I know you've all had some questions, and in the hopes of providing some answers we have here a list of the few most asked, and most important, questions.

• How many Lilies should I stock in my pond?
• How many Filter Grasses need to be stocked in a pond and can there be too many?
• How many Fish do I stock in my pond?
• Why should I stock tadpoles and snails in my pond and how many?
• How do I solve my green water problem?
• How do I solve my string-algae problem?
• What do Barley Bales do to benefit my pond?

• Stock one(1) four(4) gallon for every two(2) square yards of pond area. Try to aim to have a minimum of 50% coverage, but up to 75% is best. This is done to restrict the solar (UV) rays from getting down into the aquatic ecosytem which elicits algae growth.

• For every square yard of pond surface it is recommended that you stock one(1) pot of Anachris or six(6) bunches of Marestail. Also, it is certainly possible to have too many Filter Grasses; it is a good thing to keep in mind that your plants give off oxygen during the day and rob the pond of oxygen at night. So keep the Filter Grass stock within a reasonable amount. This will prevent low oxygen levels from occurring early in the morning, which might affect fish health.

  It must be said though, that contrary to Anachris, Marestail has a negative oxygen impact upon the pond. While during the day it does give off oxygen, during nighttime it takes out more oxygen than it puts in during the daytime. Now this isn't necessarily a bad thing if you have adequate aeration from other sources, but it should be kept in mind.

• We recommend a maximum of 8" of fish for every square yard. One fish can be of any size, so we go by total inches to make it more consistant. Thus, lets say your pond can handle 3x 8" fish, this would also mean that your pond can only handle 1x 24" fish. This, however, is very dependant on your water filtration quality. If you happen to have superior filtration through Bio-filters, Phyto-filters, or External Filters, then you can sustain more fish. If the water is not clear or excessive algae is present it is possible that you have too many fish, thus it is a good idea to either increase filtration quality/quantity or reduce the number of fish.

• We recommend to stock tadpoles and snails in the pond because they are scavangers. Their main food consists of algae, debris and detritus. Thus they assist the pond in that they reduce the amount of fish waste and decomposing plant matter either suspended in the water or piling up on the bottom of the pond. This is beneficial as the fish waste and decomposing plant matter are the two main sources of nitrates and phosphates; two of the main reasons for an algae bloom is an abundance of nitrates and phosphates. Filtration is also beneficial in reducing these two chemicals, but it is definitely a good idea to have as much assistance as possible.

• The problem with 'green water' is not actually a problem with the color, but with the amount of suspended single-cell algae. As with before, the issue is with filtration and the abundance of algae-food. Try stocking Filter Grass if not already present. Also, it may be necessary to reduce the number of fish so as to reduce the amount of fish waste. If the green water becomes a persistant problem consider having an UltraViolet filter installed. When the single algae cells are exposed to Ultra-Violet rays the cells are destroyed.

• String algae is also called Spirogyra algae and is easily controlled if certain criteria are met:

1. Make sure pond water has 50-75% of plant coverage.
2. Make sure that you have plenty of scavangers.
3. Make sure that the fish population is at the right amount, excessive fish waste can cause high nitrates, which algae feeds off.

• Barley Bales have a long history of keeping ponds clear and free of excessive algae. Supposedly, long ago in Europe a Bale of Barley/Straw/Hay fell into a pond and stayed there for a few weeks. When it was noticed it was apparent that surrounding the Bale the water was clear, a few inches/feet away from the Bale the water again became filled with algae. While the story may or may not be true, it does work. What happens is when Barley, Straw and many other types of grasses become dry they develop a small black fungus. This fungus is the real 'miracle worker' of this process. As it breaks down the Barley/Straw it releases a controlled amount of Hydrogen Peroxide which prohibits algae growth. Thus, it is beneficial to have this situated in a spot where it can float in or near flowing water; otherwise the benefit gained from the Bale will be very localized.