Category: Fresh Water and Pond

One of your main goals as a pond builder should be to create a system that delivers top-notch water quality. In order to do this, it’s helpful to be familiar with principles of water chemistry needed to keep these systems in excellent shape.

Water chemistry is, as you may know, an enormous topic. Indeed, fully understanding and mastering its intricacies can be a lifetime pursuit. In the case of installing and maintaining natural water features, however, success can be achieved if you’re familiar with a few key constituents in water — including pH and nutrients — that support plant and animal life.     
       

Hydrogen Power

Most of us have heard of pH, but few pause long enough to learn what this common chemical term is all about.  In essence, pH (which stands for “potential of hydrogen”) describes the relation of hydrogen ions to hydroxyl ions on a 14-point scale. In simple terms, the higher the hydrogen content and the lower the hydroxyl content, the more acidic the water. Conversely, the higher the hydroxyl content and the lower the hydrogen content, the more basic the water becomes.

On that scale, a pH of 7 is neutral. This means that the hydrogen and hydroxyl ions are in complete balance. Numbers higher than 7 are called basic (or, mistakenly, “alkaline” or “hard”), while numbers below 7 are termed acidic.

Typical ponds exist in a pH range from 6 to 11, which covers ground from the slightly acidic to the strongly basic. A pH of 8.2, for example, is highly acceptable for pond water, while a pH of 4 (which is acidic enough to dissolve nails) would be unacceptable if your aim is to sustain aquatic life.

Many factors influence the pH values found in water, with the presence of dissolved materials and metals being perhaps the most influential. These substances are commonly called buffers, and we typically talk about them in terms of alkalinity and hardness.

Alkalinity: When present at high levels, alkaline materials tend to hold the water’s pH at higher levels. The concentration of these buffers is expressed as parts per million (ppm).

Hardness: This is a specific form of alkalinity and refers to the amount of dissolved calcium, calcium carbonate and magnesium in the water. Water is termed “hard” when levels of these materials reach 300 ppm or higher.

When present at higher levels, these buffering factors tend to stabilize pH. In fact, when hardness and alkalinity values are high, it is less likely a pond will experience significant fluctuations in pH.

Aquatic Nutrition

Beyond pH, there are other contributors to water quality that must be considered right up front, namely, the macronutrients and micronutrients that help sustain life in aquatic systems. In all, 17 of these essential ingredients — three macronutrients and 14 micronutrients —  need to be included in ponds and streams.

The macronutrients are what we find in commercial fertilizer mixes. When you see a fertilizer that says 20-10-20, for example, these numbers refer to the percentage (by volume) of nitrogen (N), phosphorous (P), and potassium (K) in the mix. These are the nutrients required in the largest quantities for proper plant growth.

Nitrogen: In a pond, ammonia and nitrate are the most common forms of available nitrogen. High levels of either of those substances are good for plants (especially algae) but are toxic to most fish, so it’s best if they are undetectable or held at very low levels.

Phosphorus:  Again, in a pond situation it is best to have low or non-existent levels of phosphorus, which appears in the water in the form of phosphates. Although in the case of a pond,  these substances are not problematic for fish, they do invite prolific algae growth and therefore should be held at minimal levels.

Potassium: It’s rare to find high levels of potassium in pond ecosystems, but it wouldn’t be a problem in any event, because potassium is a key to both plant and fish metabolisms.

The other category you need to consider features the micronutrients. Fourteen of them are required for life:  boron (B), carbon (C), calcium (Ca), chlorine (Cl), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), hydrogen (H), magnesium (Mg), manganese (Mn), molybdenum (Mo), nickel (Ni), oxygen (O), sodium (Na), sulfur (S) and zinc (Z). Each is required in different ratios for different members of a pond-based ecosystem, and each plays a highly specialized role on the cellular level for all forms of life.

 

Putting your pond to bed for winter doesn’t need to be an arduous process. Sure, it’s sad to say goodbye to your finned friends for a few months, but following a few simple tips will ensure that your fish joyfully greet you again in the spring.

Remove leaves and debris
Putting a pond net over your water feature before leaves start falling from trees is the easiest way to contain and manage leaf control. Once all the leaves have fallen, simply roll up the net, discard the leaves, and put the net away until the next time it’s needed.

