In this article we will talk about simple but necessary rules for caring for an artificial pond in the country or adjoining area. We will study the features of preparing a pond for cold weather, expert advice on caring for aquatic plants and inhabitants of the reservoir. Tips are divided into seasons - spring, summer, autumn and winter.
Artificial pond in the country or personal plot- it's beautiful and romantic. Such a reservoir will become a highlight of landscape design, a real decoration of a garden or a green courtyard of a private house. Sometimes a reservoir is not a whim of the owner or a tribute to fashion, but the only way out is to tidy up the swampy area and remove excess moisture.
Earlier in the article "Do-it-yourself pond in the country" we told you how to build an artificial reservoir yourself. However, after construction is completed, a pond, even the smallest one, also requires constant attention and regular maintenance. This article is devoted specifically to the basic rules for caring for a reservoir on the site.
An artificial pond, even such a tiny one, requires attention and care. Otherwise, the water will simply bloom, and plants and fish may die.
Spring
We check the condition of the pond, help clear the pond of ice, prepare the plants for planting
Experts advise to start spring work on an artificial pond back in March. Firstly, during this period there is not much trouble in the garden and the garden, and the owners have time to pay enough attention to their pond. And secondly, the sooner you take care of the reservoir, the sooner it will begin to please the eye with well-groomed greenery and cheerful inhabitants.
First of all, you need to check how your pond "survived" the winter. You should check how the equipment works (pumps, power supply system, filters, and so on), whether the fish that you decided to leave in a sufficiently deep reservoir survived, whether the shore reinforced with stones collapsed, whether the concrete bottom cracked, remove the heater for storage. In general, to outline a plan of work that will help the pond "come to its senses" and again, like last summer, become a decoration of the site.
It is clear that in order to study the state of the reservoir, it is worth waiting until the ice melts. But in March, the layer of ice on the pond is no longer as strong as in winter, and you can help the pond to free itself quickly by watering the ice. hot water or carefully making a few holes.
In parallel, you should prepare the plants that you would like to plant in the spring. You can buy ready-made seedlings in specialized stores or on the market, which will grow in pots in March-April, while the water and soil have not yet warmed up. Another option is to purchase seeds and grow seedlings yourself. Just remember that aquatic plants need special soil, and the soil must always be moist, so it is better to put the pots in a container with water.
As for which plants to choose, experts advise purchasing pondweed and urut, which perfectly purify pond water, as well as beautiful floating aponogeton and salvinia. Water lilies and water lilies, Siberian iris, which loves shallow water, as well as tradescantia, which prefers a dry coast, have long become classics.
Plants, of course, are the main decoration of an artificial reservoir. Planting them should be taken care of in early spring.
Spring cleaning of the pond
The main task of the owners of an artificial reservoir immediately after the ice has melted and the shore has dried up is to clean the pond from debris. In autumn, leaves fell into it, during the winter some plants and small inhabitants could freeze, so there is enough garbage in the spring. the main problem not in collecting leaves and litter floating on the surface of the water, but in the fact that organic residues accumulate at the bottom of the reservoir, therefore without serious " general cleaning» stones on the shore, walls and bottom are indispensable.
For spring cleaning of the pond, water should be pumped out, leaving only a small puddle for fish, all living inhabitants should be caught and temporarily transplanted into some kind of container, and the bottom and walls of the reservoir should be thoroughly cleaned with a regular brush. A water vacuum cleaner, the so-called silosos, will also be a good helper, which will suck out all the residues from the bottom. And its special nozzles will allow you to clean the stones and all surfaces of the reservoir. The price of a German-made sludge pump reaches 8-9 thousand rubles, but the savings in time and effort when cleaning a reservoir are very significant.
In shallow ponds, the water should be completely changed in the spring, however, they are usually drained in anticipation of cold weather. dirty water, remaining after cleaning, of course, should be drained or pumped out.
In the spring, the pond in the country requires a general cleaning - literally every pebble will have to be cleaned. At the time of the cleansing, all living inhabitants should be transplanted into temporary dwellings.
Plant transplant
The transplantation of plants that will decorate the shores and the surface of the reservoir should begin after the soil has dried up and the water has settled and warmed up. Plants that have overwintered outside are planted, carefully separating the roots. If, for example, marsh iris grew in a plastic pot, it may need a container next year bigger size, so you should take care of buying a suitable container for plants in advance.
