Frequently asked questions
In this section you find the answers to frequently asked questions, organised into categories. To find the answer to a specific topic, please click on one of the categories. Afterwards, you can pick a question in the drop-down menu you are looking to find an answer to.
You could not find the answer to your question? No reason to worry! You are very welcome to send us a message through our contact form. Our customer service staff will come back to you as soon as possible and is happy to solve your issue.
If you would like to create a customer account as a new customer, please click on the user account symbol to the right of the search bar. After clicking on "Register now", you will have the opportunity to enter your personal data.
Alternatively, you can also create your customer account during the ordering process. As soon as you click on the "Proceed to checkout" button, you will be redirected to a page where you can enter your data to create a customer account. Simply tick the box "Create new customer account".
After registering, you can log in to your account with your e-mail address and the password you have chosen.
To delete your account, please log in to your account. In the account overview "My account" you will find the button "Delete customer account" at the bottom left. You must then confirm that you actually want to delete your account.
Please note that your stored data will then be deleted in a non-recoverable manner. Due to the legal obligation to retain data, your order history will continue to be temporarily stored in our system.
We offer the possibility to use a wish list. All you have to do is log in with your customer account. You can then fill the wish list by clicking on the heart in the top right corner of the product image on the detail page of the desired product.
You can open and edit your wish list by clicking on the heart symbol at the top right next to the shopping cart. There you can also create additional wish lists with different names and empty or delete your wish list.
You can share your wish list by clicking on the heart symbol at the top right and selecting your wish list. Then you have to click on the button to the left of "Currently your wish list is not public" to make it visible to your friends. Now you will see a link that you can copy and share with your friends.
Simply select the number of metres you would like to order for the desired item in the "Quantity" field. You will then receive the item in one piece.
Example: You would like to buy a 10-metre hose, then find the right hose in the shop and order this hose 10 times.
In the shopping cart, you will find the drop-down menu "Redeem coupon" at the top right. As soon as this is open, you can enter your voucher code and only have to click on "Redeem Coupon". The value of the coupon will then be deducted from your total amount.
You also have the option of redeeming your voucher code in the 3rd step of the order process "Summary".
Please note that only one coupon can be used per order.
To place an order, you can conveniently place the desired items in the shopping cart. Via the button "Edit shopping cart" you have the possibility to view the items and the value of goods as well as to determine the shipping costs. After clicking on the button "Checkout" you can either log in, register or order as a guest. In step 2 "Shipping and payment method" you choose your favourite payment method. Please note that not all shipping methods may be available for every item. If you live nearby, you can also optionally select "Click & Collect" here and collect the goods from our shop. Please note that for external payment methods you will be redirected to the provider's website to carry out the subsequent payment process. Finally, please check the data you have entered in step 3 "Summary". If everything is correct, you can send the order by clicking the button "Order with obligation to pay".
Alternatively, you can also tell us by telephone which items you would like to order. Please note that our General Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy apply and that by calling us you agree to transmit your data to us in accordance with these conditions. In order to take your order, we need your full name, address, e-mail address and telephone number.
For shipping within Germany, you can choose between the payment methods prepayment, purchase on account, credit card, AmazonPay and PayPal. If you select "Click & Collect" in the order process, you can also choose the payment method "Payment at collection" within Germany. If you are ordering from abroad, you can choose between prepayment, credit card, AmazonPay or PayPal.
For details on the different payment methods, please see our payment options.
In addition, there is the option to pay with collected credit. You can find out how to collect credit and spend it again here.
In this case, please transfer the invoice amount due to the named account within the specified period. Do not transfer the money to us, as the invoice will be taken over completely by PayPal. If you choose the payment method prepayment, you will receive the payment information with your order confirmation. The payment period is 10 days. For all payment methods except "purchase on account", your invoice will be generated and sent to you by e-mail as soon as your package is marked as shipped.
We are sorry that you are not satisfied with your item. If you would like to return it, please register your return in advance using the returns form. Then take the package to the post office and send it back to us. You will bear the return costs.
You can read more about returns and exchanges in our return conditions.