If you didn’t install netting, you’ll probably have a build up of leaves and debris that need to be removed. A long-handled pond net makes an easy job of scooping the debris from the bottom of the pond. If you leave the debris on the bottom of the pond, you’ll be creating a bigger mess to face in the spring.

Trim dead or dying foliage
Trimming dead foliage helps remove excessive organic debris that would otherwise decompose in the water. Cut back hardy water lilies just above the base of the plant and cut back marginal plants that could droop over into the water.

Add cold water bacteria
Add cold water bacteria, such as Microbelift Autumn Winter Prep  to help keep pond water clean and clear. Cold Water Beneficial Bacteria contains concentrated strains of beneficial bacteria designed to work in temperatures lower than 50 degrees. Regular use of  Microbelift Autumn Winter Prep will help maintain water quality and clarity, as well as dramatically reduce spring maintenance by digesting debris that may accumulate over the winter months.

If you leave your pond running
Operating your pond and waterfalls during the winter will provide beautiful ice formations for you to enjoy throughout the frosty season. Keep in mind, there will be a bit of maintenance required this time of year, such as topping off the pond due to evaporation. Also, you’ll need to make sure ice formations don’t create dams that can cause unnecessary water loss over the edge of the stream.

If you shut down the pond
Many homeowners in northern climes choose to shut down the pond for the winter months. If you choose this option, remember to:

• Remove the pump from your pond and store it in a warm place like the garage or the basement. Protection from the cold lengthens the life of your pump.
• Drain the water out of the plumbing. This prevents standing water from freezing and expanding, potentially cracking the pipes that connect your filtration system.
• Remove and clean the filter media and spray them thoroughly with a garden hose. Store them in the garage or the basement along with the pump.
• Oxygenate the water by placing a small re-circulating pump, such as the AquaForce on the top shelf of your pond. Oxygenating the water is not only for the sake of your fish, but it also helps keep a hole open in the ice when the surface of your pond starts freezing. This hole allows harmful gasses to escape, and oxygen to get in.
• If it gets really cold where you live, you may consider adding a deicer. At extremely low temperatures, the oxygenation of the water may not be sufficient to keep a hole open in the ice.
• That’s where the deicer saves the day. It complements the bubbler and, together, they’ll keep most any pond open.

Ensure healthy fish before winter
A well-balanced diet creates healthy, happy fish. You want to make sure your fish are in good condition before they go into hibernation. When the water temperature falls below 60 degrees, the metabolism and digestion of your fish begins to slow down. A high fiber Cold Water Fish Food is scientifically formulated to properly nourish your fish during these lower temperatures. Be sure to stop feeding your fish when water temperature falls below 50 degrees.

Taking a little time and effort to prepare your pond for winter not only helps your fish survive their winter slumber, but makes your spring maintenance much easier. Be sure to follow these winter guidelines so you can experience the greatest joy from your pond when spring rolls around once again.

 

Spring is an exciting time of the year, when trees begin to dress again, everywhere you look flowers are blooming, and best of all, your pond is waking up! It’s time to get outdoors and start shaping things up. This is your opportunity to check the reinforcement of the bank, and while you’re at it, reposition or repair those loose stones around the edge of the pond. Clean the drain if necessary and remove leaves from the netting (which may still be in place) or rotting leaves and muck off the bottom if there are any. This is also a great time to do an equipment check and get everything operating properly before the bio load gets too heavy. Make sure the electrical wiring and pump are in working order. When everything checks out you can start the filter or get the water circulating through the stream bed. Reconnect the submersible pump for the fountain or waterfall.

In March the first primulas and early bulbs bloom in the bog garden. Pond plants that weren’t cut back in the fall such as rushes, reeds, cattails and grasses should be trimmed before the start to show new shoots. If they’ve gotten ahead of you, be careful not to trim the new growth. If you’ve stored water lilies inside over the winter you can plant them again by placing them in the shallow water zone, and as soon as the leaves start to rise up above the water’s surface, move them into deeper water, bit by bit, until you have them where you want them.