It should be remembered that, for example, there are many varieties of the “queen of reservoirs” - water lilies: from large ones, with leaves up to 70 centimeters in diameter, to miniature ones. Accordingly, plant different varieties needed for different depth. If you could not find special lattice containers for the roots of aquatic plants, you can also use ordinary plastic pots for indoor flowers. Just remember to plug the drain hole at the bottom.
Those plants that do not need to be transplanted this spring should be fed using special fertilizers for flora growing in conditions high humidity. The soil also needs to be applied special - heavy and clayey, with a minimum amount of organic matter.
By the way, due to the constant presence in the water, water lilies, lilies, marsh and Siberian irises, calamus, egg capsule and other water plants usually tolerate transplantation and division well, practically without getting sick.
When choosing water plants for your pond, you need to remember that the marsh iris loves shallow water, water lilies with a leaf span of up to 30 centimeters should be planted at a depth of 15 to 40 centimeters, and the arrowhead grows well at a depth of about 10 centimeters. In general, each plant should choose its own, optimal "place of residence"
Summer
We monitor the water level
In the summer, an artificial reservoir does not require weekly cleaning, the plants have already been transplanted, so there is little trouble. However, evaporation of water can become a significant problem for a small pond.
During the heat, the water level drops quite quickly and almost every week it should be added to the required mark. Of course, it is more convenient to do this with a hose, but too much pressure will cause anxiety for the fish and can damage aquatic plants, so it is better to pour water in slowly, in a thin stream. Experts advise not to add water directly from the tap, but to let it settle and heat up so as not to harm the inhabitants of the pond.
In a small pond located on open space plot, in the summer up to 5 centimeters of water can evaporate daily. If you do not add water in a timely manner, your pond will soon turn into an ordinary puddle.
Dealing with pests and debris
High temperature and humidity are ideal conditions for the development of all kinds of pests. Insects usually take a fancy to the leaves and trunks of plants that live on the banks of the reservoir. The simplest and safe way to control such pests - wash them off with water from a hose. This option has two more advantages: harmful insects washed into the water will become food for fish, and plant leaves “washed” from a hose will get rid of dust and delight with fresh greenery.
In addition, after feeding the fish, you should remove the remnants of food and make sure that debris does not accumulate on the surface. If the pond is small, then you can do it manually, but for a medium-sized pond, it is already worth buying a skimmer - a device that collects the top layer of water, along with floating debris. The skimmer filters the water from debris and returns it to the pond. Such a device costs an average of 4 to 36 thousand rubles, depending on the size, it can be bottom, wall or floating.
Fish should not be overfed, and plants fertilized too often - this will upset the biological balance in the pond and create an ideal environment for the development of pests and weeds.
An important point - if you plan to treat land plants with chemicals, make sure that the poisons do not get into the water.
You can remove garbage from the surface of an artificial reservoir with such a net. Get rid of the need to work with your hands with a skimmer for pools and ponds
We remove weeds
Excessive growth of algae in the pond will cause the water to turn green, or even completely disappear under a layer of “green occupiers”. Owners especially annoyed artificial reservoirs duckweed, filamentous algae and azolla (aka water fern). By multiplying uncontrollably, such plants can eventually fill the entire small pond, leaving no room for your favorite water lilies.
Duckweed should not be launched into an artificial pond at all, since due to its unpretentiousness it is practically ineradicable. True, ducks and other poultry are very fond of these small green leaves, so the owners of poultry houses should not throw away the caught duckweed - everything will come in handy on the farm.
A small and seemingly harmless duckweed is able to flood the entire body of water without leaving a single window. pure water. Regularly catching it with a net, it is difficult to cope with this algae, skimmers, filters, as well as fish who like to eat duckweed, for example, crucians or carps, can come to the rescue.
Autumn
Removing leaves and trimming plants
The main task of the owner of an artificial pond in the fall is to prevent a large amount of organic residues from getting into the water and rotting. Therefore, we catch all the fallen leaves regularly, and we cut off the plants on the shore in a timely manner - the leaves of most of them will die off and fall into the water with the onset of cold weather. Plants should be trimmed to such a level that they do not touch the water.
Small barrier nets will help prevent leaves from entering the pond. The network, along with the accumulated debris, can be removed when the leaf fall is over.
