An Aquatic Ecosystem

Many pond owners hear the word ecosystem to refer to their ponds natural health and condition so this article essentially explains to our readers what an aquatic ecosystem is and how it works. By understanding this you can better understand how your ponds health can have an impact on the community you live in and the environment we live.

An aquatic ecosystem is essentially the interaction of all types of organisms dependent on one another and their water environment for nutrients and survival. There are all sorts of different aquatic ecosystems found in rivers, streams, pond, lakes, even thermal hot springs.

Highly polluted waters may contain completely different levels of nutrients and bacteria but they still have a functioning ecosystem. Hot springs at almost boiling temperatures support some insect and algae species. A drop of water from one ecosystem can give professionals an excellent understanding of the larger aquatic ecosystem at work.

How it Works

The energy from the sun is a key driver of an ecosystem. The sun’s light energy is captured by primary producers (mainly green plants and algae) and converted into by a process called photosynthesis into another form of energy, which is chemical in nature such as carbohydrates. This type of energy is used by plants to grow stems, leaves, and flowers.

The key chemical components needed for the plants to grow are such things as nitrogen, phosphorous, calcium, and oxygen. The wildlife in the aquatic ecosystem are not capable of photosynthesis not unlike ourselves. Animals need to either eat plants or animals to get their nutritional. In any ecosystem, the transfer of energy and nutrients from plants to animals occurs again and again as we move along a pathway called the food chain.

Primary Producers such as plants and any other organism capable of photosynthesis is considered the First Link in the food chain.

Primary Consumers are animals that eat these types of plants or organisms and are the next link in the food chain.

Secondary Consumers (humans and other animals) make up the final link in the food chain eating plants and animals and who break down the dead tissue and provide nutrients for a new generation of Primary Producers.

Most organisms in an ecosystem have more that one food source feeding on both insects, animals, plants and therefore belong to multiple food chains which results in a complex web with links to multiple ecosystems.

Pond Owner Responsibility

We as pond owners have a responsibility to the aquatic ecosystem that we own and the environment that it effects for we belong to a larger ecosystem at play. For example the breeding of insects such as mosquitoes are part of the ecosystem that we need to keep under control.

West Nile Virus is becoming a major concern for pond owners and communities throughout North America and to avoid the threat of West Nile Virus we need to keep a healthy well aerated and circulating pond. This summer avoid pond stagnation and be sure to aerate your pond.

© 2006, Pond Owner Magazine.
www.pondowner.com

Drinking Water Disinfection through Ozone Treatment

Ozone treatment has played an important role in water treatment for the last century. The first full scale ozone water treatment plant was built in the early 1900’s in France. During the rest of the 1900’s approximately 1000 other full scale ozone water treatment plants were constructed around the world.

In only 6 years the number of these types of plants have multiplied 3 times and today there is over 3000 ozone systems in operation. The majority of them are in Europe, the USA has about 250 and Canada about 50 plants.

In the next 5 years the number of drinking water treatment plants that the ozone process in one form or another is expected to grow to a level that it will be treating at least 1/3rd of the worlds total supply of drinking water.

Ozone effectiveness in the treatment of drinking water is primarily due to its oxidative strengths resulting in improved water taste and quality, reduced odors and better color.

From a functional perspective, ozone destroys bacteria and deactivates viruses better and more cost effective than any chemical that is used to disinfect drinking water.

Chlorine is the main chemical that is used as an alternative to ozone treatment and like anything there are advantages and disadvantages to everything.

A natural and environmentally friendly method of reducing chemicals in drinking water is through the pre-water treatment process of water aeration.

Water reservoir aeration or pond aeration is extremely effective in reducing the pollutants in the pond before the water is extracted into the treatment plants. Its proving to be a great way to reduce odors, improve taste and decrease the cost of chemicals to treat the water.

© 2006, Pond Owner Magazine.
www.pondowner.com

Cost Effective Solutions For Small Water Systems

Many smaller communities primarily lack the expertise, finances and capacity to maintain a safe, and reliable long-term water system operation. Some of these communities are receiving water from sources that have only had coarse screening and filtration. There are communities that have had water boiling advisories in effect for years especially ones who receive their water from surface ponds or water reservoirs.

In the last several years many advances have taken place in design and filtration, disinfection treatment, and distribution of water resulting in more and more people receiving cleaning potable water.

Assisting in this water improvement are the advancements in technologies that help disinfect water such as UV technology. Once labeled a very expensive water treatment, UV is gaining support through education and certification, making it a more attractive alternative for water treatment professionals. Ultraviolet (UV) water disinfection process is recognized as one of the most effective, least complicated and least expensive methods to use for water purification. Recent innovations in smaller community use of UV technology for rural, commercial, industrial water treatment applications have shown to dramatically improve UV water disinfection effectiveness and safety.

