The condition of the water in your pond is critical to keeping fish and other life-forms including plants. Keep in mind that your pond is not a natural pond and not constructed with natural materials or even filled with natural water. Therefore it is necessary to take measures to simulate nature as much as possible in order to enable your pond to sustain life. The water from your tap or hose may be provided by a municipal source which means that it is probably treated with a purifier like chlorine to make safe for humans to drink. These chemicals are dangerous for fish and are capable of harming plants. Fish also require electrolytes not found in tap water such as potassium, sodium, magnesium, chloride and calcium in order to maintain proper chemical balance within

Maintaining pH balance is critical and needs to be checked regularly.
Levels of pH should be in the 6.8 to 7.8 range.

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STRESS COAT by POND CARE

•Instantly removes chlorine from tap water & breaks down chlorine

•Contains Aloe Vera to help heel wounds and torn fins

•A must whenever setting up a pond, adding or handling fish or changing pond water

•Preserves fish's natural protective slime coat during handling

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•Check pH levels weekly or biweekly using POND CARE's pH test kit
•Test kit comes equipped with instructions on adjusting pH levels
•Use POND CARE brand pH UP or pH DOWN to easily balance the pH levels in your pond

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Any new pond is sure to be void of any naturally occurring water purification. As soon as fish are added to the pond they immediately release toxic ammonia. This along with uneaten fish food inhibit the development of the biological filter and prolong stressful conditions in the pond. By waiting until your pond is balanced before running out to the fish nursery you can save yourself a lot of dirty water frustration. Wait 2 to 3 weeks before adding fish.

A naturally occurring biological -filter can form using plants and or the bio-reservoir portions of your pond filter. Underwater plant life and their roots collect particles of matter as it flows by and in that matter bacteria grows and consumes harmful waste products produced by your fish and fallen debris. The same thing happens inside of a biological tank-style filter or bio-falls unit where irregularly shaped material is used to do the collecting.

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BIO-FILTER BOOSTER by POND CARE

•Starts and maintains a strong biological filter in ponds

•Reduces the buildup of toxic chemicals caused by fish waste and
 over feeding.

•Uses highly concentrated, very stable liquid solution of specifically  
 selected bacteria to accelerate bio-filter development.

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Although biological filtration does form to some degree in most healthy pond environments it is usually not enough to keep the pond looking good so mechanical filtration is also a must.

A mechanical filter refers to the physical removal of debris using filtration materials like foam or mesh pads that trap suspended particles. The pads are hosed clean regularly and are available in many brands and types. A couple of the more common and popular types are the

poly-filter (a white or blue semi-rigid polyester material used mainly to catch debris) and the activated carbon coated pad (used to reduce pesticides, colored water, odors, and harmful chemicals )

These pads are the first line of defense in filtering your pond.

OK so your pond water is 'tasting' a little better to your fish and plants but it's not as clear as you would like to see. There is a certain amount of clarity issues that can be attributed to water temperature fluctuations in spring and early summer. Just as a large natural lake or pond looks dark in spring so may your pond until temperatures balance out. To help reduce the amount of time that your pond stays murky try using a liquid clarifier along with a good enzymatic cleaner. These two products work great together or on their own to help satisfy your clear water craving.

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ACCU-CLEAR & POND-ZYME by POND CARE

•First use Pond-zyme to breakdown fish waste and dead algae the cause cloudy water

•Then use Accu-clear to drag the Pond-zyme along with particles of 
  water borne algae to the bottom where the Pond-zyme irradiates 
  them using enzymatic action & nutrient competition.

•Accu-clear + Pond-zyme = clean, healthy water.

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Remember, 'clear water is not necessarily clean water'.

This is especially true in ponds which depend on an Ultra-violet sterilizer to illuminate excessive algae. UV units work wonders on green water and may trick you into believing that your pond is now trouble free. This is not true!  Ultra-violet sterilizers are connected to a portion of the pumped water using a diverter or even a separate pump. They effectively clear most ponds of green water-borne algae with-in days and keep it clear as long as the unit is on. However, UV also sterilizes the good waterborne particles that help promote healthy bio-activity. For this reason we recommend a hearty dose of Pond-zyme or other enzymatic cleaner that sinks be used religiously when running a UV sterilizer.