Hi everyone,
Not only am I a newbie here, but I'm a novice pond owner! :) I have so many questions to ask. I've been reading the posts and looking at the piccies, so my first question is: how do you keep the pond water so clear? I have a sack of barley straw suspended, but although the water is a little clearer than it was in high summer, I still can't see the bottom of the pond.
My pond is very small - only 170cm x 103cm. I have eight goldfish in it (did have 12, seagull got 1 and the other 3 succumbed during the heatwave). There is one waterlily (firecrest), some water hyacinths which I also have had to thin out twice already and lots of duckweed and oxygenators. Recently, when pulling out some of these plants which have spread so rapidly, I've seen small black snails. Are these good? There is also a very tall - over 3' - pickerel plant. I shall get rid of it later because it is too tall for my small pond.
Since the pond is in the middle of a paved area I couldn't get electricity to it very easily, so I bought a sonar fountain when the pond was dug in April. Because of the lovely summer, it has proved very reliable - or should I say the sunny days have!! ;)
Anyway - if anyone can give me advice it would be appreciated.
Tricia
a newbie delighted to have followed a link to this board - great stuff! :D
