Summer Pond Maintenance

The 'Lazy Days of Summer' is when you get to enjoy every aspect of the work you’ve done during the winter and spring to care for your water garden and pond. A wide variety of pond products on the market today can make the job much easier and give you more time to spend enjoying your water garden and your fish pond. 

There is still regular maintenance that needs to be done to insure that the quality of the pond continues to be acceptable. The pond filtration and aeration systems are working at their maximum, so be sure to thin pond plants out. Partial water changes (25%) can be used when needed. This can be determined easily by watching your fish and water quality. 

Testing your pond’s water parameters will keep you on top of how your pond is doing.  Test strips are designed to make this task easy and accurate. 

If you have fish from the last season, you will want to take the growth of the fish and the effect this has on the oxygen content of your pond into consideration. An overstocked pond can be a big problem when the weather turns very warm. It’s better to thin out your fish population before it becomes a problem. 

Always leave your pond pumps running, especially at night. The oxygen content will fall greatly and the beneficial bacteria in the filters will quickly die, resulting in a reversal of biological actions. The ammonia and nitrates may build up causing a reduction in the amount of oxygen present. Plants actually respire at night by using oxygen and producing carbon dioxide. A heavy algae bloom can lead to stress or loss of fish. Stressed fish are open to the pathogens and bacteria already present in their environment. 

Summer is the time to: 

• Observe fish for unusual behavior or signs of disease. 

• Do regular maintenance and any needed water changes. 

• Fertilize plants. 

• Maximize aeration. 

• ENJOY your beautiful pond or water garden! 

Did you know??

In a new pond or setup, the water becomes cloudy due to bacterial blooms; this is a natural part of the biological cycle and it will soon become clear. It is sometimes referred to “new tank/pond syndrome. When cloudiness is a result of a new pond or setup going through its biological cycle, usual, simply waiting a couple of days will allow enough time for the pond to clear up naturally; If the cloudiness is unsightly to you, use Pond Water Clear to help decrease the cloudiness. Water Clear to help decrease the cloudiness.