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Anyone else also thinking to themselves that it has been a little too hot?! How very British of us! But with temperatures recently at an all time high, it’s important that you’re taking time to prepare your pond for this heat.
Pond life requires oxygen-rich water to remain healthy but is starved from it during the hotter days. Even if you have oxygenating plants in your pond, don’t be tricked into thinking that this is enough as they only produce oxygen in the day and consume it at night.
You’ll need to add aeration to your pond to increase oxygen levels and oxygenator air pumps are a great way to do so. During the warmer days of summer, we’d advise you keep your pumps on 24/7.
Not only do oxygenator air pumps dramatically increase oxygen levels in warmer weather, they prevent stagnant water and help aid pond life after using treatments. They’re also handy in the winter too as they prevent freezing and the build-up of toxic gases. But don’t worry, they run at a low cost.
You can find out more and buy online here
If you’d rather opt for a eco-friendly option, there’s a great solar air pump by Blagdon which soaks up the sun’s rays to produce power and all surplus energy fills the back-up battery.
Another way to increase oxygen levels in your pond is by adding a cascading water feature, which bring much needed aeration by the movement it creates.
Oase’s range of easy to install waterfalls are made from high quality, non-rusting stainless steel and look ever so stylish. Check them out here.
The tumbling water from a fountain jet also breaks the surface, thus oxygenating the pond in the process. Set to reach great heights, these dazzling fountains from Oase are a great option too.
With warmer weather also can come advanced algae growth, such as blanketweed. We’ve dedicated a blog to this subject, so please click here to have a read.
It’s also important to keep an eye on water loss and to remember to top up your pond during the hot spells. Excessive water loss will cause distress to fish in your pond and can expose them to predators. Your plants will also suffer too, if water levels aren’t kept an eye on.
And finally, if there’s not enough shade provided over your pond, too much uv exposure can lead to fish getting sunburnt! Around the edge of your pond, plant Gunnera Manicata which has the largest leaves of any plant grown in the UK.
And floating pond plants, such as Water Lettuces and Phyllanthus Fluitans, help to add additional surface cover for shade and are great at reducing unwanted algae.
For more on how to keep your pond healthy during the summer, please see our blog post.