​There are several potential things that could be causing this white foamy stuff. Here is a quick list we put together with a few solutions.
​

1. Organic Material - The most common cause of foam build up is organic material in the pond.  Organic material build up is leaves, uneaten fish food, gunk or even a dead fish!  These things may not have dissolved into the water and can cause foam. Removing them is a good start to get rid of foam!  Make sure you are not feeding the fish too much.  They should be able to eat what you give them within a few minutes.  Remember they can munch on algae and bugs too, so feeding them everyday is not mandatory. Adding Foam Free by Aquascape can help, but to really get your pond in balance, add beneficial bacteria on a regular basis.  If this is a consistent problem, you may want to check with a professional to see if you have the right filtration.
2. New Liner - If you have recently had the pond or stream installed or relined, it could be the off gassing of the liner.  This will dissipate in a few days.
3. Spawning Fish - If your pond is the perfect environment for fish.....they might be feeling a bit frisky.  This spawning can cause large amounts of foam.  Don't add products in the pond at this point.  You'll need to wait until they stop spawning.  Did you know the babies are called "fry"?
4. Soap - Once in a while someone puts soap in a pond.  This gets crazy nuts with bubbles.  If this happens, you'll need to do a water change right away!​​

 ​​For daily pond tips Monday thru Friday like and share our facebook page. To receive our monthly newsletter click here. Remember we are always just a click away from solving all your Oklahoma pond problems!
 
Continental Ponds is offering this pond information as a personal information source to our website visitors. Pond services are performed in Oklahoma City, Norman, Moore, Nichols Hills, Edmond, Yukon, Shawnee, Newcastle, Mustang, Bethany, Piedmont, Guthrie, Jones, Chandler, Midwest City, Del City, Shawnee, Tuttle, Blanchard, Bridge Creek , Warr Acres, Woodlawn Park, Lawton. Fish and Koi Pond Maintenance and Construction, Streams and Waterfalls, and Fountains are all in our wheelhouse of talent. Explore our website for more ideas. Like our Facebook page for daily tips and inspiration.

​One question we get frequently from Oklahoma koi lovers is, "What's better to use Lava Rock or Bioballs?" The short answer is, "it depends." Just like shopping for anything else there are advantages and disadvantages to both, as well as cost. 

With an assortment of filter media out there in the pond world from filter pads to bio-ribbon to lava rocks to bio balls. The purpose of your filter media is to house billions of beneficial bacteria and other microorganisms that keep your Oklahoma pond alive, crystal clear and algae-free. Let's take a look at the lava rock versus bioballs debate.

​Lava rock – the igneous rock that forms as an erupting volcano's molten lava cools and hardens – is very porous. When chunks of it live in your filtration system, you provide a lot of surface area for beneficial bacteria to colonize and grow. That's what makes it such a great filter media.

It does have some drawbacks:

• Clogs up: Over time, the porous rock can become easily clogged with muck and debris. Once the holes and pockets are clogged, they can become very difficult to clean out – which ultimately creates less overall surface area.​
• It's Heavy: They may be porous chunks of rock, but hefting bags of it takes some strength – particularly when its wet and full of gunk.
• Hard Water: Lava rock naturally contains a variety of minerals, including iron and magnesium, that could affect your water's pH, making it harder. Hard water can make it more difficult to treat algae blooms.
• Hard to clean: It seems you can rinse and rinse but they never come clean especially compared to the bioballs.

​Bioballs, are plastic spheres made up of dozens of thin rods that provide plenty of surface area for beneficial bacteria to thrive. 

Compared to lava rock, bioballs have some definite benefits.

• Easy to Clean: Bioballs can also become clogged, but they are easy to clean. Just rinse them off with water from your pond and you will be good to go.
• Shape Shifters: The round shape allows bio balls to easily conform to any filter, no matter its shape.
• Indefinite Lifetime: Because they are made from long-lasting material, bio balls will not degrade and will function equally well year after year.
• Lightweight, Easy to Handle: Each one of the tiny, plastic spheres weighs a scant 0.3 ounces; 200 of them weigh a whopping 3 1/2 pounds. They are easy to deposit and remove from your filter thanks to a mesh filter bag.
  

