Organic Pond Blog

Pond Dye is a great tool to limit algae growth in a pond or lake. Algae like any other plant requires sunlight to thrive. The goal of using pond dye is to reduce the amount of sunlight penetrating the lower layers of the pond. When you limit sunlight you limit the potential for algae growth.

Use pond dye as early in the spring as possible. Continue to tint the pond throughout the season.

PureBlue Pond Dye is a proprietary blend of blue dyes that we designed to look like natural fresh water. Some dyes have a Tidy-Bowl appearance or the look of the Caribbean Ocean that we think looks unnatural, so we worked hard to produce the most natural looking dye we could.

PureBlue has one of the highest concentrations of any Gallon on the market and will treat 1.65 Million gallons of water, or a 1 Acre Pond with an average depth of 5 feet. PureBlue is safe for people, pets, plants, fish and wildlife and will not stain once the dye has dispersed.

Pond dye is very easy to use. Simply pour along the shoreline and in 24 hours natural water movement will disperse the dye.

Choosing The Right Pond Aeration System

2010-02-03T14:14:00.001-05:00

Image via Wikipedia

Pond aeration is becoming a very popular method of maintaining the health of a large pond and with good reason. A properly sized aeration system will eliminate stagnation, increase circulation, energize biological processes and create a clean, clear health pond ecosystem. The pond in the picture is an example of a stagnant, nutrient loaded, unhealthy pond.

There are a number of factors to be considered when choosing the right aeration system. Size, shape, slope, depth, elevation, power availability and biological oxygen demand of the pond should be known prior to selecting an aeration system. An electric aeration system consists of a compressor, tubing and diffusers.

The first step is to measure your pond. The easiest way is to give Organic Pond a call at 888-986-9995 or visit our Live Chat and we can measure your pond from a satellite image. We use Google Earth and can easily determine the surface area. In general, you will need 1 diffuser per acre or partial acre.

Second, determine the shape and slope. If you have and inlets, bays or fishing holes, you may need additional diffusers.

Deep ponds with a consistent slope require fewer diffusers and shallow ponds require more diffusers per acre. Deep ponds and ponds at high elevations will need a more powerful compressor than a shallow pond at sea level.

Biological oxygen demand is also critical. To put it simply BOD is a measure of the quality of the water and it's level of pollution. For example, a heavily stocked pond with a large fish population will have a higher BOD.

At Organic Pond we chose to represent Vertex Water Features Bottom Aeration Systems. It was an easy decision because Vertex offers a truly state of the art product. Self cleaning membrane diffusers require very little maintenance. Energy efficient compressors in every size to fit every application. A powder coated aluminum enclosure that is rust free and attractive. The Bottom Line Tubing is self weighted has a thick wall and drops to the bottom without extra weights. All with the best warranties in the industry, ranging from two years to 15 years depending on the component.

An aerator is a big investment, give us a call (888-986-9995) and we can help you get the right product for your pond.

http://www.organicpond.com/

2010-01-21T13:45:00.000-05:00

http://www.organicpond.com/

Ice on Ponds and Lakes Can Pose a Hazard

2010-01-11T11:25:00.001-05:00

The only safe ice-is the ice you stay off!

But as well all know ice is attractive to kids, dogs, ice fisherman and skaters. With our cold weather across the nation this year, ice deaths and pond rescues are rising substantially. Just yesterday in the Chicago area an 11-year-old boy and his 1-year-old dog succumbed after falling through the ice in a neighborhood retention pond. In Cape Cod the owner of two dogs was rescued after she fell through the ice, trying to rescue her dogs, luckily there were two skaters nearby that saved all three. In Georgia today, two teens died after trying to cross a frozen pond. According the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Statistics “43 people have died in falls through the ice in Minnesota in the last 10 years. Some 29 percent of them were younger than nine years old”.

The statistics are grim, but there are things you can do to increase your safety before venturing out onto the ice.

First, ice is a complex structure that is impacted by age, temperature swings, wave action, wind, snow and natural springs among other things. Ice thickness and quality can vary considerably within a few feet. Ice fisherman are known to say, “Thick and blue, tried and true; thin and crispy, way too risky.”

So how do you know if ice is safe? The best approach is to augur or drill into the ice. This will let you see the thickness and quality of the ice. A minimum of 4” of thickness is required to support a human. You can also chip at the ice. If the ice chips off in chunks, this is an indicator of high density and a strong bond between the ice molecules. If the ice flakes or comes off in thin layers, this is an indicator of low density and a weak molecular bond.

Look for open water. If a pond aerator is present, do not go on the ice. If the pond or lake has a natural spring or a flow through weak ice is often a problem.

Look for posted “thin ice” signs, many well managed ponds and lakes warn visitors of the potential for thin ice conditions.

The bottom line is no ice is completely safe. Warn your children of the dangers of thin ice and to NEVER venture onto the ice without adult supervision and pre-testing of the ice. If you own a pond or waterfront property always have water rescue gear available. Water rescue throw bags, extended poles or traditional Life Rings are low cost effective options.

