I consider myself pretty knowledgeable with computers and software these days — but it wasn’t always so. I remember how embarrassed I was to ask for help because I had no idea how to save a file to a floppy disk. Instead of asking how to do it, I simply didn’t do it. I suffered several months before I overcame my fear of being branded “stupid” by my peers and asked for help and got my very simple answer.

Sometimes I take for granted that “everyone knows” the basic principles of creating the right environment for fish and other pond life. I am reminded often that some folks are at the how-do-I-save-to-disk stage and need a little help without all the confusing details.

Whether you’ve just moved in to a home with an existing pond or just built one here’s a few pointers on making it a safe environment for fish and frogs alike.

Chlorine kills fish. Most municipalities use chlorine in their water supplies so if you use tap water to fill the pond for the first time or adding more than 10% use a de-chlorinator to remove the chlorine. It works instantly. Simply pour in the amount you need for the amount of water you’re adding as you start to fill the pond. There’s no need to remove the fish.

Float the bag. The temperature of the water in the bag in which you take your fish home is different than that of your pond. Float the bog for 10-15 minutes before opening it to release the fish.

New Fish Jump. Protect your investment by covering the pond with netting or lowering the water level whenever you add new fish. The stress of transporting them can cause them to jump out.

New Fish Hide. It may take a few days for your new fish to come out of hiding. Give them a little time to get acquainted with their new home.

Feed Your Fish. They love to eat and it’s fun to feed them. Feed only as much as they’ll eat in 5 minutes.

Add a Few at a Time. Don’t dump too many fish at one time. The nitrifying cycle needs to be established. Add only a couple of fish at a time (a month or two apart) and make sure all the water tests are fine before adding more. If the biological nitrifying cycle is not strong Mother Nature will “thin out” your pond her way by killing fish.

Test the Water Weekly. The important tests are ammonia, nitrites and pH. NO ammonia or nitrites should be present. The pH should be between 7.3 and 7.8.