A pond is a living ecosystem that contains bacteria, plants, fish and other life forms as well. Apart from an algae bloom, unclean water may also be caused by organic and decaying matter, clay, dirt, debris, animal feces, and other contaminants and undesired materials. You would not like your pond water to be unclean as it will also deteriorate the looks of your farm or home and will also harm aquatic life. When you want to have clean pond water and wish that it stays clean, you have a number of natural methods (in the form of biofilters, plants, and barley straw) available. Herbicides, pond cleaning equipment, chemicals, and certain artificial method can also be used for keeping pond water clean. Here are some tips that will help you have a clean water pond that is full of aquatic life when you are looking for an answer to the question “How to clean a pond?”.
Add Beneficial Bacteria
The breakdown of ammonia within the pond causes the formation of nitrites. These nitrites can be consumed by beneficial bacteria. This prevents the growth of harmful algae, which also feed on nitrates that are formed by the nitrites through a conversion process. The beneficial bacteria are sold commercially, and unlike the overdose of algaecides, an overdose of beneficial bacteria is not detrimental to the aquatic life.
Maintain Your Pond Regularly
You can clean your pond manually and on a regular basis to remove the debris and leaves that float on the water surface. A net is one of the cheapest ways to clean the water surface. The pond's bottom also requires cleaning and you need to use the wet vacuum or pond vacuum for cleaning the bottom of the pond.
It is important that the filters of the pond pump are cleaned once every week. All you need to do is to remove the filter, clean it by using a water hose and replace it. The manufacturer instructions should also be followed (if provided). The gauge of the filter should also be cleaned at a pressure of 4 to 5 pounds. Noise coming out of the filter or a leak in the pump are signs that the filter needs cleaning and maintenance.
Check The Fish Feed
Choosing a good quality fish feed will provide for its better digestion and hence lesser wastage residues and droppings will be there in the pond water. If you find that the feed is floating on water, you are probably overusing the feed. Overfeeding may also result in the growth of algae, as the excessive nutrients will be used by algae.
Use Of Organic Methods
When you want a solution to the question “How to clean a pond”, you have some biological options as well. You can use the biological in-pond and the external filters that will remove the organic waste and will provide for cleaner pond water. The external filters can be easily cleaned while the In-pond filters are easy to install. Choose a filter that can filter twice the water your pond contains, which will provide for better efficiency and cleanliness.
Organic materials like Barley straw secrete certain chemicals that do not allow algae to grow, and these can be used as well. You can also grow the aquatic plants (including the submerged or floating variety) that will prevent algae growth and will add some shade to the pond water, which will be liked by the fish as well. Remember that the shaded area should not exceed 50% of the total pond surface area.
Use Of Chemical Methods
Certain chemicals can be used for removing the algae. While they do not harm the snails and fish in most cases, they may be harmful to the tadpoles sometimes. You can also use calcium sulfate, which can break down the sludge accumulated at the bottom of a pond effectively.
Use Of Artificial Methods
Certain artificial methods including a waterfall or a fountain may provide for moving water, which is detrimental for the accumulation and growth of grime and algae. Use of ultraviolet clarifiers for removing and killing the suspended algae is also getting increasingly common nowadays. The pond water can also be changed by up to 30% every week so that clean and pathogen/algae/dirt free water gets added to it each week.
A reputed herbicide company will offer to you more information on the kinds of products and chemicals that can be used for cleaning the pond while not harming the aquatic life.