It should be a well known fact that fish need oxygen. In order to get sufficient oxygen, it is necessary that the water in which fish reside has its oxygen content continually replaced as they use it up.

In nature, two simple factors ensure that fish will almost always have access to sufficient oxygen. These two factors are that the quantity of fish will not exceed what the body of water can support and that oxygen will always be replenished in the water. If these criteria are not met in nature, fish will quickly die out and would not re-appear until the eco-system could again support fish life.

With mans intervention, it is possible to have a pond that does not support healthy fish. Unlike in nature, if your eco-system is not in balance, when all goes wrong, it is very easy to re-stock and repeat the failing process.

Quite simply, most fish ponds have two fundamental challenges in maintaining oxygen levels. The number of fish held in a given volume of water far exceeds the density of fish numbers that exist in nature. Secondly, the methods of water absorption are more restricted.

Oxygen absorption occurs at the water’s surface, this process is enhanced by water movement which both increases the surface area exposed to air, and circulates the oxygenated water around. Further to this, plants will also produce oxygen. A well stocked garden pond does not have sufficient surface area to absorb enough oxygen and water movement does not occur naturally. Good planting will certainly be an important tool in managing the oxygen levels of your water. However, it will most likely be insufficient for your ponds needs in the same way that the surface area proves to be. Under these circumstances, there are two possible tools to utilise. These are water movement and pumping oxygen.

Fountains and waterfalls are not just pretty, they perform a very important function in both aiding oxygen absorption and also circulating the oxygenated water. Alternatively, it is possible to use an aerating pump that works in much the same way as is used in an aquarium. Quite simply air is pumped into the water which promotes oxygen absorption.

Why do so many pond owners have an aversion to trees? Clearly trees do offer advantages to the pond environment such as shade. Shade can be very important for both the water of your pond and also encouraging diversity in the area surrounding the pond.

Any pond without any shade will experience much more water temperature fluctuation when exposed to the full heat of the summer sun. This effect will be more evident the shallower the pond. By having some natural shade, your fish will benefit from being able to avoid the hotter areas and also, with restricted direct sunlight reaching the water’s surface, problems such as algal blooms will grow less virulently.

So what is the issue with trees? Quite simply, some trees, such as laburnum are poisonous to your pond. Some other trees such as laurel, yew and lime may also pose problems for your fish stock. In addition to the obvious problems caused by potential toxins, there is also a threat of tree roots compromising the pond liner. Whilst the above two could both be considered potential problems, the one guaranteed issue with having trees by your pond will be leaves falling in the water.

Leaves that are left in the pond water will prove to be a rich source of nutrients, especially during autumn leaf fall, this will represent a large addition of nutrients at exactly the time when the ponds eco-system is slowing and is less able to deal with them. Eventually, come spring, these stored nutrients will boost algal growth and pose potential problems. The only way to effectively manage this issue is to cover your pond with netting.

Trees do not have be avoided by the pond owner, but it is important to understand the additional demands on pond management that will be posed by having them.

The answer to this question depends very much on who you ask. In the interest of providing one perspective it could be explained as follows.

A water garden will generally contain a variety of aquatic plants and will primarily be a decorative feature. To fulfil its decorative function it will quite possibly contain brightly coloured fish such as goldfish. Having a body of water containing plants and fish definitely seems to fulfil the description of a pond in many peoples eyes so what is the defining characteristic of a water garden?

The concept of the water garden is possibly easier to understand once you begin to define a pond. The word pond quite simply covers a vast array of water holes. These extend from wildlife ponds full of newts and frogs with a very earthy natural feel, to the typical garden pond, or a village watering hole (not the beer serving variety) to the ornate ponds of a stately home in addition to countless other varieties. Accepting that the word pond obviously cover a vast spectrum of ideas, it is possible to think of a water garden as simply a type of pond with a focus on the decorative.

So at what point does a pond then become a lake? Well personally I am still seeking the defining answer. A search of the internet will produce as many distinctions as there are types of pond so the definition is blurred. In simple terms, lakes are definitely bigger in most cases but the cut-off point is clearly not… well… clear.

