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Spring Cleaning Your Pond

© Marie A. Miczak

Spring is in the air in many locals and now people are starting to see signs of their ponds waking up. This waking up can include dreaded green algae. Simple algae can make some rush to dump out and clean their entire pond. Of course this drastic action, if not done properly, can cause harm to inhabitants such as fish. It also will have the consequence of ruining the ecosystem and organisms that break down fish waste and ammonia. The pH can also be disrupted. People need to understand algae is a normal occurrence and blooms are a natural process. The key is amassing plants and assessing if your deep water aquatics such as water lilies need to be replaced. As soon as it is warm enough, shop around for tropical water plants that can grow quickly to cover the surface of your pond. This surface coverage will naturally battle algae.

Fish and pond health is something else to assess this spring. This can be a very stressful period of time for fish as the water warms and they are attacked by various organisms and parasites. Monitor your fish closely for signs of problems. Some find it helpful to add aquarium (not table) salt to the pond prior to the introduction of plants. Water changes follow to clear the salt, making the waters levels safe again for plants. Adding a slime coat product and Neem can also help.

Some cleaning of the pond may be needed. Especially if many leaves have fallen to the bottom. Rotting leaves can prove very toxic to pond inhabitants so be sure to remove them as soon as possible. Prepare yourself to pull out dead frogs. Man made ponds do not allow enough mud for the frogs to over winter and unfortunately dead frogs in spring are common. These also can harm fish so be sure to get rid of them during your cleaning. This can be easier said than done but it is a must. After you are done cleaning add fresh barley straw and lavender to the water in a bag until you can get your trickle tower or bio filter working again. Watch the weather forcast for surges in temperature. Without cover from plants and a running waterfall or fountain, your fish may not have enough air suspended in the water. If you see any of your fish gasping for air, try to turn on some sort of a fountain or even add a bubbler.

-MAM
http://www.anakee.com

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