AX at aol.com says: I'm just getting started, but you're making it easy.

JJ at netzero.com says: ...been enjoying the projects...finally bought the CD

VB of Quebec Canada says: Your designs are clear and simple to understand...Service is FAST!

NE of York, ME says: ...my pond's better than the one landscapers built next door. Thanks.

Spring Start-Up At A Glance
All ponds are different and excact proceedures will depend upon geographical area, but the steps below will get you started towards a successful season!
 

As soon as the ice has melted and you “fire-up” your garden pond for the seasons ahead, you should take the time to perform a visual inspection and equipment check. Look over the pond for moved coping stones or other damage caused by frost and ice. Check your filters, tubing, wiring, pumps, lighting, etc. for any damage or wear caused by age or weather.

Net out or skim off any debris that has fallen or blown into the pond over the winter.

Check all equipment (tubing, pumps, fittings, wiring, filters, liner, etc.) for signs of winter damage, wear or leaks. Hidden damage can cause major or minor leaks so watch the pond level carefully when you first start the pumps and filters.

If you must add new or additional water, be sure it is close to the pond temperature so you do not shock the fish or plants. Treat tap water with a chlorine neutralizer or chlorine & heavy metal neutralizer as needed for your area.

You may wish to drain and clean the pond thoroughly if the sludge layer on the bottom is over 1-1/2" to 2" deep. If you do this, it's a great time to repot and stabilize the plants, make any repairs, upgrades or modifications that you have been putting off. Note: We usually drain, clean and refill ponds of less than 1000 gallons every spring because it is just as easy as as a spring cleanup. We let the depth of the sludge layer and the water quality determine how we will handle larger ponds. (Fush can be kept in a cooler of pond water for the short time it takes to drain and fill a pond - an aerator is helpful to reduce stress.)

When the water temperature averages 50°F, the oxygenators or submerged plants should be added at the rate of one bunch per 3 or 4 square feet of surface area . (More if pond is in full sun - Less if in full shade.)

Fish are very weak after the long winter under the ice so we recommend adding a stress coat product or similar to the water. A preventative dose of a broad spectrum fungicide and/or bactericide, when the water reaches about 50°F, may be necessary if your pond has a history of springtime problems.

For water quality, we recommend a dose of beneficial bacteria when the water temperature reaches 55°F (a couple of weeks after any preventative bactericide or it will kill the beneficial bacteria) and then an enzyme product when the water temperature nears 60°F to help dissolve any build-up of bottom sludge.

Raise over wintered plants to their proper planting depths when water temperature is above 40°F. Begin fertilizing when water temperature nears the 60°F mark. Check previous page for times to add new plants.

   We recommend a simple notebook or binder so you can write on some pages, but also add printed pages, downloaded web pages, magazine articles, newsletters, etc.

  Start with the basics as you build your pond or at the time installation, if you have someone else do the work. Write down the size and depth, number of gallons, type and flow rating of your pump, filter type, location of wiring and tubing and anything else that may be specific to your pond. This makes it much easier when you have to figure a water treatment or fish medicine dosage or need a recommendation of how many plants you may need or the maximum number of fish you may have. If you have a pump or filter question, the first thing your water garden expert will ask is: "What is the size and make?". Knowing where the tubing and wiring are buried may prevent accidental damage when you are landscaping the area around the pond.

  Next, you should keep a history of your pond. This will benefit you and make it easier for your water garden expert to assist you. List the types of plants you have and even draw a small "map" of their locations. This will help you identify them when they are dormant in late fall or early spring and will make it easier to ask which ones to prune, drop into deeper water, etc. A list will also help you to remember which tropicals you had in the pond last year and which you liked or want to replace with another species this year. You should especially keep note of how many oxygenators (or submerged plants) you had last year. If you had problems with water quality, then get more this year. If you had clear water last year, be sure to get at least the same amount. The same goes for Water Hyacinths or Water Lettuce.

