Shade…The Most Underused Tool

REASONS WHY SHADE IS SO BENEFICIAL

Water Temperature:

The less your pond’s water temperature fluctuates the less your pond’s oxygen content will fluctuate and the less sporadic algae growth will be. The goal with any pond is to maintain healthy and stable parameters included water temperature!

Algae:

Algae loves sunlight. The more shade you provide for your pond the less you will have to fight algae, and the less expensive and annoying your entire pond owning experience will be.

Koi Sun Burn:

Fish do not like to bake in the sun. Their skin needs protection from the sun just as we do. Their colors will fade and they can even get a sun burns! When koi have too much direct exposure to sun they will start flashing, a term used for when koi scrap themselves against the sides and floor of a pond. Their skin will become irritated by too much sunlight and this is their way of showing you that. Koi flash for other reasons such as poor water quality, parasites, exposure to electrical shock, or general skin infection.

Predator Birds:

Shade can also help with deterring predator birds, and this is why… Birds search for ponds from the sky. A ponds with overhead coverage are harder to find from the sky. Birds also like to hunt fish without feeling confined or trapped in any way. Ponds covered from above in the form of a large tree canopy, shade sail, or trellis will provide some protection from birds by deterring them from hunting at the pond’s edge or swooping down next to the pond without feeling like they can’t escape quickly enough, or will be trapped if someone or another animal such as a cat or a dog was to try and catch, hurt, or scare them off.

Humane Animal Care:

Protecting your koi from getting too much direct sun exposure, and providing a healthy stable environment for your koi is the most humane way to keep these amazing pets.

Lack of shade is one of the most common mistakes made by pond professional, DIY’ers, and pond inheritors. It is also the most under rated improvements for any koi pond and or water feature!!!