E-Newsletter
Many chemicals used by the pond owner rob the water of oxygen.
If you have fish in your pond you could very easily suffocate them if you don’t have enough aeration! Fish cannot survive without dissolved oxygen. Some of the worst offenders are coagulants such as AccuClear and water treatments such as Formalin and Potassium Permanganate. The Doc carries and promotes the use of some of these chemicals ONLY when the circumstance dictates it and as long as care is taken to provide plenty of oxygen!The danger signs of too little aeration are:
The fish hover below the water return
The fish gulp at the surface of the water
Worse Case: The fish are dead for no "apparent reason", usually found in the morning
The ways to increase the amount of dissolve airflow are:
Add a "spitter" or fountain to move the water.
Add an aeration stone (works great - we do carry them)
Emergency Only: Add Hydrogen Peroxide
If you have what we call "dead spots" where the water is still and stagnant you may have a disaster waiting to happen. Our rule of thumb is to ask yourself, "Does every part of the water surface at least bounce?" There’s also a dangerous "old wives tale" floating about that says plants help aeration by giving off oxygen. This is only (and dangerously) half true. Plants give off oxygen during daylight hours. During the night, however, plants actually take oxygen from the water and give off carbon dioxide. Plants grow at night and that’s when they use the oxygen. For this reason: DO NOT turn off your pump when you go to sleep! A quality pump is designed to run 24 hours per day and should never be turned off except when cleaning.
Don’t be afraid to use chemicals that we sell at our store. They are safe and can work wonders provided you take the proper precautions and treat with the proper dosage. When you purchase any type of chemical from us we will always try to inform you of any dangers involved and how to avoid them. That’s what makes your visit to The Pond Doc’s Water Garden Center more than a stop to buy supplies!
From Premier Edition of What's Up, Doc?,
September, 1998
© Copyright 1998, The Pond Doc's Water Garden Center. All rights Reserved.
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