I try to post Pond Tips from time to time to help others with their Koi Ponds. Some are general info type posts and some are seasonal. This one is a re-post and Is very important during this season. I hope it helps.
“The ponds are bare of any Aquatic Plants this time of the season. Open to the sky… And, sometimes, open to a predator attack! I spoke to a lady yesterday that said some of her fish have just disappeared… Where or What could have gotten them?
Many times when you have fish disappear from your pond, it’s this guy! The sneaky, Great Blue Heron…
I told her several things could have happened (raccoons, cats, birds, etc) and we talked for a little while about her pond and her fish. Sure enough, she had seen a “Large Bird’ messing around her backyard lately… Boom, say hello to Mr. Heron.
Decoys can really help to detour Pond Predators! We sell these at Carters Nursery in Jackson, TN
We didn’t install her Pond originally so we didn’t get to discuss things like “Pond Predators” with her before. So I gave her the run down on things she needed to do to keep them at bay. You normally don’t have problems with Pond Predators if you design to prevent them in the beginning. Here are a few things that can help –
A koi castle is an easy to install protector for you pond fish. It will provide them cover from Pond Predators! We stock these at Carters Nursery, Pond & Patio | Jackson, TN
Wait, there’s more…
Even fun decoys like this alligator can help to keep Pond Predators at bay! They also look cool. We sell these at Carters Nursery in Jackson, TN
And don’t forget –
A scarecrow really works to run off Pond Predators like Heron, raccoons, unwanted pets, etc. We sell these at Carters Nursery, Pond & Patio in Jackson, TN. Call for info at 731-424-2206
Even Leaf Netting can keep seasonal predators at bay. But the ultimate predator protection is to have a built in “Koi Cave” in your pond. They blend with the surroundings and provide safety for your ‘finned friends’. The really good news is – a Koi Cave can be added to your Pond! The perfect time to add a Koi Cave is during a Spring Pond Clean out! And it’s almost cleanout time in Tennessee! 💥 Give me a call to discuss putting a Koi Cave in Your Pond.
A built in Koi Cave is functional & looks Awesome!
We Love our pets and we want to protect them! I hope this little bit of info has helped. If you have more questions feel free to call me – 731-424-2206 is my office number.
Fall is in full swing! The sun is setting earlier every day & the temps are falling… And soon, the saddest part of the season will be paying us a visit… The time when we STOP feeding our Koi for the season 😔
The Koi have eaten well this year & have put on a good bit of fat to get them through the Cool Season ahead. Now is the time that many of my clients and fellow Koi enthusiasts start asking a very important question…
– When do I stop feeding Cool Season Koi Food to my Pond Pets?
– My Answer- Remember the rule of 50!
It’s getting close to the time of the year to stop feeding our ‘Finned Friends’… Sad, but so important for their health and well being.
When the water temperature stabilizes below 50 degrees Fahrenheit you should stop feeding your Koi… Even Cool Season Koi Food… We like to call it the ‘Rule Of 50’… | Carters Nursery, Pond & Patio | Jackson, TN
Switching to a Cool Temperature Koi Food is very important for the health of your Koi!So is knowing when to stop feeding!
Every Pond should have a floating Pond thermometer. Our finned friends are cold blooded & water temperature is very important when it comes to seasonal feeding times. Pick one up at Carters Nursery, Pond & Patio | Jackson, TN
So to wrap it up, keep a check on your water temp (via a floating thermometer) & when your water temp stabilizes below 50 degrees, you should transition from Cool Season Koi Food to NO More feeding for this season. That’s the “Rule of 50”…
Good morning! It’s Pond Tip Tuesday again, and I want to try to get ahead of the weather a little bit and talk about the inevitable problem that comes with Winter… Ice 🧊
As a matter of fact, we got down to 28 degrees night before last, and it’s just now November.
Don’t break the ice! It will harm your Koi! Instead, melt a hole 🕳 in the Ice with hot tap water.
NEVER, NEVER, NEVER break the ice by banging on it! It can cause your fish great harm – it can even KILL them! To allow the escape/exchange of gasses in a frozen over pond, keep a hole open in the ice. This is IMPORTANT!!! It will keep the gases from building up under the ice and allow for oxygen exchange and keep your fish from suffocating. This will also allow the pump to get water if the surface is frozen. If you have a skimmer, this will be MUCH easier on you! The water movement will help keep the ice from forming. You may need to keep the hole open by adding water from a water hose, bucket or pan of water. (This is why I always say “keep a dry hose” or a 5 gallon bucket for this purpose! If & when you use your water hose be sure to drain it when finished-to keep it from freezing and bursting, or just keep it in your garage). You can also use a floating pond heater or a small pump in a shallow area to “flash up’ and break the water surface. Just do it!
