What Are the Benefits of Gravel in Fish Ponds?
Gravel has many benefits in a fish pond. Rocks and gravel are important for a healthy ecosystem and extend the life of your pond liner.
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Function
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Gravel is placed in the bottom of a fish pond to cover the pond liner, similar to covering the bottom of a fish tank with gravel. Typically ponds owners line their ponds with large gravel and rocks.
Uses
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Gravel- and rock-lined ponds protect the pond liner from UV rays which deteriorate the pond liner and add weight to prevent the pond liner from shifting. Gravel and rocks add a decorative element to fish pond setups.
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Benefits
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Fish pond bottoms become covered with sludge that forms from fish waste, and dead and decaying material. Rocks and gravel provide a surface for bacteria to grow that will eat away the sludge and prevent it from polluting the pond water.
Significance
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The bacteria that grow on the gravel are the same bacteria that grow in a pond filter. A gravel layer will make cleaning the fish pond easier since it removes much of the sludge the same way a pond filter removes toxins.
Theories/Speculation
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Water gardeners and koi pond keepers debate whether gravel-lined ponds are beneficial. While many people believe gravel and rock have beneficial qualities, some people believe that gravel will form a stagnant water zone at the bottom of the pond full of rotting waste, where clean, moving water cannot reach to flush it out.
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References
- Photo Credit Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of sue
