Those annoying predators.....the one we dislike the most when we have fish swimming about.  Some of our customers have had their ponds depleted of fish because of the blue heron!  They are beautiful birds but please stay away from our ponds.  You'd think they'd go for the larger ponds with more fish.

Blue Herons are territorial. If they see another bird at your pond, they will simply move on to another pond for their next meal. Our life-like statue is decorative and will help keep other herons away. Just make sure you move it periodically, or the real birds get wise to the fact that it is fake!

Unfortunately, our ponds exist outdoors and raccoons, blue herons and other wildlife are constantly visiting our piece of paradise. After all, they have to eat too! We have several products to help keep your fish, snails and frogs safe from becoming a gourmet meal for the local wildlife! We will be posting these products in the coming days or call us if you would like specific instruction on how best to deter the varmints attacking your fish!

With spring here and hardly any coverage on our ponds it gives those predators a clear picture of our fish swimming about.  Until we can get some coverage to at least help in protecting our fish these items help.

Check out the gator!

  Adding beneficial bacteria is essential for the water garden and seeding of pond filters. Once established the bacteria lives by eating fish waste and other organic matter in the pond. Bacteria converts ammonia into nitrites which are then converted  into nitrates. This process known as the Nitrogen Cycle is an important part of water maintenance. It is essential to the health of your pond inhabitants.

When cleaning your filter pads, lava rock or bio blox, care should be taken as to not kill the beneficial bacteria living there. Never use chlorinated water to clean filter pads, or if it is necessary to do so, try to stagger cleaning different pads at different intervals. Rinsing the filter media  in a bucket of pond water will allow some of the bacteria to remain alive. We recommend adding beneficial bacteria after cleaning, and monthly to keep a thriving colony of bacteria in your filtration media. Bacteria is available in either liquid or dry.

Microbe-Lift  makes a bacteria for each season. Each is formulated to work in the water temperatures of spring, summer and fall/winter.  Microbe-Lift Spring/Summer Cleaner is a seasonal approach to the proper organic balance in your pond. It contains cool weather bacteria that will help to jump start your pond to a healthier environmentin the spring. Once the water temperatures have reached above 55 degrees, Microbe-Lift P/L (liquid bacteria cultures) or Microbe-Lift Tac (dry bacteria cultures) can be added. Both are specially formulated for water gardens to promote clean, clear pond water. Adding bacteria to your pond this season will significantly improve water quality and appearance. 

Barley is a natural approach to eliminating string algae, improving water clarity and naturally balancing pond water. Barley is one of the few pond additives that will work at any temperature.

Barley is available in three different forms. The Barley bale, once placed in your pond, will slowly decompose and as it does so, it will release gases that aid in the elimination of string algae. One 8 oz. bale will treat an 800 to 1200 gallon pond. It will take several weeks for the barley to start decomposing and will continue to work for about 3 months. Microbe-Lift Barley Straw Pellets will break down faster than the bales, plus they are rich in organic peat which softens pond water, reducing the negative effect of phosphate and generally improving the environment for your fish. Two pounds of barley pellets will treat a 400 gallon pond for 4 months. Last, but not least, and my favorite is the Microbe-Lift Barley Straw Extract. The extract goes to work on contact. Decomposition starts immediately and one bottle is equal to a multiple of barley straw bales.

Barley will not kill algae, but it will prohibit it from growing and help eliminate it from your water garden. When the water temperatures are still cool, this is one product that will immediately go to work for you.

We've covered water temperatures, so what else should we do early spring prior to adding pond plants? We would like to mention a few things you should check when opening your pond for the season.

Check your pond to make sure there are no tears or leaks in your pond liner.  Check around the edges of your pond to make certain the ground has not settled, and your pond is not leaking around the perimeter.  Check out all your tubing, connections, pond pumps and filters to make sure they are all secure and working properly.  If you have left your pump run throughout the winter make sure it is working properly.  And for those who have turned off their pumps, you should check and clean them thoroughly. Turn your pump back on once the water temperatures are consistently above freezing which is around 40-45 degrees.

Remove any debris that has accumulated in your pond during the fall and winter. For those of you that have a pond vac, now is the best time to use those to rid your pond of small unwanted particles.  You can begin putting MicrobeLift Spring and Summer in your pond to help with the cleanup.  MicrobeLift Spring and Summer contains cold weather bacteria cultures that will work in the cooler water temperatures of spring. This will start establishing  good bacteria and help accelerate the break down of debris.  The spring rains help to flush your ponds, so if possible drain some of the water out of your pond and let the rain rinse and fill it up. 

