The essentials for a pond owner

The products we recommend most often for looking after a garden pond: bacteria, water treatments, fish food, skimmers and fish protection. A short selection made by pond experts since 1998, to get straight to the essentials.

Winter: choose by problem

Cold water

When the water cools, adapt feeding to the temperature and appetite of your fish: Aquifood Wheat-Germ Winter, Aquifood Wheat-Germ 6 mm in 7 kg, or Hikari Wheat-Germ medium in 5 kg or 10 kg. For bacteria, Microbe-Lift Autumn/Winter stays active at water temperatures below 12 °C.

Overwintering

To limit the build-up of sludge and leaves, spread Bactovase 1 kg (5 to 10 m² per application), add Microbe-Lift Autumn/Winter, which speeds up the breakdown of leaves and sludge during winter, or choose Biobooster+ according to the volume of your pond.

Air pump

To keep the air running: the Secoh kit no. 2 (pond of 10 to 20 m³) provides complete aeration. To service a HiBlow, find the HP100-120 diaphragms and HP150-200 diaphragms, as well as the HP-100 to 200 foam filter. Our experts recommend servicing the valves and diaphragms of a Secoh pump every 5 years.

Ice

The IceFree Thermo 330 keeps an opening in the ice around the float down to −20 °C: oxygen enters the water and biogases escape. Its frost controller only switches it on when there is a risk of frost.

How to choose your essentials

• Pond volume : each treatment states the m³ it treats; measure before ordering.
• The season : starter bacteria in spring, sludge reduction in autumn.
• Your fish : koi, goldfish or sturgeon do not have the same needs.

Read: when to add bacteria to a pond. See also our pond bacteria.