If you have a pond on your property, or are considering installing one, we know it can be challenging to keep up with maintenance. If you struggle to keep up with your pond or are short on time, don’t worry–a well-cared-for pond is within your reach! To maintain your pond or water installation, and ensure it’s always at its best and most beautiful, follow these easy tips from our Weekly Pond Maintenance Checklist:

• Monitor chemical levels in the water, and add chemicals slowly, carefully, and according to packaging instructions. Remember certain chemicals in concentrated doses can harm fish and plant life. If your water starts looking murky and brown despite proper chemical levels, you can consider adding activated carbon to clear it up.
• Add water as needed. When you add more water, add to the bottom to prevent sediment from forming on the pond’s liner and to avoid disrupting the surface. If you’re quite low on water, add a little at a time for a few days rather than just adding a lot of water at once, following the motto, “slower is better.”
• Skim for debris on the water surface. Mulch, sticks, leaves, and many other refuse items are likely to find their way into your pond over time. Retrieve any large items by hand, and use a skimmer to catch smaller refuse. If you live in an area with many trees or if your pond is located at the bottom of a hill or basin, you may need to clean debris daily, especially during spring and/or fall.
• Feed your plants with appropriate aquatic fertilizer. A quick consultation with your local landscape experts at Heffner Landscaping can point you to the right fertilizers for your particular plant life.
• Feed your fish through warmer months. As it gets cooler in the autumn, reduce fish food. When water temperature gets below 50 degrees Fahrenheit, stop feeding fish altogether. Feeding fish in the winter may seem like a nice gesture, but fish with undigested food in their stomachs can die in the cold winter months.
• Inspect flora and fauna for trauma, disease, or irregularities. Though inhabitants of your pond are alive and will grow and change, you should still be on the lookout for fish with sores or patches of dying plant life. As a pond owner, sometimes you may need to intervene to make your ecosystem a happier home for all its inhabitants.
• Check pumps and filters. Clean and unclog pipes as needed, and replace filters when they’re past their prime.
• Keep water moving through the year with a waterfall, fountain, or bubbling device. Stagnant water is never good for a pond or for the plants and fish in it. To keep oxygen levels balanced, water should be moving and fresh. The more oxygen you have in your pond, the more healthy your plants, animals, and water will be!
• Enjoy the benefits of your personal pond. Ponds have almost endless benefits. From improving the look and value of your property, to dressing up boring or under-utilized spaces, to reducing noise pollution, to introducing a sense of wonder and tranquility to your property, a pond is a beautiful, visible representation of beauty and life in your yard. Not only is the pond great for you personally, but it will also benefit local indigenous wildlife! Ponds cultivate a sense of connection to your environment, and create a focal point for friends, family, and passersby to connect together over a shared sense belonging and beauty.

If you could use help installing or maintaining a pond, Heffner Landscaping can help you with everything. From planning to installation to maintenance, we can’t wait to get you all set up with your own gorgeous pond. You know the value of adding a pond to your property; let us give you the most beautiful water installation in the neighborhood. Contact us to get your pond installed for spring!