Pond and water reservoirs have always been a major source of potable water for communities large and small. With more regulation government is ensuring that these water sources are becoming cleaner, healthier and safer.

© 2006, Pond Owner Magazine.
www.pondowner.com

Is Our Water Quality getting Worse or Better?

The Canadian Environment Agency looked at water quality over the last 10 – 20 years and in some respects our water is getting better. For instance the Great Lakes, North America’s largest body of fresh water have some good news and bad. The problem of accelerated eutrophication has not been completed rectified however with sewage dumping regulations in the basins from both the US and Canada the problem is under control. For those of you wondering what eutrophication is; in simple terms it’s the natural process by which lakes and ponds become overly enriched with dissolved nutrients resulting in the depletion of oxygen caused by a number of factors including the increased growth of algae and other microscopic plants.

We still must continue to be careful not to discharge too many pollutants and nutrients such as phosphorous, PCBs, pesticides, dioxins and furans into the lakes, rivers and ponds. The next big concern for environmentalists is the issue of toxic chemical wastes being dumped into our rivers and lakes. The dumping of toxic chemicals overshadows any issues we had previously with the great lakes and rivers in North America. This fight is far from over and its important that we all take individual precaution and measurements to avoid dumping chemicals into water.

The concern is when these toxic substances enter the food chain and are transferred through it right from the bottom to the top. Guess who’s at the top of the food chain? We are. Many of these nutrients are taken up and converted into proteins or discharged as waste, however the toxic substances that accumulate as fat or in organs such as the liver of animals can become extremely harmful if these organisms are passed up the food chain. These toxic substances become more and more concentrated as they are passed up the chain.

There are some solutions that industry is looking towards to help in this effort and we continue to be hopeful that together we can be more environmentally conscious of our actions. Lets make sure we keep our ponds healthy and clean with proper pond care and if you have local industry who have waste reservoirs be sure to let them know that there are cost effective solutions to helping clean up their ponds and wastes.

Again, we speak of this often but we cannot say enough about the promising effects that pond aeration can have on a pond’s health and maintenance.

© 2006, Pond Owner Magazine.
www.pondowner.com

How to Avoid Pond Scum

When you think of your pond you visualize a beautiful fresh clean watering hole with pretty flowers and aquatic plants growing around it, healthy fish living in it along with clear blue water that you can swim and play in. Unfortunately, what you dream of and what you get can be dramatically different if you do not follow some simple pond care principles. Ongoing pond care and maintenance is crucial to avoid ending up with a disgusting looking, odorous body of water, full of pond scum.

One of the main culprits to unhealthy bodies of water is pond scum and algae, even though limited amounts of pond scum and algae are crucial to a pond’s ecosystem. In limited quantities, they provide essential nutrition to plant and wildlife inhabitants.

If an imbalance takes effect then the algae can grow out of control. There are literally thousands of different species of algae and every kind has its criteria for thriving.

To keep a healthy clean pond there are a number of different options.

Pond Filters and Skimmers

For small ponds you can use skimmers and filters to circulate your water for pond algae prefers stagnant water. As the water pumps through these filters, the unit sifts out sediment and debris that would otherwise sink to the bottom of the pond.

Pond Circulators

These devices can be installed in as little as 2 ft of water and are driven by electricity. These pond circulators create directional flow of water in the pond.

Windmill Aeration Systems

Windmills are an inexpensive, highly reliable and low maintenance alternative to providing circulation and oxygen to the pond. Windmill aeration systems come in different sizes ideally suited for all kinds and sizes of ponds.

Koenders Windmills Inc is a leading manufacturer of windmills for water aeration. They can pump up to four gallons of water and can also aerate ponds less than a 1/4 acre in size right up to small lakes several acres large.

Pond Aerators

There are quite a few manufacturers of electrical aerators including Koenders they pump oxygen into the water to ensure that adequate levels of oxygen exist so that a healthy pond ecosystem can be maintained without having to throw all sorts of chemicals in your pond.

Pond Fountains

Pond fountains are sometimes sold to people as sources of oxygen production for ponds. They have also been called pond aerators. Fountains only provide oxygen to the first 2 feet of a pond and for the amount of money it costs in energy to drive a fountain the aeration benefits are very limited. Having said that, fountains act as a good way to circulate water and they look very nice at night with lights on them.

Pond Vacuums

Pond vacuums can be used to suck up leaves and debris that are lying at the bottom of a pond. They suck up this matter before it has a chance to start to decompose whose process depletes the oxygen in the water.

