Tips for Keeping a Clean Pond All Year Round

By Clifford Woods

You have done all the work to create your beautiful pond. You've got the correct, colorful fish and the pumps are pumping, the plants are "just so" and you start enjoying.
You then do all the right things. Add the chemicals and things recommended and one day your pond is not as clear as it was. You cannot see your fish and worse - it's all green!
Oh no!

Well, here are some no chemicals tips for a clean, all natural, organic pond that you and your fish will love!

The first point is NEVER put any chemicals what-so-ever in your pond. They damage the environment; destroy natural vegetation and they can HARM your fish! If you are currently using chemicals, it is strongly recommend that you cease using them. At the very least, they are not safe for the environment.

Use effective microorganisms - always - an organic pond cleaner! Some kinds of microorganisms help us, but other kinds give us trouble. Among microorganisms, there are good bacteria and there are bad bacteria. Good bacteria cleans water, produce cheese, bread etc. and are of help to our health. Bad bacteria contaminate soil, pollute water and air. They cause sickness and disease and degrade health. So, look around. Do a little research and locate some effective microorganisms that you can use in your pond. Use organic pond cleaners, your fish will love you for it.

No Ultra Violet Lights - ever. Ultra Violet light does reduce the bacteria in the pond; however, the UV cannot tell the difference between the good bacteria and the bad ones. Because of this, a UV light kills the friendly bacteria in the Pond and in any effective microorganisms you are using - right along with the bad guys!

Use your dechlorinator. If your water is chlorinated or every time you add fresh water to your pond; dechlorinate. Chlorine is not good for the microbes in any effective organisms you use.
Plants and animals are not likely to store chlorine. However, laboratory studies show that repeat exposure to chlorine in air can affect the immune system, the blood, the heart, and the respiratory system of animals. Chlorine causes environmental harm at low levels. Chlorine is especially harmful to organisms living in water and in soil; so, use your de-chlorinator!
No sludge build-up! When effective microorganisms are used regularly in ponds, about every 6 weeks or so all-year-round, the black, stinky, smelly sludge build up on the bottom of ponds does not seem to happen.

Good practice:Some good practices when dealing with ponds are:

1. Calculate the gallons of water in your pond correctly. Use a calculator - The formula is: length x width x average depth x 7.5. This ensures that whatever you are adding to it is being added correctly to your pond.
2. If you have heavy rains, double the dosage of whatever effective microorganisms you are use.
3. Do not fertilize your pond plants. This also fertilizes the algae - and we do not want to be doing that!

Using effective microorganisms, at the recommended dosages, all-year-round (every 6 weeks or so) and keeping your pond dechlorinated whenever you add fresh water, will give you:

• Happy fish
• Thriving and beautiful plants
• No green water
• A clean, healthy, beautiful pond all-year-round!

Clifford Woods is the CEO of Organic Environmental Technology.
You can find out more about our Organic Pond Cleaner at www.effens.com
We brew Beneficial Microorganisms that eat toxins in the environment and sell environmentally friendly products