KEEPING YOUR POND COOL


Koi and goldfish are cold water animals.  Their health and comfort means the water temperature should be kept at between 68 and 74 degrees.  If you live in a climate where the water temperature will exceed 85 degrees you will need to take some precautions to safeguard the health of your fish.  Ideally, the water temperature in your pond should vary less than 5 degrees plus or minus each day.  A good pond thermometer will help you monitor the water temperature if used regularly.  For the most accurate reading, it  should be located out of direct sunlight.

If you are in the process of building a new pond, or are thinking about adding on or making improvements to your current pond, remember that location is the key to success.  Here are some tips that will help.

               Be sure to locate your pond in an area that is not too sunny. 
               If you have plants, full sun from 6-10 hours a day is perfect.  Too much sun can
               create problems.  Also, try to find an area that has a natural breeze which will 
               help to keep your pond cooler.

               Remember, the further into the ground you build your pond, the cooler it will be
               since the ground acts as an insulator against large swings in temperature.  Also,
               the more gallons of water your koi pond contains, the less it will be subjected to 
               large changes in temperature as larger pond are not as sensitive than ponds
               shallower and smaller.
              
               Another tip I can offer you is to ensure you have good circulation and filtration. icon
               Make this your first priority.  Top make sure your entire pond receives good
               circulation, when building your pond put the output and input at opposite
               ends.  The filter shown at right provides not only mechanical filtration, but   
               biological purification and algae destruction as well.

              Keep in mind the climate zone you are located in when designing your pond.

Shade your pond.  When trying to keep your pond cool, shade is probably the single most important factor.  Even on a very warm day, if you have good shade in your pond, you can actually lower the water temperature by as much as 20 degrees.  For your fish, especially koi, this can mean the difference between life and death.  Shade can be created naturally, or with various structures such as lattice and arbors.  Natural cover, such as trees and bushes can provide excellent shade, but be sure to plan for their size at maturity.  Also, water plants such as water lilies and water hyacinth can add shade to your pond.

Use an aerator.  If you agitate the water it will lower the water temperature by increasing the iconicon surface of the water.  This helps to release heat and other toxic gases and it cools through evaporation.  It also will increase the oxygen levels.  You can use an aerator, or if you prefer, a fountain, bubbler, or waterfall will also provide the same effect.  The aerator shown at left is a high-efficiency, high volume pump specifcaly for ponds and water gardens.  To mainitain the proper oxygen levels for healthy pond inhabitants this is an excellent buy!