Maidenhead Aquatics Topical Tips - August 2010

Topical tips

As the first stories of department stores putting out their Christmas stock hit the news, its clear that the golden days of late summer are here. After a very dry year, it was good to see some rain topping up water butts for garden use and restoring some colour to the straw-coloured countryside.

Outdoors

After the heat of the last few months, evaporation rates have been extremely high and if you have extensive shallow areas or a waterfall then you’ll have noticed the drops in water level. Fortunately, hose pipe bans don’t apply to garden ponds but make sure that if you use tap water in your pond, add a good water conditioner to detoxify the chlorine, chloramines and other harmful additives that make mains water suitable for human consumption but unsuitable for aquatic life. Ideally, use rainwater instead and use ‘grey water’ from the washing up bowl or the bath to water the rest of the garden. Consider where our mains water comes from and use it wisely – I’d rather have a clean conscience and a dirty car!

Only species such as this Iberian Marsh Frog can cope with hot sunshine for long

If you have a wildlife pond, the seasonal change in water levels is an important part of an annual cycle that benefits a range of creatures. On a small scale, beneficial solitary bees and wasps will use mud to build their nests and in the case of larger pools swallows, martins, blackbirds and magpies will be seen using mud to build their homes. In a few instances lower water levels can pose problems. In the case of concrete ponds, large expanses of hot, dry concrete can be lethal for young amphibians leaving the water. Make sure such pond margins are kept filled, or add cover and shade in the form of low plant growth. Even an old towel draped into the water will ensure a damp path for froglets and toadlets to use but will increase evaporation rates further.

While we’re kind of on the subject of waterfalls, I saw some nice pre-formed examples recently that got me thinking about flow rates and other variables. Some very convincing designs are now available that take the guesswork out of building your own cascade and solve the problems that only become evident when you’re fixing the unseen leak that keeps draining your pond. These units are durable and improve with age, unlike the cheap plastic designs that are still seen occasionally.

When considering adding a waterfall, think carefully about what you want to achieve and how you will use your prospective new feature. There are many words to describe water on the move and some of them also have matching sounds – do you want a trickle, a roar, or babble? Considering that your filtration should run twenty four hours a day during the warmer part of the year when you’re most likely to have bedroom windows open, you may wish to use a dedicated pump so that you can turn off the torrent to aid a good night’s sleep without turning off your filter. Conversely, the water movement that results from a water course can really help maintain oxygen levels during warm nights in a planted pond. Do your homework before you pick up a spade and you can avoid fixing problems later.

In the early days, a simple rule of thumb was to allow 300 gallons per hour for every 6” of waterfall lip to ensure a steady sheet of water (or to put it another way, 1,362 litres for every 15cm). This is still a useful guide but can be varied to produce the effect desired. Remember that a pump’s given flow rate does not generally take into account the extra effort of lifting water to the top of a waterfall or running with leaves or blanketweed fouling the intake, always go for the next size up to avoid having to clean the pump constantly. 

A quick and easy model for small gardens

Ideal for smaller features, this modestly sized fall can be used to return water from the filter or run from a small pump. Unless handling a large flow rate, this design will produce a gentle trickle and can be quickly and easily installed. As can be seen from this example, algae growth will thrive in the sunny shallows of a waterfall and the paler finish above the water level will take longer to weather down. For best results, match your chosen unit to a suitable rockery stone and use alpines such as Mossy Saxifrage (Saxifraga sp.) to camouflage the edges.

Modular units for a bit more effect

For something with a bit more impact, this two-part fall will provide a soothing babbling effect with a relatively low flow of around 500gph/ 2,000lph although it will handle greater flow rates. Waterfalls such as this are best installed on gentle slopes and very little incline is needed. Given their modular nature, they can be linked to form extensive watercourses in suitable gardens.

Something a bit racier

Modelled on a high velocity stream, this unit looks best when handling a high flow rate and will give a much higher-energy display. As with the modular unit above, it can be arranged as part of a larger feature. Take care when using multiple units combined with high flow rates, as splashing can lead to higher rates of water loss.

Indoors

We recently were made aware of further restrictions on the importation of Fancy goldfish into the country following the detection of health issues which could pose a threat to our native fish stocks. At Maidenhead Aquatics we take our responsibilities to fish health very seriously and this is why, several years ago, we changed our policies and only purchase our goldfish from breeders who we’ve visited personally. This means that our suppliers are running bio-secure facilities in countries that have not been affected by the recent ban.

This is not just a goldfish – this is a KHV/SVC free bio-secure goldfish

The heart of the problem is the release of captive fish into our native waterways and this brings new diseases and health risks that our native fishes are not able to cope with. Not only does this affect coldwater fish that can survive in our climate but also the tropical species that occasionally get dumped. These make the news when found dead or dying and cause minor news interest when the ‘Piranha’ (normally Pacu – a vegetarian relative capable of growing a metre long), catfish or killer snakehead is reported. Never release captive fishes into a wild environment, they are pets and need to be handled responsibly.

The holiday season is upon us and this has a couple of consequences. If you’re looking for somewhere to take the kids, you’re very welcome to come in, find Nemo and in many stores, feed the koi. All we ask is that you please bear in mind that we are unable to offer crèche facilities and that a busy aquatic store is not a suitable place for unsupervised children. Public aquaria are also a great place to visit if you have an interest in fish and can be a real eye-opener when you see just how large some fishes will grow when given lots of space and good food.

If you are planning a break, remember your aquatic pets and make sure that they’re catered for in your absence.

• Avoid buying new fish prior to going on holiday as they may require more supervision or intervention than established ones.
• Ensure that your life-support equipment is working well and carry out maintenance such as cleaning filters to avoid problems while you are away.
• Evaluate the likely needs of your fishes during your break – a single goldfish in a well-maintained, filtered aquarium might be better left unfed for the weekend rather than being massively overfed by a well-meaning helper.
• Try to organise your systems by running the lighting on an automatic timer and perhaps having a trained caretaker pop in to make sure all is well.
• Leave the contact details of your aquarium store by the tank just in case.
• Consider hiding your normal containers of food and instead leave portions in labelled envelopes or containers to avoid problems. Overfeeding is more about overwhelming the filtration, so keep water quality consistent by feeding an amount that your filter bacteria are used to processing.

Rather than appoint a fish-sitter, you may want to use one of the many products designed to feed your pets whilst you are away. Automatic feeders can be programmed to dispense flake or granular feeds once or twice a day, or a dissolving block that the fish can nibble on is still an option. A nice combination of the two techniques is to get a friend to drop in one of the smaller weekend products a couple of times a week while checking that all is well with the tank.