Pond Netting: Why Pond Netting is Important and the Best Type to Buy

Here at Pond Planet, we pride ourselves on offering all of the best quality equipment and tools for our customers to maintain healthy and thriving ponds. But, this doesn’t stop at your pond being first built and set up. Once you have your pond ready, there is more important maintenance and care that you need to be aware of. To help you with this, we have put together the Pond Planet guide to pond netting. An important part of your regular pond maintenance that you might not have even known you needed. Keep reading to find out why pond netting is important and what the best type of netting is for your pond today. 

Why is Pond Netting Important?

Pond netting has several benefits that can be important in maintaining your pond, and they are also very affordable and easy to set up. With this in mind, there is no reason why you shouldn’t have pond netting.

Pond netting is beneficial against more obvious problems, such as falling leaves and debris. Of course, these can be unsightly issues, but more importantly, stray leaves in your pond from nearby trees can cause much larger problems. When loose leaves and other organic matter is left to sink to the bottom of your pond, this decomposes and creates sludge. During decomposition, enzymes break down the organic matter which results in the release of compounds into the water which can be harmful to fish and also promote an unsightly algae growth.

Other than fallen leaves, pond netting can also deter both flying and ground predators, such as birds and cats, from posing a risk to your fish pond. Either predator can wipe out an entire stock of pond fish if it is left unprotected, so it is a good idea to have a high-quality pond net in place to protect your pond and its inhabitants.

How to Choose Pond Netting

Now that you understand why it is essential to have a good quality pond net, you must choose the right type of netting for your needs. Not all netting is the same and there are options available that are better suited to solving some issues rather than others. For example, if you’re looking for a pond net to catch loose leaves and debris, then you’re going to want to choose a net with very small holes, whereas a net to deter predators is just as effective with larger holes.

What is the Best Pond Netting Material?

To help you decide on the best pond netting for your requirements, we have put together the most important information on the different types of netting available.

Supported Pond Netting

Supported pond netting is made up of high-quality nylon, polyethene, or plastics and is often held in place by stakes or pegs. Weaved together through various methods to create unique mesh designs and structures, supported pond netting usually features square or diamond-shaped holes that are efficient in catching fallen debris while also preventing predators from accessing the water.

The benefits of supported pond netting include a very tough and durable construction, rot and UV resistance, and an easy-to-install and lightweight design. We recommend supported pond netting if you are more concerned with catching fallen leaves and debris.

Floating Pond Netting

If you’re looking for pond netting that is incredibly easy to install and remove, then you should consider floating pond netting. As the name suggests, this netting simply floats on the surface of the pond and only needs to be lightly secured around the pond edge. Ideal for retaining a more natural aesthetic, floating pond netting is constructed from lightweight materials, such as nylon or polyethene that has been UV stabilised to ensure longer life.

Shade Cloth Pond Netting

Finally, the last type of pond netting available is shade cloth netting, but this is one of the least common styles despite it having a very important function. Constructed from high-quality polypropylene, shade cloth pond netting is finely woven to ensure that it blocks at least 70% of sunlight or more from your pond. Installed in the same way as supported pond netting, shade cloth netting not only provides ample shade but also is efficient in catching leaves, deterring predators and giving protection from UV light.

Choose shade cloth pond netting for the ultimate solution to keeping your pond in order and protecting your fish and wildlife. Now that you understand the differences in pond netting available, you should have a good idea of which option will be the best for your pond. Explore our full range of pond netting options available online now at Pond Planet, and don’t hesitate to shop for more accessories you might not have realised you needed!