Seasonal Pond Care - Month by Month
- Kerri Bailey, BS CH
- 1 day ago
- 7 min read
. As the weather varies from year to year, the specifics of your seasonal pond maintenance schedule will also vary. Some years the spring may be long and cool which generally shortens the pond season, so it may start up sometime in late May / early June through fall. Other years we warm up earlier in spring extending the season which could start in mid-late April continuing through late fall.
The following are guidelines and suggestions for general monthly pond maintenance intended for the PNW although it may apply to other regions of the country. Some suggestions may not apply directly to your pond exactly. We have a fully stocked pond store with expert employees that can help guide you throughout the seasons or take one of our classes. And if you need someone to come out and take a look to assist you further, we have an excellent pond maintenance department- either way we have you covered!
Jan. Make Your Yearly Pond Resolutions. Schedule Your Professional Pond Cleaning / Maintenance (call Nature Perfect) if needed; Take Images of Your Winter Pond; Maintain Aeration close to the water’s surface and make sure you have a 2’ exposed hole if ponds ice over to allow gases to escape. If your pond completely freezes over, don’t bang on the ice (especially if you have fish)- wait until we warm up.. If you keep your aeration stones/discs closer to the water surface in the winter this helps to keep the pond from freezing over. It also helps your fish to stay warmer by not mixing the thermo-water layers which happens when the aeration is in on the bottom during colder months (supercooling)
Feb. Monitor Ice Build Up and Water Levels. Ice buildup on waterfalls can be very pretty (take photos and share them with us online), but they can potentially cause ice channels where water can escape leaking into the surrounding landscape. When it is cold, leave your fish alone! Get inspiration at a garden show- look out for one of our displays.
Mar. Clean Filters, Monitor Pond Levels. Clean filters where debris may build up like inside skimmers. If string algae starts to grow, use a plastic bristle brush to gently remove excess, add algae control treatments if desired. Add cold season beneficial bacteria to reduce waste levels preparing the pond for spring. Monitor water levels so pumps do not run dry. Use a floating thermometer spring through fall, sinking thermometer fall through spring.
Apr. Spring Awakens, Monitor Fish Health. As winter transforms into spring, be mindful of the temperature when feeding your fish. Begin to feed your fish with a wheat aka spring/fall diet 1-3 times a week on warmer days above 50 deg. F alternating in between colder days. Monitor your fish health- are they displaying signs of stress or physical symptoms of disease? If you are having problems- first determine the issue and what the best course of treatment needed and when you will do this- please contact us for help, we can guide you on the best solutions given the situation. Resume water treatments for algae and add beneficial bacteria or sludge reducers. Test your water quality to see if there are any issues, add treatments if needed. Turn on / set up filtration or any other items that were winterized; reconnect or turn on your autofill valve (if you have one). Time to change your UV Bulb? (if you have a UV clarifier / Pressure filter). If you have extra aeration, move your stones/discs deeper into the pond closer to the bottom to stir up debris and add more dissolved oxygen during warm weather (winter keep stones/discs closer to water surface).
May Pond Season Starts. As the weather warms and fish get more active, it is time to deep clean our ponds and water features. Complete pond cleaning with fish should be done when they are fully active and out of dormancy (that’s a great time to treat your fish when they are out of the water in holding tanks). Add warm season treatments- beneficial bacteria, barley and sludge reducer. Regularly test your water quality to see if there are any issues, add treatments if needed. Add hardy Pond Plants now and add tropical plants as the weather warms (add floaters end of April-June). Gradually increase feeding your fish. Fertilize waterlilies and Lotus 1-2 times monthly now through late summer. Back Flush Filters (pressure or bead filters) weekly and maintenance them as needed (replace filter pads, UV Bulbs, etc.)
June Stocking Your Pond. Once water temperatures are over 65 deg. F you can add tropical plants- Floating Water Hyacinths & Lettuce, Taro, Egyptian Papyrus as well as any other hardy plant you may choose like waterlilies or other blooming aquatics. Introduce new fish, quarantine first? Increase fish feeding to daily and switch to summer staple food. Clean your pond if needed, continue adding treatments. Pond plants can be divided or up-potted now through the end of summer. Add additional aeration with spitters or kits external air pumps and submersible diffusers (place diffusers on the bottom of the pond during summer to cool off the water and add more oxygen for the fish and plants).
