SPRING
Much work on your Fish Pond needs to take place in Spring, so be prepared for a busy time!

Fish Feeding
Start to Feed Your Fish more regularly and change their diet to Growth Fish Food, Pond Sticks or Pellets and Fish Flakes. However, care must be taken not to overfeed your fish.

Pond Water Quality
Test your Pond Water regularly for High Nitrite levels. High Nitrite levels indicate that your Pond Biological Filter is not established or you are over Feeding Your Fish. When adding fresh water (tap water) to top up your pond, use a de-chlorinator (Tap Water Conditioner) to take out the dangerous chlorine levels from your Pond Water that would damage your fish.

Fish-Fish-Fish recommend using Hagen Test Kits and Tetra Pond Aquasafe

Fish Pond Cleaning
After a long hard winter it is essential to remove any Pond Covers or Pond Netting and clear off any debris and sludge. Use a supplement to break down any sludge in the pond bottom. Fish-Fish-Fish recommend Tetra Pond Crystal Water. Replace your Pond Cover if damaged to ensure predators are deterred. Spring is a good time for hungry Herons so you may wish to consider additional protection by deploying a Heron Scarer.

Clean out any Pond Filter Foam using clean water and replace with new if required. Wash your Pond Media in the old Pond Water to retain the Bacteria within your Pond Filter replacing any worn out Pond Media gradually over the next few weeks as required. Do not replace all your Pond Filter Media at the same time as you will lose the vital Live Bacteria required to help keep your Pond Water clean and healthy. If required, add a supplement to boost your filter’s biological efficiency. Fish-Fish-Fish recommend NT Pond Aid Mature

Ideally UV Filter Bulbs should be changed twice a year and if you haven’t already done so, now is the time of year to replace your UV Bulb.
 
Check for Pond Leaks and winter damage around your Pond Liner and Filter Fittings ensuring you repair or replace where necessary.

Your filters must now run continuously!

Your Garden Pond Water Pump is a vital piece of equipment and it is essential that this is well maintained. Now would be a great time to clean it up and then place back, if possible, in the deepest part of your Fish Pond.

Pond Plants
Spring is the best time of year to add new Pond Plants. If any have outgrown their Pond Planter, re-pot them into new Pond Soil in new Pond Plant Baskets ensuring they are lined with hessian and topped with aquatic gravel.

Fish Treatment
Once your Fish Pond Water is above 12ºC, this is the time to treat any Fish Diseases. A Floating Pond Thermometer may assist in knowing when your Pond Water is above 12ºC. Fish-Fish-Fish stock a great selection of Fish Treatments and if you need any free advice on which disease your fish have or which treatments you should use, please feel free to contact Fish-Fish-Fish on 01799 550 943 or e-mail anytime

It is essential you turn off any Ultra Violet Lights for 48 hours during any Fish Treatment.

New Pond Life
Spring will be the breeding period for Fish and Garden Pond Wildlife. Please feel free to ask Fish-Fish-Fish on 01799 550 943 or e-mail anytime for our advice on the raising of the new additions.

SUMMER
Fish Feeding
Your Pond Fish may be fed in moderation up to three times a day, but be conscious of the water temperature and condition and change the amount of Fish Food your give accordingly.

A Feeding Ring will encourage your fish to become tamer and keeps the Fish Treats or Fish Food in one location within the Garden Pond. A Feeding Ring also helps maintain the water quality and prevents overfeeding.

Pond Water Quality Testing
Test your Pond Water regularly for High Nitrite levels. High Nitrite levels indicate that your Pond Biological Filter is not established or you are over Feeding Your Fish. When adding fresh water (tap water) to top up your pond, use a de-chlorinator (Tap Water Conditioner) to take out the dangerous chlorine levels from your Pond Water that would damage your fish.

Fish-Fish-Fish recommend using Hagen Test Kits and Tetra Pond Aquasafe

Pond Plants
During the Summer months you should continue to prune your Marginal Pond Plants and remove any weeds. It is essential to keep your Oxygenating Plants healthy and disease-free. Feed your plants with a slow release pellet fertiliser.

When adding Pond Water Lilies and Floating Plants make sure their leaves will not be splashed from Pond Fountains or Garden Waterfalls.

