Pond Care A to Z

[Carl]

We have performed a major overhaul of the Pond Care Information article.

This update include a change to the layout and how resources are displayed.

We also updated the pdf download for the article too.

Here is a quote for the article:
"For the UV to properly function in a pond for green water control (UV Clarification), the flow rate should not exceed 40-50 gph per watt of UVC in most Compact UV Sterilizers (such as the Tetra, or Terminator), or 50-70 gph per watt for most higher dwell time straight tube UV Clarifiers (some super high efficiency/dwell time UV Clarifiers such as the TMC Pro Clear UV30 can go to over 70 gph per watt). Keep in mind these numbers are for UVC Clarification, not level 1 sterilization (which requires slower rates and higher pond or aquarium turnover).

Product Resource: TMC Pro Clear UV30"

References:
www.americanaquariumproducts.com/ClearPond.html
www.americanaquariumproducts.com/TMCUVSterilizer.html#30watttmc

Carl

[Carl]

With pond season upon much of the USA and close in many other parts and Canada, I have updated this article some more, including more added to the treatments section

Reference:
www.americanaquariumproducts.com/ClearPond.html

Carl

[Carl]

We updated the Pond Care article once again, this includes a new picture from Steven




Reference:
www.americanaquariumproducts.com/ClearPond.html

Carl

[Carl]

We have once more updated the Pond Care article with pond season around the corner (although in full swing with our Southern Hemisphere friends)

Here is a quote:
"In my many years of pond maintenance using many different brands, I have found that regardless of what a pump manufacturer or retailer tells you, ALL POND PUMPS ARE EASILY CLOGGED OR EVEN QUICKLY RUINED BY DEBRIS!
Whether you purchase one of our recommended pumps or use a pump you already have purchased; if you do not take steps to prevent debris from clogging your pump, you will be setting yourself up for future headaches and pond pump failures.

Reference:
www.americanaquariumproducts.com/ClearPond.html

Carl

[Carl]

I have updated the Pond Article once again.

This update includes more information about UV Sterilizer maintenance

Here is a snip:
"Make sure to change your UV Bulb/Lamp once per season or twice per year in warm climates such as So. California or Florida.
Also of importance, especially in recent years, is to make sure you replace your UV lamp/bulb with a true level 1 UV capable low pressure high efficiency hot cathode UV Bulb.
With the popularity of late of sellers such as Amazon or eBay, along with other discounters, the pressure to sell medium pressure or cold cathode UV bulbs to keep the price low is very common. These lower price bulbs only have a useful UVC output of about 1/4 to 1/3 that of the better true UVC lamps/bulbs, resulting in lower performance. Often these sellers market nail curing bulbs as aquarium/pond capable UV bulbs and then sell these for better mark ups at lower prices."

Reference:
www.americanaquariumproducts.com/ClearPond.html#uv_sterilizer

Carl

[Carl]

I have again updated the Pond Care article, in particular the UV Sterilization/Clarification section.

Here is a snip:
"Another important consideration with the use of ANY UV Sterilizer for outdoor pond use is protection from direct weather exposure.
Despite some less than honest manufacturer claims, I have found that even UVs specifically designed for outdoor use succumb to the weather, often with damage to the ballast resulting in a UV Bulb failing to properly fire, especially a new premium hot cathode/low pressure bulb (these are much more efficient, but also require a higher voltage surge to fire). Even sunlight can cause indirect issues by causing too much heat build up that can damage ballast, connects, etc.
Ventilation is another common issue I have seen. Burying your UV or placing in an unventilated box is a sure fire way to shorten the life of your UV and lamps.

My suggestion is to cover the UV Sterilizer with flat rock (such as pictured) or suspend the UV in a structure that protects the UV from direct weather, including sunlight."

Reference:
www.americanaquariumproducts.com/ClearPond.html#uv_sterilizer

Carl

[Carl]

I have made several updates to the Pond Keeping article, including a commentary in the overview section.

Here is part of this comment:
"Please note that while I recommend specific pumps, filter, UVs, and other pond equipment; for the most part these recommendations are based on years of use (for reliability, efficiency, and economy) by me and/or other pond keepers and professionals I trust for their input; NOT what some pond supply distributor has suggested!
Please take most of these recommendations/suggestions as just that, as often there are similar products that might work just as well.