Nobody argues with the fact that yellow and red leaves on the surface of the water are very beautiful. But after a couple of days they will turn brown and begin to rot, turning your pond into a real swamp. Therefore, in autumn, the reservoir needs cleaning no less than the paths in the garden or an open terrace.
We collect wintering buds and heat-loving plants to save them indoors until spring
In late autumn, most aquatic plants form the so-called winter buds, from which new shoots will appear in spring. If you plan to drain the pond completely or are afraid that the plants will freeze in extreme cold, such buds should be carefully collected, placed in a flat vessel with sand, poured with water and left in a cool, but not freezing place. In February, the vessel with the kidneys should be brought into the room and the shoots should be allowed to germinate. In the spring, in the form of already grown plants, they will return to their native pond.
If the plants near the pond grew in pots, they can simply be brought into the room, providing a sufficiently high level of humidity. Leaving water plants to winter in the pond, you should move them to the deepest part so that there is at least half a meter to the surface. Some representatives of the flora, such as water lilies, can be transplanted into the ground in autumn and covered with peat, sawdust or leaves on top to protect them from frost.
At the bottom of a sufficiently deep reservoir, plant buds formed in autumn will overwinter well. But if the pond is small, it will freeze completely, so the plants should be moved to warm "winter apartments"
We feed the inhabitants
Before the onset of cold weather, fish need to “work up fat”, so they should be provided with sufficient protein nutrition. Fish can winter in the pond only if its depth is at least 1.5, and preferably 2 meters. The water temperature at the bottom should not fall below plus 5 degrees in winter. Otherwise, the fish should also be moved to the aquarium in a timely manner.
Remember that in winter time The fish in the pond are not active and do not need to be fed.
The most popular inhabitants of artificial reservoirs are bright and very active koi or Japanese carps, ide, bleak, mustard and goldfish. Do not overcrowd the pond - for relatively large koi carps, you will need a fairly spacious pond with an area of \u200b\u200bat least 5 square meters, and in a pond with a volume of only 100 liters, no more than 10 goldfish can comfortably live
Winter
We drain the water
As mentioned above, in winter, a reservoir up to 50-100 centimeters deep can freeze completely. Therefore, such small ponds are drained. It is convenient if the reservoir has a drain hole. Otherwise, you will either have to use a pump or pump out water with a hose using the principle of communicating vessels.
To prevent fish or debris from getting into the hose, which can cause blockage, it is better to put a special filter on the hole or just pull the burlap.
A drained pond can be covered with a film, boards or thick cloth so that leaves or other debris do not get into it.
Such a small body of water will definitely freeze completely in winter, so the water should be drained in anticipation of cold weather.
Providing fish with access to oxygen
If the fish stay in the pond for the winter, you will have to take care not only about them, but also about the fact that the ice does not damage the concrete walls of the pond. The last problem is solved quite simply - an ordinary board should be placed in the center of the reservoir and it is she who will take on the pressure of the ice, protecting the walls.
In order to provide the fish with an influx of air, it is necessary to take care of the presence of a polynya. Experts do not recommend cutting ice with an ax - the shock wave can damage underwater inhabitants. It is easier and easier to put a container of hot water, such as a kettle or a saucepan, on the ice. So that the resulting polynya does not freeze, you can regularly water it with boiling water.
Another easy but more costly way to provide fish with air in the winter is to install an electric water pump, which has a vertical drainage tube. With the help of such a tube, a non-freezing polynya with constantly bubbling water will appear in the pond, which will contribute to its saturation with oxygen.
In such a thin, first ice, it will not be difficult to make an opening. But in very coldy to provide the fish with oxygen, you will have to make significantly more effort
We heat the water in the pond to the optimum temperature for its inhabitants
Koi carps and goldfish, which come from Southeast Asia, require a temperature of at least plus 7, and even better - 10 degrees Celsius, for a comfortable existence. Provide such favorable conditions in a region where it is often minus 20-30 degrees in winter without special heating is impossible.
The artificial pond heating system includes a heat-exchange tank, which is equipped with an electric pump with a biofilter. The power of the pump and the thermal element is calculated based on the size of the reservoir. It is convenient if the system includes automatic sensor temperature, which turns off and turns on the heating, not allowing you to waste electricity.
Pond heating will eliminate the need to monitor the presence of a polynya, as an ice-free window will remain on the surface of the water.
