The Sun's Affect on Ponds

Pond Owners rarely consider the affects that sun can have on their ponds. There are some positive affects and some negative ones too. In this article we explore both.

From a positive perspective, the Sun's rays shine down into the pond and onto the aquatic vegetation that exists in the pond. The sunlight causes a natural oxygen generating process to occur which is a by-product of the photosynthesis process, which is crucial for the fish and other aquatic wildlife to survive. This is sun's positive affect on a pond.

The negative affect that sunlight can have on ponds is that the further it penetrates the water body the warmer it heats it up. Heating up a pond can cause a depletion of oxygen and fish kill. Also, sunlight facilitates the growth of aquatic vegetation so unwanted algae and weeds can grow even more in a sunlit pond.

There are a few suggested strategies to help off set the Sun's negative affects;

• Pond Dyes - there are companies that are offering pond dyes so that you can tint your pond surface the same way one would tint the windows on their car. This prevents the sun's rays from penetrating too deep into the pond. Keeps the pond water cooler and cuts back on the amount of pond vegetation. Be careful of the pond dyes that you use - research the compounds that are in them - new pond care packs are coming out on the market that are cost effective and do not use chemicals to dye the water and are more environment friendly.
• Pond Aeration Systems - both electric and windmill aeration systems are proven to help circulate pond water and increase the levels of oxygen throughout the pond. It also brings up cool water from the bottom of the pond and helps temper the warmer areas of the water.

© 2006, Pond Owner Magazine.
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