Liner and underlay
Butyl or PVC liner over underlay, or a rigid preformed pond. To size a liner, add twice the depth to the length and width, plus about 15cm all round.
Shop by pet / Pond supplies
The pond kit list and clear water
Pond supplies in Bury St Edmunds
Pond supplies in Bury St Edmunds, from pumps and filters to UV clarifiers and treatments, at a listed Evolution Aqua stockist. Clear water is rarely luck, so here is what each piece of kit does and how to size it.
Fornham All Saints, just off the A14 near Bury St Edmunds. Open seven days.
In the shop
What we stock for ponds
Pond pumps, filters and UVPond liners and nettingPond plantsFish and pond treatmentsFrozen fish foodRO water
All in the shop at Fornham All Saints, with the team on hand to size it to your pond. We also offer water testing in the shop. Ask the team when you call or visit.
Brands we stock
Our pond range includes Evolution Aqua, Oase, Bermuda, Kockney Koi and Cloverleaf, with NT Labs treatments alongside.
The range
The pond kit list, from liner to net
Every fish pond needs the same handful of things. This is the kit list, in the order you will meet it, not a stock list. Stock changes, so call or pop in to see what's in. If we haven't got what you're after, we can order it in, take your number and call you when it's here, or suggest something similar.
Pump and filter
A pump moves the water and a filter cleans it. Both need sizing to your pond.
UV clarifier
Clears green water by making floating algae clump so the filter can catch it.
Cover net and leaf net
A tight cover net is the only sure way to keep herons off your fish. A leaf net saves fishing rotting leaves out in autumn.
Treatments and filter media
Treatments and replacement filter media look after the water itself. Ask us what suits your pond.
Fish food, hose and fittings
Food that matches the season, plus the hose and fittings to join it all up.
At a glance
How pond filtration works: mechanical, biological and UV
Most pond filters combine three jobs, and a pond with fish needs them working together.
| Stage | What it does | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Mechanical | Sieves out dirt, solid waste and algae, using foam or granules | Clean it when flow slows, in pond water rather than tap water |
| Biological | Bacteria turn fish waste into less harmful compounds | It takes about six weeks to build up, and can die if switched off for 24 hours or more |
| UV clarifier | Makes floating algae clump so the filter can remove it | It does nothing for blanket weed. The bulb can still glow after it stops working, so replace it on the maker's schedule, typically every six to twelve months |
Use pond water, not tap water, for rinsing: chlorine or chloramine kills the bacteria you have worked to grow.
The basics
Pumps and flow: size for the pond you have
A common guide is to turn the pond's whole volume through the filter about once an hour if it holds fish, and koi keepers often aim higher. A decorative pond with few fish can manage with once every two hours. A 2,000 litre pond with fish, for example, wants at least 2,000 litres an hour actually reaching the filter.
Read the small print. Makers rate pumps at zero head, so lifting the water, long hose runs and bends all cut the real flow. Wider hose loses less than narrow. Bigger is not always better either: an oversized pump can spray water out of the pond and cut the time water spends in a UV clarifier.
Whatever you choose, keep the biological filter running. If it is off for a day or more, the bacteria can die.
Step by step
Green water and blanket weed, explained
Green water is countless tiny floating algae. Blanket weed is the long, stringy kind. Both are fed by sunlight and by nutrients from fish waste, spare food and tap water.
Look for the cause
Ponds in full sun with little planting and plenty of nutrients grow algae fastest. Feed only what the fish finish in a few minutes.
Add shade and plants
Aim for about half the surface covered by plants, and site a new pond partly in light shade.
Filter and clarify
A good filter and a UV clarifier tackle green water. UV will not touch blanket weed.
Twirl out blanket weed
Wind it round a cane or scoop it out with a net, and leave it beside the pond overnight so creatures can crawl back.
Resist the big water change
Draining and refilling can make things worse in the long run, because fresh tap water brings nutrients.
Be patient
Clear water comes from balance, with plants and filtration working together, not from one fix.