The pond heating system is not cheap, however, if you want to leave exotic fish in the pond for the winter, you can’t do without it
As you can see, the artificial pond needs attention all year round. However, the rules for caring for a pond in a personal plot are simple and easy to implement. If you follow the recommendations and rules listed in this article, the pond will delight you with beauty for many years, and its inhabitants with excellent health.
Anna Sedykh, rmnt.ru
After creating a reservoir, gardeners will have to solve problems related to pond care and wintering.
There will be quite a few problems, especially if the reservoir is inhabited by fish and other inhabitants.
Check Current state the pond must be regularly monitored for water quality and quantity, excess or lack of necessary substances.
Only in this case, the owner will be able to intervene in time and make adjustments so that everything is normal and in line with natural conditions.
On hot days, the fish may not have enough air, they have to float to the surface to breathe.
The fact is that when the liquid is heated, the amount of oxygen in it becomes less. In addition, decay of organic residues on the bottom and oxidative processes also reduce the level of oxygen in the water.
Therefore, in order for the fish in the pond not to die, it is necessary to periodically remove silt from the bottom and install water aerators to saturate the water with oxygen.
Do not turn off the aerator at night. During the day, algae in the pond release oxygen and absorb carbon dioxide, at night the opposite is true, so the most difficult period for fish is before dawn.
When caring for a pond, make sure that the water level in the pond does not fall, even using the most quality materials during construction, leaks may occur over time. First you need to find it.
Most available method leak detection, wait until the water level stops dropping, and visually find a waterproofing defect along the edge.
Usually in defective places there are spots that do not dry out for a long time, when pressed, moisture appears.
A decrease in the water level can also occur during natural evaporation, but usually it does not exceed 1 cm per day. At a water temperature of 27°C, air temperature of 30°C, and a humidity of 60%, evaporation in the pond will be about 1.1 l/m2 per day.
In an open reservoir, even at lower temperatures, evaporation due to wind and sun can be greater, up to 2 l / m2.
In the care of the pond necessarily includes inspection of the surface of the mirror. When duckweed is formed, you can get rid of it with the help of a rake, pulling it ashore, or resorting to the help of fish. White carp eat duckweed with pleasure.
Foam is formed in cases of increased concentration of protein at the bottom of the reservoir. The bottom should be cleaned of silt, and the pond should be treated with a foam remover. It is advisable to check the hardness of the water.
A greasy film similar to oil spots appears with excessive reproduction of blue-green algae. You can get rid of stains with the help of UV-radiators or biological preparations, such as AlgoSol.
Even with proper care of the pond, snails can settle in it over time. They get with water, soil and plants. Not a large number of they are permissible, they destroy dead plants.
The most important thing is to prevent their uncontrolled reproduction. Otherwise, it will be very difficult to deal with them.
Try to collect and delete some of them in a timely manner. You can also resort to the help of special drugs.
We talked about the basic rules for arranging a pond on a site, a dacha on the pages of this site quite often, in particular. The rest are easy to find - enter the word "pond" in the site search - now let's talk about the main problems that arise when caring for a garden pond.
Pond care in spring
Cut off yellowed and withered leaves of plants. Cut cattail and ornamental grasses to a height of 15 cm, without damaging the young shoots.
Remove part of the sediment from the bottom of the reservoir in case of heavy silting, using an electric silt pump for this. For cleaning small ponds, you can take a mechanical model. If tadpoles or newt larvae live in the pond, use the silo pump with extreme caution.
Check for damage to the pond film, if there is, seal it to prevent water leakage.
Turn on filters and pump around mid-April (weather dependent). The filter must operate daily 24 hours a day. At the same time, start the fountains.
Plant coastal and aquatic plants.
Divide and plant poorly flowering plants.
Make the first water analysis. The most important parameters (pH value, oxygen and nitrogen content, water hardness) are determined using a tester.
Pond care in autumn
Remove tropical aquatic plants from the pond, place them in containers with water and put them to spend the winter in a bright and frost-free room.
Thin out or remove overgrown plants.
Gather fallen leaves before they sink to the bottom of the pond. Better yet, use a leaf net. Check daily to see if animals have been caught in this net.
Remove dead plant parts.
Stop feeding the fish after the water temperature drops below 10 degrees C (fish are not eaten in winter).
Trim underwater plants.