Pond Care Summary

No matter what you choose fountains, vacuums, filters, skimmers, windmill aeration systems, electrical aerators, circulators – they will all help keep your pond water moving and provide essential oxygen to your pond. Some methods provide more aeration to water than others. Sub service or bottom up aeration is more effective than surface aeration in any size pond.

Pond aeration speeds up the decomposition of decaying matter that lies at a pond’s bottom. If you do not aerate the water then this dead organic matter starts building up in the pond and depleting more and more oxygen. As this occurs it opens the door to a host of problems that can happen in your pond the most likely one tends to be the presence of algae and the widespread growth of it covering the pond’s surface.

© 2006, Pond Owner Magazine.
www.pondowner.com

Why Farmers Need to Aerate their Ponds

Farmers add large amounts of plant nutrients (primilarily phosphorus, nitrogen, and carbon) into their agricultural fields to enhance growth of their crops. Runoff from agricultural fields saturated with these nutrients flow into farm ponds causing excessive plant growth.

The phosphorus in the form of phosphates in the soil can leach into the farm ponds resulting in excessive growth, or “blooms”, of algae. The algae blooms lead to oxygen depletion and changes in water quality in the ponds.

This condition is called eutrophication and the murky ponds that result are called eutrophic. Many micro-organisms as well as the algae in the ponds require oxygen in order to survive. When they are deprived of oxygen they die resulting in masses of rotting, stinking algae. A means to control this problem has become of paramount importance.

One of the least costly and most effective solutions to the above problem is to aerate your farm pond. Put the air and oxygen back into the pond water. Restore the water quality and clarity by using wind power. A windmill pond aeration system can be the solution you are looking for to get rid of algae and to prevent it from coming back on an ongoing basis.

© 2006, Pond Owner Magazine.
www.pondowner.com

How to Avoid Algae Growth During Droughts

There are many different species of algae. Among the worst types of algae for ponds is Blue-green algae, less commonly know as Cyanobacteria. Cyanobacteria uses the sun’s light to reproduce and overtake a pond aggressively.

This type of algae grows on the surface of the water along with other weeds and forms of algae. During warm temperatures and periods of droughts a ponds’ level of bacteria and nutrient composition is high, which allows algae of all forms to quickly grow and multiply. These types of conditions are common in the warmer seasons of the year throughout North America such as spring, summer, and fall.

These algae blooms can occur multiple times during a season and will usually come and go with periodic rainfalls and high winds, which tend to break up the algae. However, during droughts algae can last for weeks and this can be extremely harmful to all of the wildlife that depend on the pond for survival. Livestock are most at risk for if they drink water from ponds with blue grass algae they can become extremely sick and even die.

Considering blue green algae thrives in warm, nutrient rich water, it is critical that we do the following to prevent wildlife and livestock from drinking the water and getting sick. Fence off the water so that they cannot get to the pond. Provide other sources of clean water for your livestock, which may mean you’ll have to haul the water in from other locations.

One of the best ways to prevent this from ever occurring is to aerate your water. Pond aeration is the most successful solution to prevent rampant algae growth. There are many types of aeration systems to choose from on the market. Many farmers use windmill pond aeration systems. There are electric aeration devices as well but you obviously need to be within a close proximity to electricity outlets for an electric solution to work.

© 2006, Pond Owner Magazine.
www.pondowner.com

Pond Water Issues In The 1980’s

What were the issues pond owners had with their ponds way back in the late 1980’s? Do we still have the same issues? What are we doing today to ensure that these problems are taken care of? If they would have known then what we know now!

We just recently uncovered a survey of over 100 farmers that was conducted in the late 1980’s. Listed below is a summary of the results from this survey. We would be interested to hear from you on different problems that you have with your pond water, what you are doing to solve these problems.

Back then over 90% of respondents received their pond water from field drainage. Almost 95% of them did not receive any significant amounts of water for their ponds between June and August except for occasional runoff from rainfalls.

Plastic liners, a practice you see more and more today were not used at all in those days. Ponds were never drained for sediment removal or for chemical treatments.

Almost 40% of the farmers stocked their ponds with fish (trout).

The ponds were found to have high phosphorous, copper and magnesium levels which contributed to extremely high levels of green algae.

The two biggest issues that farmers had when using their ponds for sources of drinking water were the amount of algae and weeds. Almost 95% of the farmers had this issue. Odor of the pond was considered a problem by three quarters of the respondents.

Water’s taste was an issue for almost 65% of the farmers and half of them determined the smell was similar to rotten eggs. It was determined that the rotten egg smell was due to a lack of oxygen in the water. They determined in the 1980’s that pond aeration would prevent the rotten egg odor and that water aeration would also control algae and prevent weed growth.

