SEASONAL POND MAINTENANCE
EVEN WARM-CLIMATE PONDS REQUIRE SOME SEASONAL MAINTENANCE
Winter, regardless of whether you live in northern or southern climates, brings a general slowing down of the pond. The fish aren't as active, the plants go dormant, and in freezing climates - the water stops moving as well. Both climate regions bring their own special challenges when it comes to over-wintering water gardens. Listed below are some general steps you can take to make sure your pond emerges in spring looking great!PONDERING IN THE SOUTH
Aquatic Plants
Although you may continue to see some hardy water lily blooms through the winter, you should have stopped fertilizing your water lilies and cleaned out any dead vegetation and spent leaves. Depending on the specific southern locality, any tropicals should be taken out and placed in a container of water (a 5-gal bucket works great) and stored in the garage. Cutting back the marginals will help the plants get through the couple of months of dormancy winter brings.
Fish
The most common question asked is, "What do I do with my fish in the winter?" Well now, the usual answer is, “Nothing,” though, while the temperatures are around freezing, you might want to consider these tips to help protect your beautiful koi and goldfish from these cold snaps. Stop feeding them when the water temperature reaches the mid-50’s (F°) and they are no longer active. This is the time of year when the fish may actually look forward to winter – just in time for a nice long nap.
Pump and Filter System
Winter does not shut us down here in the south – our pumps run 24/7/365. It is important to keep your skimmer free of any debris and inspect your pump to ensure that it’s operating properly. Leaving the pump on throughout the winter allows the release of gases, and maintains sufficient oxygen levels. Also remove any netting that your pond may have required during the large leaf accumulation in fall.
PONDERING IN HOWARD, CARROLL, AND BALTIMORE COUNTY
When the surface of your water garden turns to ice, there are two things to think of concerning safety of your fish. First, it’s important to keep a hole open in the ice. This prevents the buildup of gases that could harm your fish. These gases develop as the fish waste and any plant debris decomposes.The important factor is water oxygenation. Although your fish are sleeping their way through winter, oxygenated water is still vital to their survival through the winter.
Both of these goals can be achieved in a couple of different ways. The required preparations do not consume a lot of time, and certainly don’t threaten to take over your weekend. If you prefer to leave the project to someone else, most pond installers can usually be hired to do it for you. But if you’re up for getting your hands dirty, here are a few things that you’ll want to take into consideration when preparing for winter.
RUNNING YOUR WATERFALL
If you choose to keep your waterfall running through the winter, you’ll be rewarded with some extraordinary, natural ice sculptures and winter scenes. Winter also brings some unique considerations that you’ll need to keep your eye on.
A pump and waterfall that circulates at least 2000 gallons of water per hour is sufficient to keep a hole open in the ice, as well as oxygenation of the water. Keep an eye on long or slow-moving streams and areas around the waterfall. In these areas, it’s easy for ice dams to form, diverting water over the liner. It’s important to watch for this, especially on extremely cold days. If you find an ice dam that’s diverting water over the edge of the liner, it’s best to turn off the pump. If you chisel the ice buildup away, chances are it will form again in the same spot and be the source of continuous frustration.
Surprisingly, even during the winter, the water continues to evaporate and therefore needs to be topped off so that your pump continues to function properly. If you make the extra effort to keep your falls running throughout the winter, you’ll see the most beautiful ice formations and patterns around the falls and streambeds.
Shutting It Down
Many people choose to shut down their pond for the winter because they don’t want to worry about ice dams or pay for the cost to run a larger pump. If you choose to shut down your waterfall for the winter, you’ll need to replicate the effects of the waterfall in order keep the water oxygenated and a hole open in the ice.
A pump that circulates at least 150 gallons per hour can be placed in your pond below, but close to, the water’s surface. By allowing it to bubble about one inch above the surface, the agitation will keep a hole in the ice and oxygenate the water until the air temperature drops below 10° F.
If the air temperature stays below 10° F for extended periods, you’ll need to add a floating heater in order to maintain the opening in the ice. Most heaters are equipped with a thermostat that, when set at the proper temperature, switches the heater on only when needed. Note, a floating heater alone will not oxygenate the water, and therefore can be deadly to your fish.
Winter, wherever you live, is a time for Mother Nature and her "family" to change the scenery a bit.Whether it’s a frozen, white, wintry scene, or just a rest from the heat of the sun, adapting to these changes will ensure that your water garden and its fish are healthy all year long.
For those of you who live in a climate where ice and snow cover the pond during the winter, a spring clean out is usually the best way to start off the season. While the water garden may look still and serene during the winter months, not everything in the pond shuts down once the ice forms. Your fish are still producing waste, plant and other organic material (leaves, twigs, etc..) are sill decomposing, and wind-blown debris is still finding it's way to the bottom of your pond. All of these things produce toxins and nutrients that algae can take advantage of once the ice thaws.
