Beneficial Bacteria:  Bacteria that feed on fish wastes. They help convert ammonia to nitrites further to nitrates that acts as a natural pond filtrating agents. They are absorbed by the aquatic plants to produce oxygen thus forming a nitrogen cycle. This action reduces the phosphorous and organic waste content in pond avoiding algae formation.

Biological Filtration:  Biological filters are those that make use of beneficial bacterial to cleanse water of chemicals and nutrients.  Generally, Biological Filtration is achieved using either a Filter Fall or Pressurized Filter.

Bog Filter:  The ultimate pond filter for water purity, clarity, and low maintenance. Unlike man made filters, bogs can completely process organic waste, including solid waste, and even process some inorganic waste, such as minerals.  The bog filter provides a perfect background for the pond, showcasing plants while allowing more pond surface area to remain open. It also provides a natural looking transition from land to pond, and enhances the landscaping around the pond.

Bog Plant:  These perennial aquatic plants, sometimes called marginal plants or shallow water plants, provide vertical accent and texture contrast to your water garden. Some are grown solely for their leaves, while others boast flowers at various times of the season.

Filter Fall:  A filter that doubles as a waterfall feature in your pond usually containing filter media that provides surface area for beneficial bacteria to establish & grow colonies.  

Formal Pond:  Usually characterized as being modern, symmetrical, and mainly integrated in patios, against walls or above ground or with decking.

Informal Pond:  Characterized as being naturalistic – using as many natural materials as possible to imitate formations occurring naturally in nature.  

Koi Pond:  Because koi can grow to be quite large, we recommend that koi ponds be at least 12 – 15′ wide.  In order to ensure koi have access to sufficiently cool water during the hot summer months, we recommend that at least one (1) section of your pond, if not the entire pond, be 3′ deep.  Biological filtration is also recommended as it’s vital to keep ammonia levels to a minimum in order to maintain healthy fish and to reduce algae.  

Lily  (Water Lily):  Water lilies are divided into two main categories: hardy and tropical. Hardy water lilies bloom only during the day, but tropical water lilies can bloom either during the day or at night, and are the only group to contain blue-flowered plants

Mechanical Filtration:  Pre-filter placed before the pump inlet; helps to minimize clogging of the pump.

Pressure Filter:  A filter that is completely enclosed; this allows the filter to act as an extension of the plumbing and so does not have to be placed at water level or at the head of the waterfall, can be located at any elevation.

Rubber Liner: Manufactured by Firestone, HCWG uses a 45 mil. EPDM rubber liner that is both plant & fish safe.  Additionally, our rubber liner is puncture, scratch & UV resistant and comes with a 20-year warranty.  

Semi-Formal Pond:  Characterized as being between formal and informal, semi-informal ponds usually are not symmetrical but do retain formal elements such as a sitting wall, cap-stoned edging and rock & mortar masonry.  

UV Filtration:  A device that uses ultraviolet light to kill free-floating algae, bacteria, and other tiny organisms.

Probably the most common complaint we hear from pond keepers is that their ponds are green or dirty.

The probable cause is more than likely algae. There are over 25,000 known varieties of algae and they exist all over the world in oceans, rivers, lakes, streams, ponds, marshes and aquariums.

Algae will turn a new pond green after a few days depending on the temperature and sunlight available. The algae will thrive on the dissolved mineral salts found in fresh water, so emptying the pond and starting all over is not going to keep your pond from going green.

Algae can be airborne or carried into your pond by birds that drink or bathe in your water.

Algae is actually good for your pond. The algae will break down wastes in the pond and digest them to keep the water quality up. The algae oxygenates the water and many serious koi keepers have found that if they place their koi in a “green pond” several months before a show the colors are stronger and more vibrant.

The fish are perfectly happy and thrive in green ponds. They are safer from predators too, as the predators can’t see them.

Fish and Temperature
Temperate fish such as koi, goldfish and most native fish will survive Texas winters. However, most tropical fish such as plecos and gouramis should be removed from the pond before the water temperature falls below 60°F.

