When do you do pond cleanout? How often should you do pond cleanout? Should you attempt to do pond cleanout on your own ponds, or do you need a professional? We will answers those questions in this article, presented to you by J & A Excavation, leading the way in pond excavation and general outstanding pond maintenance in the Fort Worth area. Call us at 817-933-7778 for more information and for a job price quote.
Now, let’s talk about pond cleanout.
What is pond cleanout and what does it entail?
Cleanouts are necessary to maintain a clear, healthy pond. With the advent of cold weather, once the water temperature dips below 55 degrees, the beneficial bacteria that balances your ecosystem goes dormant. A large amount of muck & waste builds up in your filter & pond bottom. This causes ammonia spikes which are deadly to fish and causes large amounts of algae growth as the temperatures warm up.
Steps in a quality pond cleanout include:
- Drain your pond.
- Remove your fish safely
- Place back fish after cleaning
- Remove all large debris.
- Pressure wash rocks & filters
- Replace any loose or missing gravel
- Check & repair lights
- Pond detoxifier application
- Beneficial bacteria application
- Blow leaves & debris away
- Fertilize all aquatic plants
- Make sure your pond runs like new
- Labor & trip charge included*
What time of year is best for pond cleanout?
It is our opinion, and the general opinion of the professional community, that a pond cleanout is best performed in the spring, before the water temperature rises above 55 degrees; in other words, during the winter dormant stage of the pond season.
How often should you clean your pond?
Small ponds can be cleaned once per year and the natural balance desired will be maintained. Larger ponds, twice would be optimum, but that number is fairly standard if you have a regular maintenance schedule with a professional pond maintenance company.
One needs to realize and understand that a pond is a living organism, and it supports living organisms. It is so much more than a place for livestock to water, or a landscape feature for everyone to gawk at during parties. A healthy pond, like a healthy environment, must be looked after, loving maintained, and protected against anything which will harm it, and that requires a professional approach.
At the risk of sounding self-serving, small ponds can, most definitely, be maintained by the property owners, but larger ponds, farm ponds, ranch ponds, those need constant maintenance in order to keep them healthy and productive on your property.
A word about J & A Excavation
Digging ponds and filling them with water is one thing; proper pond maintenance is quite another thing altogether, and it requires professional skills and an understanding of the pond structure to do it properly.
It requires the skills of a company like J & A Excavating Services, for twenty years a trusted name in the Fort Worth area. Call us at 817-933-7778 for more information about pond maintenance, building pads, driveway excavation, and other excavation services. We are locally owned and operated, a trusted name in the Greater Fort Worth Metro area.