Many home-owners perceive their backyard ponds as a source of joy and relaxation. Even a small but well-maintained pond can steal the spotlight from carefully designed flower beds. However, keeping a pond in immaculate shape can be quite challenging. Proper pond maintenance requires serious commitment, but in the long run, you’ll see it’s worth it! Keep on reading if you want to learn how you can keep your water feature bright and healthy throughout the year.
Clean your pond regularly
Over time, garden ponds accumulate dirt and debris. It’s inevitable, and you have to deal with it to prevent it from becoming an algae-ridden mess. What’s more, decaying leaves release toxic gasses that can potentially harm your aquatic ecosystem. Cleaning your pond manually is the cheapest method. To remove leaves and other light debris, use a skimmer net. Try to do it daily, or at least make it your weekly habit.
However, sometimes your pond will need a deeper cleaning. Start with removing fish and water plants. Put them in tanks and pump out the water; then, carefully clean the bottom of your pond. You can use a pond vacuum to get rid of the sludge, but reserve some of it – it’s essential to keep your plants healthy. Clean the liner and edging materials as well. After that, refill your pond with fresh water and safely return your aquatics to the reservoir. Keep in mind that it’s best to do a full cleaning in early spring when your plants and fish are less active.
Keep your pond well-aerated
Water aeration is extremely important. It can help you keep your pond clean and maintain aquatic life. If you can’t keep up with removing pond algae from the surface, and you can’t help but notice that distinctive, mucky smell when you’re near your pond, a good aerator pump can work wonders. It moves warmer water from the bottom of your pond to the top. Aeration provides oxygen to the bottom of the pond, allowing aerobic bacteria to pull nutrients from the water and break down organic sediment.
During winter, it can keep an area on the surface free of ice. Do you sometimes see your fish at the surface, gulping for air? A well-adjusted aeration system can help with that, too. Not only will they get a sufficient amount of oxygen. You’ll also provide them with the optimal water temperature during the summer and winter months.
Grow water plants
Healthy and well-kept water plants not only make your pond look amazing, but they also limit algae growth and are a natural way to keep your water feature clean. Consider adding both floating and submerged plants. Floating plants like lilies or lotus absorb nutrients that would otherwise be consumed by algae.
What’s more, they thrive on the surface, reducing the area for algae growth. However, keep an eye on them and make sure they don’t cover the whole surface of the water, thinning or culling them when needed. On the other hand, submerged plants help maintain water oxygenation and improve the aquatic ecosystem. Some animals feed on them as well, so make sure you keep them in good condition.
If you see dead plants, remove them from the water immediately to avoid the disruption of water chemical composition. Do you want to put new plants in your pond? The best time to do it is in early summer. The water is naturally warmer and capable of facilitating plant growth.
Take care of your fish
There’s something magical about a small water feature with koi, goldfish or other aquatic life. However, if you want to keep them healthy and happy, you can’t just throw them into the pond and forget about them completely. Get that aerator pump going to keep them oxygenated. Every once in a while, check the temperature to make sure they have optimal living conditions.
Also, feed them properly! Cheap fish feeds can damage your aquatic ecosystem and be harmful to your fish. First, choose a quality feed, Your fish will be able to digest it better, and they’ll produce less waste. Then, find out the correct amount of food your fish need. It depends on the species and the number of fish in your pond. However, it’s very easy! After you’re done feeding your fish, wait 20 minutes and check for food floating in the water. You’ll know that you’re overfeeding them if you see bits of food floating on the surface. These bits are going to rot, encouraging algae growth. Also, during autumn and winter, fish metabolism slows down, so reduce the amount of food you give them in those months.
Although taking care of your backyard pond can seem like a lot of work, don’t treat it like it’s a nuisance! A clean, beautiful pond with luscious water plants and healthy fish is a highlight of every garden. Put some effort into maintaining your small source of relaxation and tranquillity, and you’ll have something of which you can be proud.
[disclosure*]
