Preparing Your Pond for Spring

Rupert Bridges from Aquatics Specialist Tetra offers advice and guidance

The recent weather may make it hard to believe, but spring really is on its way and, for most of us leaving the cold winter months behind and preparing for the spring sunshine is a refreshing thought. The same applies to ponds and their inhabitants which means now is the time to prepare your pond for the forthcoming months, as the rise in temperature brings about some key changes.

The warmer weather sees a shift in activity within the pond amongst the fish and potentially harmful micro organisms, including bacteria, fungi and parasites. This combination, if left untreated, can cause major upset and in-balance to the well being of the pond and the fish. This is in part due to the increase in activity amongst your fish as they start to feed again and the production of waste increases.

The grouping of harmful micro organisms and increased waste can have a detrimental affect on the balance of the pond if specific procedures are not carried out. The reason behind this is during the first few weeks of the warmer weather, the activity of these micro organisms and the amount of waste produced may exceed the capabilities of the fish’s immune system and of the filter to deal with them.

However, by following some basic guidelines fishkeepers and gardeners can ensure the healthy balance of their pond and prepare to enjoy the benefits of pond and fish keeping over the next few months.

Keeping your fish in top condition

TetraPond Wheatgerm Sticks and Tetrapond Sticks help keep your fish healthy by supplying all of their nutritional needs, which is vital at this time of year as the weather changes. These should be offered sparingly during the first few warm spells and gradually increased to two or three times a day as the temperature stabilises.

Spring cleaning for your pond

Ensuring the pond is reasonably clean prior to the weather warming is also helpful. Any sediment can be removed with a pond vacuum and it is a good idea to perform a 25% water change. When topping your pond up, remember to use a water conditioner, such as TetraPond AquaSafe, in order to neutralise harmful chlorine. Once the pond begins to get warm, adding a general disease remedy will help prevent any infection as activity in the pond increases.

Spring clean filters by gently rinsing any biological media (usually consisting of black rings) in a bucket of pond water and spraying off foams under the hose. Biological media should never be washed under the hose as the chlorine contained in the water will kill any beneficial bacteria.

Keeping a close eye on your fish during this period of the year is perhaps the most important advice. This will allow you to react quickly to any signs of ill health and keep on top of any problems. If possible, testing your water quality every week will give you even more of an advantage, allowing you to check the pond is keeping well balanced. Simple to use test kits are readily available and the Tetra pond range enables you to check for all the important water quality parameters.

By following these tips you should see your fish through the Spring without any problems. For more information on Tetra products visit the Tetra website at www.tetra.net.

6 Top Tips from Tetra

1. Select a food that has all the nutrients your fish need. Ask your aquatics retailer for advice.
2. Feed fish sparingly and gradually increase frequency as the temperature rises.
3. Complete a 25% water change, using a water conditioner when you refill your pond.
4. Add a general disease remedy to help fight any harmful bacteria.
5. Clean you filter in pond water and spray off any foam with a hose.
6. Do regular water quality tests to make sure your fish are maintained in a healthy environment.

For further information go to www.tetra.net.