July Check your filter material- does it need to be replaced? Monitor fish health, is everyone doing ok? Treat your fish if needed using the least toxic method before using harsh chemicals- ask us if you need help! Fish may spawn during warmer months, add a spawning brush or other area that tiny fry can hide in. Do you need to add additional filtration? Increase fish feedings to 1-2 times or more per day. Add lighting to your pond or water feature and increase aeration during hotter months. Introduce new aquatic plants like Lotus or a new variety of waterlily. Repot or divide overgrown pond plants and fertilize heavy bloomers like waterlilies and lotus.
Aug. Algae Control. Our hottest month typically is when we get the biggest algae blooms. Add algae control treatments, like Algae-Stop, Cleanmax or barley extract followed up with beneficial bacterial treatments to decrease debris. Install Iongen units to help with string algae or UV Clarifier that helps with suspended algae that cause “green water”. Water changes- 10%-20% will help cool down your water and decrease the nutrients that algae consume; followed by adding water conditioners like Stress Coat or Vanish that neutralizes chemicals that may be in your tap water. Divide or up-pot pond plants while they are actively growing so their roots have time to heal before fall when they stop growing.
Sept. Last Call for Summer. This month can vary by either cooling down or be ongoing summer. Typically, as daylength decreases our pond temperatures start to cool down. It is a good idea to begin to gradually decrease feeding your fish and switch to wheat- spring/fall diet that is easier for them to digest. This month should be the last time you do a large water charge or intensive cleaning if you have fish as they need about 6 weeks to acclimate before they go dormant. Cut back pond plants and dead leaves as needed. Last time to Fertilize Waterlilies and Lotus for the season, if desired.
Oct. Fall Arrives. Reduce fish feeding to every other day, then every third or fourth day until you have stopped by the end of the month, weather depending. Keep your filters and pump intake free from falling leaves and other debris. Add netting over your pond (do not let the net drag into the water, keep it above the water level) to keep leaves and hungry critters out. Cut back plants as they die back and remove tropical & floating plants around Halloween (before they freeze). Add cold water bacteria and sludge reducing treatments regularly now through spring. Use a sinking thermometer during cold months. Move aeration discs / stones closer to the water surface during the fall & winter. Fish are fed sparingly until the end of October to mid- November, weather depending, until we start up again in the spring.
Nov. Have Gratitude. Be thankful for your blessings and the joy your pond gives you as well as the many benefits it provides for the environment- water source for animals and insects, pond plants are important for pollinators and the animals that live inside your pond creating a mini ecosystem. Keep pump intakes debris-free, check your skimmer daily during heavy leaf drop. Add predator decoys or “red lights” that may keep predators from visiting your pond. Disconnect or close autofill water valves if necessary (before freezing weather). Monitor water level if you keep your ponds or water features running year-round so pumps do not run dry.
Dec. Enjoy the Holidays. As winter arrives, fish become dormant, and do not feed or disturb them especially when it is really cold. Maintain aeration for larger features or ponds with fish and keep pumps intake free from debris. Water features that could freeze should be turned off or disassembled and stored until spring. If you decide to shut down your feature for the entire winter, remove your pump and keep it in a bucket of water in a frost-free location (so the seals don’t freeze or damage the pump). If you only shut your feature off for only a few days at a time then turn it back on then you probably don’t need to remove your pump. Monitor water level if you keep your ponds or water features running year-round so pumps do not run dry. Happy Holidays!
Nature Perfect Pond & Supply Store 2905 Black Lake Blvd. Tumwater, WA 98512 PHONE: 360-412-0309 EMAIL: Nppsstore@gmail.com WEB: www.natureperfectlandscaping.com store/blogs: www.OlympiaPonds.com
Nature Perfect Pond Maintenance PHONE: 360-972-0987 EMAIL: Keri.S@Natureperfect.net