Pond maintenance on a annual basis is important in order to keep your pond functioning and working its best. In the fall there are several things that you should do in order to prepare your pond for the winter. Depending on what type of water feature you have, the pond maintenance will vary from project to project. Most all water features will have some sort of pump or agitation device to help circulate the water and keep the feature from going stagnant. The pumps can be linked to a water feature such as a water fall or may include a floating fountain.
Tips to help with pond maintenance.
If you have a water feature that includes Koi fish, you will need to determine if you want to leave the fish in your feature or remove them for the winter. Koi fish that stay in the pond will require some sort of water heating device. The device serves two purposes, the first is to keep the fish from freezing in the water. The second reason is to create an escape route for harmful gases to be released from the pond. Floating pond heaters work best and will serve both of the needs. It is important to know the size of your pond in gallons. You must match up your heater with the size of your pond. If your heater is too small, the water will freeze.
Removing leaves in the fall works best. If you do not clean up leaves during pond maintenance, they will turn the color of your pond water dark. If you have a natural pond, this may not matter to you at all. If you have a decorative Koi pond where you want your water to be clear, then you need to clean up the leaves.
Removing pumps in the fall is also an important part of pond maintenance. Pumps will freeze and break if they are left in over the winter. The best way to store your pump is to submerge it in a bucket of water inside a heated structure. Pumps can still freeze in your garage if it isn’t heated.
Power washing boulders or stones in your water feature will remove discoloration and algae that has accumulated over the course of the season.
