Did you know that you should remove debris from your pond at least every 5 years and, if you have a large pond, every 10 years?
It’s true; if you don’t follow this, your fish and ponds ecosystem could be in serious trouble.
Just think about it. The UK experiences four seasons; if you live in a bustling city like London, there could be pollution. If you don’t have sufficient water filtration, dirt can accumulate.
These are just a few main hazards which can contribute to a dirty pond and compromise your fish’s health. Doing a deep clean with pond cleaning products and full maintenance is essential to ensure your pond’s water stays healthy, controls algae and maintains oxygen levels.
While at Aqua Pond, we specialise in thorough Pond Maintenance and cleaning; there are a few things you can do to keep it in good shape. To know more, keep reading!
Why pond maintenance?
Before delving right into some crucial tips about looking after your pond and undergoing cleaning, you must know just how important it is to do so first. Pond cleaning and maintenance are vital due to the following:
Water Quality
Over time your pond is prone to gathering lots of fallen leaves, twigs, debris and more. If you don’t remove these, these materials can decompose, causing a nutrient build-up in the water. Too many nutrients can contribute to algae and poor water quality.
- Overgrowth of algae
In addition to excessive nutrients, exposure to sunlight and warm temperatures can cause algae to grow, causing your water to turn green and making your pond look ugly. - Oxygen levels
If your pond has been subject to a lot of organic matter and algae build-up, oxygen levels may likely be depleted. Regularly maintaining your pond allows the right oxygen level to be circulated, creating a healthy environment for living organisms. - Helps control pests
Another major reason why pond cleaning and maintenance is important is because it helps control different pests. After all, ponds can attract mosquitos, flies and other insects to breed, increasing the chances of disease. - Helps preserve the structure
Over time, sediment can build up, and plant roots and erosion can weaken your pond’s wall or liner. Pond maintenance can help detect any problems and address them, stopping potential leaks and changes to its structure. - Becomes more attractive
Simply cleaning and removing plants, debris, and dirt can make your pond look more aesthetically appealing.
How to care for your pond in winter
While it’s best to have a thorough clean every 5-10 years, here are some maintenance tips you can manage for the wintertime:
Don’t let your pond freeze over
If you’ve found your pond has frozen over, then you’ll want to melt the ice. If you have fish in your pond, you must do as oxygen levels might drop. Try melting the ice by placing a hot pan on top to help increase oxygen levels. If your pond has not frozen yet, but temperatures are dropping, add a ball onto the pond, as this delays freezing.
Allow light to reach the pond
In the winter, try to ensure that a lot of light comes to the pond by plucking back branches and brushing off snow. This will allow algae and plants to undergo photosynthesis restoring more oxygen in the water.
Test the water level
Sometimes your pond may be prone to leaking in winter, causing water levels to drop. If you feel like your levels may have dropped slightly, contact us. We can provide a water level testing kit.
How to care for your pond in spring
In spring, try doing the following:
Add new plants
If you want to add new plants, add them to your pond in the mid-spring time. This will help your plants to settle in and grow easily. If you have waterlilies, you might want to report them if they’ve grown too big.
Trim plants
If some of your plants have died out from the previous winter season, you must remove trim them or remove any overgrown plants. Always remove any fallen leaves or debris; your pond may not get proper circulation if you don’t.
Conduct a water change
You might want to think about doing a partial water change between 10-20%. This can help your pond stay fresh and dilute any unwanted nutrients or toxins, allowing you to balance.
How to care for your pond in summer
To care for your pond in the summer, you’ll want to do the following:
Add water to your pond
Hot weather can cause your pond water to evaporate, lowering oxygen levels and causing difficulty for your fish. If you find less, you might want to add water often from a butt as tap water triggers algae growth. However, if you need tap water, warm it slightly first and add slowly to stop a sudden change of temperature fluctuation.
Remove weeds
Scoop out any algae or floating weeds from your pond with a net. You must do this as weeds and algae can proliferate and grow in the summer.
Ensure the water stays well oxygenated
If possible, try to ensure the water stays well-oxygenated in hot weather. If possible, use a fountain to help with circulation.
Looking for more help?
When it comes to cleaning and maintaining your pond, we know it can be tiring and time-consuming. We have over 30 years of experience cleaning and maintaining ponds of every size and type at Aqua Pond. To know how we can optimise your pond’s health and elevate its ecosystem, contact us.
