There are many different pond problems that all pond owners face throughout their pond owning lives. You can’t beat experience, but if you are a new pond owner it is always good to have some helpful hints and tips at hand to call upon when you have a problem.

• Try to fill your pond using collected rain water. Tap water contains chemicals that are not suitable for your pond. If you have to use tap water leave it to neutralise before adding it to your pond.
• Always pick up garden debris like leaf litter before it gets blown into your pond, any new organic material that enters the pond can affect the balance of the eco-system you have created.
• Try to create a balance of pond plants and oxygen in your pond. Add a waterfall, fountain or air pump if necessary.
• If your pond is leaking, briefly turn off the pond pump first to see if the water level still drops. If the water level stops dropping the leak is not in your pond so it could be a problem with the filtration system or hoses.
• If you do have a leak in your pond liner, the water will usually find the level of the leak before you do. This can be a good way to find where the leak actually is.

We will continue these helpful hints in the next article.