Advanced RGB LED lights for pond fountains

Discount Pumps now offers our Advanced RGB LED lights featuring stainless steel housings, mounting brackets and hardware.

Each LED fixture is a brilliant 18 watt Color-Changing LED light, so each light kit will fully illuminate the fountain spray. Included in the kit is a color control box, power supply, RF remote control and photocell/timer. This allows the user to control the lighting from shore or 150’ away from the power source. The color controller and power supply comes in a waterproof enclosure. The power supply plugs into a photocell/timer that plugs into a normal 110 volt (60hz) outlet and is rated for outdoor use. LED Lamps are rated for 50,000 hours of life. This light kit is submersible.

Lights, cables and controllers have a quick connect plug. Super large LED Color Changing Light Kit color controller comes with a sim card that has custom color modes that include (8 solid colors including white, red, blue, green, cyan, yellow, orange, purple, plus 23 custom holiday and sports color changing patterns) including Patriotic and Christmas patterns. Control speed of the changing colors and the brightness.

These two, three or four light sets are easy to install on your new fountain. Or for existing fountains and pond aerators, all light kits have universal fittings. So whether you have a Kasco, Scott, Otterbine or Aqua Master fountain, our universal lighting brackets can attach to any float. Long-lasting, energy-efficient and fun to use. These high quality LED lights will create a stunning and serene evening view or give any occasion a festive vibe.

Of course the best feature of all our LED Lighting for floating pond fountains is the amazing price. Our lights are priced so all can enjoy!!

How to choose the right size fountain and aerator for your pond

Tips for choosing the right size pond fountains:

Discount Pumps has a Floating Fountain for every pond size....... Often customers have no idea what is the proper size fountains for their pond. So we have made an easy to use chart that takes the guess work out of choosing the right size fountains. Of course you can always go with a larger size if you want to really make a statement.

Ponds (up to)	Fountain Horse Power
60 x 60	1/3 Horse Power
1/4 acre	1/2 Horse Power - 3/4 Horse Power
1/2 acre	3/4 Horse Power - 1 Horse Power
1 acre	1 Horse Power - 1.5 Horse Power
2 acre	1.5 Horse Power - 3 Horse Power

1/3 HP in a 60' x 60' Pond

1/2 HP in a 1/3 acre Pond

How to get rid of muck in a pond

How do you get rid of muck in a pond?

What causes Muck at the bottom of the pond or lake is decaying organic waste like fish food that is not eaten and waste from fish, geese and ducks. Also dead and decaying aquatic weeds and leaves add to the buildup up of pond muck. When left untreated the buildup can be quite thick. This muck is also a food source for unwanted algae and weeds. As the algae and aquatic weeds die off, it adds to the muck. The more muck, the more algae, the more algae, the more muck, and the cycle goes on and on.

WHY DOES IT SMELL BAD?
Of course Ponds that have a lot of muck build up tend to have a bad smell to it, similar to that rotten eggs. That is because of the release of hydrogen sulfide. If you notice this smell that is a clear indication that the pond is suffering from oxygen depletion and muck build up. Ponds or lakes that are not aerated, cause the extreme temperature differences between the deeper levels of water and the upper levels of water. This creates an unbalanced environment perfect for the overgrowth of bad bacteria.

HOW A PONDS ECO SYSTEM EVOLVES
A new pond starts out with clean water free of weeds and debris. This stage can last for a few years. But over time the organic matter starts to build up become nutrients like fertilizer for unwanted aquatic plants and algae. Chemicals used to control this growth are just a temporary fix. The best plan is to re-balance the ponds eco system. Aerating with a pond aerator, beneficial bacteria and Muck Digester can be used to reduce the muck at the bottom and prevent further build up. 

HOW TO ELIMINATE MUCK AT THE BOTTOM OF THE POND

Thick slimy muck at the bottom of the pond is made up of fish waste and decomposing organic materials from plants and leaves that build up on the bottom of your pond and over a period of time this can build up to several inches. However you can get rid of this muck with aeration and beneficial bacteria and enzymes.

