The weather in the UK has broken many records over the past decade with the latest being the highest amount of rain, which fell in the month of June. So what effect does all this rain have on your garden pond? If you are a new pond owner you would probably imagine that rainwater is good for pond life just as it is for garden plants and the lawn. But, this isn’t entirely so as rainwater is generally too acidic for aquatic plants and fish. Pollution in the air results in the acidity of rainwater and therefore is only suitable for your pond if it has been filtered first. Either filtered rainwater or tap water should, therefore be used to fill a pond.

You can’t avoid rainwater entering your pond, particularly with the volumes that have fallen this summer, so what can you do to ensure the ecosystem is not affected and aquatic plants and fish continue to thrive? Check your water parameters regularly (determine the pH value). There are a lot of undesirable elements that come with the rain e.g. acid, toxins, pollutants, parasites, bacteria and fungi. Keep a check on pond water and the health and well-being of Koi fish during a rainy period.

For some fish species and in some parts of the country, dependent upon how rain water is collected and stored, it can be very useful to fish keepers. However, for other fish species and in contaminated rain areas it may be advisable to avoid using rain water and to erect covers over outside ponds to prevent the rain water from entering the fish pond.

During prolonged rainy periods you should also keep a check on the water levels particularly for ponds constructed using a pond liner and incorporating sloping sides with a beach effect. A pond vac is an ideal accessory for safely pumping out excess water without disturbing fish or plants.