Tips for spring pond maintenance

Although you wouldn't know it by looking out the window, we are merely five days from the start of Spring.  This means it is nearly time to do some annual pond cleaning.  Even if your pond was just cleaned last year, leaves and debris have probably been falling in throughout the winter and decaying into muck on the bottom.  Performing a spring cleaning can help prevent future problems from arising throughout the pond season.  Some pond enthusiasts are happy to handle their own maintenance, but you can always hire a professional to take care of it.  For our neighbors in the Camden/Burlington/Gloucester area, Landvista Aquascapes has a team of pond experts that are trained by the best in the world to properly care for your ponds and water features.

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For those of you who are outside the South Jersey area, click here to find a local Certified Aquascape Contractor to service your pond. 

 1. Clean your pond.  This can be as thorough as a full clean-out or as basic as just washing the dirt off the rocks.  However you do it, the perfect time is in early Spring before water temperatures climb above 55º.  
 2. Check the pump. Your pump is the heart of your water feature and it is crucial to keep it in good working order.  Take it out of the skimmer/vault and wash it off, then inspect the impeller and any other moving parts for excessive wear or damage.  The pumps we use usually just need a good rinse and they're ready for the season.  
 3. Fix leaks.  If your pond is constantly losing water, it never gets the chance to become completely established as an ecosystem because the fresh water being added disrupts the pond's natural harmony.  Repairing leaks at this point in the season will contribute to clearer water, less algae, stronger beneficial bacterial colonies, and ultimately a more enjoyable water feature.  
 4. Remove leaves/debris.   Use your hands and a net to pick out whatever doesn't belong in the pond.  This is important because that stuff will decompose into sludge that in turn fuels algae blooms. 
 5. Add bacteria.  Beneficial bacteria treatments are essential to a healthy pond ecosystem.   These good bacteria compete with the algae for available nutrients, starving the algae of its food source.  The Automatic Dosing System we use and install makes this task as easy as changing your socks.  
 6. Add plants.  Plants are an important part of a well-balanced ecosystem.  They have the magical ability to transform dirty fish waste into beautiful flowers, and in doing so they reduce the amount of nutrients that would otherwise be food for algae.   
 7.  Go easy on the fish food.  We all want big, beautiful koi in our ponds, but it is important to have patience with their growth.  There is a limit to how much they can eat at any one time; more than that is not just wasteful, it also creates a secondary problem when the uneaten food is consumed by algae.  
 8. Have fun with it!  Your pond is alive, and like you, it enjoys a new look from time to time.  Maybe you want to introduce some new aquatic plants and add some different marginal plants around the water.  Maybe you want to add some accent lights and make it into your own special evening retreat.  If plants and lights aren't getting you excited, maybe you'd rather have a stream or a waterfall designed to expand the feature beyond its current borders.  Even just moving some rocks around can bring new life to an old pond.  If you'd like some help with ideas, or to discover what is possible, come visit our Outdoor Design Center in Atco, NJ and our team of certified pond experts will get to work transforming your visions of the perfect backyard oasis into reality.  

Need more information on getting your water feature ready for the season? Check out this short video below:

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Landvista Aquascapes is the premiere team of water feature specialists in the South Jersey area.  We handle spring pond cleanouts for backyard koi ponds throughout Camden County, Burlington County, Gloucester County, as well as the western part of Atlantic County, and the northern part of Cumberland County.  Landvista Aquascapes is centered in Waterford Works, at the southeast corner of Camden County where we have our pond supply store and design center.  As full-time specialists of ponds and water features, we have unparalleled dedication and expertise among pond companies local to the SJ area.  Landvista Aquascapes is committed to providing the best quality service and ensuring that all of our customers have a great experience working with us.  

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