Pond Maintenance!
Relax! Pond maintenance is not as difficult as you may think.
I’ll describe the easy steps to maintain a clean pond and provide you with yearly pond maintenance calendar. I will also recommend a few tools you will need to help you with easy maintenance of a water garden.
To remove sludge from my pond I use a contraption described as pond vacuum. It’s not the same as in your house because it’s a water hose powered vacuum.
The water pressure creates cavitations in the vacuum housing. Pond sediments forced upward into the trap net. At the same time the water is added to the pool. Whenever I need to replace some water I use the vacuum.
Tip:
I let you on a little secret!
The standard net is not as tight, so my wife buys lowest price pantyhose that I use instead, and let me tell you, it’s the best.
I purchased a couple of long handles that stretch from 8 to 16 feet and fit a leaf skimmer, nylon-bristled scrub brush, a large fish net and a vacuum. Great tools for fish pond maintenance and can be purchased at any pond or pool supply stores.
Pond Maintenance Calendar:
| January | Winterized | | | | February | Winterized | | | | March | | | ***Clean entire pond, including the deep part, at least once a year | | April | *Partial water change, about 10% every 10-15 days | **Remove dead plant foliage as needed | | | May | *Partial water change, about 10% every 10-15 days | **Remove dead plant foliage as needed | | | June | *Partial water change, about 10% every 10-15 days | **Remove dead plant foliage as needed | | | July | *Partial water change, about 10% every 10-15 days | **Remove dead plant foliage as needed | | | August | *Partial water change, about 10% every 10-15 days | **Remove dead plant foliage as needed | | | September | *Partial water change, about 10% every 10-15 days | **Remove dead plant foliage as needed | | | October | *Partial water change, about 10% every 10-15 days | **Remove dead plant foliage as needed | | | November | | | | | December | Winterized | | Clean shelves, bottom sludge and debris | *If a plants filter is not being used.
**Drag a large fish net through the pond bottom to collect the sludge and debris.
***If the pond water removed over 60%, add fresh water slowly over 24 to 36 hours and use de-chlorinator chemicals as necessary.
Some ponds are built with a main drain installed. This design makes pond maintenance a breeze. Some smaller ponds are built without any shelves.
When building large ponds without the main drain, it is a good idea to make shelves flat and smooth. Than to clean your pond you would only need a broom and a pan.
Here are the steps for the procedure with fish remaining in the pond:- Drain the pond just below last shelves.
- Sweep all exposed flat shelves with broom and pan.
- Drag a large fish net through the bottom to collect everything up onto the shelf where the sludge and debris can be swept into the pan and discarded. (If the net caught some of your fish, put it back. Don’t play with it.)
- Add fresh water slowly over 24 to 36 hours and use de-chlorinator chemicals as necessary.
Obviously, when the pond water must be removed, the fish has to come out. Drain some of the water into a suitable temporary container. Try to keep it in the shade. Oxygenate the water by use of any aerator to keep fish alive.
I don’t like to do scrub the surface of the pond for fear of removing beneficial bacteria from it. A garden hose and regular water pressure is more than enough.
Once the pond is cleaned, I bring the water level up to the first shelf, somewhere between 6” to 10”.
Than I add water I saved, with fish in it, and turn the aerator on to keep my fish alive until water level is high enough for the skimmer pump to be turned.
To finish, I add fresh water slowly over 24 to 36 hours and use de-chlorinator chemicals as necessary.
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