You can top up the pond with tap water if you first treat it by mixing in a product called Aquasafe. It's an expensive business keeping fish. Well, keeping fish alive is.
Just re-read one of your comments, Ruby. If the water fails one of the tests the pack will tell you what you have to do to fix the problem. It isn't terribly complicated, don't worry.
What size is the existing pond? It's much more difficult to keep a good balance in a small pond. Conditions in a small pond will change much more quickly than in a large one.
Alright I got myself a pond testing kit today and its all clear. Although the yellow on the test strip was in between a safe colour and a not so safe colour. I will re-rest tommorow, but pretty sure its okay.
This pond weed you speak of, I actually have it but I threw away the band holding them together that helps them sink. oops =/. Only two have self righted and have a small portion breaking the surface.
I think the problem is a lack of oxygen in the water - that's quite a small pond and we've had a long dry summer - a small fountain might do the trick.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Dovefromabove - I just couldn't conceive that would be the problem I gave that pond (when I noticed the one fish gulping alot, and bumping into things) more than enough water and the little fella still died hours later.
The remaining one is healthy enough. Gulping that food down and swimming fast
Conditions in a tiny pond like that will change very quickly, particularly in the hot & humid weather we have been experiencing lately. By the time you spotted the problem the one fish was probably already beyond saving despite the short term recovery.
Your new pond will be much easier to manage, especially if you have a pump in it to help aeration in the summer months as it will have roughly 30 times the volume of water. I'm not a great fan of filters and UV lamps as they encourage over stocking and the resultant problems if filter or lamp fail.
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Also use barley straw to help filter the water,this is also sold in little nets in the aquatic centre.
You can top up the pond with tap water if you first treat it by mixing in a product called Aquasafe. It's an expensive business keeping fish. Well, keeping fish alive is.
Just re-read one of your comments, Ruby. If the water fails one of the tests the pack will tell you what you have to do to fix the problem. It isn't terribly complicated, don't worry.
What size is the existing pond? It's much more difficult to keep a good balance in a small pond. Conditions in a small pond will change much more quickly than in a large one.
Alright I got myself a pond testing kit today and its all clear. Although the yellow on the test strip was in between a safe colour and a not so safe colour. I will re-rest tommorow, but pretty sure its okay.
This pond weed you speak of, I actually have it but I threw away the band holding them together that helps them sink. oops =/. Only two have self righted and have a small portion breaking the surface.
KT53 I linked the pond I have http://www.amazon.co.uk/Rainworth-Preformed-Starter-Garden-Pond/dp/B006YMMYFM/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1377810650&sr=8-3&keywords=preformed+pond
Glad to hear that the water is OK (ish?) The pond plants don't have to be tied down they just look tider that way.
I think the problem is a lack of oxygen in the water - that's quite a small pond and we've had a long dry summer - a small fountain might do the trick.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Dovefromabove - I just couldn't conceive that would be the problem
I gave that pond (when I noticed the one fish gulping alot, and bumping into things) more than enough water and the little fella still died hours later.
The remaining one is healthy enough. Gulping that food down and swimming fast
Conditions in a tiny pond like that will change very quickly, particularly in the hot & humid weather we have been experiencing lately. By the time you spotted the problem the one fish was probably already beyond saving despite the short term recovery.
Your new pond will be much easier to manage, especially if you have a pump in it to help aeration in the summer months as it will have roughly 30 times the volume of water. I'm not a great fan of filters and UV lamps as they encourage over stocking and the resultant problems if filter or lamp fail.