Each season is characterised by its typical elements and factors. In summer, you would expect heat and light rather than rain.
Wenn wir in diesem Jahr jedoch aus dem Fenster blicken, stellt sich die beliebte Jahreszeit etwas anders dar. Stark schwankende Temperaturen von über 38° C am Tag bis unter 10° C in der Nacht. Statt großer Trockenheit, sind Stürme, Gewitter und starke Regenfälle ein fester Bestandteil geworden. Für den umliegenden Garten mit Rasenflächen und Beeten ein Traum. Die Natur profitiert von dem Mehr an Wasser, allerdings hat dies auch einen Einfluss auf unseren Teich. Welche Pflegemaßnahmen klassischer Weise notwendig sind, haben wir Ihnen bereits in der Themenwelt Teich für jede einzelne Jahreszeit zusammengestellt: Seasonal maintenance .
In this post, we would like to focus on the current situation, paying particular attention to the spring and autumn influences, which also play their part.
General monitoring measures
Whatever the weather, there are a few things to remember. A bit of extra work and a tiny investment of time means you’ll reap the rewards of clear water and healthy fish.
- The water values: Check the values pH + KH and the oxygen content every 7 days. There can be problems if the stability of the pond is not maintained. Check the nutrients and the nitrogen cycle with NH4 + NO2 and NO3 + PO4 + Fe every 14 days.
- Plants: The underwater and above-water plants are growing, so cut back and thin out any heavy overgrowth.
- Plant debris: Remove dead plant debris and creatures entering the pond, such as pollen and insects, from the water surface several times a week.
- Fish: Observe your fish for a few minutes every day. This way you can detect changes and injuries at an early stage.
- Feeding: High activity means high energy demand. Feed several times a day.
- Technology check: Check the technical equipment installed is working and prevent problems arising from technical failure or heavy contamination.
Below we’ll address specific situations and problems requiring your action and attention.
The rain - a lot of water is a problem
Instead of having to refill water regularly, periods of heavy rainfall mean the pond is full to the brim. You might now think everything is fine.
However, rainwater is "hardness-free" and contains no minerals. Thus, the minerals and hardness components in the pond water, which provide the necessary stability of the pH value and healthy growth of your fish, are also diluted.
After long and frequent rainfalls, you can check the pH and KH values with the JBL PROAQUATEST POND Check pH/KH . The pH value should be between 7.5 and 8.5 and the KH at least above 4° dKH, preferably above 6° dKH.
If this is not the case, you can add minerals with JBL StabiloPond Basis and restore the necessary stability. If you don’t do this basic work, strong algae growth and a sudden drop in acidity will endanger the appearance of the pond and the health of your fish.
You can read more about this in the other dedicated myJBL blog posts:
Heavy rain – watch your water values
Sudden drop in acidity: danger lurks in your pond after heavy rainfalls
Heavy Rainfalls Are Stressful For Your Fish
Rain – A problem for fish and good for algae
Thunderstorms and heavy storms
Thunder, lightning and strong winds characterise a strong summer thunderstorm. They are not without danger for our ponds either. The temperature drops rapidly, the wind blows a lot of foreign bodies into the pond and the rain dilutes the minerals. In extreme and long-lasting situations, the intense and rapid change can lead to the bacteria being weakened. Here we recommend you strengthen them with JBL FilterStart Pond and JBL BactoPond .
Nutrients and algae formation
Pollen drift, strong winds and rain mean that leaves, insects and other organic matter are carried into the pond from the surrounding area. The nutrients they contain dissolve in the water and are an ideal food base for thread algae, floating algae and other forms. The waste products of our fish and dying plant parts also decompose and can be found as sludge at the bottom of the pond. This is a real nutrient bomb that can be stimulated to decompose with products such as JBL AlgoPond Sorb , but if the amount is too great, it can only be removed by siphoning it off and thus removing it. This also causes the nutrients contained in it to disappear, depriving the algae of them.
Intensive pond planting prevents algae. The plants consume the excess nutrients and grow magnificently, so don’t skimp on the planting.
Another way to remove the nutrients dissolved in the water is to use JBL PhosEX Pond Direct for direct binding and JBL PhosEX Pond Filter filter medium for ongoing removal. For large amounts, a water change can also help as it dilutes the nutrients.
You can read more about this in the other dedicated myJBL blog posts and the Themeworld:
The Water Change In Ponds Is Important!
Phosphate: The cause of tomorrow’s algae is in your pond now.
Heat and oxygen content
The heatwave may want us to head for the waters, but it’s a problem for our fish. The oxygen saturation is dropping, the fish’s metabolism is working overtime and this can lead to a problem if they are fed heavily. It’s better not to feed when the temperature is above 30 °C. If the oxygen content drops too much, the beneficial filter bacteria will also be lacking oxygen, so that an increase in nitrite (NO2) and ammonium (NH4) can occur if there is heavy contamination in the filter and mud on the ground. That’s why the filter needs a quick clean to siphon off the excess sludge when it becomes heavily contaminated.
The heat also causes another problem: evaporation. The water level drops and the water has to be refilled. Here it is important not to use rainwater or well water. You can find more details about this in the following posts:
Do your plants a favour and add JBL FloraPond to the root area every 3 - 6 months to ensure healthy and stable growth.
