You've dug the hole in your backyard.
You've installed the liner, and all of the pipes and
filters are in place. You've filled your new pond
with water. But now what? Should you add plants or
fish to the new pond? Well, before you do that, you'll
need to season the pond. Similar to an indoor aquarium,
certain nitrifying bacteria need to be in place to
help promote the proper environment for plants and
fish to grow and thrive. When I first set up our aquarium,
the pet store gave me a bag of water with some of
the sludge from their filters. The water looked disgusting,
but it contained bacteria that was necessary for the
fish to thrive.
These nitrifying bacteria do not exist
in a new pond, and need to grow. Instead of simply
adding plants and fish to a new pond, you'll need
to give the pond time to develop these bacteria, but
there are some steps that you can take to help the
bacteria develop.
When you install a new filter in your
pond, it is void of any bacteria. These bacteria do
not grow if the water is too cold. So, in the spring,
when the water starts to warm up, you can add enzymes
to your pond to promote the growth of this bacteria.
Do not do any backwashing for about a month, to allow
the nitrifying bacteria a chance to grow in the filter.
After a month, you can backwash as directed. If you
have a UV filter, keep it turned off for the first
month to give the bacteria a chance to build up.
The bacteria need some nutrients to
grow. These nutrients can be found in organic waste.
So, add a couple of koi or goldfish to your pond.
The waste from the fish will give the bacteria what
they need to grow. Just be sure not to overpopulate
the pond. At this point, a couple of fish are all
that is needed. You can add more later, after the
bacteria is established. Remember that chlorine can
kill the fish, so if your water is chlorinated, be
sure to add some de-chlorinator to the water before
you add the fish.
Given time, the nitrifying bacteria
will build up in your pond, promoting a healthy environment
for the aquatic animals and plants that you choose
to put in your pond. If you follow these steps, and
have a bit of patience, and give your pond time to
become seasoned, you'll be rewarded with a healthy,
thriving ecosystem in your backyard.