Good to know
Pond plants and wildlife
Plants are the pond's natural filter, and they come in four groups: oxygenators such as hornwort, floating plants such as frogbit and water soldier, marginals such as marsh marigold and iris, and waterlilies. Pot them in aquatic compost, not garden soil, which feeds algae.
Choose with care. Since April 2014 it has been illegal to sell floating pennywort, parrot's feather, water primrose, water fern and Australian swamp stonecrop (Crassula helmsii) in England, because they run wild.
Wildlife will find you. Give at least one gently sloping edge or shelf so hedgehogs and frogs can climb out, and fill with rainwater where you can, because tap water carries nutrients. A pond with few or no fish may not need a filter at all.
At a glance
Pond jobs by season
A pond is a routine, not a project. Little and often beats one heroic clean-out.
| Season | Jobs |
|---|---|
| Spring | Check the pump, hose and filter. Rinse media in pond water. Restart feeding gently as the water warms, and add new plants |
| Summer | Trim plants to keep about half the surface clear. Top up with rainwater. Twirl out blanket weed. Run a fountain or aerator in hot, humid weather |
| Autumn | Fit a leaf net. Cut back and lift dying plant material. Move to wheatgerm food as the water cools. Check the UV bulb |
| Winter | Keep a gap in the ice with a floating heater or de-icer, and never smash ice. Brush snow off so light gets in. Feed sparingly, or not at all when it is very cold |
For the fish side of the calendar, see koi and coldwater fish.
Worth a call
Evolution Aqua, and how we can help
We are a listed stockist of Evolution Aqua pond and aquarium products, including filtration, UV clarifiers, pumps, treatments, filter media, fish food and plumbing. We also stock Bermuda, Kockney Koi and Cloverleaf pond kit. Which products are in the shop changes, so call or pop in to see what's in. We cannot promise a particular model is on display.
Bring your pond's length, width and depth, and a note of what lives in it, and we will talk through what suits. Need a spare tank for quarantine? See aquariums and equipment. Fancy fish indoors as well? See tropical fish.
How big a pump do I need for my pond?
As a guide, choose a pump that turns the whole pond volume through the filter about once an hour if it holds fish; koi keepers often aim higher. Makers rate pumps at zero head, so allow for height and hose length. Tell us your pond's volume and where the filter will sit and we will talk it through.
Why is my pond water green?
Green water is countless tiny floating algae, fed by sunlight and nutrients. Cover about half the surface with plants, feed less, and use a filter and UV clarifier. Avoid draining and refilling, which can make things worse over time because fresh tap water brings more nutrients. Then give it time: clear water comes from balance, not a single fix.
How do I get rid of blanket weed?
Twirl it out with a cane or scoop it out with a net, and leave it beside the pond overnight so creatures can crawl back. A UV clarifier will not treat it, so tackle the cause: too much light and too many nutrients. Treatments exist, so ask us what suits your pond.
How do I keep herons away from my fish?
A tight cover net is the only sure way. Keep it a few inches above the water and cover the whole surface, because a gap of six inches can be enough for a heron. Secure the edges too, so other visitors such as otters cannot slip underneath. Decoy herons are not always effective, as live birds have been seen feeding beside them.
Does a wildlife pond need a filter?
Not usually. Ponds with few or no fish may not need one. Give the pond plants, a gently sloping edge and rainwater rather than tap water. If you add more than a few fish, talk to us about filtration, and start early, because a filter's bacteria need about six weeks to build up.
Do you stock Evolution Aqua pond equipment?
Yes. We're listed as an Evolution Aqua stockist, and its range covers pond filtration, pumps, UV clarifiers, treatments and filter media. We stock Bermuda, Kockney Koi and Cloverleaf too. Stock changes, so call 01284 703418 before a special trip to check what's in. Bring your pond's size and a note of the fish in it, and we'll help you choose kit that copes.
Keep exploring
More from the shop
How we can help
Pond supplies in Bury St Edmunds: bring your measurements
Pop in or call 01284 703418 with your pond's measurements and we will talk through the kit. We are open seven days a week at Tut Hill, Fornham All Saints, just off the A14. Check our opening hours and directions before you set off, and find more answers on our FAQ page.