In the second part of the article “The ABC of Pond Care in Autumn/Winter”, we concentrate on the water, its cleaning and the filter.
Cold, wind and rain, sometimes even snow - autumn is rushing headlong into winter. In addition to the fascinating palette of colours in our gardens and forests, there’s a lot happening at once at this point, marking the start of one of the most important phases of the year for pond maintenance. If you don’t react, you’ll create problems for the next pond season with algae, cloudy water and, in the worst case, even sick fish.
Now is the time to lay the foundations for a healthy ecosystem. We have put together a checklist with all the tips and topics you need to be best prepared for winter and the coming spring.
4. Adjusting and monitoring the water values
In the first part we saw how the autumn season and its transition to winter is anything but stable. Not only are there fewer hours of sunshine, lower temperatures and potentially a huge increase in the volume of the water, but the plants and fish greatly reduce their activity. At the same time the nutrient load increases, minerals are diluted, and the bacteria have a lot of heavy work. If you’re unlucky, the whole environment can become unstable, resulting in major fluctuations in the pH value or, even worse, a drop in acidity.
Even if the pond looks clear and the water does not smell, it may have a problem. However, everything may also be fine. Only a test can provide certainty. You can easily do this yourself with the JBL PROAQUATEST LAB Koi . More than 10 parameters are available for immediate measurement at home. The process is easy and only takes 1 to 10 minutes - depending on the test. You can find out how it works here: Testing water .
So when should you test? Normally you know your pond and only test it if you notice something strange. But autumn is a strange time and always brings big fluctuations with it. It is therefore advisable to do a check every 10-14 days. If you don't have any tests at home, your local specialist retailer can help you with a test.
A quick and easy alternative is JBL PROSCAN . In combination with your smartphone, you can determine, digitally analyse and save up to seven important parameters in just 60 seconds.
You can find out which water parameters are relevant for your pond, what influence they have and how you can influence them here: The water tests – all parameters .
5. Cleaning the pond
At this point, the pond needs your active support. We divide it into four areas.
- The water surface
- The shore zone
- The underwater world
- The bottom of the pond
Each zone in itself needs to be checked. It is almost always about the same points. In some zones, one step or another can be completed more quickly or more easily.
- Remove any large dead plant debris
- Try remove as much foliage as possible with the landing net
- Remove existing algae coatings and algae pads over a large area
Remember: Once completely removed from the pond plant matter cannot release any unwanted nutrients stored in it during the decomposition process. A coarse landing net ( JBL pond fish net S, coarse & JBL pond fish net M, coarse ) and a fine landing net ( JBL pond fish net S, fine & JBL pond fish net M, fine ) will help you to collect the different sized elements.
You don't have to make it clinically clean, but remove any parts you can.
You also need to siphon off the bottom of the pond. You will not be able to remove the finely decomposed organic matter sufficiently with a landing net. A pond sludge remover can help here. You can hire one from a specialist pond retailer, DIY store or your local pet shop for a small fee if you don't have one yourself. In just a few minutes, you can combine your water change with sludge removal.
JBL SediEx Pond does the rest for you. It helps to decompose organic deposits and reduce the formation of foul gases.
6. Filter maintenance
You also need to actively support your filter. After all, the pond filter plays a crucial role in maintaining stable and healthy water quality. It’s best to clean it regularly in summer. This allows you to remove deposits, fish faeces and algae and ensure an even flow through the filter for efficient cleaning. Roughly squeeze out the filter sponges, rinse the filter balls and replace the absorbent filter materials regularly.
JBL FilterStart Pond supports this work and ensures the colonisation of beneficial bacteria that promote the biological degradation of pollutants. This keeps the filter performance optimised and the pond water crystal clear.
The checklist for autumn & winter care with JBL pond products
In defining these 6 major work areas, we have shown you what you need to do in autumn and winter to prevent algae and diseased fish from becoming a problem in spring. These measures will ensure crystal-clear water and a healthy pond.
The products mentioned are summarised here as a shopping list with brief instructions for use and the number of the relevant text section:
Food for the cold season from 10 - 20 °C - JBL PROPOND AUTUMN S & JBL PROPOND AUTUMN M
Food for the cold season from 5- 10°C - JBL PROPOND WINTER S & JBL PROPOND WINTER M & JBL PROPOND WINTER L
Liquid helper for phosphate nutrient binding - JBL PhosEX Pond Direct
Digital water test with smartphone for monitoring water values - JBL PROSCAN
Quick drop test for pH/KH determination - JBL PROAQUATEST POND Check pH/KH
Bacteria to support the biological balance - JBL BactoPond
Bacterial starter to promote biodegradation - JBL FilterStart Pond
Basic care product to stabilise the water - JBL StabiloPond Basis
pH stabiliser for pond water - JBL StabiloPond KH
Supporter for the breakdown of pond sludge - JBL SediEx Pond
Catch nets / landing nets for removing leaves and algae in the pond - Landing net
Test case with more than 10 different tests - JBL PROAQUATEST LAB Koi
Filter material for removing phosphate PO4 in the pond filter - JBL PhosEX Pond Filter
© 12.12.2023
