The excitement of owning your very own pond does not have to come to an end as there is the added task of maintaining your pond. The good news is that this is not a complex task, although it is one that most homeowners entrust to a professional. That is because there is a lot to know about pond maintenance. Fintastic has accumulated years of knowledge on how to properly maintain ponds and we can put that expertise to work for you.
Seasonal Maintenance
It is important to note that the autumn and spring seasons are the most important for maintaining a pond. A buildup of dead leaves in your pond can lead to a large quantity of waste that may impact the quality of water in your pond in the fall. A failure to address this issue can lead to the advent of unhealthy water quality parameters, parasites and disease, which can cause monumental problems when spring rolls around. Spring maintenance is just as important as the pond typically will be dormant during the winter and there is nothing better than starting the ecosystem off for the next season with proper water quality. Here is a list of some of the other seasonal maintenance provided by the team at Fintastic:
- Stabilize the water
- Cover the pond during fall
- Drain portion of water and scrub the liner
- Cut and maintain growth of plant life
- Fertilize plants
- Removal of compromised plants
- Submerse any existing lilies
- Clean pump and filter
There are also helpful tips that will improve the quality of your pond throughout the winter months. For example, it is important to feed fish with a sizeable amount before the water temperature drops below 50 degrees with a very high fiber diet. Feeding fish below that temperature is very dangerous as their digestive systems stop working below 50 degrees. Feeding them at that point can result in disease and/or death in the spring.
Spring is a time to take all the start-up measures for your pond. The removal of debris and draining of your pond are both recommended. In the summer, water treatments, vacuuming and aeration is important. A professional technician at Fintastic will make sure you are covered through every season of the year.
Algae control
Pond algae is normal, although the growth should be controlled. Algae control can be handled in many ways:
- Chemical water treatments (although not very recommended)
- Biological water treatments
- UV sterilizers
- Coloring the pond
- Adding significant plants to the pond – both floating and submerged.
Our team can provide your pond with a profile and offer suggestions on how to control your algae so that it does not harm the quality of your pond. And if you are thinking of trying to remove algae yourself, it is important to know which products to use as some additives can bring a lot of harm to fish.