How to care for your Water Garden in the Spring?

SPRING CLEANOUT

1.   Drain the pond using a sump pump or the waterfall pump with a pump bag to prevent fish from being sucked into the impeller.  Continue to move the hose around the surrounding landscaping to allow for ground seepage.
Note:  make sure to use some of the pond water to fill up a container to temporarily keep your fish.  Add an auto air bubbler if possible.  It is much easier to catch the fish if the water level is about 6" deep.  Cover the container so the fish cannot escape.  Use of the existing pond water will keep the fish from being shocked because of a rapid temperature change.  the fill valve also needs to be turned off during the cleanout.

2.   Unplug the waterfall pump, and disconnect the check valve from the return line.  This permits the pipe and filter to be drained.

3.   Clean out any solid waste like leaves or twigs or paper by hand.

4.   It is recommended to use a power washer with a high pressure nozzle to wash down the large pond rocks.  This will clean off matted algae if you keep it within 6" of the rocks.  It is okay to leave some algae on the rocks to help develop your ecosystem once again.  Start at the top of the pond and work your way down while pumping out the dirty water that is collecting at the bottom.

5.  Use a garden hose to wash the gravel and continue to pump out the water in the bottom of the pond that accumulates.  Keep rinsing the pond until the water begins to run clear.

6.  T his is a good time to divide the fertilize plants and check the underwater lights for light bulbs.

7.   Clean our the skimmer box.  Pump out the water and hose it down, make sure you clean out the net and hose off the filter pad.

8.   Clean out the filter, the mats, and bags of lava rock.  These just need to be hosed down.  Replace the filter pads about every three years or if they begin to tear apart while handling.

9.   Put everything back together and start filling the pond.  When it is a foot full you can acclimate your fish for return to the pond.  The best way to do this is put the fish in smaller containers and float them for about 15 minutes to allow for a water temperature change, just like you would o for you aquarium when you introduce fish.  Periodically you can add water from the fresh filling pond to each container.  Then you are ready to release the fish.  Note: If you are using city water, you need to neutralize the chlorine in the water by adding de-chlorinator and heavy metal remover.

10. Continue to fill the pond with the hose or use the automatic water fill valve.  Add microbe lift PL each week as recommended on box.