Feeding Fish
Your fish will let you know when they no longer need to feed. When they quit coming up to feed it is time to stop. This will usually happen when the water temperature falls below 50°F. Aquatic Plants

• Hardy Water Lilies: Stop fertilizing as of October 1st, and start again at the beginning of March. Trim all yellow and brown leaves and just let the plant go dormant.
• Tropical Water Lilies: Stop fertilizing about mid-September and begin again at the beginning of March. Trim all yellow and brown leaves and place the bare pot in the deepest part of the pond. Most tropical water lilies will come back in this part of Texas.
• Lotus: Don’t fertilize from October through February. Trim off all remaining leaves and leave the plant alone until the end of February. At this time the plant can be split, if needed.
• Marginal / Bog Plants: Almost all bog plants are perennials, and will come back year after year. Don’t fertilize from October through February. After the second or third freeze, the plant will become discolored. Cut it back three inches above the crown and submerse it so that top of the pot is six inches below the water level. Some plants like Water Hawthorne and Water Iris thrive in the colder weather, and will add some much needed greenery during the winter months.

Materials for Winterizing

• Autumn Prep. Microbe-Lift
• Barley Bales, Barley Pellets, or Barley Extract
• Algae Fix or Algaway 5.4
• Thermometers
• Pond Netting
• Spring & Fall Food

by John Howell

Believe it or not, winter is actually approaching. I remember last Oct 31, sweating while trick-or-treating with my sons. I’m not sure when or how long it will be cold this year, but I do know there are a few things we need to do to prepare our ponds for winter and have a more successful spring.

• Do a light cleaning of the pond (don’t scrub!). Specifically remove any leaves and debris that could foul the water in the winter. A sludge digester is also a good idea in the fall to help break down the solid matter on the bottom of the pond.
• Check your pump and be sure the sponge filter is free of debris. Raise the pump off the bottom of the pond to circulate upper water, allowing the bottom water to stay warmer for the fish. Switch koi and goldfish to Autumn/Fall food. These foods usually contain wheat germ and have lower protein. When water temps go below 50 degrees, stop feeding all together. Don’t worry, they won’t starve.
• Plecostomus (algae eaters) – These fish do not like water temps below 65 degrees. It is best to remove them from the pond for the winter.
• Stop feeding your lilies by the end of September to allow the plants to tuber and harden off for the winter. Leaf production should be dropping as the plant prepares itself for cooler weather. Keep the dead leaves pruned and out of the pond. Any pots that are raised can be lowered to the bottom for winter.

We have Sludge Digesters, Muck Vacs and Fall fish food in stock to help you prepare for winter. As I always say, every pond is unique. For instance, some ponds do best to turn off water features in the winter while it is essential to keep them on in other ponds.

Come see us and let us help with your specific pond needs.

1. Materials: clay-based top soil, aquatic pot (no holes), fertilizer.
2. Put about 2 inches of soil in pot, add Ag Safe Fertilizer (1 tab per gallon of pot) then fill pot with soil.
3. Hardy water lilies have long rhizomes which grow horizontally (across the pot). Put the butt of the rhizome against the pot with the growing tip facing center. Press the lily firmly into the pot being careful not to cover the crown; the crown (growing tip) should be just at the surface of the soil.
4. A tropical lily’s roots grow vertically. Place the plant in the center of the pot. Pack soil firmly with fist, being sure to leave the crown exposed.
5. Marginals or bog plants are planted in the same manner as common annuals and perennials. Be careful not to cover the crown.
6. Lotus require a little more attention when potting. Lotus tubers grow horizontally. Follow the same instructions for preparing the pot, but use at least a four to five gallon container. With your hand, form a one to two-inch trench along one side of the pot and place the tuber in the trench. Be careful not to break the growing tip then cover the tuber with soil pressing firmly but gently, leaving the growing tip exposed.
7. Cover the soil with about an inch of gravel then add water before you place the plant in the pond.
8. Gently lower the pot into the pond. If the plant begins to float, don’t panic, simply push it back in the soil and add some more gravel.

Remember that lilies love fertilizer. To ensure growth and blooms, fertilize lilies at least once a month during the growing season.

Worried about losing your tropical lily this winter? Don’t just quit fertilizing about mid-September. This stresses the plant sending it to tuber. Once the lily is in it’s hard tuber state, it won’t freeze!

Tropicals and lotus also love fertilizer – you can fertilize every three weeks for optimum blooms.

