Pond Problem-SolvingPond Problem-Solving

Frank ReillyFrank Reilly

Fauquier CountyFauquier County

Master GardenerMaster Gardener

Virginia Cooperative ExtensionVirginia Cooperative Extension

Shameless CommercialShameless Commercial

Hort Help Line (540)-341-7950 X 19Hort Help Line (540)-341-7950 X 19 Spring Fling 2002 April 28Spring Fling 2002 April 28

– Free at Prince William County Free at Prince William County FairgroundsFairgrounds

VMGA Continuing EdVMGA Continuing Ed– Next Weekend – Gardening with Nature Next Weekend – Gardening with Nature

– Sandy’s Plants in Mechanicsville– Sandy’s Plants in Mechanicsville

OverviewOverview

animalsanimals maintenance maintenance problemsproblems

QuestionsQuestions

Turtles/snakes and birds Oh My!Turtles/snakes and birds Oh My! Green WaterGreen Water Cloudy WaterCloudy Water LeaksLeaks SkeetersSkeeters

animalsanimals

VisitorsVisitors– Design changes – elevationDesign changes – elevation– NettingNetting– Reality checkReality check

snailssnails– examine your plant materialexamine your plant material

FishFish– goldfish koi othersgoldfish koi others– be careful with exotic speciesbe careful with exotic species

Green WaterGreen Water

EmergencyEmergency– Chemical FlocculationChemical Flocculation– DyesDyes– PoisonsPoisons

PatiencePatience Long TermLong Term

– Better practicesBetter practices Resignation-AdaptationResignation-Adaptation

– Give up or change the designGive up or change the design– PlantingPlanting

Cloudy WaterCloudy Water

EmergencyEmergency– FiltersFilters– FlocculationFlocculation

PatiencePatience PlantingPlanting

choreschores

– SpringSpring DredgingDredging ReplantingReplanting Pest ControlPest Control Population ControlPopulation Control

choreschores

– summersummer Algae ControlAlgae Control Mosquito ControlMosquito Control Filter MaintenanceFilter Maintenance FertilizationFertilization Population ControlPopulation Control Plant Clean-upPlant Clean-up

choreschores

– FallFall Leaf Control/removalLeaf Control/removal Filter MaintenanceFilter Maintenance Population ControlPopulation Control Stop FeedingStop Feeding

water qualitywater quality

aging and/or treatmentaging and/or treatment– chlorine in tap waterchlorine in tap water– water temperature of well waterwater temperature of well water

filtersfilters– typestypes

internal vs. externalinternal vs. external mechanical vs. biologicalmechanical vs. biological

– selectionselection

plant selectionplant selection

floating plantsfloating plants submerged plantssubmerged plants emergent plantsemergent plants lilieslilies

– hardyhardy– tropicaltropical

bog plantsbog plants

plantingplanting

techniquestechniques– natural bottom vs. pottednatural bottom vs. potted– tropicals vs. hardy plantstropicals vs. hardy plants

densitiesdensities– the more surface water you cover the less the more surface water you cover the less

algae you fightalgae you fight– and the less water you see or hearand the less water you see or hear

LeaksLeaks

Is it?Is it? Patch ItPatch It

SkeetersSkeeters

Moving waterMoving water FishFish DunksDunks

QuestionsQuestions

Green WaterGreen Water Turtles/snakes and birds Oh My!Turtles/snakes and birds Oh My! LeaksLeaks SkeetersSkeeters

QuestionsQuestions

Should I run my pump all winter?Should I run my pump all winter? I’m scared of frogs how can I keep I’m scared of frogs how can I keep

them out?them out? What about tropical fish?What about tropical fish? My Plants won’t flower.My Plants won’t flower. My fish are all gone – what My fish are all gone – what

happened?happened?