In the case of UV Sterilizers, I have VERY extensive experience, from designing, application, experimenting with controlled tests and more; so my recommendations for true UV Sterilizers (including specific brands there in) is based on this considerable experience and the use of equipment other than recommended will likely NOT yield the same results, especially based on email from those who have read this article but still chose a different path for this important equipment!!
For this reason, I stand by the suggestions/recommendation more strongly, again not that good results cannot be obtained with similar equipment, just that many of the Sterilizers I do suggest, especially the TMC line, I have decades of experience with and this includes use of competing products that simply have not performed as well in 100s of applications I have been professionally associated with.
A good example is the TMC Professional 110 Watt True UV Sterilizer which along with others in this line of UVs has performed as well or better than any other comparable UV and at a better price & high longevity too."

Reference:
www.americanaquariumproducts.com/ClearPond.html

Carl

[Carl]

I have updated the Pond Care Article again

Here is a snip from the article that is a bit more promotional, but still makes a good point that not all pond pumps are the same
"
The SunSun JAP-8500 Amphibious Pump at 2245 gph or the ultra efficient SunSun JTP-12000 High Efficiency Pump that produces 3170 GPH FOR ONLY 100 Watts are excellent heavy duty submersible pumps (pictured above).
In fact, as these SunSun JTP-12000 pumps have now been out for a while, these have really impressed me as the pump to have for any high flow submersible application due to reliability, flow and super high electrical efficiency!!"


Reference:
www.americanaquariumproducts.com/ClearPond.html

Resource:


Carl

[Carl]

I have further updated the Pond Care article

Here is an excerpt from the Pond Filtration Section
"Readers might note that I did not include skimmers in my list above. While popular, I personally do not care for pond skimmers as these often tend to trap water lilies, hyacinth, and other floating pond plants all the while providing little to the quality of pond filtration (other than removal of floating leaf debris, especially in autumn).
I have found when I took over a pond care contract for a client that already have a skimmer, I would later disconnect the skimmer after adding a Veggie Filter. Part of the problem is many of the ponds I was called to consult on "after they were built" were built by "pool guys" and skimmers are great for pools, but not ponds and these builders often knew little to nothing about building a living pond, including a bog/veggie filter.
In the end, the pond actually was MORE clear with more natural looking floating plants too!
So avoid the sales pitch by many, do NOT purchase a pond skimmer by ANY maker!"


Carl

[Carl]

I have again updated the Pond Care article.

Here is an excerpt from the UV Sterilizer use section:
"Although not always necessary in a well planted, well shaded, well filtered aquarium; these devices are still very useful.
True UV Sterilizers help with algae control, disease prevention, and the Redox potential (which is important for fish health and proper filtration), while lower priced UV Clarifiers only help with Clarification and even then do a lessor job clearing a pond
The time it takes to clear a green pond with a UV Sterilizer/Clarifier can vary greatly from 1 day to a couple weeks to even never!
The reason for such wide variance is due to lack of adequate filtration which includes a good bio filter such as a veggie filter or use of de-nitrifying material/products such as SeaChem Matrix or Volcanic Rock.
This is why the formula I use to match a UV Sterilizer/Clarifier to an Aquarium or pond can be "off" by 50% or more, since this formula along with all reasonably honest manufacturer recommendations ASSUME a healthy bio filter. In other words, if a UV Sterilizer is rated to clarify a pond of say 1000 gallons, if its bio load exceeds the bio capacity of filtration, it may take a UV Sterilizer rated for 2000 gallons+!!
It is also noteworthy that the same UV or even a lessor UV may clear a pond one season and not the next; this is quite common as a pond matures, in particular in a pond with inadequate filtration!"

Reference:
www.americanaquariumproducts.com/ClearPond.html#uv_sterilizer

[Carl]

The Pond Care Article has been updated

EXCERPT (from Pond Chemistry):
"If your GH is low this can be a problem (with a stable pH) during the hours of the day when photosynthesis is high, even with an adequate KH.
It is possible in a pond with heavy plant growth and/or high algae growth WITHOUT adequate water hardness (GH), for aquarium chemistry to become problematic due to increased photosynthesis. So either the reduction of algae and/or an increase in minerals to aid GH is important if GH, pH, or KH are problematic.

Products such as Wonder Shells (or Sea-Lab for larger ponds) can help with supplying essential mineral cations as well as oxidative stress/poor osmoregulation, ammonia, & stress from transfer.
Quite bluntly, these are a MUST USE product for any serious pond keeper"



Carl