SALT

Non-Iodized table, rock or ice cream salt.
No YPS – Yellow Prussiate of Soda

AS A TREATMENT

• Add 3 pounds per 100 gallons (0.3%)
• Add slowly over 3 days & leave in for 2 weeks
• Remove through regular water changes

Some Costia infections on imported koi can be resistant to this level of salt.
It is ok to increase dosage to 6 pounds per 100 gallons (0.6%)

Precautions:

• 0.3% will not harm hardy lilies, papyrus, irises, etc. However it can damage or kill plants that get nutrients from water such as hyacinths, anachris algae, cabomba, eldodea, etc.
• If you are using 0.3% – 0.5%, it is best to put fish in separate container of pond water to treat so as not to harm plants.
• Large die off of algae or plant material can cause increased oxygen demands during treatment.
• Do not leave salt in pond all year long as some parasites can become resistant.
• Do not allow fish access to undissolved salt.

Recommendations:

Treatment once in Spring & once in Fall as a preventative
As needed for outbreaks of infection

AS A BATH or DIP

• 1 pound per 10 gallons
• Leave fish in bath for 2 to 5 minutes
• Watch for signs of irritation

ANTIBIOTICS

Precautions for Amikacyn, Azactam and Baytril:

• Apply by weight of fish
• Usually requires 3 shots on consecutive days followed by 2 shots on alternate days
• Apply full regimen. Giving only 1 or 2 shots can create resistant strains of bacteria.

Precautions for Nuflor:

• Apply by weight of fish
• Oil based. Use on larger koi. Only 1 injection needed.

ANESTHETIC

MS222 (the professional anesthetic)
Oil of Clove (5 drops per gallon. Takes several hours to fully dissolve)

Dr. Eric Johnson www.koivet.com

Ingredients:
• One pound of granular or crystalline potassium permanganate (Kmm04)
• One pond, freshly cleaned of debris, bottom-detritus, dead fish or uneaten food.
• One group of fish with flashing, redspots, spider web skin lesions, fin rot, sliminess, ulcers, fungal lesions.

Precautions:
• The presence of large amounts of organic debris, uneaten food, dead fish, leaves, dead plants will cause the potassium to spend it’s energy on oxidizing the organics, not on the parasites or ulcers.
• The presence of dechlorinator in the water will inactivate the treatment. (Latency 2 days)
• The presence of Hydrogen peroxide will inactivate treatment. (Latency 3 days)
• Potassium can kill a lot of algae, increasing oxygen demand, especially in warm water over eighty degrees.

How to do this:

Day One
1. Bypass filter but increase circulation and aeration
2. Apply one level teaspoon of granular potassium permanganate per six hundred gallons of water. Do not stand down wind as the powder is added. Do not get in eyes. Do not get on skin. Do not breathe powder.
3. Wait until water changes from purple/pink into a brown or amber color.
4. Resume filtration and keep up all circulation.
5. Apply standard OTC Hydrogen Peroxide 3% USP at a rate of one quart per five thousand gallons of pond water. In one hour you’ll have clear water with no residual evidence of Potassium staining.

Day Four
1. Bypass filter but increase circulation and aeration.
2. Apply one level teaspoon of granular potassium permanganate per six hundred gallons of water.
3. Wait until water changes from purple/pink into a brown or amber color.
4. Resume filtration and keep up all circulation.
5. Apply standard OTC Hydrogen Peroxide 3% USP at a rate of one quart per five thousand gallons of pond water. In one hour you’ll have clear water with no residual evidence of Potassium staining.

Day Eight & Twelve
1. Exact repeat of Days One and Four

Pond Depth
Pond depth should be a minimum of 15″ to 18″ for goldfish and 24″ for koi. Ideally, you should have a section 2.5′ to 3.0′ deep for koi.

Co-habitation
Koi and goldfish co-exist very well together. However, they can interbreed which may be a drawback for koi enthusiasts.

Quantity of Fish
The general rule of thumb is 1″ of fish per 10 gallons of water. However, with adequate aeration and filtration, you can double this to 2″ of fish per 10 gallons of water. An average size waterfall usually produces plenty of aeration.

