Permanent and direct sunlight damages the garden pond. So that the plants and fish do not suffer from the sun, it is important to protect them.
A garden pond is a real eye-catcher in every garden. It creates an oasis of calm where you can relax after work and escape everyday life for a while. Especially in the evening, when the individual light sources ensure cosiness, the garden pond invites you to dream and linger.
But this only works as long as the pond is clean and well maintained. Of course, this offers a lot of work in terms of pond care, but some points can be avoided if an important detail is considered when choosing the location. If the garden pond is exposed to too much sun, plants and animals can be damaged.
Too much sun damages the garden pond
While we are happy when the sun is at its highest, this means a special challenge for the garden pond. Permanent exposure to the sun causes more algae to form, which can significantly damage the climate in the pond. String algae in particular creates an excellent basis. In itself, thread algae are a good sign, as they indicate good biological quality and stability of the pond. However, when they die, they release nitrogen compounds that severely damage the pond. Therefore, they must be removed regularly. Since the normal pond filter can hardly do it, you have to do it yourself, otherwise a real plague will develop.
The strong sunlight can also cause problems for fish. In the worst case, you are at risk of life-threatening sunburn. Kois, for example, are very well known for this because they swim very close to the water surface.
In order to protect the habitat of animals and plants, you should think about sun protection for the garden pond in good time. We would like to present 5 different solutions to you here.
Protect your garden pond from the sun with these solutions
In order not to spoil the overall picture, it is important that you choose the sun protection that suits the environment. It shouldnot only take on a functional task, but also a decorative one.
Tip 1: Bridge as sun protection
Bridges offer optimal shade. While they don't shade the entire pond, they do provide a small retreat for fish. There you can hide during the hot hours of the sun. This will reduce the chance of your fish getting sunburned. This can burn the mucous membrane of the fish. The resulting inflammation creates germs that can ultimately be fatal to the fish. In addition to sunburn, they can also burn their eyes. This is what happens when you stare at the sun for too long.
In addition to its practical use, a bridge has a very high design aspect. They really come into their own in Japanese-style gardens. Wooden bridges are very popular. Bridges made of Euro pallets, for example, are very easy to build yourself. This video shows how to do it:
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If you aren't particularly talented with your hands, you can of course also use ready-made bridge elements or have a bridge made according to your own wishes.
Tip 2: Trees and plants as sun protection
Often the pond is planned in such a way that trees & co. grow far away. Leaves could fall into the pond and affect the water quality. On the other hand, they offer natural protection against excessive solar radiation. You can counteract the leaves with special nets, which are available in different sizes.
If you still have free choice in the design, you can fall back on non-shedding trees. Recommended are:
- Cherry Laurel
- Ferns
- Yews
- Spruces
- Pine
It will take a while for these plants to grow to a certain size to be used as a sunscreen, but in the meantime you can consider a temporary solution.
Tip 3: parasol as a shade provider
A parasol offers a quick and mobile solution for shading the garden pond. You can change this as needed or close it in the event of a storm so that it does not cause any damage. Various parasol formats are commercially available, which must meet different requirements depending on the installation location.As a source of shade, protection against UV radiation should have top priority so that plants and fish are protected.
Traffic light umbrellas are highly recommended for a garden pond. You can attach the foot to a footbridge or to the edge of the pond. The large umbrella then offers sufficient shade to protect water, animals and plants.
The advantage of the parasol is that you can transport it to another location at any time. If you no longer need it because of another solution at the pond, you can also use the parasol as sun protection on the terrace, for example.
Tip 4: Awning
An alternative to the parasol is the awning. There are also different colors and shapes. In addition to the standard dimensions, you can also have custom-made sun sails. In this way, the look can be tailored to the needs of your own garden.
Awnings must be of good quality so that they can withstand wind and weather. Nowadays there are even awnings that are electronically operated and are automatically rolled up in a storm.
» By the way: Awning and parasol not only offer a shady spot, but also protect against herons. It can no longer see the pond from above and locate its prey. Beneficial for garden owners who keep valuable koi.
Tip 5: duckweed
There are not only solutions that can be implemented around the garden pond, but also some that are available to you inside the pond. These include special plants such as duckweed, also known as "duckweed". They form a carpet on the water surface, protecting fish and other plants.
Duckweeds also have the advantage that they increase the oxygen content of the water. This is important for the fish to survive in the water. The warmer the water gets, the lower the oxygen concentration in the pond water. If you don't want to use duckweed to provide shade and oxygen, you can take other measures to counteract the lack of oxygen.
» My tip: If you don't like it that wild, you can also use water lilies. They have the same effect, but look a lot nicer when they are in bloom.