April is usually the start of the water garden year. New water-lily pads have grown to the surface and the frogs are mating. If your fish have overwintered in the pond you can begin feeding them when they start coming to the surface – just a little every couple of days will do. This will normally occur when the water temperature rises above 54°F. Disease resistance is at its lowest ebb at this time of year and a mixed diet will help. Provide a few chopped up worms and daphnia as well as regular floating food. Any fish that have overwintered inside should not be moved outside until the pond water warms up to within 3-4°F of their aquarium water. Release them into the shallow water and let them seek out the deeper, colder water on their own.

Do not panic if your pond turns pea-soup green! This is because the algae is taking advantage of the nitrogen fertilizer that has accumulated in the pond over the winter and has started growing earlier than the plants. As soon as your plants get a good start a balance will be restored. A healthy pond will return to normal in a week or two.

Here are some tips for getting the best growth and appearance from your live freshwater aquarium plants:

• Don’t use gravel which is too coarse. We can help in pointing out the best choices for optimum plant growth. Depth of gravel should be a minimum of three and preferably four inches. Gravel color is irrelevant. The use of fluorite under the gravel is highly recommended.

• Maintain adequate lighting. Research indicates that the intensity of light is even more important than the duration. A typical color-enhancing bulb, such as a gro-lux, may be adequate for a ten gallon (or other 12- inch tall tank) but taller tanks need a higher degree of luminance. We strongly suggest two entirely different types of bulb be used. One choice would be a color-enhancing bulb in front to show your fish to their best advantage, and a bulb more advantageous to plant growth in the rear.

• Remember to use fertilizer. The old adage that fish droppings will fertilize the plants in an aquarium is partially true. Modern filtering techniques now often render the aquarium too sterile! Most liquid fertilizers, in addition to replacing needed trace elements and minerals, actually aid in changing mulm (a pretty word for fish droppings) into substances which are more easily absorbed by the plants’ roots. A good quality liquid fertilizer may be adequate for a beginner’s aquarium or even one of small dimensions. However, those wanting optimum results, especially for swordplants, anubias varieties, cryptocorynes, and any plants that send runners to reproduce, would be wise to purchase one of the many products available that apply fertilizer directly to the gravel.

• Prune your plants periodically. It is generally advisable to place some plants toward the rear of the tank in order to hide heaters, siphons and the like. Next, rocks or driftwood will hide the less-attractive lower plant sections as well as offer contrast and a sense of depth. Midrange plants are then placed with another level of rocks or other decorations. Lastly, small foreground plants in the very front complete the descending motif and further hide the bottoms of plants immediately to their rear. Most of this is common sense, but this initial plan can easily go astray if some pruning isn’t done as the plants mature.

• Avoid an undergravel filter if at all possible. There are instances where we’ve heard of successful plant growth when using an undergravel filter, particularly one with slow water turnover. But in general, it’s a bad idea. If you must have one, or already have one and don’t want to remove it, consider leaning heavily on potted or plastic plants.

• Be careful of medications. Some medications that are not directly harmful to fish can be lethal to living plants. Dyes such as malachite green and methelene blue should not be used. In addition, many antibiotics can be equally dangerous to plants. There are medications available which are less harmful. Carefully reading labels is always a necessity before introducing any foreign substance that can affect the balance of the aquarium’s system and should be followed with plants in mind as well as fish!