Pond care in summer
Remove thread algae. The collected plant material is an excellent fertilizer for garden plants.
Feed with a special long-acting fertilizer plants that need a lot of nutrients, such as water lilies and irises.
Separate old water lilies. Rhizome cut sharp knife so that at least one kidney remains on each part. Plant young plants in baskets and put them in shallow water for the first time.
Plant tropical plants - lotuses, eichhornias and water lettuce - starting in June.
Weed the weeds on the shore of the reservoir, cut the growth of trees.
Monitor water quality all summer.
Regularly catch fallen flower petals from the pond and remove yellowed leaves of aquatic plants. Collect pollen floating on the surface of the water with a net.
How to care for a pond, any other decorative pond in winter.
Turn on the de-icer before the first frost. It will prevent the pond from completely freezing and provide the necessary gas exchange (there are de-icers with and without a pump on sale). If the pond is already frozen, make a hole by pouring hot water over the ice.
In no case do not break the ice - the swim bladders of the fish may suffer from a change in pressure! In general, do not disturb the peace of the pond unless absolutely necessary.
Drain water from all hoses and pipes. Remove and clean non-frost resistant filters and pumps. Some pump models must be stored in containers filled with water.
Leave some of the reeds and other plants with hollow stems in the pond until spring. They protect the surface of the water from freezing.
Pond First Aid
muddy water, a lot of algae or overgrown plants?
Don't worry, most of these troubles are easy to deal with. We offer you ways to solve 12 problems typical of garden ponds and ponds.
1. What to do if algae has grown too much in the garden pond. ..
The reasons for their overgrowth lie in an excess of nutrients in the water or too high level pH. What to do: Remove dead plant parts and foliage regularly, don't overfeed fish or fertilize plants. A proven means of control are marsh and aquatic plants that absorb from the water nutrients and deprive the algae of nutrition. A filter and special tools will also help solve the problem.
2. What to do if the pH level in the pond is not the same ...
Ideally, the pH level in the pond should be between 6.8 and 7.5. If it becomes too high or low, special preparations will help to correct it. Water hardness should not exceed 7 mg equiv/dm3. If the readings are too high, part of the water must be replaced with tap water or filtered rainwater. After that, the water will become cloudy for a while, but after a few days it will become clear.
3. What to do if the water lilies have grown too much ...
In order for water lilies to develop normally, they should be planted in accordance with the requirements of a particular variety. If large varieties are planted in shallow water, their leaves will grow to enormous sizes, pile on top of each other and close the flowers. Conversely, if dwarf varieties are planted too deep, they will never reach the surface of the water and will eventually die. What to do: transplant the water lilies to the appropriate depth for their variety. The best time to do this is between April and August.
4. What to do if damage appears on the leaves of water lilies ...
The leaves of these plants most often damage the tiny larvae of leaf beetles that attach to outside leaves and make moves in them. What to do: Remove damaged leaves and egg clutches to avoid new larvae. Round notches on the edges of the leaves are left by the water lily moth. These first green and then gray moth caterpillars sit on the underside of the leaves and bite them. What to do: collect caterpillars from reverse side leaves.
5. What to do if there is foam on the water
When plant pollen falls into the pond, the concentration of protein in the water rises, which rises to the surface and forms foam. If there is really a lot of it, partially replace the water in the pond (no more than 20%) or apply an anti-foam agent. Also check the water hardness level (see point 2).
6. What to do if the water level drops…
In addition to natural evaporation, coastal plants are also to blame, the roots of which damage the film, which leads to water infiltration. What to do: check for integrity
film pond in the coastal zone. If you find a leak, eliminate the cause (plant root or stone), peel the film and glue it securely. There are kits available for this.
7. What to do if a pond or other body of water overgrows ...
If the pond is not looked after, sooner or later it will overgrow. What to do: In late autumn, properly thin out the plants of the coastal zone. At this time, you can best assess their condition. Remove overgrown plants along with rhizomes and shoots. Plants prone to overgrowth should be planted in baskets initially. Too much silt at the bottom can also cause the pond to become overgrown. To avoid this, regularly catch leaves and pollen, as well as dead plant parts.
