Record high temperatures across the nation create a number of challenges for people, pets, plants, and yes, even your water garden. You’ll want to keep a close eye on your pond, especially when the water temperature reaches 80 degrees or higher. If you don’t already have one, now is the perfect time to invest in a pond thermometer.
Warm water has a low capacity for holding oxygen, so you may start to see your fish gasping for air close to the water’s surface, or close to a fountain or waterfall. In addition, warm pond water leads to increased activity from your finned friends, and that means your fish require more oxygen at a time when it’s least available.
As your fish struggle for oxygen, they’ll become increasingly stressed. And stressed fish are more likely to develop diseases, which is a scenario you want to avoid. But take comfort in knowing there are things you can do to help your pond (and fish) beat the summer heat.
To optimize fish health during extreme heat, you want to ensure your fish have the best pond environment possible. It all starts with a well-designed water feature. Depth, plant coverage, shade, filtration, and circulation should all be considered when building a pond. A minimum depth of two feet is suggested so the fish can rest near the bottom where the water is cooler.
You’ll also want to stock your pond with a lot of plants to provide shade for the fish. A good rule of thumb is to provide plant coverage of approximately one-third to one-half of the pond’s surface area. Waterlily pads provide great coverage, but you should also consider floating plants such as water lettuce and water hyacinth.
Perhaps one of the most important parts of pond design is circulation. Ideally, your biological filter and mechanical filter are placed across the pond from each other, so that all areas of the pond are skimmed and the water is properly circulated. Keep in mind that waterfalls, streams, and even fountains play a huge part in the oxygenation of the water in your pond. If you don’t already have a waterfall cascading into your pond, you can incorporate a Pond Waterfall Filter which works on ponds up to 1,000 gallons.
During these hot, dog days of summer, try some of these tips to keep your pond performing optimally:
Add oxygen to your pond by placing an aerator or an AquaForce® submersible pump in your pond. You can also install a small fountain or spitter if your pond doesn’t have a waterfall or stream built in.
If you feed your fish, feed them quality fish food in the morning and be careful not to overfeed. Uneaten food decays faster in warmer water and can pollute the pond.
Be sure to remove fading leaves and flowers from plants before they have a chance to decay in the warmer water.
The bottom line is that you should keep an eye on your pond during the hottest days of summer. If you have a balanced ecosystem, you don’t need to check your pond everyday. It’s most likely that you’re spending time by the pond every day in the summer, so taking a mental note of what’s needed to keep your fish healthy and happy is a pleasant task.