Jack's Aquarium and Pets

Pond Tips

Essential items
Setting up your pond
Adding fish Filtration
Establishing the nitrogen cycle
Pond scavengers
Feeding your fish
Pond maintenance
Pond plants
Signs of water quality problems
Solving water quality problems

Filter System: Maintains good water quality
Filter Media: Removes debris & impurities from water
Thermometer: Monitors water temperature
Water Conditioner: Removes chlorine from tap water
Pond Salt: Natural additive that helps cure and prevent diseases
Stress Zyme®: Starts nitrogen cycle in the pond
Fish Food: Supplies nutrition
Supplemental Food: Variety in diet & added nutrition
Live Plants: Natural environment; hiding places for fish
Ammonia Test Kit: Monitors harmful levels of ammonia in the water
Nitrite Test kit: Monitors harmful levels of nitrites in the water
Nitrate Test kit: Monitors levels of nitrates in the water
pH Test Kit: Monitors water’s acidity or alkalinity
Air Pump: Supplies oxygen to the water
Submersible pump: Water changes
Fish Net: Safe way to catch fish
Books: For general information and good care

Fill pond with water.
Add pond salt & dechlorinator, following directions on product’s package.
Set up filtration system.
Decorate as desired. See adding plants section.
Add first batch of fish and live plants. Generally first fish are added 24 hours after setting up the pond.
Stress Zyme® is cultured live bacteria and should be added to the water when the fish are introduced to the pond.

Generally speaking, a pond’s capacity is 3" to 4" of fish per square foot of a filtered pond’s surface area.
Mix fish of comparable size.

Mechanical: physical removal of debris & particles from water
Chemical: absorption of pollutants
Biological: encourages growth of beneficial bacteria breaking down toxic ammonia & nitrites into nitrates (see nitrogen cycle illustration below).

Ammonia: 1st stage of cycle
Nitrite: 2nd stage of cycle
Nitrate: 3rd stage of cycle
Harmful compounds (ammonia & nitrites) change into beneficial (nitrates) for a balanced environment for fish and plants.

Snails eat algae and decayed matter
Newts feed on insects
Tadpoles eat decayed matter and algae, as frogs they consume insects

We recommend feeding fish, in an established pond, 2-3 times daily. Feed only what the fish can eat within 1 minute. Feed fish lightly with a newer pond until the pond has cycled.
The major cause of cloudy water is over feeding.
Food should not fall to the bottom.
Feed a variety of fish foods for healthy fish.

Change 20% of the water every 2-4 weeks.
Change filter media every 2-4 weeks.

Pond plants add beauty and a natural look to a pond. Pond plants also help control algae growth by absorbing nutrients faster than algae thus "starving" out the algae. To accomplish this, have 60%-70% of the pond’s surface covered with floating plants such as water lilies and water lettuce. Shallow water and bog plants provide shade that will also help control algae.

Oxygenating Plants

These plants grow mainly under water. They are important for maintaining a healthy pond.

Hygrophila	Tropical. Grows well in any depth of water(illegal in Florida)
Vallisneria	Tropical. Can grow up to 4' to 6' in height
Anacharis	Hardy. One of the best oxygenators, good for spawning, produces tiny white flowers
Moneywort	Hardy. Grows well in a creeping carpet fashion in damp area at the pond's edge, produces golden, cup shaped, peach-scented flowers
Sagittaria	Hardy growing plant

Floating Plants

True floating plants do not root in the soil. They have the ability to multiply rapidly. If they are allowed to overgrow the pond, they will trap air and alter the natural balance.

Water Lettuce	Tropical. Provides shade and the long feathery roots provide good spawning areas for fish (illegal in Florida)
Duck Weed	Hardy. Excellent food for goldfish & koi, good to add periodically as a tonic for fish
Salvinia	Tropical. Floating annual with 2 broad pale green leaves covered with fine silky hairs
Water Lilies	Tropical & hardy. No pond is complete without them, beautiful flowers and leaves provide shade which helps control algae growth. Needs 4-6 hours of sunlight to bloom well.

Shallow Water & Bog Plants

Many plants are special species that thrive at the edge of the pond. They grow best with their roots & lower stems submerged in water. Potting each plant individually will enable you to control their growth.

