Pond maintenance in April

Snow and rain showers can significantly reduce the hardness of pond water due to lack of minerals. Therefore, check the water quality and restore hardness with GH Plus and KH Plus. GH values between 8° and 12°DH and KH values between 6° and 8°DH are ideal for the pond.

There are different methods to measure the water values yourself. If you want to accurately follow the development of hardness and acidity, you can use the AquaTesterPro with its app use. With this electronic water meter you can do a test often and easily, for example after every heavy rain.

If you know the water values, you can determine if you are going to make adjustments. That can be done in a sustainable way with Maërl; a natural product that increases hardness and improves water quality. With very low values you can better choose for GH Plus and KH Plus. These are user-friendly remedies with fast results.

Slowly the days are getting longer and the sun is showing itself more often. Everything in the garden turns green again, but unfortunately so does the pond water. Sunlight causes algae growth in the pond even before the aquatic plants begin to grow. Install a new UV-C lamp in your filter system to kill floating algae. The oxygen plants benefit from this and will grow better. Then you are assured of clear pond water all year round.

Pond Plants

In spring you can add new aquatic plants and lilies. Give existing water lilies a new nutrient medium with blue clay, and the marsh plants can now be propagated.

Always use good planting baskets and proper planting soil for potting. Never use garden soil. It is too rich in nutrients and therefore causes explosive algae growth. Try placing the marsh plants in one of those nice floating plant baskets for beautifully overgrown islands in the pond.

Fish

Pond fish also show themselves more often when it gets warmer. They become more active and daily feeding is possible again at a water temperature above 10°C. But do not give them too much, the fish food should be eaten within a few minutes. Especially for the transition between the seasons you can give easily digestible All Season fish food can be used.

Observe the fish carefully and watch for any signs of disease. If spots and sores are present, treatment with special medications is recommended.