8. What to do if the plants garden pond yellowed leaves...
There may be several reasons why plant leaves turn yellow during the growing season. Incorrect depth: in this case, the plants should be repotted according to their requirements. Pest damage or fungal disease: Remove diseased plant parts or, in extreme cases, entire plants. Nutrient deficiencies: replant the plant to more suitable soil or add a long-acting fertilizer to the rhizome.
9. What to do if the fish do not have enough air ...
In the summer, shallow ponds warm up quickly, so the oxygen content in them decreases. If it becomes very small, the fish begin to float to the surface behind it. What to do: drain some of the water and pour cold and fresh. Oxygen activators, which are scattered on the water, will also become a temporary measure. But for a radical solution to the problem, you need to shade the pond and not add extra nutrients to the water. The oxygen content is also increased by fountains and aerators.
10. What to do if there are too many snails ...
A sufficient number of snails should live in a garden pond: as a rule, they feed on dead parts of plants and algae and thus take care of the cleanliness of the pond. But if there are too many snails, they begin to eat healthy plants. In this case, extra clams should be caught.
11. What to do if there is too much duckweed in the pond...
The duckweed plants usually appear without any invitation. In a nutrient-rich environment, duckweed (Lemna) spreads very quickly and soon covers the surface of the entire reservoir. Because of this, too little light enters the pond, which disrupts gas exchange and hinders the development of underwater plants, as well as the life of animals. What to do: remove the duckweed before it begins to grow rapidly. In the future, its appearance should be monitored and immediately caught.
12. What to do if the water in the pond becomes cloudy ...
Water discoloration is most often caused by excessive growth of algae (see point 1) and microorganisms, as well as pollution of the reservoir by floating particles. In fish ponds, this problem is exacerbated by their secretions, as well as the fact that the fish stir up the ground. What to do: use equipment appropriate for the volume of water and the number of fish (skimmer and filter). To prevent clouding of the water, make sure that the pH level does not rise (see point 2), and also control the flow of nutrients into the pond. muddy water in a blocked pond is the norm.
The question arises of how to maintain the ecosystem unchanged. So that the reservoir always looks clean and tidy, does not have bad smell and pleased the owners, it is necessary to follow simple rules for garden pond care. For convenience, we offer a calendar schedule of work:
Care of the pond in the country in the spring.
It consists in cleaning the bottom. It is not necessary to remove all the silt, crustaceans and tadpoles can live in it, but most of it needs to be removed. For this, there are electric sludge pumps, but if the pond is small, then you can clean the pond manually.
Then it is necessary to check the integrity of the film that covers the bottom of the pond. Damage that needs to be repaired can be sealed. If the film is severely damaged, it will have to be replaced.
The next step is to inspect the plants that inhabit artificial reservoirs. For perennials, old leaves must be removed, trunks cut to a height of about 15 cm, without damaging young shoots. Pruning will also affect aquatic plants, such as narrow-leaved cattail. If necessary, it is worth planting new flowers and ornamental grasses. If perennials did not bloom well last year, then they need to be moved to a new place or thinned out. When the weather becomes steadily warm, you can check and. In the spring, a water analysis is mandatory. For express analysis, you can purchase a tester that will reflect the main parameters - the pH level, the amount of nitrogen and oxygen, water hardness.
Summer water care.
Summer pond care in the country is regular cleaning of leaves, debris, filamentous algae and duckweed. Algae, like silt, is good to use as fertilizer for vegetable crops. If pollen appears on the surface of the water, it must also be removed. This is easy to do with a net.
Around the reservoir, it is necessary to regularly remove the growth of trees and weeds. , fringing the pond, can be watered with any means that kills weeds. , such as water lilies and marsh irises, be sure to feed with fertilizers. It is best to use means of prolonged (long) action.
In summer, water lilies can be propagated. On old plants, a root cut is made above the second bud. The removed part is transplanted into shallow water for rooting. Planted in June thermophilic plants- lotus, eichornia (water hyacinth), etc. In summer, the reservoir needs periodic .
Fall care.
In autumn, the pond in the country must be prepared for winter. To do this, carefully remove all tropical plants from the reservoir and arrange them for the winter in a cool, but non-freezing room. They will spend the winter in small containers with water. Clear the pond of all unnecessary plants, as well as thin out those that have grown too much. Be sure to remove all the leaves that have fallen from the trees so that they do not settle to the bottom and begin to rot. To do this, you can use a net or net.
