Maintaining an Outdoor Fish Pond

People who are looking to spice up their backyard and make it more unique often have the idea of adding a fish pond to their backyard.  It can help cut down on bugs if they make the mistake of going to the water, and it brings a constant source of life that you can watch and enjoy during the warmer parts of the year.  Enthusiasts of this addition to their yard must remember though, that a pond with fish will require weekly upkeep in order to keep it healthy and there is some important background learning to be done. First is the basic setup of the pond.  You need to determine how big and how deep you want it to be.  Installing a pond is more time intensive than planting flowers and once you have it there you can’t simply transplant it.  Once you’ve figured that out, you need to determine which pump, filter and skimmer your pond needs.  You want to keep your water clean and keep it moving in order to prevent a number of issues such as algae growth.  Tsurumi submersible pumps are very effective for fish ponds and come in a number of shapes and sizes.  A skimmer is exists to gather large debris like leaves and filters will help cut down on waste and other small particulate matter.  

Next you need to install the underlayment and pond liner.   These are here to help protect your pond from having soil and excess nitrogen from seeping into the water which can cause algae blooms and make the water toxic.  When you are installing the liner be sure to have it overlap if you need to cut it in places so that it conforms to your pond’s shape.  Placing extra pond liner around your edges, filter, skimmer and pump is always a safe bet as well in order to provide extra protection from heavy rainstorms. Once those are installed it’s time to add rocks around the edge for bacteria to grow on and protect the pond.  Then follow the instructions for your pump, skimmer and filter when installing them so that everything works properly.  Each one is going to be different, so it’s important to read everything and have someone helping you during installation.  Once installed add your water till it’s at the desired level and make sure the pump is submerged, then you can begin running it.  Your pond will take a few days to clear up the cloudiness from the dirt and rocks and to achieve a healthy pH level.  Once all of this is accomplished you’re ready to add your fish and enjoy your hard work.

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