Feeding Your Fish
Goldfish are quite self sufficient feeding on algae and other plant material. But if you want to ensure good growth and color, feed once a day with a high quality gold fish food. Feed the amount they will finish in five minutes. Koi, on the other hand, must be fed daily due to the fact that they don’t have stomachs and cannot store food. It is best to feed koi once or twice a day (all they will finish in 5 minutes), but do not over-feed them! During warmer months (when water temperatures are above 65°F), a high protein food will enhance color and growth. As the water gets cooler, it is a good idea to switch to a food lower in protein and higher in wheat germ. During colder months (when water temperatures are below 50°F) the metabolism of koi slows down and they no longer need to be fed. Any koi food is also fine for goldfish.

Do Fish Eat Plants?
Fish sometimes eat plants, however, this is much more likely to be the case with large koi and hard to predict. Many pond owners have koi and plants living in perfect harmony, while others are fighting a constant battle.

Extreme Water Temperatures
Cooler temperatures for fish are fine, so heating your pond is not necessary. The only threat from extreme cold is if the pond freezes solid. However, it is very important to protect fish from rising water temperatures from our hot Central Texas summers. Providing adequate depth (18″ for goldfish and 24″ minimum for koi) and sufficient plant coverage for shade (60% – 70% surface coverage,) will allow more oxygen in the water for your fish. Fish need adequate oxygen to survive and warm water does not retain dissolved oxygen as well as cooler water. Oxygen is provided by plants photosynthesizing during the day, but only by your water feature at night. So don’t turn off your waterfall at night. This is a common mistake that can be detrimental to fish.

Transporting Fish

• After purchasing your fish, be sure to keep them cool during the trip home. Never leave fish in the car during warm weather.
• Allow your fish to adjust to the water temperature of your pond. Do this by floating them on your pond in the bag of water they are transported in for about thirty minutes before putting them directly into the pond.
• When fish are transferred from one place to another, they can become stressed, so don’t be surprised if your fish do not eat for a few days.
• Make sure that your pond water is dechlorinated before adding fish. This is done with dechlorinating agents or by filling your pond and waiting at least ten days. Cedar Park and Leander residents should be aware that the tap water may contain ammonia levels that are potentially deadly for fish. In this case, you need to use a dechlorinator that also binds ammonia, such as Ammo-Lock, Kent Detox or Vanish.

Location
One of the most important decisions you will make regarding your new pond is its location. Most aquatic plants prefer direct sun. So, to maximize plant growth and blooms, position your pond to receive at least five hours of sun a day. If this is not an option, don’t be discouraged, there are also many shade tolerant plants to choose from. Another factor to consider is the pond’s proximity to trees. If possible, avoid locating your pond directly under trees to prevent excessive accumulation of leaves in your pond. Be sure to create your water garden in a location where you will get the most enjoyment from it. Many people prefer a view from a deck or patio.

Size and Depth
A comment often made by pond owners is that they wish they had made their pond larger. If you plan to have koi, consider making your pond at least 10′ x 15′ to include a section that is 3 feet deep. Smaller more shallow ponds are usually adequate for goldfish. Goldfish and lilies do best with at least 18″ of water depth. Most water lilies can adjust to a depth of up to 3 feet, but for ponds deeper than 3 feet, they will need to be raised with plant stands or rocks.

Liner
We recommend a 45 mil. EDPM rubber liner, available through Hill Country Water Gardens. It is fish and plant safe, puncture, scratch and UV resistant and has a 20-year warranty. Rubber liner is the most common material used to build ponds because there are no restrictions on style, size or shape.

Pumps and Filter Systems
We recommend some type of filtration system on all ponds. There are several options, and one of our staff will be glad to help you select the one best suited to your pond. When selecting a pump, choose one that will circulate the total amount of water in your pond once every hour to hour and a half. Your water feature (waterfall, fountain, etc.) will also help determine what size pump is needed.

Estimating Number of Gallons in your Pond
Average width x average length x average depth x 7.5 = estimated total gallons.

Estimating Liner Size
We recommend you dig the hole for your pond first, and then calculate the liner size using the following formula:

maximum length in feet
+ maximum depth in feet
+ maximum depth in feet
+ 3 feet
______________________
minimum length in feet

maximum width in feet
+ maximum depth in feet
+ maximum depth in feet
+ 3 feet
______________________
minimum width in feet

Example
A 6 ft. wide by 9ft. long by 1.5 ft. deep hole
9ft. + 1.5ft. + 1.5ft. + 3ft. = 15ft.
6ft. + 1.5ft. + 1.5ft. + 3ft. = 12ft.
Minimum size 12′ x 15′ = 180 square feet