A fundamental cornerstone of fish husbandry or pond maintenance is managing water quality. This essentially involves trying to ensure that the different contaminants of your pond, be they fish waste or external pollutants, remain in balance with the plant life and other mechanisms that counter any negative effects.
If you are able to maintain a healthy balance to your water then many potential pond problems will effectively be avoided or minimized.

Even given effective water management, there will inevitably be occasions when all is not well with the pond environment and you may have illness in your fish stock. One unfortunate truth at this stage is that if one fish is unwell, there is a high likelihood others are, or shortly will be.

So how can fish ailments be tackled? A trip to your local aquatics dealer will show a broad range of chemicals and treatments available off the shelf. Some of the most common treatments are acriflavin, formaldehyde and malachite green.

The uses of these three common treatments are correspondingly to counter infection in a similar manner to antiseptics for humans, to act as a disinfectant which is an effective treatment of many parasites and lastly malachite green is used as a parasite treatment.

In the correct circumstances, these and many of the other treatments can be a great tool in tackling a broad range of ailments or issues. One important discipline in using such treatments is that instructions are adhered to. It is very easy to assume that a little extra can only be better but this is really not the case. Many of these chemicals need to be treated with great respect to avoid new issues caused by mis-use.

There may be many reasons why you find yourself having the compulsion to create a puddle clay lined garden pond rather than utilising modern pond construction techniques.

With clay being the original lining material of choice for the canal network it has a proven track record in making watertight structures. The good news is that puddle clay is a cheap material to acquire, although this is offset against the high cost of actually transporting what is a heavy raw material.

Clay may well have a proven track record but there are pro’s and con’s to its use. There is also no guarantee that your own site will be suitable for a clay construction. Assuming that your site is suitable, and you decide to proceed with a clay construction then you must be prepared for more than a little hard work.

Puddle clay is quite simply clay with all of the air squeezed out through the process of puddling. This creates a watertight layer. Some of the advantages of puddle clay are that it gives a very natural looking pond and if you do have a local source of clay it is a very cheap material. Some disadvantages are that the liner is labour intensive to install and can potentially require regular maintenance. As the liner is thicker than other liners it does necessitate a deeper excavation, also, it is necessary to ensure that the pond is always kept full or there is a high risk of dry clay cracking.

Green water algae is a common springtime issue for any pond, regardless of how well balanced the pond environment may be. These algal blooms are generally of the suspended kind and will thrive in springtime. As the water warms up the growing conditions will rapidly improve within the pond. The increase of available nutrients exceeds the response capacity of your ponds planting and the fast growing algae will quickly exploit this enhanced growing environment.

The good news is that this phenomenon is most likely short lived. As the submerged plants of the pond begin to grow more actively they will begin to mop up much of the excess nutrients in the water. This effect, coupled with the surface plants, such as lilies beginning to shade the water’s surface will very quickly restrict the ability of the algae to grow. You will most likely find that the problem disappears equally as quickly as it appeared.

Understanding this natural cycle should give you confidence to not worry. It is very unlikely that green water will be any more than a temporary unsightly inconvenience. One thing to avoid doing is to change the water. Any benefits of improved water clarity will be very short lived prior to the algae returning with a vengeance. If you do have a filtration system in place, the addition of a UV clarifier will aid the clearing of the water without the need for chemical intervention.

When planning your pond installation there will obviously be some particular local considerations to your available space that dictate how and where you can put your pond. There are also some more generic considerations that you should bear in mind during the planning process.

Generally, most people will wish to avoid positioning a pond close to trees. Whilst partial shade from trees does have the advantage of limiting temperature rises in the warmer months, they do pose issues with leaves falling in the water, a very real risk of root damage to the pond liner and also the potential to provide shelter for pond predators such as cats.

Ideally the pond should not be located where it is liable to collect run-off water. Run-off water may have only collected from a small area prior to arriving in your pond but it may well bring with it all manner of pollutants such as weed killers. Although you can avoid use of such chemicals yourself, the run-off water may not respect your garden boundaries prior to arrival.

If one of your main desires is to observe wildlife, it may be wise to ensure that your pond is easily visible through a window. This will enable you to watch the pond environment without potentially disturbing the very visitors you hope to attract.