Water is the basis of every pond and has many ingredients. These can either be beneficial or harmful to the pond and can therefore greatly promote the growth of algae.

Pond Water Analysis: First test all available water sources...

... with a detailedWater analysis for your pond, because the water with

• the highest mineralization (carbonate hardness),
• the fewest algae nutrients (phosphate and nitrate) and
• the least harmful ingredients (chlorine, copper ...)

offers the best and most cost-effective way to have a clear pond without algae. By testing the water quality before filling the pond, you can avoid many problems right from the start.

tap water

When testing the water quality for your garden pond, you should definitely consider tap water, as this often has good mineralization and in most regions contains theleast algae nutrients. Experience has shown that it offers the best conditions for filling a pond. However, there are exceptions: in regions with hard water, the regional drinking water works add up to 6 mg/l of phosphates (algae nutrients) to protect the pipe network from limescale deposits. Chlorine compounds and other chemicals to reduce germs are added primarily in heavily populated regions, which unfortunately also harms the pond water. The water analysis for the pond provides you with information about whether your tap water is suitable for the garden pond or whether other sources should be considered.

Well water

Although well water is free and usually well mineralized, due to over-fertilization of agricultural land (groundwater), it usually also contains most of the algae nutrients and some heavy metals that are harmful to pond water. A water analysis for the pond is therefore absolutely necessary before you fill it with well water.

Rainwater

Rainwater is also free, but does not provide good conditions for filling a pond. It has no mineralization, but instead contains a lot of algae nutrients, environmental heavy metals and pollutants. This is also shown by a water analysis for the pond.

What should you do now?

First, test all available water sources for their actual ingredients by conducting a thorough pond water analysis. This is the only way to know which water source you should use.
For this we have theBioTeich Water Analysis Premium Setwith which you can independently, quickly and easily determine all relevant water values ​​in laboratory quality. The pond water test set is supplied with detailed instructions and is very easy to use.

Now check whether algae fertilizer is secretly flowing into your pond...

... because every second pond is affected!

We cannot avoid the natural rain that trickles down into the pond from above. However, you should remember that this acid rainCarbonate hardnessin the pond water. It is therefore important that you always check this after heavy rain by testing the pond water. With our set for water analysis in the pond, this can be done quickly and easily.

Rainwater, on the other hand, which runs unnoticed over adjacent lawns and slopes into the pond, not only affects the carbonate hardness, but also the nutrient levels in the pond water. This is because the soil itself already contains many nutrients such as phosphate and nitrate, and most garden areas are additionally fertilized. These nutrients (NPK) encourage algae growth in the pond. The contaminants washed in via the soil also increase the layer of sludge on the bottom of the pond.

What should you do now?

To find out whether rainwater can flow unnoticed over garden, lawn or slope areas into your pond, you should check whether you have a slope around your pond or whether the pond is at the lowest point in your garden. For example, you can let water run along the adjacent areas from a bucket or garden hose and observe where the water actually flows.

If you notice that rain or irrigation water is flowing into your pond via the adjacent areas, we recommend that you prevent this in the future by digging a narrow drainage ditch around the pond. This will cause the nutrient-rich surface water to seep away before it can reach the pond. Another option would be to raise the edges of the pond to make them waterproof so that the surface water cannot flow into the pond either.

Test your pond water now...
Now test with theBioTeich Water Analysis Premium Setquickly and easily the water values ​​of your pond water. The laboratory-grade results of the water analysis for the pond tell you which specific water values ​​you only need to correct in the next step (2. Correct water values).Pond water analysis for the garden pondcan save you a lot of work and in some cases even save the lives of your aquatic plants and pond inhabitants.

You can find out more about water values ​​and their importance for pond biology in ourPond Guide