Posts - Page 172 (page 172)
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Think of pH as the way the water feels against the fish’s skin. A low pH “burns” the skin because it is acidic. High pH “chaps” the skin because it is alkalinic. The ideal pH reading for koi and goldfish is around 7.5 but these fish can tolerate a range between 6.8 - 8.2.
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You may have to replace your bulb. Bulbs in UV’s have an effective usage life of 9 to 12 months. If you unplugged your UV during the winter months you extended it’s life. As a rule of thumb, a UV’s lamp should be replaced every year. The bulb loses power as it burns, therefore, it may still be lit but operating at 20% of its original power, rendering it ineffective for the purpose of killing algae. You’ll know when you need to replace your lamp simply by noticing that your UV is no longer clearing up the free-flowing algae.
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Ammonia is deadly. It is primarily created through the fish’s gills, kidneys and intestinal waste. Decaying uneaten food, plant material and leaves also contribute to ammonia accumulations. Ammonia is reportedly the leading cause of fish stress, breaking down his immunity system and leading to bacterial disease. Measurable to high levels of ammonia is common in new ponds (and aquariums), over-stocked ponds and established ponds from heavy feeding in the spring prior to biological bacteria growth or from inadequate filtration
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Certain biological processes must occur before a pond is fully seeded and balanced. Nitrifying bacteria must be present and working in the pond’s ecosystem before the pond can promote a healthy environment for aquatic life. New ponds will have none of those necessary biological processes in place. This creates a “New Pond Syndrome” that can be frustrating if the new pond owner is not equipped with knowledge on how to deal with it. Giving the pond time to develop these processes is the most important step and there are things that we can do to hasten the development.
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Sometimes it “just happens”. Sometimes it seems it never will. A balanced pond is what we all desire because it provides a safer environment for aquatic life and a cleaner pond for us to enjoy. Mother Nature has a way of balancing her own water systems. She continually runs fresh water through her lakes and streams and adds just enough life to the waters to keep them healthy and void of toxic substances. She doesn’t overpopulate her waters. Though it may seem cruel she allows only the strongest individuals of each species to survive so that the species itself remains healthy. She keeps her water balanced by creating what we call the Nitrifying Cycle.
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No, we’re not meaning the Pond Doc when we say we are taking a closer look at parasites. We’re taking a closer look at those itchy little things that live on our fish and can make them sick. Parasites are found everywhere - in the food we eat and in our everyday living spaces. Some of them won’t hurt a thing and can be beneficial. The ones we’re attacking are the ones that are bad and cause problems for our pets with fins.
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It's surprising that Robin Leach of “Lifestyles of the Rich & Famous” has not titled one of his episodes “Ponds of the Rich & Famous”, especially since Robin Leach enjoys his own koi pond in the gardens of his mansion on a remote island in the Caribbean. Many celebrities have koi ponds or water gardens but finding out about them is like looking for a needle in a haystack. I was, however, able to come across a few interesting and somewhat surprising tidbits — enough information to leave us all wanting more.
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Named after an ancient Chinese Zen Master, Bodidharma, who lost the use of his arms and legs after sitting nine years meditating in a cave, the Daruma Doll is a symbol of his self-discipline and positive outlook. Its weighted bottom and rounded shape forces this ancient cultural doll to right itself after being knocked over, teaching us to be dedicated and persistent and symbolizing our recoveries from misfortune.
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I’ve developed an interest in the age-old study of Feng Shui since Bob Grant, one of our customers, corrected me on the pronunciation. Now I know it’s pronounced "fung shway". I knew enough to be dangerous about the subject so I thought I might investigate it further. Feng Shui literally means "wind and water". It’s an ancient Chinese study of the natural and constructed environment that surrounds us and how we can improve our relationship with these surroundings to enrich our everyday lives, prosperity, health and well-being. The depth of the study is enormous but very interesting. You’ll find more on Feng Shui inside.
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I am by no means an expert on Feng Shui. I would never want to belittle those who have studied the art by pretending that I know as much about this fantastic subject as they do. The more I read about Feng Shui the more I realize the depth of the subject and know that one cannot be an expert without years of studying. My aim is to acquaint people like myself to some of the ideals and make it fun to try to incorporate Feng Shui into our everyday lives.
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When people come to the store wanting to build a pond from scratch, replace a malfunctioning pump or make the pond more maintenance-free I immediately go into my song and dance number — the famous if-it-were-me-I-would-install-an-external-pump routine! An external pump is the most important component to a pond system. It offers the pond-owner a less troublesome, longer-lasting, less expensive (in the long run) piece of equipment than a submersible pump that runs the same amount of gallons per hour.
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YES! A new product has hit our shelves that actually works against string algae and blanket weed! AlgaeFix™, a brand new product manufactured by Aquarium Pharmaceuticals, will clear up those nasty strands of algae safely and with little fuss. When used in conjunction with barley bales you end up with a total string algae and blanket weed solution!