CYCLING A NEW  FRESHWATER AQUARIUM

1. A tank does not start cycling until there is some organic waste to work on.  There is no reason to run a tank with nothing in it for any length of time other than to make sure the temperature is holding and the tank doesn’t leak.
2. Starting fish load: 1/5 to 1/10 of the tank’s eventual fish load.  This is about 4 neons, or 2 platies, or 1 gourami/ small cichlid, per 10 gallons.  Live plants: no limit; the more the better!
3. Starting fish selection: Most fish are fine for cycling, but there are some that are too delicate.  Usually these will be marked with a RED border on their price tag; they include cardinals, rummy nose, hatchets, clown loaches, rams and discus.  Don’t bother with algae eaters; there is nothing to eat yet.
4. Bottled bacteria: Purchase your favorite brand and READ THE LABEL.  Each type has different dosing instructions, and some are very different!  A tank will cycle with or without bottled bacteria, but it will happen faster with it.  It still takes time – there is no such thing as instant cycling.  Safe Start or Stability are recommended.
5. Time to cycle: without bottled bacteria, typically about 30 days but can be as long as 60.  With bottled bacteria, up to 7 days.  Each tank is different.  You only know for certain by testing ammonia and nitrite.
6. During the cycle: Do NOT add more fish; even if some die don’t replace them.  As nitrite rises gradually, fish can change their blood chemistry to adapt and survive, but fish suddenly exposed to the same high nitrite level may die.
7. During the cycle: feed only once per day, to keep the waste load down.  Water changes may or may not be necessary during the cycle, but it can’t hurt to do them.  For peace of mind we recommend checking ammonia and nitrites daily during the first week and weekly there after.
8. After the cycle:  A tank is cycled when Ammonia and Nitrite have returned to ZERO  (not “almost zero”).  Now you can increase feedings to twice daily, and can begin adding more fish.  Add a few every week, not a whole bunch at once (exception: African cichlids may need to be added in large groups to reduce aggression).

 

No homeowner wants to look out their window and see green or tea-colored water in their backyard pond, which is why creating a healthy low-maintenance ecosystem, is so important to any contractor who installs water features.  The last thing you need during your busy season is a barrage of phone calls complaining about dirty pond water.  You promised your customer a low-maintenance water feature so make sure you’re incorporating adequate filtration to keep the water clear and customers happy.

In addition to plants, fish, aeration, rocks and gravel, a low-maintenance ecosystem pond requires adequate filtration to help keep the water crystal clear.  Three types of pond filters are available on the market and include biological, mechanical, and sterilizers.  Biological filters use bacteria to break down pond wastes, converting them into less harmful compounds that can be used as aquatic plant fertilizers.  Mechanical filters trap and remove debris and sediment.  Water sterilizers pass water through a tube that houses an ultraviolet bulb, killing living microscopic particles in the water. 

A good biological filtration system, teamed with a proper mechanical filter to remove solids before the water enters the biological filtration unit, is the most effective way to filter water.  With adequate biological and mechanical filtration, the need for sterilizers is eliminated altogether, thereby ensuring a natural ecosystem pond.

The Job of a Skimmer

The main function of mechanical filtration, or skimmer, is to remove debris before it sinks to the bottom of the pond and decays. The skimmer also houses and hides the pump and plumbing from view, as opposed to being placed directly in the pond where they become an eyesore.  The skimmer won’t drain the pond if a possible leak occurs in either the plumbing or waterfalls.

There are two main types of skimmers: box skimmers and floating skimmers.  Both types filter the water by removing floating debris and waste before it’s had a chance to fall to the bottom of the pond.  The box skimmer is the predominant type of skimmer on the market today because it’s easy to maintain. 

Box-style skimmers come with either vertical or horizontal filter mats.  Horizontal mats prove to be the most effective, while providing the least amount of maintenance. In addition to frequent cleaning, vertical mats need to be constantly monitored to make sure there is enough water in the pump chamber for the pump to operate properly.  An advantage of horizontal filter mats is that they lay flat so there is no sagging and they don’t lose their shape.  They also never clog to the point of preventing water from passing through, so the pump chamber does not run dry.

As water enters the skimmer, the large debris is removed and the water is then further filtered through the horizontal mat.  The pond water then travels through the plumbing buried underground, up to the biological filter where it’s further treated before re-entering the pond. 

Biological Filtration Goes to Work

The biological filter receives water that has already passed through the mechanical filter, or skimmer, typically placed on the opposite side of the pond.  The water enters the biological filter via flexible pipe located near the base of the unit.  The water then flows from the bottom to the top of the filter, traveling through filter media housed inside the unit.  The filter media helps with the removal of fine to medium-sized particles.  The larger debris was already removed by the skimmer. 

As the biological filter fills, it will overflow and cascade over its waterfall lip, cascading down rocks that have been set to create a beautiful and preferably natural-looking waterfall.  The waterfall creates aeration for the pond, assisting in the circulation and health of the water.  If a slower, stream effect is preferred, the unit simply needs to be sunk lower into the ground.

