Well, it’s time for Earth Day again, and this is the perfect time to think about how to transform the way you handle pond management and yard management tasks. At Healthy Ponds, we have several effective, easy-to-use all-natural pond treatment products as well as a few other products and tips to help you go green.
All-Natural Pond Management Products
Pond water management doesn’t have to be difficult, so if you are dealing with a stagnant pond, a smelly pond or a pond with a sludge layer or an excess of floating green organic matter, our all-natural pond treatment products can help eliminate the issues.
While chemicals can be used to mitigate pond water quality issues, using natural pond management products can be a safe and effective alternative. At Healthy Ponds, we have developed products that utilize a proprietary mix of beneficial bacteria for ponds. These chemical-free, all-natural products release beneficial bacteria into your pond and these bacteria immediately begin consuming excess nutrients.
Our AquaSpherePRO® is a monthly pond management product that you simply toss into your pond. The biodegradable spheres sink to the bottom of your pond and immediately begin releasing beneficial bacteria. After 30 days, you simply add more spheres to your pond.
Natural Blast® is our other beneficial bacteria product, and this can be used in conjunction with the AquaSpherePRO®. We recommend adding Natural Blast® to your pond at the beginning of your warm season or anytime you notice a bit of floating green organic matter in your pond.
This product also can be used after a large rain event, as runoff from rains can introduce excess nutrients such as phosphorus and nitrogen into your pond. The beneficial bacteria in Natural Blast® will consume these excess nutrients and release the waste into the air as a harmless gas. Our beneficial bacteria pond management products are veterinarian-approved and safe for fish, wildlife, pets and people.
Pond Aeration
Adding an aeration system, particularly a bottom diffusion aerator, is an excellent idea for any pond. These systems circulate the water in your pond and disperse beneficial bacteria products more efficiently throughout the pond. Circulating the water also can keep water temperatures lower and increase oxygen levels, and this, along with regular beneficial bacteria treatments can prevent the accumulation of floating organic matter as well ensuring that your pond does not become stagnant and smelly.
While a bottom diffusion aeration system tends to be the most effective water circulation option, there are surface aeration systems that create a lovely fountain effect in the middle of your pond. Surface aeration can be a good option for smaller or more shallow ponds. Just ensure that the aeration system you purchase is powerful enough to circulate the water in your pond twice every 24 hours.
Fish Management
If your pond is stocked with fish, these creatures actually can provide a better ecological balance in some ponds. For instance, some species eat certain types of pond weeds, which can keep these plants under control naturally. Other fish will consume some of the excess floating organic matter in a pond.
However, fish do produce waste and this waste sinks to the bottom of your pond and can form into pond muck. In a pond with a suitable fish population, the beneficial bacteria in your monthly AquaSpherePRO® treatment may be enough to process some of these excess nutrients. If your fish population is too high, you may need to rehome some of the fish, as the fish will compete for oxygen and generate too much waste. We recommend discussing any fish issues with an expert, as they can help you ensure that your fish population is sustainable and healthy for your pond and the fish that live in it.
Natural Yard Management
The way you manage the yard or grounds around your pond can make an impact on the pond water quality. For instance, runoff from these grounds can introduce an excess of nutrients such as nitrogen, which is used often in fertilizers and pesticides.
In most cases, you can treat your lawn without using nitrogen or any harsh chemicals. Our Dr. Connie’s Lawn product, for instance, contains 100% natural ingredients and can provide improved root development for golf courses, sports fields and ornamental lawns. With better-established roots, this ensures a better uptake of nutrients and guarantees a greener and denser lawn. When the grass and soil are in optimum condition, this reduces runoff because a healthy lawn can better soak up excess rainwater.
If you do use fertilizers or pesticides, create a buffer of beneficial plants around your pond, as these plants can naturally block some runoff. Bagging up all grass clippings also can help prevent excess nutrients and grass debris from entering your pond. If you want to leave clippings behind as a natural fertilizer, consider bagging up the clippings in the areas closest to your pond.
We also recommend bagging up autumn leaves and either disposing of them or using these to create a compost pile rather than allowing a plethora of leaves into your pond. Leaves and grass clippings can sink to the bottom of the pond, degrade, mix with fish waste and form a slimy sludge layer. Creating a compost pile also keeps leaves and grass clippings out of our landfills.
If you want to create a large compost pile, we do have a compost accelerator, Dr. Connie’s Compost Plus, which can help you quickly transform leaves, grass clippings, garden matter and kitchen scraps into nutrient-rich natural compost. This compost can be mixed with potting soil and added to flower beds, your vegetable garden and around the base of your trees.
We Make Natural Pond Management Easy!
At Healthy Ponds, we are committed to providing our customers with easy, safe and effective natural pond treatment products. If you have any questions about our all-natural pond care products, don’t hesitate to contact us at any time. We also offer free personalized water treatment plans for any size water feature at https://healthyponds.com/free-pond-plan/.
