Pond Preparation after Winter

Spring Clean-up starts when the outside temperature remains around the 45°F mark.

• Remove any leaves and decayed plants, being carefull not to injure the fish. Dead, rotting vegetation can release methane gas that is very deadly to fish.



• Remove 1/3 of the water and the sludge from the bottom with a vaccum (pond or wet-dry shopvac). If the water is dark and really foul smelling, drain at least 2/3 or do a complete drain. The water is full of nutrients, so pump it out into the garden. Scrub the sides down gently, leaving some of the algae. DO NOT use any cleaning agents. Rinse off and pump the waste out again. Check the liner for leaks or tears. Check waterfalls for loose rocks...or other damage caused by winter freezes. You can refill the pond and replace your plants.



• Cut back the dead vegetation and add mulch to the surrounding area.



• Replant the bulbs that you dug up in the fall.



• Clean and hook up your pumps, filters, etc. replacing filter media. Now is a good time to add starter cultures of beneficial bacteria to instantly age your pond, giving your filter the ability to remove toxins from the water.



• Start feeding when the temperature rises to 50°F. As the fish have hibernated over the winter months, be sure not to overfeed them. Once a day, as much as they will eat in 5 minutes is ample. DO NOT OVERFEED! Wheat Germ Sticks are recomended for optimal digestibility, minimum water pollution, and conditioning the fish before/after winter.



• Since the fish are coming out of dormancy, they are suseptible to disease. Treat the pond for disease as a preventative measure. If your fish have wintered indoors, make sure that you adapt them slowly to the pond water temperature.