News and Blogs

In this PondXpert guide, we will explore the why and how of pond aeration, focusing on the benefits of aeration, when your pond may need it, and the different types of pond air pumps available in the UK.

Organic matter like leaves, uneaten fish food, and other debris can break down, leading to harmful spikes in ammonia and build-up of nitrates, negatively affecting water quality.

Tropical fish are often delicate and can be easily stressed or injured. Using a soft, fine-mesh net helps minimise harm to their fins and scales. Read more >

In the wild, Garra Rufa fish, as well as other species like Mollies, will nibble on your feet if you dip your feet into a pool or around harbours, etc. This can be quite entertaining, but why someone would want to monetise this into a health care regime is beyond us.

Caution will need to be taken with Reedfish as they are prolific escapers. Any gaps in the lid or openings in the fish tank are likely to be used as an escape route for your reed fish, so they will need to be covered or you may return home to find it wandering the house like a snake

In addition to being a wonderful feature to enjoy in your garden, wildlife ponds are fantastic for aiding local environmental conservation, and can support local populations of insects, birds, mammals, amphibians and various other species.

For the best results and algae prevention, adding more barley straw a few times a year is good practice to make sure there is always a low concentration of hydrogen peroxide in the pond water.

When looking to purchase barley for ponds, you’ll likely come across two different products – barley straw and barley straw extract. Barley straw extract is a liquid formula which is more concentrated and faster to act compared to physical straw. Both of these work in a very similar way.

Remember, barley straw is a preventive method of algae control, not an algae killer, so a good result from barley treatment would be less algae returning the following year. To remove large algae blooms, always use a direct treatment method and only use barley to supplement the process.

The nitrogen cycle is a natural process which is responsible for the conversion and generation of different nitrogen compounds. Ammonia is a nitrogen compound, excreted by all fishes, and is extremely toxic to them.