Fish Pond Care

Fish pond care is a skill that needs to be learned by every pond owner. These amazing decorative landscaping pieces can be a sight to behold, or a sight to cringe at. Proper year round care begins with knowledge and ends with scheduled tasks that need to be carried out every season.

The spring is the most important time of the year for fish pond care because it brings the entire water environment back to life after the harsh winter cold. Prepping the pond for the warm months begins with a good cleaning. Scoop out some of the existing pond water and store the fish and plants in covered buckets while completing the cleaning. Pump all of the water out and scrub the inner linings completely clean. Use a sponge, scraper, and any other tools that may be needed. Make sure to scoop out all of the clumps of algae and dead plant remains before moving on to the next step, which is adding new water into the hole. Fill the pond to the desired level and then add the plants and fish, as well as any new varieties that are wanted. Feed the fish, without overfeeding them, and add some pond plant food into the water. Add a chemical additive to stop the growth of algae than turn on the cleaning and circulating pumps. Be sure to check, and replace, all the filters in order to maximize the operating performance of them.

The summer months are the pinnacle of the fish pond and allow the owner of it to mostly sit back and enjoy the results caused by the spring care routine. Be sure to continue feeding the fish and implement a routine maintenance task to remove any algae or debris that may be present. Add pond plant food when needed and check the filters on a regular basis, changing them whenever needed.

The fall is the time of the year for the fish pond environment to be prepared for the upcoming cold weather. As the temperature drops in the water the fish that are present will begin to slow as their metabolism adjusts, so the food offered to them needs to become less in order to prevent masses of uneaten food. Routinely clean out the fallen leaves from the water, as well as any dead foliage from the plants within the fish pond. It is a good idea to place netting over the top of the water at this time to help catch some of the surrounding leaves, and add a de-icier into one corner of the fish pond before freezing temperatures are reached. Before the cold hits heavy some, or all, of the plants may have to removed. Specific plants cannot adapt to the cold, so they need to be removed and placed in buckets of pond water and stored in a building that offers them light and a warmer temperature.

The winter is the finale to the year, and as such the fish and plants within the pond do not need to be fed. Turn off all the pumps because cold water holds oxygen longer, so there is no need to take the chance of the pumps freezing. If the water does happen to freeze solid, use hot water, or some other source of heat, to break a hole through it. Never pound on the surface of the ice because it may kill any fish that are floating underneath.

Fish pond care is a year round task that needs to be carried out to ensure that the pond does not become a waste of space within the landscape. Pond care is a simple task that can be carried out in a matter of hours, and along with a few hours here and there for maintenance, can easily be kept in top condition throughout the entire year.