Sometimes, despite careful packing of the goods, damage can occur during transport. In this case, please use our complaint form. Our staff will contact you as soon as possible.
Please send the goods to be returned to the following address:
Valenta-Aquaristik und Gartenbau GmbH
Abteilung Retouren
Walter-Poser-Straße 1
37574 Einbeck
Germany
Our specialist shop is open for you at the following times:
Monday - Friday: 9.30am - 7.00pm
Saturday: 9.30am - 3.00pm
We are looking forward to your visit!
Our team is available by telephone at the following times:
Monday - Friday: 9.30am - 7.00pm
Saturday: 9.30am - 3.00pm
Since we want to ensure not only an appealing ambience in the specialist shop but also detailed and competent advice, we have to base our price calculation in the specialist shop on the manufacturers' recommended prices in order to be able to compensate for the costs incurred (for example, from time-intensive advisory meetings).
The quartz glass should be cleaned regularly. The intervals depend very much on the pollution of the water and the water hardness (lime deposits).
If the water is soft and the fish stock is low, it is usually sufficient to clean the quartz glass once during the season and again when it is dismantled in winter. In very hard water with a high fish stocking, it can also be 2 to 3 times a year. You will notice it at the latest when you want to clean the quartz glass for the first time after approx. 3 months and see for yourself whether a lot or little impurities adhere to the quartz glass. The UVC clarifiers of the Bitron C series from Oase are an alternative. They have a "brush" built in around the UV quartz glass, which is driven by the movement of the water flowing through the UV clarifier and thus permanently cleans the quartz glass. Cleaning can be omitted here.
One possibility for cat and heron protection is a pond cover net. However, it is a matter of taste to keep the pond covered with a net all year round. Alternatives are an electric heron fence or the so-called Pond Guard (light and sound effects for deterrence).
We have already sold some electric heron deterrent systems to customers with dogs. The dogs do not get an electric shock all the time, because they memorise the negative result and after the first or at the latest the second time they give the heron fence a wide berth (learning effect). A cat or a heron would also not constantly bump into the fence wire, as they memorise the negative event and avoid the pond in future.
The best protection is therefore still the electronic heron deterrent.
A child safety device in the form of a fence is always popularly suggested in various reference books, but it is very tempting for children to climb over the fence. A simple and hardly disturbing variant is to lay sturdy iron rods or timbers across the pond and install a sturdy construction steel mat from the building shop on top. At first, the mat may look a little strange, but the plants will quickly grow through it and quickly hide the sight.
If a child falls on the mat, it will only bend slightly and the child will not land in the water. Important: bend or protect the ends of the individual rods of the construction steel mat so that children cannot injure themselves on them. This must be done in such a way that the ends cannot damage the foil either.
Somewhat more professional are special grids made of GRP (glass-fibre reinforced plastic), which are placed on the pond with a supporting spar. These grids and spars are suitable for ponds up to 5m wide. They can simply be laid together as modules and are available from Valenta Zoo & Garten.
The individual grids can be extended as required in both length and width by means of screw connections. The screwed grid is then adapted to the respective pond shape with a jigsaw. The insert can be placed on the inner edge and thus just below the water surface or on the outer edge of the pond.
There is no need to screw the grille to the outer edge of the pond, as the grille is cut to shape and fits "like a glove" and does not need to be fastened additionally. However, you can still cover or conceal the edge of the grille with pebbles or boulders.
Due to the material thickness of approx. 2.5 cm, you do not have to fear any bending of the individual grids! The load capacity is approx. 100 kg and can be increased to 400 kg by screwing on a VA angle (available as an accessory). For ponds wider than 4 m, you can place a T-iron or a square tube (3 x 3 cm or 4 x 4 cm) under the pond grids across the pond as additional stabilisation. The pond protection grids are made of weather-resistant GRP (glass-fibre reinforced plastic). They are robust, durable and lightweight (also easy to assemble). Their dark colour (black) means that, unlike other pond guards made of stainless steel, the visual impression of the pond is not affected. Mesh size approx. 13.5 x 14 cm, material thickness approx. 2.5 cm.