  Do you remember the last time you fertilized your plants or cleaned your filters? If your pump suddenly "dies" do you know if it is still under the warrantee? Forgot what size piece of filter material you used to make that filter? If you had kept a log, the answer would be at your fingertips!!!

  It's also nice to make notes of the little things about your pond. What flowers did you really like? When did your water lily leaves reach the surface in the spring? What animals have you seen visiting or inhabiting your garden pond? Write down your expansion plans or dreams. Make a wish list of accessories that you may want or the modifications you wish to make. The more you know about your water garden - the simpler it is to maintain and the more you will enjoy it!

NE of York, ME says: ...my pond's better than the one landscapers built next door. Thanks.

JB at metrocast.net says:
None of my friends believe that I put it in myself!

Don't Do This!

     The picture linked above shows a drained pond (it actually leaked dry) that is typical of too many that we see when we are called for a consultation. Be it homeowner built or installed by a well meaning, but inexperienced landscaper (newly turned pond installer), this pond has some serious problems. We have broken the potential problems into six categories (Bottom Profile, Planting Areas, Edges & Stonework, Fish Problems, Pond Shape and Water Loss) and will discuss one area in detail at each update. I hope this will help you to avoid the same problems with your own installation or perhaps help you to choose an experienced installer by comparing this to an installer's sample ponds

Marginal planting areas: The plant shelf is small, narrow, has collapsed totally at the far end, is settling along the entire length. Plants are important to ponds, not just for looks, but for water quality. This plant shelf is too small to hold enough plants to keep this pond clear of algae. The settling of the shelf will cause long term problems as potted plants sit crooked making them easier to blow or knock over, slide off the shelf into the deep area (dumping soil into the water) and if the collapse continues, there will be no shelf! Again, if the soil is sandy or lose, the edges of the shelf area should be blocked with concrete blocks while digging the hole to add some stability. We also go with a half shallow-half deep pond where there is a large flat planting area at one end or side that then transitions to the deeper area. This allows sufficient plants to compete against algae and also offers a shallow flat area for a fountain or other feature and an area to walk around in the pond if maintenance so requires.
Next update...the edges

Water Garden FAQ's (frequently asked questions)
I'll try to address your most asked questions here and change them at each update. Contact us if you have a question.

What do I do about brown water? Brown water is usually a sign of dirt suspended in the water. Better filtration or the addition of a stream or upper pool to act as a settling camber will help, but finding the source of the dirt is a better long term solution. The most common source of dirt in the pond is 'wash-in' when it rains. Fold flexible liner up behind the coping stones and tuck the end under the top layer of stone to keep wash-in out of flexible liner ponds. You can do the same thing for hardshell ponds by tucking a strip of sheet plastic or liner between the hardshell and the soil and folding it behind the coping stones just like the flexible liner ponds. Older ponds may develop brown water problems when they are mulched. Always remove the old mulch first to prevent the mulch layer from building up over the sides of the pond where it will wash in.

  Another common source of soil in the pond is from your aquatic plants. Always add and inch or two of pea stone or similar on top of the soil in the pots so the soil will not mix with the water. If you are using plastic pots with holes in the bottom, always cover the holes with a couple of layers of newspaper. The mesh lily basket pots are supposed to be lined with untreated burlap to contain the soil. Plant roots can also grow to the point where the pot will actually split and release soil into the water, so split or repot your plants as they grow. Large fish, especially Koi, will also dig in the pots, especially water lilies, and release the soil into the water. Larger stones or a lily protector net will help eliminate this source. Sometimes there is only one source of soil, but most often it is a combination of a couple that are listed above.

  If the pond is brown, but clear it is what we call a 'tea' pond.  The cause is usually leaves or other garden or tree debris breaking down in the water and acting like a teabag. Partial water exchanges will lessen the effect, but removal of the debris or preventing it from entering the pond is the only long term solution.