Artificial water on the site is no surprise. It creates a favorable microclimate. A hot summer day is pleasant to sit by the cool water contemplating its smooth surface. But behind the pond it is necessary to take proper care and the most important thing is to prepare it well for the winter. About how to implement this in this article.
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Decorative pond
The device of decorative reservoirs originates from the ancient east. In hot countries noble people arranged ponds with fountains or without them in the inner courtyards of their houses. They gave coolness in the midday heat. Now everyone can build a pond on his plot.
To do this, you can use as an improvised means (bath, barrel, trough), and to buy already ready capacity. Both options with a proper approach will look very presentable.
Decorative pond in landscape design of the site
The reservoir on the site not only unites us with nature, but also speaks about the good taste of the site owner. It can become a real decoration of your yard. There are several types of arrangement of an artificial reservoir:
Pond in the garden. It will perfectly emphasize the landscape and fit into the overall picture. To do this, it is best to arrange ponds with blurred (not clear) contours. The main accent of this pond is vegetation both on its banks and in the reservoir itself. Now in the shops you can find a lot of aquatic plants. If the area of the site allows you to fashion a deep pond and colonize there decorative fish species. If you have a small garden do not worry, you can do a small pond. In this case, it must have clear boundaries and shape (circle, square, oval, etc.). Its edges can be fashioned with a decorative stone, as if emphasizing borders. You can use plants with a clear form. For example, nymphaeas and irises.
The pond is above ground level. Usually, such water bodies are arranged in small areas, to visually increase the space. This effect is achieved due to the reflection in the water of the sky and surrounding vegetation. In such a pond, you can breed fish and admire them without bending. Still it is possible to arrange a small fountain which will give dynamics to all landscape.
Creek. It is an imitation of a natural reservoir and it can be built anywhere. They allow you to beat the differences in the levels of the plot and equip the territory as a whole.
Fountain. The most spectacular view of an artificial reservoir. In this case, it will be possible to adjust the slope of the jets and the water head. Of course, such a body of water is difficult to arrange independently and will have to be spent on special equipment. In addition to the type of pond, it is necessary to choose its place and size correctly. Do not make too small ponds with an area of 3.5 sq.m. and less. They will be very warm in the sun, which will lead to the flowering of water. The place also matters. It is best to keep the pond away from vegetation (otherwise you will have to clean it very often). With regard to lighting, it is best to choose a little shaded or some part of the day in the sun. This will allow the pond to remain clean, and you will save time on cleaning and caring for the pool. It is necessary to take good care of the pond, and especially prepare it for the cold season of the year. About how to do this we will tell further.
Preparing the pond for winter storage
Preparing a reservoir for winter is not an easy matter and begins long before the onset of cold weather. But with a good preparation for winter in the spring when you open the pond you will be pleasantly surprised by its excellent condition. All works can be divided into several stages:
Preliminary. It begins in autumn, and it consists in pulling the net over the pond. This prevents the fallen leaves from falling into the bowl of the pond and, as a consequence, to spoil the water. With the onset of the first frosts, the mesh is removed from the surface of the reservoir, in order to avoid its freezing. Also for these purposes, an aqueous vacuum cleaner is perfectly suited, which can be used to collect foliage from the surface and the bottom.
Clearing the bottom. Doing a bottom cleaning is necessary regardless of whether you are drying your pond or wintering. The remains of vegetation rot in the silt and produce gases that poison water and plants in the pond. Therefore, armed with the usual rake comb the bottom in all directions. Garbage is removed and laid next to the pond for further disposal. If plants are planted in the pond during cleaning, they must be avoided so as not to damage them. With small ponds everything is much easier. As a rule, they are cleaned after draining, when there is no need for an instrument.
Preparation of the pond. At this stage, the main work is done. All plants and fish inhabiting the pond are removed. The equipment must also be extracted. Small ponds and ponds with a plastic bowl are best drained. Because of their shallow depth, they freeze, which can lead to destruction. You can fill them with water by one third. And in the event of frost, make holes in the ice and pump a small amount of water to form an air cushion. This technique will allow the cup to remain clean and undamaged temperature fluctuations. It is also necessary to blow all the pipes leading to the pond and to seal them for the winter. The last step is to put empty plastic bottles or pieces of foam in the pond. They will take on the entire load of freezing water and protect the walls of the pond from destruction.
preservation of equipment
Another important step in the preparation of the pond for winter is the preservation of equipment. When the temperature in the street does not rise above plus five degrees Celsius, it is necessary to disconnect the pumps that pump water into the reservoir from the filters. The filters themselves need to be drained and covered so that no precipitation falls in the winter. Adsorbents, brushes and spongy fillers in the filter must be washed in a slightly saline aqueous solution. Pumps, hoses and other components of the system must also be processed. Special means are used for this. Keep in winter equipment recommended in water (especially pumps). Elements of lighting must be disconnected from the network and put in a pantry or a cellar. Thus, the equipment of your pond will be absolutely ready for the next season.
wintering of plants
The most crucial stage is the preparation of aquatic vegetation for wintering. All shallow-water plants are cut to the water level. Not resistant to cold species should be covered with fallen leaves and burlap. Some of them, for example irises, are removed from the pond and sent for wintering in a cool and darkened room. In this case the soil must be constantly wet. For the winter you can only leave cold-resistant plants. Some of them will serve well. For example, hollow stalks of cane supply the thickness of water with oxygen, so it is never cut off. And the plants that remain in the water are pruned by bad leaves. After that, they are moved to the center of the pond and heated. If your pond is sitting nymphs they can be buried in a hole in the nearest natural and non-freezing pond. For plants that are harvested for wintering should be well monitored. Observe the temperature regime, moisten the soil in time or change the water once every two weeks. So you can save the plants and return them to the rightful place in the spring.
wintering of fish
The best option is wintering fish in a pond. But this is possible at a depth of more than 1.5 meters and at a temperature near the bottom plus four degrees Celsius. If compliance with at least one of these requirements is impossible, the fish hibernate outside the reservoir. The very first stage of preparing animals for the winter is changing the feeding. Since the fall, the amount of food is reduced, giving preference to protein variants. With the onset of cold weather, the fish stop feeding and she procures herself food. Currently, the market offers a variety of devices for the wintering of the reservoir. For example, an aerator will enrich the water with oxygen. It is also fashionable to install a special heater to prevent freezing of water. If you do not have the opportunity to purchase special instruments, it will be enough to arrange wormwood (preferably a few) and make sure that it does not drag on ice. If your pond inhabits ornamental fish they must be transferred to a specially prepared aquarium. In this case, it is necessary to create such conditions that the fish does not fall asleep, and in the spring calmly returned to the conditions of the pond. It is desirable to feed it moderately. By observing these rules, you will be able to provide the fish with good wintering conditions from their pond.
This article describes the artificial reservoirs, as well as their types. Attention is paid to preparing the pond for winter. It tells how you can deal with plants and animals inhabiting the pond. Attention is also paid to the storage of equipment. Using the advice of the article, you can not only organize a pond on your site, but also properly prepare it for the winter. Successful work.
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