Maintaining Your Pond, Pumping and Filtration System

If you are to achieve success with the water quality in your pond and water features it is essential that you keep a regular eye on the state of the pond. Every week you should be taking a careful look to see what changes are taking place and by doing this you will quickly be able to rectify any problems.

It is extremely important that you keep an eye open during any extremes of temperature or prolonged spells of wet or dry weather. Strong winds and heavy rainfall can cause damage to plants in containers and if the overflow becomes blocked flooding the surrounding area may occur. In the natural pond or one fed by a river fish stocks and plants can easily be lost.

Regular General Maintenance

Weekly In Spring, Summer & Autumn check the following: -

Pumps and pre-filters are clear of blockages and running properly.

Ensure that U/V lights are clean and operating.

Check that steriliser units are functioning correctly.

Check the filter unit for clogging. Does it smell right? Rinse settlement chamber brushes in pond or rainwater to remove sediment if required.

Clear fountain spray nozzles (with a nylon brush not wire) and remove debris and algae from water features.

Monthly In Spring, Summer & Autumn check the following: -

Back-flush struggling biological filters if the set up allows this. Otherwise clear out the worst of the sludge.

Remove clogged foam-filters and rinse in a clean bucket, using pond or rainwater. Replace carefully. Ensure all seals are secure on filter lids where fitted. Throw away the dirty water onto your garden.

Six-monthly (or at least annually)

Change the U/V lamp bulb and CAREFULLY clean the quartz sleeve. Ensure that all the seals are replaced in their seats. Do NOT over-tighten screw fittings.

Where high fish stocks are present it is likely that the filter will require a thorough cleaning. Rinse any filter brushes in a clean bucket using pond or rainwater. (I use a smaller ¾”(19mm) tube on a separate pump to spray pond water over the brushes and also to rinse through filter foam and clinker medium.) Wastewater can be used on the garden or bog garden.

NEVER use tap water.

This should be done when the water temperature is above 10°C (50°F). This is when there should be active biological bacteria working sufficiently to quickly re-balance the water. I often prefer to do this as part of the winter closing down preparations and again in spring.

Winter Maintenance.

Pumps

Some people recommend that the pump is removed from the pond during the severest months to reduce the disturbance of water which is at a more constant temperature in the deepest part of the pond. This can be a good time to give the pump a good clean and check for any wear on the impellers. A check of the smooth plate of the induction pump can indicate wear and this can also be carefully cleaned with a plastic scourer.

A clay or concrete pipe set on the bottom of the pond gives fish a great hidey hole.

In some severe winter areas the pond will benefit from having a small heater unit connected and put into the water instead of the UV Light.

It is generally a good idea to raise the pump up from the bottom of the pool to about 225 to 305mm (9 to 12”) below the surface, as the water temperature drops to about 4°C (45°F). At the same time it is a good idea to reduce the flow to your biological filter too. This is because although the warmer water in summer is less dense and tends to rise to the surface, as the water cools to nearer freezing it becomes less dense and rises near to the surface.(Ice Floats!). The deeper water tends to stay at a more constant temperature and is best left undisturbed if possible.

Filters

For pumps supplying filters see the above. If the temperature drops to a point where the filter is likely to freeze, turn the pump off, drain the filter and rinse it out with pond or rainwater.

If, you turn your filter off at any time for more than a few hours it is important that you clean it out thoroughly before turning it on again. This is because the bacteria require a constant flow of oxygenated water passing over them in order to survive.

Spring Maintenance

Filters

Ensure that you have thoroughly cleaned out all filters before they need to be started again.

Clean the sleeve cover for the Ultra Violet Light, test that the bulb is working and preferably fit a new replacement for the coming season. (U.V. light bulbs deteriorate in power and therefore effective killing of algae cells, over about a 6 to 9 months of use period.)

Check that all pipework and electrical connections are secure, firm and in good condition. Replace anything that seems worn or corroded both for safety and pond security.

Ensure that any plants are divided and reduced in size if they are getting too large for your pond. If you are sure that your pond is free of infections you may have a friend or relative that may be interested in a cutting or two. We recommend that any plants to be transferred to a different pond be thoroughly cleaned in rainwater or other clean water source, well away from any pond. It is also advisable to put them into a holding bed or tank while they establish in their new container. If you are satisfied that the plants seem to be free of possible infection, they can then be slowly immersed into their new pond to the correct depth. Deep-water plants should be slowly lowered to the correct depth to allow new growth to extend and reach the surface.

Start to feed fish again in small quantities. Still stick to the rule of no more than they can completely eat in 10 minutes, or you will poison them and the water. Make sure that birds and wildlife have access into and out of the pond in safety preferably by a shallower area of stones or pebbles.

Hopefully you can now start to enjoy your efforts for the rest of the coming year.

Happy times for us all, listening to the sound of frogs croaking, seeing the dragon and damsel flies return, watching your fish and enjoying the sounds of tinkling falling water.

Enjoy your water feature this year.