Ice fisherman, I know you folks are a little more adventurous, so make an ice claw, a homemade device that will help you crawl out of a fall-through and can save your life.

Managing Your Pond Ecosystem

2010-01-08T08:49:00.003-05:00

Managing Your Pond Ecosystem

Ponds have a life cycle. Every pond is an ecosystem that is impacted by the surrounding environment. The scientific term is eutrophication, which is a natural process that occurs in an aging lake or pond as that body of water gradually builds up its concentration of plant nutrients.

Artificial eutrophication occurs when human activity introduces increased amounts of these nutrients, which speed up plant growth and eventually choke the lake of all of its animal life. With fertilizer runoff, fish waste, decaying vegetation building up over time, every pond owner faces this natural process. Typically algae blooms, excessive weed growth and fish kills are symptoms of the problem.

Pond management requires a proactive approach to reverse this natural process.

Consider the acronym ABC as a natural solution for creating a balanced pond eco-system.

Aeration is one of the keys to pond health. Stagnant, thermally stratified, oxygen starved ponds can be revived simply by adding Aeration. Tests have demonstrated a doubling of water clarity, reductions in ammonia, muck and elimination of thermal stratification.

Beneficial bacteria or Probiotics occur naturally in a pond. Digesting decaying organic matter is their job. When the nutrient load exceeds naturally occurring bacteria’s ability to consume organic matter, muck starts to build and algae and plants grow in excess. Bio-augmentation or adding Probiotics to the pond begins to balance the nutrient load.

Colorant or Pond Dye is a tool to limit sunlight in a pond. By adding shade to the pond algae and weeds are starved of sunlight and their growth is reduced.

Managing a pond can be easy, effective and earth friendly. When you follow the ABC approach you can significantly reduce the use of pond treatment chemicals and reverse the aging process of your pond.

Visit www.OrganicPond.com for the latest in pond aeration, pond probiotics and pond dye.

Pond Aeration | Bukisa.com

2010-01-06T08:20:00.000-05:00

Pond Aeration | Bukisa.com

Pond Dye, An All Natural Algae Control Solution | Bukisa.com

2010-01-06T07:40:00.000-05:00

Pond Dye, An All Natural Algae Control Solution | Bukisa.com

How to Use Barley Straw as a Natural Pond Algae Treatment | eHow.com

2009-12-31T13:34:00.000-05:00

How to Use Barley Straw as a Natural Pond Algae Treatment | eHow.com

How to Prepare for a Pond Safety Emergency | eHow.com

2009-12-31T13:25:00.000-05:00

How to Prepare for a Pond Safety Emergency | eHow.com

How to Keep Great Blue Heron Out of Your Koi Pond | eHow.com

2009-12-31T13:18:00.000-05:00

How to Keep Great Blue Heron Out of Your Koi Pond | eHow.com

How to Prepare for a Pond Safety Emergency | eHow.com

2009-12-31T13:11:00.000-05:00

How to Prepare for a Pond Safety Emergency | eHow.com

How to Keep Great Blue Heron Out of Your Koi Pond | eHow.com

2009-12-30T13:16:00.000-05:00

How to Keep Great Blue Heron Out of Your Koi Pond | eHow.com

Pond Probiotics

2009-12-16T13:33:00.003-05:00

Probiotic is a new word to most of us and we are hearing it more often each day. So what are probiotics? According to the currently adopted definition by the World Health Organization, probiotics are: "Live microorganisms which when administered in adequate amounts confer a health benefit on the host". Probiotic supplements have become very popular as the public becomes aware of the enhanced digestion and disease prevention properties of probiotics, also known as beneficial bacteria. Dannon’s™ Activia yogurt and Eukanuba™ Prebiotic Dog food are good examples of successful probiotic foods on the market today.

In the pond world we have been employing beneficial bacteria, or probiotics for a number of years. Bio-augmentation enables pond owners to balance the nutrient load in their pond, reducing the potential for nuisance plant and algae growth by digesting decomposing matter. Last year we introduced Clean, Clear, Blue a all natural blend of beneficial bacteria and pond dye that was a big hit for our customers and is garnering rave reviews.

Instead of chemical treatments that have water use and aquatic species limitations, Organic Pond’s strains of beneficial bacteria are cultured to focus on digesting fish waste, decaying vegetation, fertilizers and other components of the nutrient load, resulting in a clean, clear, blue pond.

Just in time for spring, Organic Pond has introduced Pure Bacteria a blend of beneficial bacteria. Our customers have requested a bacteria only product, so we developed Pure Bacteria, a one gallon bottle that will treat 326,000 gallons of water, or the typical ¼ Acre pond. All of our products are safe for people, pets, plants and the environment and are easy to use. You simply pour the product in the pond and natural water movement will disperse it in 24 hours.

Start a probiotic plan now before you are plagued with spring plant and algae problems. For an easy, effective, earth friendly approach to pond maintenance, please visit http://www.organicpond.com/.

Contact:

Jeff Kennedy

13854 Lakeside Circle

Sterling Heights, MI 48313

888-986-9995