Seasonal Care for your Pond
With the exception of several setup tasks that must be completed in spring, and winterizing tasks that must be completed by the end of fall, established ponds can be taken care of with minimal maintenance. Below is a description of how maintenance tasks can vary by season.
Spring/Summer Maintenance
- Clean the pond filter weekly or monthly as required. Remember to clean the water intake on the pump at regular intervals, because it can become clogged with debris.
- As the temperature rises, water evaporation will increase. You will need to refill your pond as needed.
- It is best to replace your pump filters at the beginning of each spring. This is also the best time to re-pot overgrown aquatic plants.
- Monitor your pond's water temperature. You should begin feeding your fish when the water temperature rises above 50 degrees Fahrenheit (or 10 degrees Celsius). Feed them less when the temperature rises above 75 degrees Fahrenheit (or 24 degrees Celsius).
- Test water conditions for high ammonia and pH levels, which can harm fish. Learn more
- Algae blooms are to be expected in the spring as your pond temperature rises. This is a normal process of your pond's life cycle. Learn more
- As the temperature rises, increase water movement in your pond. You can do this by adjusting the flow control valve in your pump, or by adding a larger pump or fountain nozzle. The increased water movement will provide extra oxygen to help reduce stress on your fish.
- Summer is the most active season for ponds. Mosquitoes may increase, but dragonflies are a natural, biological form of mosquito control.
- Learn more about getting your pond ready in the springtime.
Fall/Winter Maintenance
- Clean the bottom of the pond thoroughly, since this is where decaying materials will accumulate.
- Clean leaves out of the pond regularly with a fish net or cover the pond with a fine mesh netting to keep leaves out.
- Clean the pumps by rinsing residue from the inlet screen. Rinse the filter material in the biological and mechanical filters. Fountain nozzles should be removed and rinsed.
- In parts of the country where extremely cold winters are common, plants and fish can be brought indoors to be kept over the winter. Alternatively, you can also opt to overwinter the fish outdoors. Learn more
- If the temperature dips below 32 degrees Fahrenheit, remove the fountain nozzles from the pond pumps.
- Discontinue feeding your fish when the water temperature drops below 50 degrees Fahrenheit.