subject: Spring Pond Maintenance - the basics, part 1 [print this page] Spring Pond Maintenance - the basics, part 1
The arrival of spring time, with it's longer days, warmer weather and early promise of the summer to come is the time that many of us first consider our ponds after the winter. Winter can be a harsh season on both the ponds inhabitants, and the pond itself with freezing conditions stressing fish, plants and wildlife as well as potentially damaging pond liners, pumps and filters, especially if precautions have not been taken the previous autumn and preventative measures carried out. Early spring is the ideal time to check that everything is ready for you to enjoy a trouble free and attractive pond in the months ahead. A thorough inspection of any pumps is a good starting point, especially if they have been switched off since the autumn, as is often the case with fountain and waterfall pumps. Remove them from the water, and away from the pond edge,(where you might drop smaller pieces into the pond), and disassemble the pump housing to clean the impellor and any pre-filters to ensure that the pump is running at full capacity.
Next check your pond filters. Many people switch filters off during the winter, but this isn't a good idea as the beneficial bacteria that live inside the filter media which remove chemical waste produced by fish and decaying plant matter will die without a continuous flow of well oxygenated water. It is better to insulate the filter against the winter cold and run the filter 24hrs a day, 365 days a year. Disconnect the filter from the pump, and rinse foams and other media in a bucket of water from the pond,(discard this dirty water after cleaning) making sure they are free from debris and running well before replacing them. Never use tap water for cleaning filter media as the chlorine used to make it safe for drinking will kill the beneficial bacteria. If your filter has a UV filter attached to it, or you have installed a separate one elsewhere on your system now is the time to replace the bulb and switch it back on ready to help prevent early season algal blooms or green water common in spring and early summer.
Now is also a good time to check for any damage caused to your ponds liner by the winter weather, especially around the edge at water level where ice may have formed. Many of the better quality types of liner such as butyl and PVC can be repaired with patch kits, so a torn liner may not necessarily mean you need to replace the whole thing.
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