Another variant is a warning device that is placed on the pond surface and is battery-operated. It gives a strong signal tone when a larger object falls into the pond. The sound is so intense that it is also heard in the neighbourhood.
There are a total of 6 possibilities that make it easy and practical to overwinter the pond inhabitants.
Contrary to some assumptions, fish do not die by "accidentally" freezing in the ice or by the ice layer coming down to the bottom of the pond (provided the pond is at least 60 - 70 cm deep). The most common cause of fish death in winter is the inhalation of putrefactive gases when the fish gasp for air under the ice surface. The putrefactive gases form in any pond, no matter how well maintained, due to decay processes of dead plant parts, leaves, faeces, etc. The gases also rise upwards in winter, where they collect under the ice cover.
If the oxygen content in the pond is now insufficient, the fish instinctively come up and inhale the putrefactive gases. As a result, the animals are literally stunned, can no longer dive down and freeze in the ice layer.
The most important measure is therefore to improve the oxygen content in the pond or to eliminate putrefactive gases or allow them to escape.
The possibilities in detail:
It consists of a polystyrene ring filled with sand or gravel and a lid. The sand filling is intended to prevent the icebreaker from flying away during storms. The complete ice-free holder is placed on the pond surface before the onset of winter.
It is important that 1 to 2 buckets of water are taken from the pond through the lid of the ice free holder as soon as the ice free holder is frozen in the closed ice cover. If this is not done, the ice free holder will have little effect!
Reason: Due to rotting processes in the pond, putrefactive gases form and collect under the ice cover. Only a small distance between the water surface and the ice layer can ensure reliable escape of the foul gases.
In our experience, the removal of water is often forgotten, so that the effect of the ice freezer is rather small. In addition, the process must be repeated every time the Styrofoam icebreaker freezes.
The pond aerator sets contain a diaphragm pump and an air hose with one or more bubble stones attached to the end.
The bubbling stones are lowered to a depth of approx. 60 cm. A greater depth would disturb the fish in the pond and the air pump would also lose power. Lowering to a depth of approx. 60 cm can either be done by inserting a piece of polystyrene into which the hose with the bubble stone is clamped, or you can simply place the bubble stone at a point on the pond floor that is approx. 60 cm deep. This method is better than 1. and 2. because it expels foul gases and keeps a part of the water surface free of ice. When buying the pump, make sure that you have the possibility to install the aerator pump protected from frost in a building (cellar, garage or garden shed). The pond aerators from Oase and Sera do not tolerate temperatures below approx. minus 10°C, the pond aerator from Schego is also suitable for outdoor use. With the first-mentioned devices, the aerator should be placed in a protected location and the air hose, which can be 10 to 20 m long without any problems, is laid right into the pond.
You can also find pond aerators and oxydators in our shop.
The Söchting Oxydator consists of a clay vessel and an insert into which hydrogen peroxide is filled. The built-in catalyst causes sufficient hydrogen peroxide to be converted into active oxygen during the frost period. This active oxygen ensures optimal oxygen enrichment and at the same time converts decay products into more harmless substances.
These 2 processes keep the pond inhabitants at the bottom of the pond and prevent them from freezing in the ice cover.
Particularly clever: as soon as the filling with hydrogen peroxide is used up, the Oxydator W also fills with oxygen and rises to the water surface. So you always know when it needs to be refilled and you don't have to fetch it from the bottom of the pond. By the way, the separation of active oxygen also reduces the formation of algae, so that the Oxydator W can also be used excellently in summer. It works without electricity and cumbersome connections!
One Oxydator W is sufficient for approx. 4,000 to 7,000 litres of pond water, depending on the fish stocking. For large ponds, several units should be used. For more information on our favourite Söchting Oxydator W, please click here.
Pond heaters of the brands Schego, Velda and Oase are particularly robust, as the cover is made of an impact-resistant titanium tube. The heater is attached to the supplied float and placed on the pond surface. The advantage of this system is that a piece of the pond surface always remains ice-free and putrefactive gases can also escape through the hole in the ice. In addition, the pond water is warmed by 1 to 2 degrees, depending on the size of the pond.