BENEFICIAL BACTERIA AND ENZYMES
Your pond is filled with billions of beneficial bacteria, but if your pond is out of balance and have too much muck, the beneficial bacteria cannot keep up. If you add good bacteria and enzymes with BactiMax and Muck Digester you can increase their numbers, get down and consume the muck. It will improve the ponds clarity and get rid of the sludge!! When used regularly, with a pond aerator, BactiMax and Muck Digester can eliminate 1 to 2 inches of sludge each month.

AERATION
Installing a lake or pond aerator in your pond will also decrease the muck at the bottom. Not only does oxygen keep your fish healthy, but it also helps keep the beneficial bacteria alive in the pond. Beneficial bacteria and enzymes are alive and need oxygen as well. Using a decorative aerator prevents thermocline which is when the pond stagnates and creates layers. The lower layers are warmer and the upper layers are colder. The lower layers lack oxygen, and since that is where the beneficial bacteria is located, it is not a good environment to survive. A floating aerating fountain will add oxygen back into the pond or lake and will help the beneficial bacteria live and consume all that muck!! Even if you want something more decorative like a floating pond fountain, this is also beneficial to the pond as it will still aerate.

MANUAL REMOVAL
It is not easy to manually remove muck, but you can remove a good amount of it with the Lake Rake and a wheelbarrow. This will improve the effectiveness of BactiMax and Mack Digester. By removing large debris form the pond bottom. That way the beneficial bacteria and enzymes can really get down to the bottom.

Water Lilies - Pests and Diseases!!

Water Lilies - Pests and Diseases!!

Avoid using chemical sprays whenever possible!!

If you have a light infestation you can spray off with a hose into the pond every day, and fish will eat them. Keep repeating this until it is under control.

Ladybugs are one of the best known beneficial insects for controlling aphids! 

A fun and cost effective treatment, simply release them in areas of pest activity and allow them to do the work.

It is great to involve the kids too! It is a fun project

for them and teaches them about nature and respecting the balance!

The key to healthy water lilies is to catch the problem early before it has a chance to get out of control!!

Waterlilies are a hearty aquatic plant, so pests and

disease don’t occur often.

Other environmentally safe insect control is Diatomaceous Earth, a microscopic abrasive that kills aphids and other insects. It can be dusted on the leaves or mixed with water and sprayed. ALWAYS use food grade Diatomaceous Earth. Nonfood grade is an irritant to the lungs.

MIDGES - Leaf-mining midges make wavy marks in 

the lily pads. These very small larvae can be

handpicked, the leaves can be removed, or the 

water can be treated with Mosquito Dunks.

China Mark Moth - The tiny brown moth is the waterlily’s biggest pest. It is nocturnal and lays eggs underneath the large floating leaves. After the eggs hatch, the larva slices leaf pieces to make protective sandwiches. These larva will burrow into any floating leaves or debris. Their cycle runs about 2 weeks, so keep a close check for them throughout the growing season.

The mechanical control method, better known as squishing, works well to control an initial outbreak — fish just love the worms! Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), a natural bacteria, can be used as a spray. Once ingested by the larva, it kills it but won’t hurt people, pets or fish. If there is a severe infestation, the best remedy is to remove all affected foliage close to the crown of the plant and destroy it.

Diseases

Several years ago, many varieties of hardy lilies were susceptible to crown rot, a fungis disease. The leaves on affected plants would turn yellow and curl up, and buds would rot below the surface. The plant would die soon since the rhizome had rotten away, leaving a stinky mess. Treatment was to completely soak the tuber in a fungicide. Since the disease is highly contagious, the best option was to completely remove the plant and destroy it. However luckily, this incidence and other fungal diseases has decreased as less susceptible hybrids have been developed.

In addition to these natural treatments, it is always best to keep the body of water moving with a pond aerator or pond fountains. This will reduce that growth of algae and keep pests at a minimum.

The benefits of Barley Straw

  What is Barley Straw Pellets!!

UltraClear Barley Pellets offer a safe, effective, natural way to clarify pond water and can be safely used with all other UltraClear products. Barley Straw has been used for over a hundred years to clarify ponds.