Once everything has been checked out you can begin thinking about feeding your fish, if you have them, and dividing some of the pond plants that have out grown their planting containers.  We will discuss this in our next addition to Here Comes Spring.

Time to spring forward, or at least turn the clocks forward!  Things are beginning to warm up a bit here in the north and we are anxiously waiting for Spring to arrive so we can begin to add new plants to our ponds.  Another couple of months and we will be sitting back enjoying our ponds once again.  It won't be long now.  For those in the warmer regions, zones 8 and above, you are putting pond plants in your ponds and starting to enjoy them, while those of us in the lower zones are still waiting.  At least most of the ice has melted and we can begin thinking about our ponds once again.

Don't be fooled by Mother Nature.  We need to make sure it is warm enough outside, and make sure our pond water is warm enough for the plants to survive.  Knowing your pond temperature is crucial, so begin by checking your pond water temperature at different times of the day.  The pond water is cooler in the morning and warmer in the afternoon but will cool down again in the evening.  Knowing what the consistant temperature of your pond water is important before adding the pond plants. 

The first plants most of us want to put in are those that will help us keep the pond clear, such as floating plants like water hyacinths and water lettuce.  Cold water will kill both of these in a matter of days if the water temperature is still too cold.  We need to make sure the water temperature is consistent and reaches 65 degrees and stays there morning, afternoon and evening before we add floating  plants. 

There are other things we must do first that will keep us busy, such as adding beneficial bacteria to help keep our pond clear.  The good bacteria, such as MicrobeLift PL neutralizes ammonia and nitrites, and will start to work when the water temperature are 50-55 degrees.  If  you add  bacteria, it will stay in the pond and start working when the pond water is warm enough.  It acts on its own and will stay un-activated until it knows to start working.  For those of us who use barley, now is the right time to start adding it.  This will also help retard the growth of string algae in the Spring months.

The list goes on and on.  While all of us are anxious to add the pond plants there are still several things to do prior to this.  I will be posting articles in the next few days with spring tips for our ponds.

Stay tuned!

Hate that icy cold water in the early spring? Dragonfly Aquatics has the perfect product for you! These gloves have a full arm waterproof sleeve. Great for getting things in and out of the water garden when the water is still chilly. The glove end is made of a flexible PVC shell with a seamless cloth liner and the waterproof sleeves are nylon reinforced to prevent tearing. I would never be without this pond accessory. Sold one size fits all or contact us to special order small, medium, large or extra-large specific sizes.

You can purchase Frog Pants Gloves here.

A Dragonfly Aquatics Best Seller! The Muck Vac does not cause turbulence in the pond because all the muck, dirt and fish waste are vacuumed out of the pond into your yard or garden. If you place the out-take hose in a flower bed, it is great fertilizer for your surrounding flower beds around the pond. The Muck Vac requires 50 PSI garden hose pressure to work effectively. It comes with a power head, a telescoping pole, a waste hose and a vacuum head brush. The Muck Vac sure makes Spring cleaning your pond simple!

Check out Pond Vac here.

Microbe-Lift PL is specially formulated for decorative fish ponds, lagoons and smaller water features. Adding bacteria to your pond is important. It creates a healthy environment for your pond, promoting faster fish growth. Microbe-Lift PL also reduces ammonia nitrogen levels, dissolves away organic sludge, improves dissolved oxygen levels and helps break down dead algae. Adding Microbe-Lift PL on a regular basis will seed and maintain biological filters. Bacteria contains photosynthetic bacteria which helps eliminate cloudy water by promoting flocculation and settling of organic and inorganic particles.

Now is the time to switch to Microbe-Lift Autumn/Winter Prep. This will help break down organic material in the pond before winter sets in. Microbe-Lift Autumn/Winter Prep will help accelerate the decomposition of leaves, scum, sediment and other organic matter during the fall and throughout the winter months. Also, Microbe-Lift Autumn/Winter Prep helps to maintain a healthy immune system for your fish during the winter months. Microbe-Lift Autumn/Winter Prep will help jump-start your pond to a healthier environment in the spring.  For those of you with large ponds, we have now have the Microbe-Lift Autumn/Winter Prep available in the gallon size.

MicrobeLift Autumn/Winter Prep available here.