Have you read that garden ponds designed by man mimics the corresponding natural ecosystem of our planet? Undoubtedly, any simulated lagoon done by a human being must grow, since it’s virtually the same as the ecosystem of our planet earth. One aspect of this is a pond nitrogen cycle. Understanding how this cycle works is invaluable for maintaining a pond’s overall life.
In the eyes of an ordinary person, a natural lagoon is no more than a commonplace “tub of water”. Particularly, rain – from a thunderstorm – accumulated in a body of water. As it turns out, this “magically” transforms into a given ecosystem for animals and plants to thrive in. To an average person, the need to know how a pond regulates itself is relatively useless information. However, when someone wishes to duplicate a man-made pond on their property, the passive witnessing of nature may not be enough. Preferably, you would have to delve deeper into the cycle process that works on the pond’s ecosystem. We’re talking here of proper understanding of a pond’s nitrogen cycle.
And you may ask what is pond’s nitrogen cycle? It is basically a series of steps that happens in the pond as it sustains to keep the pond clean while it cycles out organic waste. Here is a simple break down of it.
We all know that in a pond, fish will let out waste in the water. When the waste breaks up, ammonia results in. Ammonia eventually becomes poison when it builds. To regulate ammonia levels from getting out of control, a nice bacteria called Nitrosomonas can neutralize it to change it to Nitrite, though can still be noxious like ammonia if it increase, but not to a certain extent. Once Ammonia transmutes into Nitrite, the unused healthy bacteria called Nitrobacter bursts in to negate it, after which it changes it into Nitrates, a much less injurious organism than Nitrites. This Nitrate is then utilized by the plant life in the pond as a source of nourishment, which helps to keep the Nitrate level low and can also help with controlling algae. The nitrogen cycle is actually the best possible way for the pond’s ecosystem to detox itself after a while still preserving its own nutrition in its surroundings.
This built-in action has taken place for a long time through evolution and for a natural balanced pond, it would definitely work. Nevertheless, artificial garden ponds still needs aid from other pond sources so it can have some edge in the ecosystem just for the survival of pond life. Pond filters can help filter out extra waste and also provide a safe breeding ground for beneficial bacteria to grow and thrive.
There are also bacteria inoculants on the market that can be added regularly to ensure that proper levels of beneficial bacteria are present to help break down waste and to help convert ammonia and nitrites. Moreover, you can still buy pond plants from the market to supplement it in your pond just so to prevent too much nitrates which builds up algae. These products eventually helps a small fish shoal environment to keep up an adequate and active nitrogen cycle.
In the future, the need to bring in new methods to maintain the nitrogen cycle of the pond would diminish. This is because the pond will become self-sufficient and would be able to produce and feed adequate amounts of bacteria, that fish waste ammonia is no longer a threat. As one adage would say, nature nurtures itself.
Landscape Design Calgary is a local organization that promotes ecologically friendly ponds
Written by: Custom Stone and Waterscapes 3829 Parkhill Place SW, Calgary, AB T2S 2W6 (403) 870-1142