This method is particularly popular with koi lovers, as the well-being of koi is increased at higher temperatures, even in winter. However, the power consumption of the devices is a disadvantage, so that we only recommend their operation when controlled by a Schego frost monitor. The frost monitors only switch the heater on when the temperature has fallen below 0°C or 7°C (depending on the model selected).
You can find the pond heaters and frost monitors here.
With this method, the existing pump is simply left in operation during the winter months. It is important that the pump remains in operation at all times so that a possibly connected filter cannot burst due to standing/freezing water. All other electrical devices must be dismantled, as they do not necessarily tolerate frost. This applies in particular to UVC emitters and I-Tronic filamentous algae destroyers.
If you use the pump in this way to generate water movement, the pond will remain ice-free at this point. This works particularly well if you use a stream or spring for this purpose. Caution: During the cold season, regularly monitor the proper functioning of the stream or spring. Due to "blockages" caused by leaves or a thick layer of ice, both a spring and a stream can quickly burst their banks. This would result in the entire pond being pumped empty. Provided the filter remains connected, a certain amount of dirt will be "caught". However, the biological clarifying effect of the filter bacteria is no longer present at a water temperature below 8° Celsius, as filter bacteria only develop well at higher temperatures.
Important: The pump should not be placed at the lowest point of the pond during the winter, but about 30 to 40 cm higher, so that the warm water at the bottom of the pond is not swirled and the fish can hibernate in peace. Since the pump should not be placed at the bottom of the pond, but at least 60 cm deep, this method therefore only works for ponds with a water depth of at least 100 cm.
Koi carps love moderate temperatures. A pond heater in combination with a frost monitor would be ideal for getting the animals through the winter. The only disadvantage is that, depending on the wattage selected (I would recommend 300 watts), the electricity costs amount to about 0.50 euros per day during the frost period.
A pond aerator keeps one spot in the pond free of ice and is sufficient for "normal" fish. If we don't get a severe winter, the pond aerator, which only costs about 0.02 euros per day in electricity, will be sufficient. But who can say how cold the winter will be?
Conclusion: If you care for noble koi, I would play it safe and choose the heater.
Tip: You are probably familiar with bubble wrap, which is taken for packing fragile goods. If the winter should get very cold, you can cut this foil to size with scissors if you choose the heater and place it on the pond. Leave a small opening only at the heater. This provides additional insulation, saves electricity and does not cost much. You can get this film in DIY stores that sell films for insulating greenhouses or for packaging.
As an immediate measure, we recommend the use of hydrogen peroxide granulate for the short-term reduction of algae. This is not an algaecide, but a granulate that generates highly active oxygen in combination with water and causes the cells of the algae to burst by sprinkling it on the algae pads. Attention: This process works by photosynthesis, so only when the sun is shining. Application on cloudy days brings only very limited success. In sunshine, on the other hand, the algae detach themselves from the substrate and are driven upwards by the active oxygen that attaches itself to the algae. At the water surface, the algae can then be easily removed with a fine algae net. You can see success after about 1 hour in good weather. Leaves and other sediments are also loosened from the substrate by this method and float to the surface.
Attention: please do not sprinkle on underwater plants!
However, as this is not an algaecide with a long-term effect, Dennerle Bio-Algenstopp should be used afterwards as a biological preparation. Valuable humic and tanning substances - from oak bark, alder cones and humic peat - ensure a natural, slightly golden-brown water colouration, depending on the amount applied, which filters out algae-promoting UV light. The brown colouration is thus an important component of the effect of BIO Algen-Stop. It supports algae control and prevents new algae from forming quickly.
If you want to be "on the safe side" permanently, you should buy a Velda T-Flow Tronic. This electronically controllable device permanently prevents unloved algae growth and can be used for any pond size and location thanks to its controllable electronics.
Especially in clear pond water, thread algae and slime algae can grow excellently and bring many pond owners to despair. Algae make lower demands on temperature and water quality and therefore grow faster than water plants. Especially in freshly created ponds and ponds with few plants, nutrients are dissolved in the water despite the often good water quality, which cannot be consumed quickly enough by the existing water plants and thus serve as food/fertiliser for the thread algae. If the filamentous algae then also literally "spin in" the existing aquatic plants, the aquatic plants can develop even worse.