My Pond Tip today is be ready for the ice! Have a floating heater on hand. Or a small pump to use in freezing weather to keep a hole open. And don’t forget that dry hose and 5 gallon bucket! They will be your best friend if and when the temperatures plummet!
The color change is happening in earnest now! The leaves are gold, orange, red & so beautiful to see. But soon, they will all fall, and that’s when we have to watch for the dreaded “Leaf Dams” that accompany Fall!
Falling leaves can pile up quick! Sometimes they can cause a dam & divert the water over the edge of the stream or waterfall and cause a leak! Keeping up with leaf cleanup as you move through the season can prevent this problem. | Carters Nursery, Pond & Patio | Jackson, Tennessee
So my ‘Pond Tip’ Of the week is to keep your streams and waterfalls clear of fallen leaves and debris. This preventative maintenance, will save you later on down the road have a Great Weekend!
My Pond Tip for today is – Stay ahead of the coming leaf 🍂 fall with a POND NET!
– Pond Netting is your friend! The main reason to net your Water Feature in the Fall is to help with leaf and debris control. All the Ponds that I personally design and install have a skimmer system (mechanical Filter) that already removes an incredible amount of leaf debris. You simply empty that skimmer basket from time to time and have little to no leaf or debris problems. BUT, if you have a lot of trees in your Landscape as well, a Fall Leaf 🍁 Net may be in order. Depending on your leaf debris load, a skimmer might still need the help of a simple leaf net to keep up during peak leaf fall…
Pond Netting is a great tool to help keep the maintenance of your Water Garden or Koi Pond down to a minimum over the fall and winter. | Carters Nursery, Pond & Patio | Jackson, Tennessee
Pond netting is inexpensive and we cut it to fit!
We stock bulk pond netting at Carters Nursery, Pond & Patio in Jackson, TN | It will keep debris out of your pond & help protect your fish from predators during the cold, bare months.
HOW do you install Pond Netting?
You simply pull the net over the Pond’s surface and secure it along the edges. Some ponds will allow for a tight stretched net over the surface but some times we install risers to make a “Tent” effect of the net. This helps shed the leaf debris to the edges to make it easier to dispose of them.
You can use risers and bows fashioned from PVC pipe to make a frame for your Pond Netting that will stand up to the elements. Easy to erect and easy to tear down too. | Carters Nursery, Pond & Patio | Jackson, Tennessee
Keeping the leaves and other fall debris out of your Pond is a good thing! Leaf debris is unsightly, it also quickly starts to decompose releasing many compounds that are bad for your fish. In turn algae is fed by the decomposing leaf matter and oxygen is depleted. ALL of these things combined can be catastrophic for the health of your finned friends, in heavy leaf fall areas, it can even kill them.
ALSO – in the Fall and Winter most of the aquatic plants are asleep, leaving very little cover for your Koi… Pond Predators, like Blue Herons strike most often in the Fall and Winter… BUT, Blue Herons can’t get your treasured Koi through the Pond Netting! So that’s another big plus for having a Pond Net!
A Blue Heron is major Predator of our Koi and pond fish! BUT, we can stop them from harming our ‘finned friends’! Simple pTools like a Fall leaf net can help with more than 1 task 😊
So to wrap this up – IF you have a LOT of trees in your landscape that shed leaves in the Fall, a Leaf Net might be for YOU! AND – if you have Koi that you love and want to protect from predators, leaf netting could help you too.
FYI: You can get leaf netting for your pond at Carters Nursery, Pond & Patio! We always keep 10′ and 20′ widths in stock, we cut to order and it’s very inexpensive. Questions? Call me at 731-424-2206
We try to help people learn how to take care of their Ponds throughout the seasons in an efficient manner. One important way to stay ahead of water quality issues in the Fall is to cut back and remove the Aquatic Plant waste before frost. And more importantly, before it gets to cold to get in your pond…
My Pond Tip today is – Start sooner than later on Seasonal Aquatic Plant cutback & cleanup!
What do I need to do to my Pond in the Fall? I get this question a LOT at Carters Nursery Pond & Patio this time of the year! #1 Cut those aquatic plants back!
Aquatic Plants are a big part of a healthy ecosystem! They absorb all manner of pollution and nutrients from the water and store them in their plant tissues helping to clean and purify the water. BUT, if the plants are allowed to die and decompose in the pond all those nutrients and compounds are released right back into the water! This will create YUGE Water Quality issues! Algae blooms, Green Water, Bad Smells & Fish Health issues – even fish death 💀!