Arrow Head	Hardy, spreads rapidly, produces white flowers, plant in shallow water
Dwarf Papyrus	Tropical. Resembles a miniature papyrus with round mop like heads, grows 2' in height
Elephant Ear	Tropical plant thrives best in shallow water or moist soil
Flag Lily	Beautiful plant, blooms late in the year, tall growing, sends up sprays of purple, white & yellow flowers
Floating Hearts	Hardy. Lily-like leaves with grouped yellow flowers
Frog Bit	Tropical. Flowering & floating plant with long trailing roots which provide ideal spawning conditions
Japanese Rush	Tropical. Green and yellow variegated leaf blades similar to an iris, grows 2' - 3' in height
Lizard's Tail	Hardy. Heart shaped leaves, produce small fragrant flowers
Papyrus	Tropical. Tufted stalks that make a great background plant, grows 5' - 8' in height
Parrot Feather	Hardy. Silver-green leaves, very feathery, tips turn crimson in late summer, shallow water or moist soil
Pickeral Rush	Hardy. Blue flowers, strong growing, grows 1' - 2' in height
Spider Lily	Tropical. Produces clusters of fragrant white flowers, curving leaves give spider-like appearance
Spiked Rush	Hardy. Makes a nice vertical accent piece
Sweet Flag	(Japanese Rush) Hardy. Green and white striped leaves
Water 4-Leaf Clover	Tropical. Looks like normal 4-leaf clover, stands in shallow water
Water Canna	Tropical. Very showy, tall growing with large leaves and yellow, red or pink flowers
Water Iris	Hardy. Typical iris type foliage, blue or yellow flowers, grows 2' - 3' in height
Lotus	Hardy. Umbrella like leaves, large blooms
Water Poppy	Tropical. Round leaves with yellow poppy-like flowers

Potting Aquatic Plants

Cover drainage holes with crushed pottery.
Fill container 1/4 full with growing medium.
Spread slow releasing fertilizer.
Fill 1/2 full with top soil.
Fill 3/4 full with coarse building sand or gravel.
Gently position the roots, rhizome, or tuber on top of the sand (not directly on the growing medium to avoid any root rot).
Fill the container with ‘pea-size’ gravel. When potting iris, water lily, or lotus be careful not to cover the crown where the plant sprouts.
Place the container with the flower on a pedestal so that it is about 3"-6" below surface. If leaf pads are present it is best to place the container so at least two leaf pads float.
As plant matures lower the pedestal so that pads remain afloat.

Water test indicates high ammonia, nitrite or nitrate.
Fish have red streaks in fins or clamped fins
Fish gasping at the surface or breathing rapidly
Fish develop bacterial infections
Fish death
Bad odor or a yellow cast to water
Foam at the water’s surface

Reducing ammonia and nitrite levels...

Ammonia is the first stage and nitrite is the second stage of the nitrogen cycle. They are normally present in a new pond because there are not enough beneficial bacteria established to break down the fish waste by-products.

If ammonia is 4 ppm or higher and/or nitrite is ppm or higher, make up to a 50% water change with a submersible pump, removing excess debris from the bottom.
Add dechlorinator and pond salt to the replacement water (water must be the same temperature as the pond water).
Change filter carbon, add ammonia remover and increase aeration.
Add Stress Zyme® or other products that aid in speeding up the nitrogen cycle.
Since overcrowding and overfeeding are major causes of high ammonia, only add recommended amounts of fish and reduce the amount of food being fed.
Make sure filtration is adequate for the pond.
Test water daily.
50% water change and addition of Stress Zyme® may be repeated every other day until ammonia or nitrite level is reduced.

Reducing nitrate levels...

Nitrate is the final stage of the nitrogen cycle and is normally present in an established pond. Nitrates are normally not a problem for fish, however, a high nitrate level will lower the pH levels.

Make regular monthly water changes with a gravel siphon to control nitrates.
Add dechlorinator and pond salt to replacement water (water must be the same temperature as the pond water).
If nitrates can not be lowered by method above, changing part of the gravel may be necessary.
Add a nitrate reducing agent to the filter.
Clean/change filter media and carbon.
Since overcrowding, overfeeding and infrequent water changes can cause high nitrates, follow the guidelines for the amount of fish suggested, reduce the amount of food being fed and do more
frequent water changes.
Test water weekly.

We want to help prevent any fish losses. We will test your pond water at no charge. If there is a problem with your water quality, we recommend that no fish be added until the water quality is corrected.