Biological filters on the market today range in size and can filter ponds up to 10,000 gallons.  For larger ponds, multiple biological filters can be incorporated into the design. 

The Science Behind the Design

Mechanical and biological filtration are critical to processing the many types of nutrients found in a water garden system, including fish waste, uneaten fish food, leaves, and runoff from lawns to name a few.  High levels of ammonia (a form of nitrogen) are highly toxic to fish and are a major contributor to prolific algae growth, and so they need to be carefully controlled.  In water gardening, the primary nutrient that biological filtration utilizes and renders usable is nitrogen.

In biological filtration, nitrifying bacteria, known as facultative bacteria, absorb ammonia, and turn nitrites into nitrates, which are less dangerous.  These bacteria require oxygen to live, so it’s important for the pond’s pump to run 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  If the pump isn’t running, the waterfalls aren’t flowing, and aeration is eliminated from the necessary equation to maintain an ecosystem pond.  Keep in mind that if the pump shuts down, the bacteria will quickly use up all of the oxygen and die.  This isn’t a good thing.

Nitrates are then removed from the pond by another biological filtration method known as de-nitrification.  This process occurs only in anaerobic (without oxygen) areas of the pond.  That’s why it’s not necessarily bad for some areas of the pond to experience minimal water flow (such as on the bottom of the pond, under an inch or so of gravel).  The bacteria that live in this area of the pond turn nitrates into nitrogen gas, which is released into the atmosphere.  Nitrates are also absorbed by aquatic plants and algae during their growth processes.  A pond without aquatic plants will prove to be a maintenance nightmare.

For any biological filtration to work, there literally needs to be billions of bacteria working to purify the water.  They prefer to anchor onto things, which is why surface area is so important.  More surface area means more bacteria, and more bacteria means better biological filtration.  Surface area is provided by filter media, rocks, and gravel.  A pond with gravel on the bottom will contain more surface area for bacteria, as opposed to a pond with exposed liner on the bottom.

Low-Maintenance Customers

This simple process of repeatedly turning the water over through the mechanical and biological filters helps keep water quality high and aids in creating a naturally balanced, low-maintenance ecosystem pond.  Add the remaining components of fish, plants, aeration, rock, and gravel, and you’ll find greater success in creating easy-to-maintain water gardens for your customers.  And when your customers spend less time fiddling in the backyard on pond chores, it means they can enjoy more leisure time relaxing by their backyard oasis with a cool beverage in hand.  So instead of spending your days on follow-up maintenance and trouble-shooting calls, you can instead focus on cultivating and growing new and existing customers.  Less stress for your customers translates into less stress and greater profits for you!

 

Aquascaping your aquarium with live plants can have several beneficial results. First, plants help to provide a stable system in the aquarium, acting as a buffer against rapid increases in nitrate levels, fluctuating pH levels, and sudden bacterial blooms. Second, your fish will certainly enjoy them. Third, you can unleash your creative side and design a splendid underwater garden!

One of the easiest plants to establish successfully is the java fern (microsorium pteropus). It is tolerant of most water conditions, growing longer, dark green leaves in hard water and shorter, paler leaves in soft water. The java fern is not buried in the substrate; instead, you attach it to wood, rocks or even a cork background using green garden wire or fishing line. Eventually it will root onto the rock or wood and spread. It multiplies by growing small plantlets along the leaf margins. When these are large enough to handle, you can detach them and fix them onto another suitable surface.

An added feature of this plant is most fish will leave it alone. Even notorious nibblers don’t seem to bother it. It is also a shade tolerant plant and will thrive in those dark corners of your aquarium. Come in to Fintastic and see our selection of plants and we’ll help get you started!

Most saltwater species cannot be kept in an aquarium with their own kind. In the freshwater world, things are totally different. Many of our more common home aquarium species actually need other members of their own kind to feel secure and safe, otherwise they suffer stress and a likely a shortened life-span.

All of the tetra, rasbora and danio species are schooling fish in nature. That is, they live in large, homogenous groups with a designated leader and individual purpose. They should not be kept in aquariums in groups of less than six.

