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Why is the pond still green when the UV is on?

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A pond can be green even while the pump, filter and UV are switched on. Before replacing equipment, it helps to separate three things: what is making the water green, whether the UV is treating it properly, and whether the filter is removing the resulting waste. We fit and look after pond filtration at That Pond Guy. This article draws on our full pond UV clarifier guide , where you can find the complete product examples, photographs and manufacturer references. Why is my pond water green? Green water is usually caused by microscopic, single-celled algae suspended in the water. There may be so many of them that the whole pond looks like pea soup. You cannot pick out each cell by eye; you see the colour of millions of them together. Algae need light and nutrients to grow. A sunny spell can make a noticeable difference, particularly as the weather warms up. Fish waste, uneaten food, decaying leaves and other organic matter add to the nutrients available in the pond. Soil and fertiliser...

Choosing Koi Food: Ingredients, Seasons and Feeding Portions

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Originally published on That Pond Guy: choosing koi food for your pond . We keep koi ourselves and sell pond food, so we have put together this practical explanation of the differences worth checking before buying another bag. There is more to a food than the protein percentage A row of koi food bags can make a straightforward purchase surprisingly difficult. Growth, wheatgerm, colour, health, probiotic and all season all describe something about a food, but none tells you everything you need to know. Start with your fish, the water temperature and what you want from the food. A complete daily diet for a mixed garden pond is a different purchase from a warm-water growth food for young koi. The highest protein figure is not automatically the most suitable choice. Before comparing prices, check four things: whether it is a complete feed, its temperature directions, its pellet size and its intended use. That makes a shortlist much more useful than trying to rank every brand from best ...

Oxygenating pond plants: where to put them and how to look after them

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This is an adapted article from our oxygenating pond plants guide on That Pond Guy . Buying a few bunches of oxygenating plants sounds straightforward. Where it can go wrong is treating every plant in the same way. Some need somewhere to root, some attach to a stone, and others do not need compost at all. We plant and maintain ponds as well as selling the plants. Before choosing a plant, we would look at where it will go, the light reaching it and whether fish are likely to disturb it. The pond’s volume alone tells us very little about those things. Start with how the plant grows Hornwort, Ceratophyllum demersum , is rootless. It can float freely or settle lower in the water. Weighted bunches help keep it in position, but there is no reason to bury those stems in a basket of compost. Willow moss, Fontinalis antipyretica , has a different habit. It can attach to a stone or another suitable surface. The RHS describes it as an evergreen moss for clear, cool water , with a depth range...

Choosing a Pond Pump: Head Height, Flow and Running Costs

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Originally published on That Pond Guy: choosing a pond pump . When someone asks us what size pump they need, the first useful information is usually a sketch of the pond, filter and pipework. The number printed on the pump box tells us only part of the story. We build, clean and maintain ponds at That Pond Guy, and keep koi ourselves. A pump needs to suit the system it will actually work in. Here are the checks we use to turn a broad maximum-flow figure into a more useful buying decision. Start with two numbers The first is the flow your filter or water feature needs to receive, in litres per hour. The second is the operating head: the resistance the pump must overcome to deliver that flow. This includes the lift and losses through pipework and connected equipment. The question is whether the chosen model can deliver the required flow at that operating head. Comparing maximum flow alone cannot answer it. Maximum flow and maximum head describe different ends of a pump's perform...

Pond Heating: Heat Pumps, Winter Covers and Running Costs

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A Remora Professional heat pump we installed as part of a pond renovation. Start with what you want the heating to do When someone asks us which pond heater to buy, our first question is what they want it to achieve. Keeping a small opening in the ice, extending the feeding season and holding a koi pond at a steady temperature through winter are different jobs. We build and maintain ponds at That Pond Guy, install equipment and keep koi ourselves. For regular pond heating, we generally recommend a suitable air source heat pump. It can deliver more heat for each unit of electricity than a direct electric heater, which matters when you are warming thousands of litres for weeks or months. That does not mean every heat pump suits every pond. The right choice depends on the temperature you want, the weather it must work through and how much heat the pond loses. Deal with heat loss before buying a bigger heater A cover, insulation and sheltered pipework deserve as much attention as the heate...

Water Lily Care in the UK: Planting, Flowering and Winter

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Originally published by That Pond Guy. Read our complete water lily care guide . Growing water lilies in UK ponds: planting, baskets and year round care We supply pond plants, but we also plant them in customers’ ponds as part of our pond care and building work. Choosing a lily is only the start: we need its basket to sit properly, its leaves to reach the light and the planting to stand up to the fish that live alongside it. The advice here combines those practical decisions with the growing requirements of the individual variety. A water lily can be the best thing you add to a garden pond: flowers to look forward to, leaves that soften the surface and a sheltered patch beneath them. Getting it right starts before the basket goes into the water. The variety, the depth above its crown and the space available matter much more than the colour on the label. This guide covers hardy water lilies in outdoor UK ponds. We explain how to choose and plant one, what to check when it does not f...

That Pond Guy - Guides and Articles

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  Guides and Articles Pond Care Guide (Seasonal) : https://www.thatpondguy.co.uk/pond-care-guide-spring-summer-autumn-winter/ Water Hardness and pH Stability : https://www.thatpondguy.co.uk/water-hardness-and-ph-stability-in-koi-ponds/ Ammonia and Nitrite Management : https://www.thatpondguy.co.uk/ammonia-and-nitrite-management-in-koi-ponds/ Oxygenation and Aeration : https://www.thatpondguy.co.uk/oxygenation-and-aeration-for-koi-ponds/ Pond Heating Guide : https://www.thatpondguy.co.uk/pond-heating-guide/ pH Levels in Ponds : https://www.thatpondguy.co.uk/ph-levels-in-ponds/ Evolution Aqua Nexus Filter Guide : https://www.thatpondguy.co.uk/evolution-aqua-nexus-pond-filter-guide/ What to Feed Koi in Winter : https://www.thatpondguy.co.uk/what-to-feed-koi-in-winter/ Elevating Koi Well-Being (Water Quality) : https://www.thatpondguy.co.uk/elevating-koi-well-being-navigating-the-waters-of-water-quality/ Ultimate Guide to Pond Fibreglassing : https...