Time to Wake Up!

Our slumbering water features need a refresh...

Well this photo isn't pretty. But this is reality of what spring can look like in a pond. Now have no fear, this algae will be gone in no time once the water starts to warm up. How will that happen you might ask? Just read on to find out. (And no, this pond is not getting cleaned.)

Ponds

What should be done with a pond in the spring? There are options here but you should ask yourself, "what do I want my pond to look like this spring and summer?"

Option One -- Clean it.
By cleaning it I mean drain it down completely, move the fish to a holding tank, and pump out all the muck. This is a very popular option and many pond owners clean their ponds routinely each spring. If there are a lot of leaves from fall and winter or if you need to thin out an over-population of fish, then this is the best option. As a company we will perform over 200 pond cleanings every year.

Option Two -- Clean the pumps and filters only.

So the photo of the mass of string algae above is our new pond at home. As some of you know we sold our home last summer and of course we had to have a new pond when we moved. Almost always a pond in its second year has the worst string algae of its life. Traditionally we do not clean our ponds at home. We didn't at the old house and we won't this one either. We clean the waterfall filters, the skimmers, and the pumps. Then we treat the pond really heavy with BioClear and Clean and Remove Away Plus a couple times a week for a few weeks. It will be string algae free and crystal clear by the time we are ready to go out and enjoy it. 

If you are good about adding water treatments regularly and don't have a great deal of muck build up on the bottom, this might be a good option for you. For us, we don't need the immediate gratification of a pond cleaning. We are willing to wait and let the pond take care of itself.

Option Three -- Do nothing.

Many pond owners do nothing quite honestly. Their ponds might not look crystal clear and might have some build up on the bottom. But if your fish are healthy -- that is very important -- and you don't mind the pond's appearance, then you might choose this option. At some point, the pond will need to be cleaned down the road. The build up can only go on for so long. But as long as you are willing to put out the extra work or cost of the cleaning --- go for it. We do highly recommend at least cleaning your pump annually however.

Of course with any of these options we recommend using BioClear and Clean and Remove Away Plus regularly. 

Pond-Free Waterfalls

What is a pond-free waterfall? Find out here.

Option One -- Clean the creek and basin.

For a pond-free cleaning, everything in the creek or stream gets rinsed off and the basin is completely pumped out. The pump gets cleaned. We recommend this every 4-5 years with a pond-free waterfall.

Option Two -- Hand pick debris and clean the pump.

This option is just removing the large debris and leaves from the creek or stream and the top of the basin. Pull the pump and clean it. For most pond-free waterfalls, this is all that needs to be done annually.

Option Three -- Do nothing.

Honestly, pond-free waterfalls are so easy! They really don't need much anyway. We do however recommend cleaning the pump annually and clean debris off the top of the basin. Debris on the top of the basin can starve the pump and shorten its lifespan.

So there you have it. Options to get your water feature going this spring. Remember the more prevention you do this spring, the less work you will put into your water feature this summer. That way you just sit back and enjoy it!

Happy Spring!