Pond Maintenance Checklist
If the pond is well-designed and constructed, pond maintenance involes inspecting and cleaning the pumps and fountains, dividing and moving plants, occasional structural repairs, and seasonal pond maintenance. To follow is a checklist of tasks that needs to be looked after, over the course of the year.
Pond maintenance: Dividing Plants
Keep an eye on your pond plants to ensure that they do not become evasive in your pond eco-system. Pond plants can be both propagated and thinned-out by division. Pull floating plants apart. Give unwanted plants away to neighbours and friends.
Pond maintenance: Inspecting Fish
Part of pond maintenance involves inspect pond fish daily to ensure that they are feeding, and swimming normally. Using a new, take a closer inspection if any of the fish begin to swim sluggishly, or are gasping for air. Examine fish for white spots and blotches, and for damaged scales and fins. Remove suspect fish and take them to an isolation tank. Contact your vet if any unusual activity persists. Please consult Taking Care of Fish for more information about fish care.
Pond maintenance: Ensure that fish have adequate shelter
Fish need cover and shelter from the sun, and to hide from potential predators. When plants die in the fall, replace the plant cover with alternatives, such as old drainpipes, ceramic pots, bricks, or tiles.
Pond maintenance: Pump maintenance
Do not operate the pump dry- this will burn out the motor. Turn off the power of the pump before removing it from the pond. Open up the pump and wash any debris out of the filter foam (if applicable) and ensure that no debris is clogging the impeller.
Pond maintenance: Pond netting
Pond netting can be used to cover the pond to ensure that predators do not have easy access to your fish. However, pond netting can become damaged over time. Nothing looks worse than sagging netting: mend it, or replace it!
Pond maintenance: Fountains
Fountains help to oxygenate the pond, but only if they are in proper working condition. If the spray looks feeble, check all the tubing to ensure that there are no blockages or leaks, and check to ensure that the pump is functional. You may need to get a replacement pump for your fountain.
Pond maintenace: Adding more plants
If there is alot of open water, you may need to add more floating-leaved plants. This is especially important to provide cover for fish, and will also help to control algae.
References: Taking Care of Fish, Keeping Pond Algae-Free, Pond Plants
Pond maintenance: Repairing Structures
Inspect all bridges, decking, fences, posts, rocks, brickwork, copings, and figures to ensure that they are in working condition. Remove or repair anything that is inoperational or damaged. Scrub bridges to remove buildup of slime and check handrails. Repoint decaying brickwork. Replace cracked ceramic pots or strap them with bands of wire.
Pond maintenance: Winterization of Pond
Prior to the onset of winter, you will need to decide whether or not you wish to winterize your fish, or to take the pond fish inside for the winter. If you are taking the fish indoors, remove the pump and fountain. Wash the pump and store it in a dry place until the spring. Semihardy plants can be left outdoors, or to be safe, they can be placed into containers and brought indoors. Delicate floaters must be brought indoors.
A pond heater will be required to winterize pond fish outdoors. For more information about winterizing pond fish, please consult Winterizing Pond Fish.
Next: Pond Maintenance Summary
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