Back in the early years we did not have much of a choice. There were the old hair rollers, sponges and a few other things people were using. Now we prefer using bioballs. Being lightweight and easy to get in and out of the Biofalls makes this an easy decision. Granted we still have a few features out there that still have lava rock in them. 

​Good filtration starts with good media. When starting your Oklahoma pond in the spring and periodically through the season, make sure to check that all your filters are in good working order. Doing so will save you time, hassle, and money because you will stay ahead of any potential problems and avoid dealing with insufficient filtration.

​Strategies For Preventing A Plugged Oklahoma Pond Filter
​ 
​When do I need to change my BioFalls filter pads for my Oklahoma fish pond?

​​For daily pond tips Monday thru Friday like and share our facebook page. To receive our monthly newsletter click here. Remember we are always just a click away from solving all your Oklahoma pond problems!
 
Continental Ponds is offering this pond information as a personal information source to our website visitors. Pond services are performed in Oklahoma City, Norman, Moore, Nichols Hills, Edmond, Yukon, Shawnee, Newcastle, Mustang, Bethany, Piedmont, Guthrie, Jones, Chandler, Midwest City, Del City, Shawnee, Tuttle, Blanchard, Bridge Creek , Warr Acres, Woodlawn Park, Lawton. Fish and Koi Pond Maintenance and Construction, Streams and Waterfalls, and Fountains are all in our wheelhouse of talent. Explore our website for more ideas. Like our Facebook page for daily tips and inspiration.

​Many people love the sound of running water and there are a large variety of different Oklahoma water features or outdoor fountains you can find to give you the exact effect you want. However, just as your garden and pond need maintaining to keep the looking great, so does your outdoor water fountain. During the winter months you will probably spend less time in your garden and your water feature may be neglected. You will only notice there is a problem when the sun starts to shine, and you turn it on again.  There are a number of problems that can occur.

​There are a number of problems that can cause this. These include just to list a few:

Have you plugged it in: This may sound obvious, but it is surprising the number of people that “forget” to plug it in AND switch it on.

It’s broken: You may have had your water feature for a while and it may just have run its course and no longer works due to the age of its components.

Faulty wiring: If you have not checked your outdoor fountain during the winter months the electrical wiring could have deteriorated or been chewed through by a small rodent. Check for any breaks in the wiring.

Ensure there is enough water in the water feature: Sometimes water can have evaporated quite a lot since you last turned it on and if you haven’t checked the water level before switching it on, it could be ta simple fix.

​The first thing to look at if the water is not running very smoothly or efficiently, is the pump. It may have become clogged up with debris or leaves from the winter months. Whilst looking at the pump, you should also check the inlet valve as well as the suction lines. It’s a good idea to clean these out in any event, just to ensure they perform at their optimum.

​If you have a leak in the seal or the suction lines, water may seep out, which can give a slow trickle rather than a water feature. If there is a leak, then obviously this needs to be repaired as the water pressure will be lower. Once the repair has been done, then you should see an increase in the water supply.

​If you water feature has frozen over the winter months, then there is the possibility that it has damaged the pump. It is always best to try to remove the pump during winter and replace it again in the spring or summer.

If there is no water inside the pump, for whatever reason, then it will not work. You will need to ensure the pump is below the water line and filled with water.

​If you need help with any aspect of a troublesome fountain, why not give Continental Ponds a call (405) 834-2291. We are always happy to advise or carry out a water feature installation or repair for you.

​ For daily pond tips Monday thru Friday like and share our facebook page. To receive our monthly newsletter click here. Remember we are always just a click away from solving your pond problems!
 
Continental Ponds is offering this pond information as a personal information source to our website visitors. Pond services are performed in Oklahoma City, Norman, Moore, Nichols Hills, Edmond, Yukon, Shawnee, Newcastle, Mustang, Bethany, Piedmont, Guthrie, Jones, Chandler, Midwest City, Del City, Shawnee, Tuttle, Blanchard, Bridge Creek , Warr Acres, Woodlawn Park, Lawton. Fish and Koi Pond Maintenance and Construction, Streams and Waterfalls, and Fountains are all in our wheelhouse of talent. Explore our website for more ideas. Like our Facebook page for daily tips and inspiration.