Water is drained from pipes, hoses, pumps and all removable equipment (filters, pumps) is disconnected. They must be cleaned, wiped dry and folded until spring in a dry room. The exception is pumping equipment that is stored in water - for this it is necessary to prepare containers of the appropriate volume in advance. Autumn garden pond care this ends.
Winter care.
In the cold season, at the first frost, a de-icer should be turned on to care for the pond in the country. He will not let the pond freeze through. If you missed the first frost and the pond is already covered with a crust of ice, make a hole in it. The hole is made with boiling water, as blows can harm sleeping fish.
Reeds and other hollow-stemmed plants keep the pond from freezing, so they don't need to be removed.
Frequently asked questions about the care of the pond in the country.
1. Overgrown algae.
Cause: too many nutrients or the pH is too high.
elimination : pond cleaning is required. Remove dead plants, leaves more often, reduce the dose of fish food, stop fertilizing plants. You can also plant marsh plants, which will absorb the lion's share of the nutrients dissolved in the water. You can also use a special water filter.
2. The pH level and water hardness are not correct.
The normal pH for a pond is between 6.8 and 7.5. Water hardness should be no more than 7 mg equiv / dm3.
Elimination: There are special preparations that adjust the pH both in one direction and in the other. If the hardness of the water is high, then it is best to replace part of the water with rainwater (but only necessarily filtered). Do not be alarmed if after such a procedure the water becomes cloudier than it was. It will take a few days for it to become transparent.
3. Water lilies grow too large.
Cause: wrong landing. There are water lilies large varieties, but there are dwarf ones. Large ones should be planted in deep water, and dwarf ones - only in shallow water. If it is done the other way around, then large ones in shallow water will grow too much and fill the whole space, while dwarf ones at a depth simply will not survive. Remedy: transplant water lilies according to their variety.
4. Water lily leaves are damaged.
Cause: leaf beetles or water moth. In the first case, long passages remain on the leaves, in the second, rounded notches appear at the ends of the leaves Elimination: remove spoiled leaves and egg clutches, also remove caterpillars (they hide on the back of the leaves).
5. Foam forms on the surface, despite the fact that the care of the reservoir is done in a timely manner.
Cause: the most probable is that a lot of plant pollen got into the water.
Elimination: remove the foam, try to remove the pollen along with it and replace part of the water in the reservoir (about 20%). The second option: special anti-foam agents. And also check the hardness of the water, as its low level contributes to foaming.
6. The water level is falling.
Cause: if this is not natural evaporation, but a sharp drop in level, then the reason is damage to the film lining the bottom of the pond. It is possible that the damage is caused by the growth of a plant.
Elimination: we look for the place of damage, remove the object or plant - the culprit of the destruction and seal the film. Repair kits for such work are sold.
7. The pond is overgrown and has become ugly.
Cause: inadequate water management. Plants were not thinned out in time, silt was not removed, dead plants were not removed.
Elimination: during the summer, remove leaves, pollen, and debris from the pond, and clean it thoroughly in the fall. Remove all excess plants, silt and dirt. If there are plants prone to overgrowth, plant them in old baskets and sink them to the bottom together with the baskets.
11. There is too much duckweed in the pond.
Cause: duckweed is amazing plant freshwater bodies, which is growing very rapidly.
Elimination: Duckweed must be cleaned regularly as it inhibits the growth of ornamental aquatic plants. Duckweed is a good source of vitamins and trace elements, so it can be added to pet food or mulched around the soil. fruit trees and shrubs.
12. The water in the pond becomes cloudy.
Cause: in a new, only equipped pond, muddy water is normal. After a few days, it will become transparent. Cloudy water in an old pond causes a large amount of algae, increased excretion from fish, and food residues.
Elimination: cleaning the pond - check the pH level, the operation and cleanliness of the filters, do not overfeed the fish.
13. Is it possible to breed in country pond crayfish?
It is possible, but only if the pond is at least 5 m2. They do not need to be fed, they will feed themselves, and they will also help clean the pond. For good health, they only need to put stones or pieces of ceramic pipes into the water - this will become a shelter for crayfish.
After you have built a pond in the country with your own hands, you need to maintain it. If the artificial reservoir is not provided with proper care, it will deteriorate and become dirty in a short time. In this article we will look at how to care for a pond and what equipment is used for this.
timely care for artificial pond in the country guarantees a long, uninterrupted life of the reservoir, which you and your loved ones will enjoy for many years. If you have properly planned and equipped a decorative pond, then its maintenance should not be difficult. And yet, there are some typical problems, which over time will arise in almost every artificial source: the pond may bloom, become polluted, or there will be enough oxygen in it.
