Tag Archive | ponds

How to protect your pond pump, filter and pond from theft

Jun2

Last year there were reports of a pond filter stollen from a popular Koi pond maintained by Maidenhead Aquatics. The theft nearly resulted in the death of more than 125 fish – 25 of which were Koi carp. It is thought that when the thieves removed the UV filter they also pulled out the water pipe resulting in the ponds lose of water.

An article in the Telegraph newspaper, June 2009 stated that police reports suggested thieves were using Google Earth to steal expensive koi carp from homeowners’ ponds. Internet satellite images were used to identify gardens with ponds with twelve thefts of Koi and pond equipment worth hundreds of pounds reported over a three-week period across East Yorkshire.  One of the properties targeted has an eight foot fence and the pond is in the corner of the property so can’t be seen by passers-by.

Hedge around property to protect accessThe intention of this article is not to come across as an alarmist but merely to highlight that it is better to put precautionary steps in place than to suffer a lose of equipments and, or fish as stories of theft are sadly not isolated incidents. Pond equipment is expensive and therefore attractive to anyone wanting to make easy money selling on to pond hobbyists.

Scanning through pond forum sites, pond equipment and pond fish theft is a subject that frequently crops-up for discussion so thought I would sum-up a few ideas on how to deal with the protecting your pond from the hands of thieves – and unless equipment is under lock and key, you are not likely to be covered by insurance.

Tips on pond pump, filter and fish  protection

  • conceal pond pumps and filters as much as possible to make it as difficult as possible to steal
  • build a structure around your filter to box it in – the longer it takes to gain access, the less attractive it becomes
  • You can box in filters in the garden to look like wheelie bin houses or compost boxes
  • construct a pergola over your pond to hide pond contents and equipment from satellite images
  • toughen the perimeter of your property to make access more of a challenge. Planting hedges and bushes along a wall or fence – plants like pyracantha or holy work wonders.
  • gravel paths can be noisy to walk on and will alert when someone enters your property.
  • make route from pond to a likely place a car or motor bike is parked as difficult to negotiate as possible – no good stealing a filter if can’t carry through a narrow exit!
  • install a super bright spotlight with motion sensor

If someone is determined, you won’t stop them. But if access to your property and pond looks too risky to get to your pond pump or filter, the opportunist is more likely to look elsewhere.

Do you have any other ideas you could share? We would love to hear from you.

4 Valuable reasons why ponds need aquatic plants

Aug24

Aquatic plants perform an important role in all types of ponds whether in residential or public gardens, obstacles on golf courses or those that make-up the landscape of office parks. There are four important reasons to justify why they are so important.

Importance of aquatic plants

  1. Enhances the beauty of a pond, adds colour, gives height and bredth
  2. Keeps pond healthy by balancing the ecosystem. Plants act as a biological filter
  3. Pond water is kept clear and free of algae by reducing the levels of sunlight
  4. Creates a wildlife habitat by providing a shelter for fish and other visiting creatures

The best time of the year to plant is mid spring to early summer. It is recommended that you do your research before going out to buy plants. Some aquatic plants grow vigorously and are therefore better suited to big ponds. Planted in a smAquatic plants including waterliliesall pond and you risk spending a lot of the summer having to cut back to allow sufficient light to your pond. Plants thrive when planted in the right conditions, so always read the labels before making a purchase. Some marginal plants have spiky, sharp roots which could damage a pond liner, even a durable puncture resistant rubber Butyl pond liner could suffer at the root of such aqautic plants. You will also need to invest in the right type of planting basket and soil (pond potting soil is free of fertiliser so that it doesn’t affect the natural balance in the water).

Types of aquatic plants

Aquatic plants fall into four sub-categories depending on where in the pond they should be planted.

  • Bog plants – suited to damp areas to the outer ground of a pond
  • Floating plants such as waterlilies give cover to spawning fish and aquatic insects.
  • Marginal plants are planted on shelves around the outer periphery of a pond. They are perfect for natural or wildlife ponds providing much needed cover. Popular choices include the Arum Lily, Iris, Lobella and Cyperus (Paper Reed Papyrus). For some marginal aquatic plants the depth of water they are grown in is very important, so read labels and check the requirements before buying.
  • Oxygenating plants are planted in the deeper waters of a pond Aquatic plants thriving in this pond providing essential cover to fish

Plant aquatic plants that are easy to grow and maintain. Try to have a mix as well as variety of floating and submerged plants that suit your pond size.  When positioning aquatic plants in your pond it is best not to use a garden fork or stick to aid your planting as you may inadvertantly touch the bottom of your pond and damage the pond liner. A further tip is the take any off cuts of rubber pond liner or geotextile protective underlay to place under your plant basket or boulders used to position your aquatic plants. Protecting the pond liner from damage should always be considered when placing plants in your pond.

One further tip is to ensure the plants you buy are healthy and free of pests or disease. It is advisable to rinse them off under clean water before adding to your pond.