To solve this problem in the short term, you can use the usual algaecides. In the long term, however, the evil should be counteracted biologically with products that enrich the water with natural substances and humic acids using oak bark and alder cone extract. This effect naturally ensures a considerable reduction of any algae. We offer Dennerle AlgenStop here.
If you are aiming at a permanent solution, you can now solve the problem reliably with an electronic thread algae killer T-Flow Tronic, which has been developed from space technology.
Velda offers a revolutionary product that tackles the algae problem permanently. The core of the T-Flow Tronic consists of an anode made of a mineral copper alloy and a cathode made of stainless steel. The microprocessor-controlled operating display generates electrical impulses, whereby an exchange takes place and positively charged copper ions are released. This process is called mineralisation. These ions or minerals, in a certain concentration, naturally fight filamentous and slimy algae. The concentration of copper ions is between 0.2 and 0.3 PPM and is absolutely harmless for fish and plants. (For comparison: the permissible concentration in drinking water is approx. 10 times higher at 2.0 PPM).
The digital display provides for exact adjustment of the dosage or the "Superboost" in case of a considerable thread algae or slime algae plague.
Supplied with different hose nozzles for different hose sizes.
Recommended installation: In the hose circuit of an existing pump or filter. If neither filter nor pump are present, you will need a separate feed pump.
What else you should do to prevent algae:
- Use as many fast-growing underwater and floating plants as possible. This is one of the most effective preventive measures against excessive algae growth. Fast-growing underwater plants in particular literally suck up the nutrients and thus "steal" them from the algae; hornwort (Ceratophyllum demersum), Canadian waterweed (Egeria densa), small water feather (Hottonia inflata) and water milfoil (Myriophyllum), for example, have proven successful. Water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes), mussel flower (Pistia stratiotes), frogbit (Limnobium) and tussock fern (Salvinia) are recommended as floating plants. Algae love a lot of sun. Therefore, about 1/4 to 1/3 of the pond should be shaded by appropriate riparian planting. Lake and pond roses are also good sources of shade.
- High fish stocking combined with abundant feeding inevitably leads to a high nutrient input and thus usually to algae problems. Our recommendation: Moderate fish stocking and cautious feeding with high-quality pond fish food.
- In spring and autumn, replace at least 1/3 of the pond water with fresh tap water (NOT rainwater, as this always makes the pond water softer). This removes waste products. At the same time, the carbonate hardness contained in the tap water buffers the pond water against pH value fluctuations. Especially with more heavily stocked ponds, a more frequent and stronger partial water change always has a beneficial effect and is therefore highly recommended.
- The regular use of FB3 clear water pond bacteria and FB4 degradation aid against organic pond sludge helps your pond to remain in biological balance.
Basically, filtration is ideal if the filter runs 24 hours a day. The filter not only takes up organic suspended matter, but the bacteria on the filter surface perform useful biological decomposition processes, so that bio-filtration is created.
This is not a problem with a power connection. With solar filtration, however, this biological filtration hardly takes place, as the solar cell does not supply electricity for the pump at night. You can remedy this by purchasing a storage tank, e.g. an Oase Solarsafe 41, which is charged by the solar panel during the day and supplies the required electricity at night. However, this is not a very cheap option.
It should also be noted that solar energy produces direct current. If you have green water (floating algae), you will need a UVC radiator to rid the pond of floating algae. However, UVC lamps only work with 230 V alternating current, so this is not possible with solar energy.
If you have floating algae in your pond, the 230 V current version is the much better choice. With solar energy, you then have only one remedy against floating algae.
The following pump is very suitable: Oase Aquarius Solar pond pump, also suitable for operating small waterfalls. Special, very robust plug for connection to the SOLARMAX storage and control unit or to one of the new solar modules supplied with 5m cable.
No, there is no such thing. If a skimmer were that high, the surface extractor would not have sufficient stability and would wobble or even tip over. Here you can only get further with a floating skimmer.
You can also find a floating skimmer in our shop, either with a built-in pump or for connection to an existing pump, e.g. Oase Aquamax.
