FAQs Archive - Page 2 of 3 - Lilypad Pond Services

Q: How big does my pond need to be to have Goldfish or Koi?

This is a very debated subject amongst the hobby and trade as people have their own opinions however a good rule of thumb is as follows; Goldfish growing to a potential adult size of 30cm they require an absolute minimum of 300 litres. This is again a bare minimum where a few Goldfish can live a long-term life of good health with a suitable volume of water to live in. Taking into consideration they will readily breed once they reach sexual maturity it is certainly worth allowing extra space for this so having a pond larger than 300 litres will give the Goldfish room to grow in numbers as they breed. As for Koi these require a far larger pond, their potential adult size of 120cm makes them a potentially enormous Fish. A Koi typically attains an adult size of 60cm in a pond with some specimens reaching the 100cm+ size. Their adult size does depend on several factors: genetics, pond size, feeding both quality of food and frequency of feeding and finally water quality and parameters. An absolute bare minimum 4000-5000 litres and ideally aiming for a pond with a depth of a metre deep. The deeper portion of the pond will hold temperatures better if dug into the ground also with this koi really appreciate the third dimension of being able to swim up and down instead of just side to side. In shallow Koi ponds it’s not uncommon to see individuals with “fat necks”, often where they cannot burn off excess fat from swimming up and down.

Q: Can I use tap water in my pond?

Yes, you can use tap water in your pond, however the important thing to remember is to dose the new added water with an appropriate volume of water dechlorinator. This chemical is readily available from pond shops often labelled as “tap water treatment”, this chemical will detoxify chlorine, chloramine and heavy metals which all are harmful to aquatic life after long exposure. A question often asked is can I use rainwater? The problem with rainwater is it is too soft; it lacks any substantial volume of minerals which are essential for bodily functions in Fish. Long term use of rainwater often leads to a crash in parameters of the pond leading to mass fish loss. Whereas tap water, especially in the southeast of England, the water is very high with a high volume of minerals perfect for long term sustainability in fish health.

Q: Do I need a pump, UV and filter on my pond?

The answer depends on the details of the pond. If you have a wildlife pond with no Fish, then the answer is no you do not NEED a filter system for the welfare of the Fish however it is something to consider for the point of view for water clarity as the water has a high chance of going green during the summer months. If you do have Fish in the pond, whether that’s Goldfish, Koi, Sturgeon or any other Fish then yes you NEED a filter system. The reason for this is simple, without a working filter the organics in the pond; the Fish waste, left over food, sludge and silt, will break down into ammonia. This is a toxic parameter to Fish and builds in concentration the longer the organics break down. A filter acts as a breeding ground for beneficial bacteria to grow which breaks down this ammonia into less harmful chemicals which are later diluted through rainfall, top ups and water changes. Without an adequate filtration system your pond water will become murky and green, the water parameters will become increasingly toxic and ultimately will end in loss of Fish.

Q: Why is my pond green and murky?

Green water is usually caused by algae. The clarity of your pond water can be affected by several factors. Firstly, if the water is green then immediately the first thought should be is my UVC clarifier working? Perhaps the lamp needs changing which is recommended to be done annually, or another consideration is if your UVC clarifier is big enough for your pond and if so an upgrade or additional UVC clarifier may be the answer. If you do not have a UVC clarifier then getting one installed is the best solution to this problem. There are also several “green water” treatments available on the market in shops however long term a UVC clarifier is truly the best solution. Another thought is whether the water parameters are at healthy levels. If left unchecked nitrates and phosphates in the water will steadily increase which in themselves directly feed the like of algae so a simple series of water changes to bring these back down to acceptable levels can help bring the water clarity back. Now if your pond is murky with silt suspended in the water column then the initial first thought would be the base of the pond has buildup of silt, sludge and debris so therefore does the pond need vacuuming or even does it need a full clean out. The other thing to consider is your filtration system. Does it need some attention in the form of cleaning out, changing the sponges etc. Or is it not large enough for the pond, perhaps the baby Koi you purchased last summer have now grown so much that the volume of waste they produce now compared to their smaller, younger selves are simply too much of a strain on the original filter system. Once again there are “sludge buster” and “silt remover” chemicals readily available on the market in shops but this would really be a plaster on a bullet wound and instead dealing with the route problem will bring the best and longer lasting results.

Q: Will cleaning harm my plants or wildlife?

No. We use eco-friendly methods , protect plants where possible, and ensure safe handling of wildlife such as frogs and newts.

Q: Do I need to be home during the service?

Not always, as long as we have access to the pond and related utilities required such as a water source and ideally a power supply, we can carry out the work and send you before/after photos.

Q: How long does a pond clean take?

This is a difficult question to answer, the phrase "how long is a piece of string" comes to mind as there are a number of factors that come into play regarding the length of time it will take to clean a pond. Typically we have completed well over 90% of full pond clean outs within a single day but occasionally we will have to allow extra time and days if the pond is overly large or complex. The longest a pond has taken us to clean was across 4 days, this was due to the shear size and volume of water the pond held, the mass of debris that had accumulated at the bottom from the over hanging trees and the fact the pond was completely flat bottomed meaning there was not a deep spot where the water and debris wanted to naturally pool into so hoovering and rinsing was tricky but we got there in the end.