Seasonal Tasks for Pond Care
Provided that a pond is well constructed and sensibly stocked, it should not be too difficult to care for and maintain. It is important to ensure that the water is at the correct level at all times; insufficient depth will cause temperature fluctuations, which will affect the water quality and consequently the well-being of plants and fish.
Spring
- Clean out pond
- Carry out any repair work
- Clean off algae from surrounding paving, decking or stepping stones
- Remove water heater for storage
- Reinstall pumps, filters or lights
- Check plants and fish for disease
Pond water is a host to a community of microscopic organisms that are an important part of the water's ecology. In early spring, as the water begins to warm up and receives higher levels of sunlight, it becomes rich in minerals; phytoplankton (free-floating algae) feed on these minerals, and their presence causes the water to turn green and clougy. This is only a temporary condition, indicating that the microscopic pond life is starting to reemerge, after having been dormant during the winter months. Algae play an important role in forming the first link in the food chain. As they use up the nutrients and other creatures devour them, the algae will slowly diminish, leaving the pond water clear. Click here for step by step instructions on cleaning out your pond.
Summer
- Clean skimmer net for any debris
- Control algae with an algicide, if necessary
- Remove blanketweed regularly. To combat blanketweed add barley straw in skimmer net or use barley filters in skimmer and BIO-Falls
- Keep water free from decaying foliage
- Check water level weekly and fill up as necessary
Functional planting and regular care should maintain clear water, but a long period of hot weather could disrupt the ecological balance, encouraging algae growth, particularly blanketweed. For quick results, algicides are available. For a long-term solution, SAB should be used. To prevent water evaporation in long periods of hot weather, keep the pond filled up with a slow trickling hose or install a water fill valve. Whenever you need to add more than 20% tapwater, treat it with a dechlorinator, that will eliminate chlorine, chloramine, and ammonia from the water, which are toxic to fish. Decomposing plant tissue will cloud a pond, polluting the water with toxic by-products and creating an unhealthy environment for fish. Regularly thinning and cutting back plants - especially in late summer when plants are beginning to die back - may avert this potential problem.
Fall
- Secure a net over pond to collect falling leaves
- Keep water free from decaying foliage
- Cut down foliage of marginal plants
- Cut back excess growth of submerged Oxygenators
During fall, place a net over the pond to catch the accumulation of fallen leaves before they enter the water. Clear away any dead leaves before turning the pump off or installing a deicer for winter.
Winter
- If pond is not being used, clean and store pumps, filters and lights
- If pump is still operating, check water level weekly and fill up as necessary
- Install a pond deicer, if necessary
If the pump will be shut off for the season, using a circulating pump will be necessary to oxygenate the water. A deicer will be necessary keep a hole in the ice for escaping toxic gases. These devices are controlled by thermostat, so they will run only when needed, and should be plugged into a circuit with a ground-fault interrupter. Never smash the ice; the vibrations will shock and may even kill the fish. Keep snow off the ice surface so light reaches the bottom of the pond.
Click here to schedule your maintenance plan today.