Over 50% of the farmers responded that these problems with algae and smelly pond water was at their peak between June and September and only a 1/4 said that the problem existed in the months between January and May and 1/3rd said they also had problems in the Fall.

Due to the enormous presence of algae – half of the farmers had problems filtering the water with half getting their filters clogged monthly. Almost 100 % of the farmers treat their ponds in order to reduce the problems outlined.

Back then copper sulphate was used by 9 out of every 10 farmers, pond aeration was used by 3 out of every 4 farmers and a mixture of other chemicals were used by about 10 % of the respondents.

An interesting finding was that copper sulphate worked to control the growth of algae in only 50% of the cases. Many of the farmers that said copper sulphate was not good at treating the water indicated that at first when they used copper sulphate it did work but over time its effectiveness for treating algae diminished.

It was clear that too many chemicals in the pond may help its condition in the short term but maintaining it with chemicals for the long term did not appear to be a good practice. The ponds that used water aeration systems experienced better results over the long term.

Its interesting to note that even though the pond aeration systems that existed back in the 1980’s were much less advanced, it was concluded this was the most effective way to treat and maintain the health of a farmers pond.

Today, not much else has changed except for the many studies that prove water aeration is the most effective way to keep your pond clean. There are also many more innovative solutions that can aerate ponds such as low horsepower electric aerations systems and the prevalent windmill aeration systems whose demand have grown by leaps and bounds due to the high cost of energy.

© 2006, Pond Owner Magazine.
www.pondowner.com

Factors to Consider when Building the Perfect Pond

After talking with thousands of pond owners you start to get a feel for what characterizes a perfect pond size and shape. If you are thinking of building a pond or enlarging your current one then keep these simple thoughts in mind.

Pond Size

Pond Size consists of three measurements – width, height and depth – when I speak to most people they will give me these measurements and we are able to easily determine the size in acreage and how many cubic feet of water is held in their specific body of water. An ideal size for a pond is 1 acre about 200 FT x 200 FT.

If your pond is too shallow then the sun will be able to penetrate from top to bottom and heat up the water to unhealthy levels which will promote bacteria and algae growth.

A depth of 10-20 FT is ideal for a pond. To prevent algae and weed growth around the sides of your pond try to dig the edges out so that it gets deeper faster.

Pond Shape

When you are trying to determine the shape of your pond try not to get too fancy. The best shape for a pond in circular or oval. This promotes water circulation throughout the whole pond. Avoid making little bays or putting an island in the middle of your pond. This may look cute but it interrupts the flow of water and inhibits the circulation flow of water.

With circular and oval shaped ponds you are able to install and aeration system right in the middle of your pond which by the way should be the deepest area of the water. This aeration system will diffuse oxygen into your water and provide proper circulation throughout the body of water.

An added benefit to proper circulation and aeration of water, aside from maintaining a healthy clean pond free of weeds and algae is the fact that this circulation prevent insects such as mosquitoes from laying eggs on the water’s edge. West Nile Virus is a serious threat and all pond owners need to be very concerned with this.

© 2006, Pond Owner Magazine.
www.pondowner.com

Why Pond Owners Should Beware of West Nile Virus

All pond owners need to be concerned and aware of West Nile Virus. The wife of a business colleague of ours contracted West Nile in Ontario a few summers ago and she embarked on a year from hell.

She lost feeling in one of her legs and could barely walk for several months. She lost all appetite and was terribly sick for many months. The toll it took on this lady’s health is one thing and the other is the stress is caused on the family and friends.

To limit the spread of West Nile virus pond owners have a responsibility to themselves, their neighbors and the community they live in. We need to ensure that our ponds do not promote the conditions ideally suited for mosquito breeding.

Stagnant ponds are a mosquitoes paradise for which they thrive in. Each time they successfully lay eggs thousands of mosquitoes are brought into the world. To avoid this, we all need to keep our ponds healthy and clean and ensure that proper circulation is occurring.

Aeration is a primary source of oxygen and circulation for a pond. If you are not properly aerating your pond then you need to strongly consider its benefits. There are numerous windmill aerations systems and electrical aeration systems that are sold throughout North America.

In addition, there are chemicals that can be applied to the edges of the pond where mosquitoes are most likely to lay their eggs. This will destroy any larvae that exists in your water source. Read more information on West Nile Virus or consult your local government for more information.

Cut down on mosquitoes and limit the chances of West Nile Virus hitting your area.

© 2006, Pond Owner Magazine.
www.pondowner.com