It’s finally pond season, which means time for fish health for our local Bucks County pond fish.
Does your pond promote the health of your fish? Several factors influence whether a pond is good for Bucks County pond fish to live in So before you add some new fish, take a few minutes to look at where your Bucks County pond fish will be living and see if the space is healthy enough.
For Bucks County pond fish, size does matter
The size of your pond is very important to fish health. It needs to be large enough to support your fish and allow them to grow. Pond fish generally need 10 gallons of water for every inch of their length, and you have to be ready for them to grow larger, so be careful not to overstock, no matter how tempting this may be. Some pond pros even recommend only ½ inch of fish per every 10 gallons of water, for maximum space for Bucks County pond fish.
You may see ponds with a lot more fish—even as many as two or three inches per 10 gallons of water and the fish were OK. Even if it looks OK for now, the ecological strain and density of this fish overload turns the pond into a fragile system. This is not good for fish. When the pH sags, the fish grow slower and there is much more chance of disease.
If you have too many fish in your pond and they get sick, there is nothing you can do. Your fish will probably cull themselves to the best amount for the pond, so reduce the overstocking now to prevent fish loss later.
A sunny morning is great for Bucks County pond fish.
Ponds (and Bucks County pond fish) benefit from sunlight, as it provides valuable vitamins. Sunlight also reduces nitrates in the water and helps pond plants grow. Don’t worry if your pond is in the shade. We recommend adding some shade-loving plants to help balance the water. Bucks County pond fish health is also dependent on aquatic plants.
Pond plants that tolerate shade include Taro, Papyrus, Horsetail, Cardinal Flower, Lizard’s Tail, and Water Forget-Me-Not.
How deep does your pond go?
Bucks County pond fish aren’t picky when it comes to pond depth. The pond just needs to be deep enough to allow the fish to hide from predators as well as give the fish a place to go into Torpor (hibernation) for the winter.
Proper Balance is Everything!
Your water garden needs to be balanced for optimal fish health. Your ecosystem needs the proper mix of plants, filtration, fish, rocks and gravel and circulation, When you learn to work with Mother Nature instead of against her, you’ll spend less time maintaining your pond and more time enjoying it1
Consider adding the Aquascape Automatic Dosing System to keep your pond water balanced and your fish healthy throughout the season. For more information on Bucks County pond fish health or any other ecosystem pond questions, please call us at 215.880.6811 or contact us here.
