a Dock, loading zone, swimming area, etc. in a pond that has been overtaken by Muck, Muck Pellets is the product to go with. Due to the trace mineral base and enzymes that are present, the bacteria are catalyzed to degrade Muck and nutrients from their surroundings. The bacteria that are in the pellets are high volume waste consumers, meaning they decompose large quantities of Muck at a fast rate. This one tool can be utilized with other solutions mentioned to give you the best chance to reduce the amount of organic material you have sitting on the bottom of your pond. Outdoor Water Solutions is one of the leading companies in the pond industry and sells a full line of pond microbes including the Lake & Pond Bacteria and the Lake & Pond Muck Pellets. We also have super concentrated blue dye and multiple aeration options including electric, solar and wind powered. Please email or call us at 1-866-471-1614 and we can provide you with a detailed quote.
What Exactly is Algae?
Algae can be a problem for a lot of pond owners. It can even grow on the bottom in late winter, early spring when you think it should be dormant. It can be controlled with algaecides but the best option is to prevent it with a combination of pond dyes, aeration and supplemental microbes. Types of Algae: Algae often floats on the top of your pond and appears to be in mats. Usually, many forms of algae grow on the bottom then rise to the surface over time. Before you treat it, it’s important to understand the different forms of algae and how they live in your pond’s ecosystem. There are three common types of algae found in North American ponds: Filamentous Algae. Most commonly called pond moss, moss, pond scum or string algae. This algae starts growing on the bottom then floats to the surface where it forms a mat. This can easily cover a large part of your pond and makes it extremely difficult to fish or swim in. Planktonic Algae. These are floating microscopic plants that are usually floating on the surface and can be green, blue-green and or brown in color. Forms of planktonic algae, especially the blue-green kind can be toxic to both people and animals if not controlled. Most planktonic algae is beneficial and are an important part of the aquatic ecosystem. They also produce oxygen and food for the animals that live in your pond. Chara. This form of algae grows on the bottom and looks very similar to a plant called Naiad. It doesn’t have any flowers or true leaves. You can tell it’s chara by its strong musky odor when crushed. Why do you have Algae? Algae is a life form and is very dependent on both sunlight and nutrients to grow. If your pond has runoff coming into it that carries Nitrogen or Phosphorous from farm fields, golf courses, yards and anywhere else that might be carrying fertilizer, then you’re probably going to have algae. It also likes shallow water and abundant sunlight. Older ponds that have black organic matter on the bottom are also prone to algae as that organic matter releases nutrients as it decomposes. How do you Treat Pond Algae? Liquid Algaecides. Floating mats of algae and planktonic algae are usually treated with a liquid product, like Cutrine Plus, which is a liquid copper based product that is sprayed over top of the algae to provide control. Granular Algaecides. Bottom growing algae like some filamentous algae and chara can be tough to control unless you apply a granular product directly to the algae. Cutrine®-Plus granular is a good option for this as the granules will sink and come into contact with the algae on the bottom. Can you be Proactive and Prevent Algae? The answer is yes. The best way to prevent an algae problem or to at least minimize it is to be proactive. By using a combination of pond dye to shade the water, all natural microbes and sub-surface aeration, you can work on the problem vs. just putting a band aid on it. By changing your pond to aerobic vs. anaerobic, you start to break down excess nutrients which feed the algae. Adding microbes and dye further helps the situation. Outdoor Water Solutions is one of the leading companies in the pond industry and sells a full line of pond microbes including the Lake & Pond Bacteria and the Lake & Pond Muck Pellets. We also have super concentrated blue dye and multiple aeration options including electric, solar and wind powered. Please email or call us at 1-866-471-1614 and we can provide you with a detailed quote.