ULTRACLEAR BARLEY PELLETS

The pellets are so easy to use. Cleaner and easier than the bales (and requires a lot less space than the unsightly bales). UltraClear Barley Pellets are 100% safe for fish, birds and plants.

UltraClear Barley Pellets are fortified with humic acid prior to the pelletizing process. Humic acid enhances water quality, water softening and balances out the effects of phosphate in the pond water.

The slow decay of the barley pellets produce essential, beneficial bacteriaand enzymes  that helps maintain clarity in the pond. The optimized pellet size offers maximum surface area for controlled decay. It is not a chemical. UltraClear Barley Pellets can be used during spring, summer and fall. So get a head start on controlling your pond environment!!

Apply 8 to 16 ounces per 100 gallons every 4-6 weeks or as needed. Doesn't get easier than that. No mess, no fuss!!

UltraClear Barley Pellets can be applied directly in the pond by hand and your pond aerator will disperse it throughout the lake.

Water Lily….friend or foe??

Water Lilies

Yellow Water Lily ( Mexican Water Lily)

American White Water Lily

Physical Characteristics of the water lily: 

A large oval shaped fleshy leaf, that is green on the top of the leaf and reddish purple on the bottom of the leaf. The leaves are very large, up to 10” in size. The water lily is an emergent aquatic flowering plant, known as a decorative aquatic plant. It floats on top of the water but has a stem that is rooted at the bottom of the pond or lake. The flowers are big and can be white, yellow and pink.

Elegant Water Lily

Where Does it Grow?

Water lily can be found in ponds, lakes, calm streams in undisturbed waters.

Water Lily….friend or foe??

Well deer, beaver, muskrats and other rodents like the water lily. They will consume the leaves. Pond gardeners purchase water lilies for their small outdoor ponds, and is much easier to manage in a small pond. Water lilies are very pretty and as long as it is kept under control, shouldn’t be a problem.

But water lilies are invasive once they get established. The can be cut down or pulled out but can regrow for the seeds and rhizomes left behind.

.

Natural Management Options:

Using the Beachroller Weed Eliminator will remove the plant at the roots. It cuts and pulls the stems out of the pond bottom.

The Weed Razer is another great and also inexpensive tool for cutting plants at the roots. Then use the Weed Rake to remove it.

Keep that water moving…..a pond fountain or pond aerator is the best way to keep this aquatic plant under control.

How to identify and control Filamentous Algae

What does Filamentous Algae look like?

What is Filamentous Algae?

Individual algae cells that connect to make together to make long visible strings and can become matted.

Where does it grow?

Filamentous algae starts to grow at the bottom in the shallow part of ponds and can grow on rocks in the shallow waters also. Filamentous algae can float to the surface and collect together forming mats. There are several species of this algae and many can be living in the pond at one time.

Pros and Cons of Filamentous Algae:

Parts of submersed aquatic plants are beneficial because it provides habitat for bugs and worms and in turn this is food for fish and wildlife like reptiles and birds. Although Filamentous algae has no direct food value for wildlife, as it dies off, the bacteria and fungi from decomposition provides food for aquatic bugs.

Management Options for Filamentous Algae:

There are many types of weed removal products on the market that can cut down and remove the weeds, and it certainly makes the job so much easier. It is important to remove as much as possible because many of these plants can regrow from fragments left in the pond.

For Filamentous algae you can use a lake rake or weed raker with net and a long pole to remove from the pond.

Non-toxic pond dye can prevent or reduce the growth of aquatic plants by blocking sunlight , however this can also suppress the natural food chain in the pond.

Ultra Clear Liquid Concentrate

Farm Blue Dry Packs

We offer two choices of all natural pond dye in liquid and dry packs. Both types are very concentrated as you can see with this small amount added to the pond.

Finally, to keep the algae growth down and to push whatever does grow towards the shore for easier removal, a floating aerating fountain would be ideal for larger ponds and lakes, and great for aeration is a lake aerator. For smaller ponds, a decorative pond fountain will aerate as well but make a beautiful display while keeping the algae at bay!! For larger lakes that need aeration but want a larger water display, a floating lake fountain would be more appropriate.

To take a look at all of our pond and lake products and also see more blogs and videos, please go to https://discount-pumps.biz