Yes, you even need to cut back your Lotus plants. AND, sink their containers to a lower depth in your pond to protect them from Winter temps | Carter’s Nursery, Pond & Patio | Jackson, TN
Trimming your Aquatic Plants back is fairly simple to do, It doesn’t take too long & it will pay dividends in Water Quality & Fish Health!
If you have any questions or need some help, feel free to give me a call at the office – 731-424-2206
It’s officially September! That means Summer is winding down, and soon… Fall will be here 🍁 This weeks Pond Tip – Be Ready!
Every Pond should have a floating Pond thermometer. Our finned friends are cold blooded & water temperature is very important when it comes to seasonal feeding times. Pick one up at Carters Nursery, Pond & Patio | Jackson, TN
Cooler temps = Cool Temp Koi Food, Cool Temp Bacteria & other Cool Temp Water Treatments! Protect the health of your ‘Finned Friends’ AND Keep your Water clean and healthy! Stay ahead of the season and stock up now!
Cool Season Water Treatments are important! Keep using your Cool Season Beneficial Bacteria throughout the Fall and Winter for a cleaner, healthier pond. | Carters Nursery, Pond & Patio
Also, Fall leaves 🍁 will be coming down soon enough… So be ahead of the game! Get a leaf net for your Pond! AND, have a Dip Net handy! It will help tremendously during the Fall and Winter months.
We stock bulk pond netting at Carters Nursery, Pond & Patio in Jackson, TN | It will keep debris out of your pond & help protect your fish from predators during the cold, bare months.
And, don’t get wet! Grab the dip/debris net!
A small Pond Net with an extendable handle is a must have if your a Pond Owner in my opinion! Especially going into Fall! Get yours at Carters Nursery, Pond & Patio | 2846 Old Medina Rd. Jackson, Tennessee
So, my Pond Tip is – Stay ahead of the upcoming Fall season and as always, ‘Be Prepared’!
Good Morning! 🌞 It’s late Summer and everything about our Ponds is flourishing. But September comes next week, and with it cooler temps and Fall… That leads me to my Late Summer Pond/Koi Health Tip for the week –
Your Koi, LOVE to eat! And it’s important that they go into Fall and Winter “Fat and Sassy”! That stored fat will last them till next Spring when the water warms back up to feed again. | Carters Nursery, Pond & Patio
Feed twice a day if you can now. Feed the growth formula Koi food and feed some fruits 🍉 and veggies that are higher in carbs. It will help them put on some much needed Fat for the coming cooler seasons.
Koi LOVE snacks 😊 So make sure they start loading up now. It’s great insurance for the colder months to come! | Carters Nursery, Pond & Patio | Jackson, Tennessee
Well folks there you have it. A great excuse to get out by the Pond even more 😎 Take a little snack for yourself as well…
I Love Koi! I love watching them swim, I love feeding them, I love the fact that they are so long lived as well. And, I LOVE finding new Koi that catch my eye and adding to my collection… But, how many Koi in any given pond are enough? – When do I have too many Fish?
Staying in balance is what it’s all about. Flow rates, filter size, plant load AND fish population! | Carters Nursery, Pond & Patio | Jackson, Tennessee
Not having too many fish in your pond is a Big Deal! It literally means the difference between a healthy low maintenance pond & a problem pond… Who wants green water & sickly fish?
I try to keep my fish stock to a percentage. You can figure it two ways – 1” of fish per square foot of surface area OR 1” of fish per 10 gallons of water. If you keep to these parameters you will have a much healthier, lower maintenance pond.
Remember the guidelines when it comes to fish stocking rates – 1” of fish per square foot of surface area OR 1” of fish per 10 gallons of water. This will help keep your pond in balance! And it will help you relax… That’s a Huge part of being a Pond Owner 😊
The temps continue to fall & the sun is setting earlier every day! Jack Frost Has paid a visit now & he will be a regular all through the coming winter… Now is the time that my clients and fellow Koi enthusiasts take that tough but very important step… But I’m still asked the question … – When do I stop feeding my Koi for the season?
Answer : Remember the rule of 50!
Every Pond should have a floating Pond thermometer. Our finned friends are cold blooded & knowing your water temperature is very important when it comes to seasonal feeding times. Pick one up at Carters Nursery, Pond & Patio | Jackson, TN
Check and verify your water temp (via a pond thermometer) & when your water temp drops to 50 degrees in the Fall, you should STOP feeding your Koi for the season 😢 That’s the “Rule of 50… 😉
