Gift ideas for pondkeepers

Share

Last updated April 2018
Water gardeners and fishkeepers (especially Koi keepers) are easy to buy presents for when they are your nearest and dearest – you just have to make mental notes of their wish lists and scrutinise their specialist magazines to find out what they’re talking about.

    Easy option – vouchers
    Ornamental items for ponds and water gardens
    Pond cleaning and tidying items
    Pond test kits and fish care
    Enjoying and caring for fish
    Pond aeration, temperature monitoring, ice prevention
    Fish predator alert and control
    Electrical equipment for pond gifts

    Easy options

    If you really can’t think of something for a pond- or fish-keeper, then you can always fall back on gift vouchers – either general garden vouchers or ones that are accepted by a favourite mail order or online supplier, or water garden centre.

    Plants tend to only be available during the main growing season, but other items are on sale all year round. Make a start by browsing Bradshaws’ Direct (including Koi-keeping items) and Pondkeeper for ideas for water-gardening related goodies.

    Return to top

    Ornamental items for ponds and water gardens

    Return to top

    Pond cleaning and tidying items

    Return to top

    Pond test kits and fish care

    Pond test kits

    Pond test kits (from Bradshaws Direct) reveal water quality and range from the inexpensive throw-away kits to the more expensive digital devices.

    Return to top

    Enjoying and caring for fish

    • A subscription to a gardening of fish-keeping magazine
    • An encyclopedia or how-to book for the enthusiastic fishkeeper (from Foyles or Waterstones) or water gardener (from Foyles, or Waterstones).
    • Fish handling net – but be sure to choose a net to catch fish, not one for cleaning the pond.
    • Automatic fish feeder from Bradshaws or Pondkeeper.
    • Fish disease identification book (from Waterstones).
    • Fish disease identification DVD (from koi specialists such as Absolute Koi.
    • Microscope and fish parasite identification kit.
    • Accurate (digital) scales for weighing out fish medications and water treatments

    Return to top

    Gift ideas – aeration, temperature monitoring, ice prevention

    Oxygen

    Essential for fish, with a range of devices to aerate all sizes and types of pond. For example:

    Temperature monitoring; ice prevention

    • Pond thermometer – these range from basic dip-it-and-see (from Bradshaws Direct and Pondkeeper) to sophisticated digital monitors with remote sensors and alarms (from koi specialists such as Absolute Koi..
    • Anti-ice device – various designs that stop ice forming in a small part of the pond, from Bradshaws Direct and Pondkeeper).

    Return to top

    Gift ideas – predator alert and control

    • Cat deterrents – electronic detectors, water jets or various scents that are unpleasant for cats, from Bradshaws Direct).
    • Heron deterrents (but not a plastic heron – herons like a crowd!) – trip wires, alarms and other devices, from Bradshaws Direct and Pondkeeper).

    Return to top

    Electrical equipment

    • Outdoor junction/switch boxes (3-6 way), some with remote control, for electrical equipment from Bradshaws Direct and Pondkeeper.
    • Fountain and pump from Bradshaws or Pondkeeper.
    • For the patio or conservatory – a self-contained water feature with integral pump, from Pondkeeper.

    Return to top

    Share

UK How To Garden, Tutorials, Product Guides, Gardens & Shows.