Want to make sure that your pond is healthy and lively throughout the summer? Here are a few tips to keep your water high and your fish in their best condition.
Pond ownership requires a delicate balance of letting nature take its course and keeping up with its changes. If you own a pond or have one on your property, you probably know both how rewarding and time-consuming it can be to manage. When the hotter months come around, there are a few things to change about the way you care for your pond. Here are a few tips for a healthy pond in the summer that will keep it beautiful throughout the season.
Aerate For More Oxygen
Making sure that your pond has enough oxygen is crucial during the hot summer months. Warm water holds less oxygen than cold water, so you never want the water to sit still for too long. If you neglect it, the water near your pond’s surface will become oxygen deprived. Installing a proper system to aerate your pond will ensure that its water stays in motion and that there is an even distribution of oxygen throughout it.
Be Aware Of the Temperature
The beating sun can take a toll on your pond when you’re not careful. If your pond is regularly out in the sun, you owe it to yourself and your pond to add a bit of cover. Plants and nearby trees can provide adequate surface cover by shading your pond. They reduce its overall temperature and give your fish places where they can get away from the sun’s heat.
Avoid Overfeeding Fish
While you never really want to overfeed your fish, there is one extra snag that makes overfeeding in the summer worse. Uneaten food will eventually sink to the bottom of the pond, and it can start to decay quickly when in direct sunlight. Decaying food can emit harmless gases into your pond that remove oxygen and allow unwanted plant life to grow.
Regularly Refill
A particularly dry summer or many consecutive days without rain can make your pond quickly evaporate. A low pond is an oxygen-deprived one, and fish will become crowded with less water. Thus, you want to make sure that you’re refilling your pond with water when necessary. If you must use tap water for this, be sure to add in a water conditioner to protect your fish. Do it slowly to avoid changing the pond’s temperature too fast.
These tips for a healthy pond in the summer will help you keep your pond thriving through the summer heat. Though it’ll take a little more maintenance in the warmer months, you can have a pond that you’re proud of with just a few adjustments to your approach.
