What is Pond Netting, and Why You Need It

There are two reasons for having pond netting, one is to prevent predators from getting at you valuable koi, as well as other stock fish. The other is to prevent leaves and other debris from getting into your pond water, and floating to the bottom. You may not think this is a big deal, but you would be wrong. Any kind of debris that starts to decay at the bottom of your pond can emit toxins that can not only be harmful to your favorite finned friends, but can actually kill them.

You need to use pond netting for any pond, even if you don't have any fish at the moment. The thing is that even if you don't have fish, decaying plant material can create unsightly algae, which left unchecked can have a detrimental effect on the look of your pond, can clog your garden pond pumps,and ruin your pond skimmer. Once on the bottom of the pond, it may also start to deteriorate you fish pond liners. It is also a real pain to remove. You should just save yourself all these problems and more by getting a net instead, preferably when you get your koi pond kit in the first place.

You can buy really good pond netting from anywhere you purchase koi pond supplies, either from local outlets, or even online. They come in a variety of different designs, and mesh thicknesses. The smaller the mesh, the better they will block leaves and other floating debris from getting into your pond. Larger mesh is good for keeping predators at bay, but does little else. You have to consider that the leaves or going to shrink as the degrade. While you can use a net any time of the year, they are commonly attached sometime near the beginning of Fall.

They are mostly 3/8" mesh, from plastic nylon, and seine nets are solid plastic. They have built in inhibitors for UV protection, which will extend the life of your pond netting substantially. You have to be careful when picking out your net, because to coarse of one, can also act as a gill net, which will kill any fish that are unfortunate enough to get caught in it when it dips below the water line. You net should be mounted at least a few inches above the water line, and attached to the edges with strong secure clips, or stakes, and you can keep them from sagging into the water by using a frame and extending PVC pipe across the wider parts of the pond. You can secure the net to the pipe with zip ties, which are easy to attach, as well as easy to cut away when you are ready to put the net away for the winter.

Now that you know what these valuable additions to your pond are, and their importance to the health of your pond as well as your fish, there is not excuse not get your self a quality pond net. Remember that you really need to shop around for the right one, at the right price. The cheapest one is not always the best, and you get what you pay for.