We recently returned from a week’s vacation to find all seven of our big koi dead, victims of a fast-growing algae bloom. The loss was troubling–some of these fish had lived in our pond for as long as eight years, and we thought of them as pets. I was determined not to lose any more koi, so I did some investigating… and I learned that algae are often to blame.
The fountain small in the pond garden of surface water background
Algae steal the nutrients and oxygen that fish and plants would otherwise consume. And when the weather is warm, the problem gets worse.
Here are some effective ways to control algae:
Provide shade around the water garden and limit fish populations to numbers that the pond can actually manage.
In the spring, give the pond a fresh start by removing fall and winter debris.
Test your water quality regularly. Check for nitrites to ensure that fish waste is not building up to toxic levels. If it is, relocate some fish, cut down on feeding, or clean the pond. Use a water meter or water testing kit to look for dissolved oxygen. Ideally, this should be in the range of three to six milligrams per liter.
If the water garden is low on oxygen, use bubblers, aeration devices, pumps and fountains. A pond pump circulates water around the pond and into pond filters, naturally adding oxygen, as well.
Maintain Your Filter
It’s also crucial to keep your filter clean. It’s not hard to do: Just pull out any clumps of algae and debris, clean out the filter, and keep a good balance of bacteria in the water garden. Actually, you probably won’t need to clean the filter as often as you’d think. Like win, pond filters get better with age because the bacteria are more efficient over time. But in summer and fall, when the filter becomes clogged, it’s time for a cleaning.
Remove the filter media and clean out the media and the filter. Use pond water, if possible, to keep the chemical composition stable. Clean until the water runs clear. Then inspect the filter, and change the parts, if the media are visibly damaged or misshapen.
Where water enters and exits the filter, debris can clog the holes. Move water through the inlets and outlets of the filter to make sure that they’re clear. Use a gentle brush or a more powerful spray of water.
Water gardens have a host of microorganisms that you won’t see; and because many of these bacteria are beneficial to pond life, you’ll want to keep them around. Don’t use chlorine of bleach in the water. When you change the filter media, be sure to add more of the “good” bacteria.
After cleaning the filter, make sure that it works as well as it did before. If it’s a gravity feed filter, check to see that the pipe is angled so that pond water goes into the filter. After changing the filter, use a test kit to check the water quality for a few days.
These steps will ensure your water garden stays clean. And your fish will thank you.
California’s population has seen a significant increase in 2024, nearly returning to pre-pandemic levels. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the state’s population grew by approximately 233,000 residents this year, bringing it close to the record-high population levels reached before the pandemic. This growth was primarily driven by rising net international migration.
Despite this increase, California’s population growth rate of about 0.59% was slower compared to the national average and other large states like Florida and Texas. The state’s population on July 1, 2024, was 39,431,000, just 125,000 short of the 2020 high points.
The population growth in California reflects a broader trend of increasing population across the United States, with the nation’s population surpassing 340 million. This marks the fastest annual population growth the nation has seen since 2001.
After consistent population growth through the 2010’s, California’s population peaked at 39,556,000, according to the 2020 decennial census, before losing nearly 1% of its population by July 1, 2021, during pandemic restrictions.
Between 2020 and 2022, the California exodus has had significant impacts on the state. In 2021 the state lost one congressional representative, going from 53 to 52 seats in the House of Representatives, and the state had one fewer electoral college vote in 2024 than in 2020. Critics of the state’s leadership point to crime rates, high taxes, and high property costs as reasons for residents fleeing to other less regulated states, like Texas and Florida.
For Jeff Bellisario, executive director of the Bay Area Council Economic Institute, there’s two ways to look at the new data. “There’s the optimistic look that in the past year, we have seen the population increase… bigger increases than we have in a decade, so I do think there is some truth to the narrative of folks coming back to California,” he said.
But, on the other hand, California is still far behind the population gains made in state like Florida and Texas over the past half decade. “We are still trying to claw back to where we were pre-pandemic,” Bellisario said. “It’s going to take us a few more years to get to solid population growth numbers.”
California had the third most new residents, with the population growing by about 0.59%. Florida and Texas saw newer residents and top the list of states with the largest increases by raw numbers.
The District of Columbia had the largest percent increase, with 2.2% more residents in 2024. Following Florida and Texas, Utah and South Carolina round out the list of places with the 5 largest percent increases in their population, all with at least 1.7% more residents than 2023.
Overall, the population of the whole country grew by about 0.9%, slightly outpacing California’s growth.
Between the decennial census population counts, the agency releases estimates for July 1 of each year, using natural population change, like births and deaths, and then factoring in migration to calculate the estimates. And each year the estimates for previous years in that decade are revised based on new information.
According to the data on each component of change considered in the calculations, for the first time this year since 2020 California’s net migration returned to the positive, spurred by slight decreases in the number of residents the state loses to other states each year, and a continued increase in net international migration.
This new census data affirms data released earlier this year from the California Department of Finance, which also showed the California exodus reversing. Data from the state’s demographics professionals estimated more residents on Jan. 1, 2024, than the previous year, the first year of gains since before the pandemic.
With this year’s update, the Census is catching up to what the state data already hinted at. Last year’s Census update showed that 2023 was another year with slight population decreases in California, but this year’s update revised the 2023 population, showing a slight increase from 2022 to 2023, making 2024 the second year of population growth for the state.
Other US States which have seen a rise in population and how it’s affecting the consumer markets, Healthcare, Climate Change, Transportation, Median Income
Increased Demand: Population growth leads to higher demand for goods and services, boosting local economies. Retail, housing, and entertainment sectors often see substantial growth.
Diverse Preferences: With more people moving in, consumer preferences become more diverse, leading to a wider variety of products and services.
Healthcare
Strain on Services: Rapid population growth can strain healthcare systems, leading to longer wait times and increased demand for medical professionals3.
Expansion of Facilities: To meet the growing demand, there is often an expansion of healthcare facilities and services, including hospitals, clinics, and specialized care centers.
Economic Growth: Population growth can drive economic growth, leading to higher median incomes8.
Income Disparities: However, rapid growth can also exacerbate income disparities, with some areas benefiting more than others. Here are major trends in US income and wealth inequalities.
These impacts highlight the complexities and opportunities associated with population growth in various states.
PLACES AND THINGS 