Does your pond need a full clean-out this season, or does it just need to be tidied up a little? There are a couple of things that you can look for to help you decide. First, if there is a layer of "crud" at the bottom of the pond and the water is dark in color, almost like a cup of tea, or it looks like the muddy Mississippi, it would be a good idea to do a full clean-out. On the other hand, if there is just a small amount of debris, you can just get into the pond and stir everything up and capture the debris into a net.
ALGAE GROWTH
Algae is going to grow in the spring. It’s an unfortunate fact that you’ll have to learn to accept. While the water is still cool, and the aquatic plants are gearing up for the season but not fully grown, the algae is the one "plant" that can grow. It may not be the most attractive "plant" and most pond owners see it as undesirable, but it’s a plant nonetheless.
During this time, when nothing else will grow, the algae pulls excess nutrients out of the water. This actually will protect your fish from any toxic buildup of ammonia or nitrites as well. The levels of some of these nutrients can build to higher levels during the winter because there is not a lot of other biological filtration going at that time.
Although a case has been made for algae, it should still not be allowed to grow out of hand to the point of having two-foot long strands of it hanging off of every single rock in the pond.
Keeping Algae Under Control
Aquascape Designs’ water treatment arsenal provides you with multiple ways to keep your pond clear and healthy during the spring months:
- Aquascape Designs EcoBlastTM is the first line of defense to quickly and safely breakdown debris from waterfalls, streams, rocks, plant pots and anywhere buildup has occurred.
- Aquascape Designs S.A.B.TM is formulated to help reduce pond maintenance and promote the growth of beneficial bacteria and enzymes.
- EcoSystemsTM EcoBarleyTM has taken the well-known power of barley straw and packaged it with easy-to-use quick-acting pellets.
- EcoSystemsTM EcoBalanceTM Plus with S.A.B.TM cleans ponds by breaking down organic materials that create problems for pond hobbyists.
- EcoSystemsTM EcoFlocTM clears pond water by combining floating or suspended debris in the pond. This combined matter is then easily removed from the pond.
To get your aquatic plants off to a healthy start, trim any dead plant growth and divide any large clumps of plants that have gotten out of hand. Water lily tubers should be inspected and, if needed, divided and repotted. Spring is a great time to share excess plants with your other water gardening buddies. Organize a plant swap or sale with your local water garden or koi club so others can benefit from your over-abundance of plants!
Fish
Your fish should be getting more and more active as the water warms up. Rising water temperatures will trigger the instinct to create more fishies. Yes, spring is the time to expect your fish to breed. Make sure you don’t move or change anything in your pond during this time or you may hurt the developing fry and with a little patience, you will see tiny little specs migrating around the edge of the pond, generally staying away from the open water.
Undoubtedly many of them will fall prey to many different predators in the pond, including their parents, so try not to feel too bad, just know that this is all a part of the balanced ecosystem in your pond. Another important thing about springtime fish care is to feed responsibly. Do not feed your fish until the water temperature has risen to, and consistently remains at, 55º F. If you feed your fish before this point, you run the risk of possibly killing them because they cannot yet break down the solid food very well. This could lead to intestinal problems and possible internal bleeding because, just like people, they rely on beneficial bacteria to break down the food in their system, and these bacteria diminish in temperatures below 55º F.
Once the temperature does rise above 55º F you can start to introduce the fish to solid food again. ADI recommends starting the fish off on a fish food that is designed for low-temperatures. An example of a great food is Nutri-1 LoTempTM fish food. It is a nutritious, easily-digestible food designed to maintain health, growth, vitality, and color in your fish during the fall and spring months.
Maintenance Issues
In addition to cleaning your pond in the spring, there are some other maintenance issues that should be addressed this time of year. As you clean out your filtration system, inspect the filtration media. Depending on the material used in your system, it may need to be replaced each season. You may consider at this time to add barley mats to your biological filter. The best time to do all of this is when the weather is still cold - preferably when the water temperature is below 55º F. If you live in a warm climate you should do all of these things in late winter when the days are short and cool.
You’ll also need to inspect your pump and get it running for the year. Check inside the opening of the pump and make sure that the impeller (the part that turns) has no debris around it. This is also a good time to inspect the bulbs on your underwater lights and replace them if necessary.
Keeping it Looking Good
Now that your water feature is ready for a new season, how do you keep it looking fresh and clean? Well there are some products that you will definitely help keep looking tip-top!
- EcoSystemsTM EcoStarterTM - If you added more than 10 percent of new tap water to your pond, a dechlorinator is necessary to neutralize the chlorine and keep your fish healthy.
- EcoSystemsTM EcoCarbonTM - Even after you’ve cleaned out your pond, the water can sometimes take on a tea-stained color. The activated carbon will help keep your pond water clear by removing the tannins that cause this discoloration. The carbon is added to a mesh bag and placed inside your biological filter. The water should clear up in four to seven days.
- Supercharged AquaClearerTM - This bacteria is the best thing for starting your system out on the right foot. It will establish the bacterial colonies in your pond very quickly so it can get to work breaking down debris in the pond.
