Fish Pond Water Temperature in Spring Time
More Top Pond Keeping Tips: Click image right for UK pond products. Pumps ... most small submersible pumps have impellors designed to go around in a single direction. This type normally have curved rotor blades for improved pumping efficiency. To make sure they do not start up in the wrong direction when you switch them on this type of rotor can only be turned by hand about 3/4 of a turn before it comes to a deliberate stop. If and when your pump suddenly stops pumping this is the first and easiest test to do to find out if the rotor needs changing or if something more serious is wrong with your pump. If the blades go round and round and round you probably just need a new rotor.
Pond Water Foaming
One of the worrying things that can happen to our beloved koi is large amounts of pond water foaming suddenly appearing on the pond’s surface. This can be very concerning if you don’t know the reason behind the pond foam formation, and indeed, it could be a sign of poor water quality, risking the health of your koi and goldfish.
Pond Water Foaming Causes
Pond foam is essentially, the formation of static bubbles on the surface of your koi pond.
One reason for the cause of pond water foaming like this is simply that the pond water gets agitated, either by koi or goldfish themselves, or by a waterfall or venturi.
But why don’t the bubbles burst?
Because over time, your pond water may build up a large number of certain dissolved, stabilizing compounds, usually a result of koi and goldfish waste products, that act to keep the bubbles from bursting easily... surface tension of water increases
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These pond water foaming compounds are the products of digested food that has been excreted into the pond water by your koi, goldfish and other organisms living in your pond. products known as protein skimmers are used in koi ponds to reduce incidents of foaming.
One of the biggest causes is excessive protein compounds, which are caused by koi keepers giving their goldfish too much high-protein food in the wrong season (i.e. when it’s too cold). These high protein foods are not digested properly by the koi, meaning they are instead deposited into the pond water, building up over time and leaching other compounds into the pond water, which can lead to pond water foaming.
Other Causes of Pond Foam
Another common cause of pond water foaming is due to excessive growth of algae. Algae releases its own compounds into the water over time and these too can cause pond foam. There are also some pond additives and koi or goldfish medications that can lead to pond water foaming. Water conditioners that contain vitamin complexes are a well known cause of pond foam.
Avoiding Pond Water Foaming
There are several steps we can take to avoid pond foam arising in our koi ponds.
1. Regular water changes are a way to minimize the risk of pond foam. By replacing as much as 25% of the water each week, you will dilute the presence of any pond foam-forming compounds. However changing pond water introduces a whole new set of potential pond keeping problems.
2. Be careful about feeding your koi. Avoid koi food that has high protein during cold months, and try to use foods that leach less, as some foods quickly release compounds into water that can build up and cause pond foaming over time. I think feeding highest quality koi food in quantities that cna be eaten by the fish is probably the best way to control foaming. High oil content foods will have a tendency to foam.
3. You can use a machine called a protein skimmer to encourage pond foam through vigorous aeration of the pond water. This protein-rich pond foam can then be skimmed off, leaving the pond significantly cleaner than before. Performing this once a week, combined with the above measures, will leave your pond water in a very healthy state and keep pond foaming to an absolute minimum.
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