The water’s fine

Plants help regulate pond temperature. High temperatures from the sun can be harmful to pond plants and fish. Pond supplies, such as pumps and filters, can also be damaged by high temperatures because of increased algae growth, so it’s important that your customers monitor the water temperature of backyard ponds.

While higher temperatures can be tolerated in ponds without fish, the ideal pond temperature is 65 degrees Fahrenheit to 75 degrees. Fish can survive small pond temperatures of 35 degrees to 85 degrees, but if the water is consistently above 85 degrees, your customers will need to enact some cooling procedures to keep fish and plants healthy.

Safe cooling procedures are important to keep fish healthy and minimize sun exposure, which increases algae growth. It’s not a matter of changing out hot water for cooler water, though. Pond life will be shocked by the quick temperature change, and the fish and plants could die. Share some of the following tips with your customers for safely cooling ponds:

• Plant trees around the pond. By adding trees around the pond, the shade will help decrease the pond’s exposure to sun and extreme heat. This is a natural way to cool water without affecting any of the internal workings of the pond’s habitat.
• Add lilies or other shady water plants. Adding decorative plants like lilies can help to cool backyard water features. Lilies lay on top of the water, protecting fish and the other plants from the sun’s heat.
• Add a waterfall. Waterfall or fountain aerators aerate pond water, cooling it down. Customers can use a fan to cool the falling water before it enters the pond.
• Use a pond tint. Pond tints help take the pressure off of pond filters during the hot sunlight. A slight blue tint keeps ponds cooler than they are with its natural color.

Using these cooling tips can help protect your customers’ pond life from the dangers of heat.

Information courtesy of Pondliner. For more, visit www.pondliner.com.