POND PUMP TROUBLESHOOTING
Eighty percent of pump problems can be fixed in minutes, saving you further inconvenience.
The pump can be called the “heart” of the pond. Without it, the relaxing, rushing sound of the water over the rocks would not exist. The fish and the filtering bacteria in the biological filter also depend on the pump to provide fresh, oxygenated water.
Most quality pumps should get you at least three years of maintenance-free service of re-circulating the water in your pond, so how can the pump not be working? Odds are the pump is actually fine. As a pond owner, there are a few things you can do to help detect, and hopefully fix, the problem before you call the installer or return the pump to the merchant from which you purchased it. Eighty percent of pump problems can be fixed in minutes, saving you further inconvenience. The following troubleshooting steps will help you quickly identify, and hopefully solve, the problem with a failed pump.
Proceed with the following actions until the problem is found.
- First of all, is the pump receiving water? This sounds like an obvious question, but it’s not an uncommon problem. Water evaporates and, if not replaced, the lack of it can affect the operation of the pump. In this situation, the pump may actually be running, but just not receiving enough water. A lot of times you can actually hear the "hum" or "gurgle" of the pump when this is happening.
- Make sure nothing is blocking the flow of water to the pump. Large boulders, debris blocking the front of the skimmer opening, a clogged skimmer net, or clogged skimmer filter can reduce the flow of water. If you have a skimmer, make sure the water level is 3/4" below the top of the skimmer opening. If the established water level is lower than this, the pump may suck the skimmer dry, causing the thermal shut-off to activate. The thermal shut-off will deactivate once the pump cools back down. The proper water level will then need to be established.
- The pond is too small for the stream above it. The lowest pond must be large enough to supply enough water to start the circulation of the stream and/or waterfall. Once the pump is started, it may be necessary to add a few inches of water to the lower pond in order to account for the water used to feed the stream, pipe, and waterfalls. Lower ponds that are designed too small may not be able to supply enough water to start the streams/waterfalls. This will cause the water in the pond to drop below the opening of the skimmer upon the initial start-up, and starve the pump of water.
- The pump may be vapor-locked. This term sounds complicated, but it simply means that air is trapped inside the pump. Pumps are designed to push water, not air so when an air bubble gets trapped, the pump becomes vapor locked. When this happens, the impeller is spinning, but water is not being pushed. Listen to see if you hear the hum of the pump. A vapor-lock can be fixed by tilting the pump, allowing the air bubble to escape from the intake.
- Is the electrical supply operating properly? Premature pump failures can occur due to a faulty electrical supply. For example, using an extension cord, especially one over 25-feet long, may cause irregular power to the pump. This can cause performance problems with the pump, and possibly reduce its lifespan. Check to make sure all electrical connections are functioning properly. Verify that a certified electrician installed and tested the electrical while the pump was running. Oftentimes, GFCI circuits are set too sensitive, causing them to repeatedly trip the breaker.
- Check the electric box to see if the ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) has tripped. The proper electrical setup for the pond should include a GFCI outlet. A GFCI is a safety device installed to protect people from receiving a shock in the event of an electrical malfunction and will shut the power down if it senses a problem. GFCIs are very sensitive and can sometimes trip during a thunderstorm or a power surge. It is also very common for outside outlets to be electrically connected to other rooms within the house, such as the bathroom. Many times, the combination of the pump running on the pond and someone using devices like a blow dryer in the bathroom can overload the GFCI and trip the breaker. Ask your electrician to make sure the electrical outlet for the pond is dedicated to just the pond.
- Unplug the pump and disconnect the union fitting found at the top of the pump connection.The water will back-flush from the biological filter back into the skimmer. This will help flush out any debris that is clogged along the length of the pipe.
- Pull the pump out of the skimmer and inspect the intake on the pump for any lodged debris. Some pumps are capable of handling solids and debris up to about 5/8". On some occasions, debris may become lodged in the housing of the pump. This could stop the impeller from turning, restricting the flow of water, and eventually causing the pump to stop operating properly. Thoroughly check the pump intake, including the area above the impeller where small debris, such as gravel, may be trapped. Plug in the pump after inspecting it for debris, and see if the impeller spins.
- The impeller may fail to spin when the pump has been out of operation for a period of time (such as over the winter). Try to assist it by using a screwdriver or similar tool to give it a little kick-start. When the pump begins to operate, let it run for 5 to 10 seconds. Unplug the pump, wait a few seconds, and plug it back in. The impeller should begin to spin without assistance this time.
- If you still have no luck, bring the pump over to another electrical outlet, specifically one that contains a GFCI breaker, and see if the pump operates. This will tell you if the pond’s electrical supply is bad, or if there is something internally wrong with the pump. If the pump trips the GFCI, then it is likely that there is something wrong with the pump, and it should be replaced. If the pump runs without a problem on the second outlet, you’ll want to have a qualified electrician come out and check the pond’s electrical setup.