If the water bloomed
Algae are an important part of the reservoir. Even if you did not plant algae yourself, they will appear on their own. Just the same, flowering is too rapid development of algae. This is caused by a large amount of sun in the pond, as well as if there are large amounts of nitrates and phosphates in the water.
Water bloom due to large amount sunlight If you think about some points when designing a reservoir, then many problems associated with flowering can be avoided.
- The soil should not contain nutrients, at least in large quantities.
- When choosing a place for a pond, you need to think about it so that you can conveniently approach it in order to clear it of foliage and settled food.
- The pond must be protected from sunlight
If the water in your pond still bloomed, then a large amount of algae must be removed with a rake or pitchfork. The use of products such as herbicides is not recommended, as they can destroy all life in your pond. Using a special for water will also protect the reservoir from flowering.
You will also have to work hard when dealing with weeds in the pond, as they will quickly drown out your beautiful plantings. It is advisable to do this by hand as well.
Water pollution
Often the water in the reservoir becomes brown and cloudy. The reason for this may be:
- If the algae or food has begun to rot.
- If the fish in the pond are actively moving and lifting the soil up. In this case, the water turns brown.
- Too much pressure in the pump.
muddy water Cleaning the pond in the country
In the case when the water is slightly polluted, for example, there are only algae or fallen food rotting, then you just need to use a net to remove the elements clogging the pond.
Florculants are special chemicals that are used to remove silt from water bodies.
It happens that the reservoir is polluted so badly that no chemicals will help. The question arises - ? In this case, a complete change of water is required. To do this, follow the following sequence of actions:
- With a net to catch vegetation in the pond.
- If there are fish in the pond, drain the water so that you can catch them.
- Fish should be placed in a separate container for a while. Water, preferably, should be from your own reservoir.
- Pump out all the water and clean everything.
- Let's run water and fish.
This needs to be done about three times a year.
Determining whether it is time to change the water is quite simple. Dip your hand into the water to the depth of your palm - if your hand is not visible, then feel free to change the water.
Video on how to properly clean a pond
Little oxygen
If the water in the pond contains little oxygen, then this can cause algae to rot and worsen the ecological situation in general. Reasons for low oxygen levels:
- If the algae have grown strongly or there is a lot of settled food at the bottom.
- There is no fresh water.
- If there is a lot of iron in the water.
Aeration is the process of saturating either air or, in our case, water with oxygen. For this, you must use special systems. This is true if there are fish in the pond. To saturate the water with oxygen, use:
- Compressor that atomizes air
- water aerator
- Fountain aerator
- Bottom aeration
It is necessary to select such structures at the design stage of the reservoir.
Do-it-yourself aerator (video)
How to care for a pond
In the spring it is necessary to do such work as:
- Remove dirt and silt from the pond. To do this, use silosos - a special pump for pumping sludge.
- Check the bottom of the pond for damage.
- Pruning coastal plants.
- Pruning shrubs over water.
- Planting vegetation.
- Running a fountain or filters.
- Checking water for pH using a tester.
Works in the pond in spring (video)
- Fallen leaves, pollen and thread algae need to be constantly removed.
- You can plant tropical plants.
- Apply fertilizer to feed toffees and water lilies.
- Break through the plants.
- Maintain the water level in the pond.
- Keep order on the shore of the pond. Plant roots can harm the pond.
- With the help of a tester, monitor the condition of the water - pH and hardness.
Pond cleaning in summer In the fall, caring for a pond is even more laborious, as the foliage begins to fall off and preparations for overwintering are required:
- Keep it clean. You can use a net to cover a pond.
- Trim the plants.
- Isolate tropical plants so they don't freeze.
- Prepare your fish for the winter.
- Use ice compensators. Water expands when it freezes and can ruin the bottom of the pond. Styrofoam is a special material that is used for this. Also, for such needs, you can use elastic containers with air, such as a plastic bottle.
- If the pond is small, drain it completely
Preparing the pond for wintering In the toolkit, it is better to have several types of nets with different nets. A fine mesh is for removing duckweed, and a coarse mesh is for foliage.