Fish Health and Treatment
It is essential that you check the health of your Pond Fish regularly and use Fish Treatments to address any symptoms as soon as they appear. Fish-Fish-Fish stock a great selection of Fish Treatments and if you need any free advice on which disease your fish have or which treatments you should use, please feel free to contact Fish-Fish-Fish on 01799 550 943 or e-mail anytime

It is essential you turn off any Ultra Violet Lights for 48 hours during any Fish Treatment.

Now is the best time to increase your New Fish to your Fish Pond and if you need any assistance Fish-Fish-Fish are happy to advise on the best ways to introduce new fish.

Pond Pumps
As the air and water temperature increases you may need to add an Air Pump to maintain the oxygen level within your Garden Pond.

During the summer your Pond Pump works hardest. It is essential to ensure your Water Pumps are working fully and replace any pre-Filter Foam as required to ensure that Pond Water and air flow is maintained to the full.

Pond Algae
Algae and Blanket Weed love warm sunny weather. It is essential to remove these as they grows to ensure that your Garden Pond maintains a healthy balance for your Pond Fish. FishFishFish
can supply Pond Treatments that help clear Algae and Blanket Weed and the use of a Pond UV Clarifier will also help in ensuring your Water Feature remains clear and weed free.
 
Predators
Herons and other predators may appear especially when they have young to feed, so be prepared to ward them off with the use of an appropriate Pond Cover Net or Heron Scarer.
 
AUTUMN
Fish Feeding
As the air temperature begins to fall your Pond Water temperature will also drop and Autumn is the time of year to begin reducing the quantity of Fish Food you give to your Fish. Autumn may also be the time to change to a more digestible type of Fish Food, for example Wheatgerm.

A Pond Thermometer will help you know the Pond Water Temperature so you can determine the frequency and amount of Feeding Your Fish will require.

Pond and Fish Treatments
Kill any Fish Parasites that are on your Pond Fish before the Pond Water Temperature falls. It is difficult to Treat Your Fish in very cold water. Fish-Fish-Fish stock a good selection of treatments and if you need any free advice on which disease your fish have or which treatments you should use, please feel free to contact FishFishFish on 01799 550 943 or e-mail anytime

It is essential you turn off any UV clarifiers for 48 hours during any treatment.

Pond Plants
Now is the time to cut back your Pond Marginal Plants, remove any dead material and prepare for winter.

Floating Pond Plants should be removed and stored in a frost-free environment over Winter.

Submerged Pond Plants should be cut back to protect them in the cold months and prevent contamination of your Pond Water as the Pond Plant decomposes.

Unprotected Pond Plants may die and contaminate your pond as they decompose.

Pond Equipment
Cover your Garden Pond with a Pond Cover Net to prevent leaves and other debris from falling in to your Pond Water, especially if your pond is surrounded by trees.

Consider Pond and Garden Lighting to prolong your enjoyment of your Water Feature as the days shorten.

Autumn is the best time to install new water features for next year – so get working and do your enhancements ready for next year!

WINTER
Fish Feeding
Feeding Your Fish should be done sparingly and use a special Winter Fish Food. Most Pond Fish will not want to eat during these cold months.

Ice
Ice over prolonged periods can damage your Fish Pond and kill your Fish.

It is essential to have thawed spots within the ice to enable any carbon dioxide to escape and allow oxygen in.

Never smash the ice as the shock may kill your Fish.

Use a Pond Heater to keep at least a part of the surface ice-free. If you don’t have a Pond Heater, use hot water slowly poured onto the ice to breakthrough and create a “hot-spot”. You will have to pour the water onto the same spot each time to ensure that you maintain a hole to allow carbon dioxide to escape from under the ice and oxygen in to your pond.

Pond Pumps
In Winter it is preferable to move the Pond Pump to a shallower region of your Garden Pond close to the Pond Filter Outlet. This reduces circulation to a minimum and reduces heat loss. It is best to keep your Water Pumps on to keep your water circulating and the Pond Pump will generate some heat and this combined with water circulation helps prevent the water in your Fish Pond from freezing.

Pond Filters
Filtration can be safely turned off and can be removed to a frost free area to prevent any damage.

We hope your have found the guidance above of use and it assists you wish some trouble free, pleasurable fishkeeping. Please feel free to contact Fish Fish Fish on 01799 550 943 or e-mail anytime should you have any queries.