Adding water every week or so to replenish any loss from evaporation is certainly important--but it does nothing to remove the sludge, or algae-feeding nutrients, in your pond. As the water evaporates, the gunk stays behind and concentrates. Your filter does a good job removing the pollutants, but it's not always enough. A partial or complete water change in your koi pond or water garden freshens your finned pals' environment, keeping them happy and well.
Here are five reasons why water changes are so important to your fish, plants and other aquatic life:
- Nutrient Removal: Muck and debris buildup happens in just about every water feature. A water change manually removes any excess nutrients and chemicals like nitrates, phosphates, and ammonia that can be harmful to fish and other underwater critters.
- Fish Wellness: Fresh, clean water means improved water quality, which ultimately promotes your fishes' wellness. Just as you need oxygen to thrive, your fish need clean water to thrive. Their well being is directly related to the liquid environment in which they live.
- Algae Control: Pea soup and string algae feed on all that decomposing waste, which they use as fertilizer. By removing those excess nutrients in the water column with a water change, you can discourage the growth of algae.
- Fights Foam: Foam forms when excess organic material has accumulated in your water garden. When this nutrient-laden water pours down your waterfall, the air and water collide, causing the proteins and other organics to be trapped inside bubbles rather than turning into ammonia and nitrites. A water change will quickly reduce that foamy buildup.
- Clears Water, Stabilizes pH: A water change will also improve the appearance of cloudy water and maintain pH levels, resulting in a pristine pond filled with happy fish, lush greenery, and clean water.
To keep stress levels down among your fish, we recommend doing partial water changes as soon as water temperatures reach 50° F. In addition, be sure to add some Stress Reducer Plus and Nature's Defense to your water. The Stress Reducer Plus forms a beneficial slime coat on your fish and makes tap water safe for them and Nature's Defense will further reduce ammonia and digest dead organics in the pond, such as phosphates and nitrogen.