A single male livebearer kept in the confines with a single female will probably be much too aggressive towards her. They should be kept in trios with one male and two females or in haphazardly produced groups where the females largely outnumber the males. This will allow the male to divide his attention.

Barbs, dependent upon their tankmates, may be guilty of chasing and fin-nipping. However in groups of five or more, they are generally content to confine this “aggressive” behavior to themselves as a form of play.

Loaches and cory catfish, while not being schooling fish per se, are very much social fish, and do not fare well individually. Both should be kept in groups of at least three to insure their long-term well-being.

Often, with the diversity of colors and body-shapes available, it is tempting to stock your aquarium with one of everything. This is not healthy or fair to many of the species available.

As an entertaining and interesting alternative, you might want to consider a species tank. This is an aquarium that is stocked entirely with one species of fish, with the exception of cory catfish or loaches as scavengers and perhaps a plecostomus to perform some of the janitorial duties.

The family Cichlidae can be broken down into two basic groups: New World cichlids and Old World cichlids.  That is, cichlids endemic to the Americas and Africa, respectively.  These two groups can be broken down further, as follows (with their general pH requirements in parentheses):

 

New World Cichlids

1. South America (ph 6.5-7.5)

-Pikes and peacock bass

-Oscars

-Geophagus species

-Apistogrammas

-Discus, angels, uaru, festivum

2. Central America (ph 7.0-8.5)

 

Old World Cichlids

1. West African river species (ph 6.5-7.5)

-Jewels

-Kribs

-Tilapia

2. Lake Tanganyika (ph 8.0-9.0)

-Lamprologus

-Tropheus

-Frontosa

3. Lake Malawi (ph 7.5-8.5)

-Mbuna

-Peacocks

-Nimbochromis/haplochromis

 

 

Determining aquarium compatibility between cichlids can be tricky and never guaranteed, but below is a summary of what generally holds true.  The most important thing to remember about cichlids is that the vast majority of cichlids are at least moderately aggressive even when not breeding.  Once two cichlids have paired up and begun their mating ritual, their aggressiveness increases dramatically.

 

The South American cichlids are a very diverse group.  The giants are the Oscars, pikes and peacock basses.  These fish are typically not aggressive, but all have clear piscivorous tendencies; they will quickly eat any tank mate small enough to fit into their mouths.  Despite this, these fish are not highly aggressive, and will not fair well with more aggressive tank mates.  Their food should have a high concentration of meat protein.

 

Most of the other S. American cichlids can more or less be considered semi-aggressive community fish.  Although some geophagus species get large and aggressive, most are not excessively territorial and can be kept with smaller, more docile fish.  The jurupari is a good example of this.  The apistogrammas, discus, angels and uaru are also relatively non-aggressive and can be kept like the geophagus.  With the exception of uaru, they are also good candidates for the planted aquarium.

 

Only a couple of S. American species Fintastic carries should be considered too aggressive to be kept with the above fish.  These are green terrors and caquetaia kraussi.  Both are usually mean and nasty, and would probably do best housed with cichlids from C. America.  With the exception of the true predators, the S. American cichlids are omnivores, and should be offered a wide variety of foods, including a fair bit of vegetable matter.

 

Central American cichlids are, as a rule, highly territorial and predatory.  Although some stay around six inches when full grown, such as the convict, salvinii and Jack Dempsey, most get closer to ten to fourteen inches.  These are not suitable for smaller aquariums except when juvenile, and they typically grow very quickly when kept properly.  It is usually impossible to house more than a single adult C. American cichlid in an aquarium unless the tank is very large.  Being omnivores, these cichlids are easy to feed.

 

Lake Malawi cichlids are very diverse and should not be considered compatible across the board.  Fintastic sells more mbuna than any other type of Malawi cichlid.  These are the smaller(4-6”), algae eating fish of the lake.  As such, they should be offered lots of algae-based foods.  It is necessary to have a can of OSI Spirulina flake, HBH Spirulina pellet or Ocean Nutrition Cichlid Vegi flake to an mbuna sale.  Examples of mbuna we sell are the auratus, kennyi, zebras, etc.  Although often very aggressive, most mbuna can be successfully kept in communities, even in tanks as small as thirty gallons.  In fact, it is best to slightly overcrowd them in order to distribute aggression among as many individuals as possible.  Obviously, what this means for the aquarist is an increase in size and frequency of water changes.  It is important to note that, although they are technically mbuna, yellow labs are best not mixed with other mbuna.  They are not as rowdy, and usually get harassed/damaged.  If you insist on mixing them in with more aggressive fish, try to give the labs a size advantage.

