A: Fish are like potato chips: Its hard to have just one. When you visit your local pet retailer or water garden center and see those goldfish and koi staring up at you through the water, how can you not take them home! Too many fish in a pond, however, can create a poor environment for your fish and a breeding ground for algae. The more fish you have, the more waste they produce – its a cycle – and that waste can turn into algae fertilizer unless you have the filtration power to pump it out. Before you start buying bucket-loads of finned friends, figure out how many you can comfortably keep in your pond. Heres how in five simple steps. 1. Calculate Pond Size First, measure the dimensions of your pond in feet. Then use this formula to determine the capacity of your pond: Length x Width x Depth = cubic feet x 7.5 = gallons. If you need help with the math, use our online calculator . We recommend allowing 1-2 koi or 2-3 goldfish per 200 gallons of water, so if your pond is 1000 gallons, thats approximately 5-10 koi or 10-15 goldfish.” 2. Allow Room to Grow If youre starting with young or adolescent fish, dont max out your fish volume right from the start. Remember that those little guys will grow – a 2-inch fry will turn into a 10-inch adult in no time – and theyll produce more waste as they develop. Avoid the issues with water quality and algae growth by starting with a smaller package of adult fish such as those included in our koi packages. Youll enjoy instant gratification and a pond full of colorful fish, and can always add more in the future! 3. Add More Slowly Whether youre starting with young fish or adults, add just a handful at a time. Your pond will need time to “season,” or build up its biological filtration system (a.k.a. beneficial bacteria), to handle the new influx of fish waste. Introduce a few fish, and then wait several weeks before adding more. While youre waiting, give your biological filter a boost with DefensePAC Pond Care Package. It contains Natures Defense, Clarity Defense; and Muck Defense; – all of which promote the growth of those beneficial microorganisms. 4. Keep Up with Routine Maintenance Once your fish have moved in, help them feel right at home. Use natural bacteria to break down fish waste, uneaten food and other debris. Provide shade, habitat and safety with floating and submerged aquatic plants. Feed them a quality diet, like The Pond Guy Staple Fish Food, which has the right amount of protein to keep them happy and well without producing a lot of excess waste. Provide a balanced ecosystem and tasty food, and youll have a pond full of happy fish! 5. Share – or Upgrade! If your pond is overpopulated already, you have two options: Share some of your fish with a friend (or two!), or do some upgrades in either your filtration system or your pond itself. A external pressurized filter like the AllClear can handle excess waste, thanks to its powerful combination of biological, mechanical and ultraviolet filters. Its backflush option makes it easy to clean, and its easy to install in an existing pond because the plumbing doesnt need to be run through the liner. Or if you want to upgrade your entire water feature, check out one of our Pond Kits. Available in several different sizes, they contain a pump, pressurized filter or waterfall filter, pond liner, underlayment, plumbing, foam, hardware and beneficial bacteria to jump-start your biological filtration. All youll need to add is fish!
Many pond owners believe that only a licensed fisheries biologist is qualified to survey fish populations in their ponds. Finding the species of fish in a pond, as well as their size distribution and relative abundance, is not as difficult as it might seem. The majority of pond owners who have gone fishing or seining are already familiar with the two main methods used to keep an eye on fish populations in their ponds. When these two methods are applied consistently over time and survey records are kept, valuable information can be obtained.
A: Fish are difficult to limit to just one, much like potato chips. Too many fish in a pond, however, can create a poor environment for your fish and a breeding ground for algae. Imagine how hard it would be to resist buying those goldfish and koi that are staring up at you through the water at your neighborhood pet store or water garden center! It’s a cycle that the more fish you have, the more waste they produce, and if you don’t have the filtration capacity to remove it, that waste can end up as algae fertilizer. Decide how many fish you can comfortably keep in your pond before you start buying tons of them. Heres how in five simple steps. 1. Calculate Pond Size: To begin, determine your pond’s dimensions in feet. Next, calculate your pond’s capacity using this formula: Length x Width x Depth = cubic feet x 7. 5 = gallons. Use our online calculator for math assistance if necessary. If your pond holds 1000 gallons of water, you should allow 1-2 koi or 2-3 goldfish per 200 gallons of water, which translates to about 5-10 koi or 10-15 goldfish. ” 2. Give Fish Room to Grow If you’re beginning with juvenile or adolescent fish, don’t immediately maximize the volume of fish you have. Keep in mind that those little guys will grow; in no time at all, a 2-inch fry will mature into a 10-inch adult, and as they mature, they will produce more waste. Take care of the problems with algae growth and water quality by beginning with a smaller package of mature fish, like the ones in our koi packages. You’ll get immediate satisfaction and a pond full of vibrant fish, and you can always add more later on! 3 Add More Slowly: Add a small handful of fish at a time, whether you’re starting with juveniles or mature fish. It will take some time for your pond to “season,” or develop its biological filtration system (a k. a. beneficial bacteria), to handle the new influx of fish waste. After adding a few fish, wait a few weeks before adding more. Use the DefensePAC Pond Care Package to strengthen your biological filter while you’re waiting. It has three components: Muck Defense, Clarity Defense, and Nature’s Defense, all of which support the development of those advantageous microbes. 4. Maintain Regular Upkeep: After your fish have settled in, give them everything they need to feel comfortable. Utilize naturally occurring bacteria to decompose food scraps, fish waste, and other debris. Using submerged and floating aquatic plants, you can create shade, a habitat, and safety. Feed them a high-quality diet with just the right amount of protein to keep them healthy and happy without generating a lot of extra waste, like The Pond Guy Staple Fish Food. You can have a pond full of content fish if you provide a well-balanced ecosystem and tasty food! 5 If there are already too many fish in your pond, you can either share some of the fish with a friend or two, or you can improve the filtration system or the pond itself. The AllClear is an external pressurized filter that is capable of managing surplus waste because of its potent blend of mechanical, biological, and ultraviolet filters. Its backflush feature facilitates cleaning, and since the plumbing doesn’t have to pass through the liner, installing it in an already-existing pond is simple. Alternatively, consider one of our Pond Kits if you want to improve your whole water feature. They come in multiple sizes and include a pond liner, underlayment, plumbing, foam, hardware, pressurized or waterfall filter, pump, and beneficial bacteria to initiate biological filtration. All youll need to add is fish!.