When it comes to caring for your pond, there are specific things to keep in mind in the late summer – especially if you have fish!

​High water temps:
If your pond or waterfall is heating up from all that glorious sun, the water temperature may be rising.  Warm water holds less oxygen which can stress your fish.  Stick your hand in the water or use a thermometer to find out how warm your water is. (80F is not unheard of for summer pond temps especially if the water is shallow!)

Solution: You can add extra oxygen with an aerator, adding a second pump, cleaning the biofalls or waterfalls, or by adding a pond powerhead.  Additionally, you can add shade to the water with a few more aquatic plants like water lilies, hyacinth, or lettuce.  Your pond should have plants covering 1/3-1/2 of the water’s surface if it is 2ft. or less in depth.  (Deeper water stays cooler but plants help in deep ponds also.)

Double Check Water Circulation: 
A crucial part of good pond health is installing good water circulation.  The water in your pond needs to circulate about 1 time per hour. (Tiny ponds need higher rates than larger ponds.  For example, a large recreational pond needs to circulate about once per day.) 
Preferably, the circulation goes across the pond from one end to the other without any “dead zones” of unmoving water.  If your pond needs extra water movement, you can add the Pond Powerhead, tweak where the pump is, or add underwater jets or small pumps in rock pockets.  Moving water will stay cleaner!

Feed Fish Early:
Feed your pond fish early in the morning, when the water is cooler for optimum health.  Try not to overfeed as the uneaten food will decompose rapidly, adding to the nutrients in the pond water.

For more great pond care tips, please visit our blog at www.mnponds.com/blog or visit Aquascape’s data base for more @ https://support.aquascapeinc.com/hc/en-us !