 

The haplochromines are a larger, predatory Malawi fish.  Some of the haps Fintastic sell’s are the venustus, compressiceps, livingstoni, etc.  Most of these fish reach eight to ten inches and need lots of swimming space.  They are best fed an omnivore diet, with a leaning toward meat protein.  Do not house these fish with mbuna unless they are clearly larger, and in a tank of at least 75 gallons.  Peacocks, probably the most spectacular and expensive Malawi cichlids and should not be housed with mbuna under any conditions.  They are simply not nearly aggressive enough.  The only exception to this would be the yellow labs, for the reason given above.  They typically grow no larger than four to five inches, and can be housed in tanks as small as thirty gallons.  They are micropredators/omnivores, and will thrive on a mixture of frozen and dry foods.

 

With the exception of the frontosa, Lake Tanganyikan cichlids generally stay under six inches, are not insanely territorial, and do well in communities of other Tanganyikans.  Such a community should be housed in at least a thirty gallon, but preferably larger.  Do not mix these fish with any Malawi cichlids other than yellow labs and peacocks.  Feed Tanganyikans a mixture of frozen and dry foods.  Do note that tropheus species should absolutely not be fed bloodworms or brine shrimp.

 

West African cichlids are very similar to New World cichlids in most regards.  Their water, feeding and housing requirements are very similar to those of the S. American cichlids, while their temperament typically is a little rougher.  Depending on the species in question, these guys can usually be mixed in with cichlids from South and Central America with no problem.

 

As a final note, we would like to point out that, like marine reef fish, cichlids from the large African rift lakes are intolerant of large swings in water parameters and degradation in water quality.  These fish need  constant high pH and alkaline water conditions (buffers are a must).  The South and Central American and African river cichlids, on the other hand, are accustomed to seasonal changes in water chemistry and can be difficult to upset.

 

Do you have a pond that your fish will appreciate? Several factors influence whether a pond is habitable by fish, so before your stock your new pond or choose a few new finned friends at your water gardening store, take a few minutes to assess your fish’s dwelling space.

Size Matters
It all starts with the size of your pond. You need to make sure that it is large enough to support fish and their growth. 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 experts go so far as to recommend only ½ inch of fish per 10 gallons of water as a maximum stocking density.

On occasion, you may encounter ponds crowded with 2 or even 3 inches of fish per 10 gallons of water and the fish seem to be fine. However, the density and ecological strain of this loading turn these ponds into fragile systems. The pH tends to sag, the fish tend to grow more slowly, and disease can become a common occurrence.

You won’t be able to salvage sick fish in a pond that’s overcrowded. Eventually, Mother Nature will pick off your favorite fish to achieve her ideal stocking density based on the system the fish are in, and then the remainder will recover as if by magical intervention. So reduce the number of fish if your pond is overstocked before Mother Nature handles this crucial step for you.

Good Morning, Sunshine
Ponds that have some sunlight are also beneficial to fish due to the valuable vitamins that are produced. Sunlight also helps the plants in your pond grow, thereby reducing nitrates in the water. Unfortunately, you can’t just up and move your pond so if you have a shaded pond, simply add shade-loving plants to help balance the water.

Two Feet
When it comes to pond depth, koi aren’t very picky. Just be sure that the pond is deep enough (generally about 2 to 2 ½ feet) to give the fish a chance to get out of the way of predators. This depth also provides ample space for over-wintering fish in northern climes.

A Balancing Act
The quality of your pond water is critical to fish health and you want to make sure your pond is balanced. The proper mix of fish, plants, filtration, circulation, and rocks and gravel all provide an important role in your pond’s ecosystem. Work with Mother Nature, not against her, and you’ll find you spend more time enjoying your pond and less time maintaining it.