Some ponds are never cleaned and the ponds and its occupants survive very well. Most ponds, however, need some form of regular maintenance to ensure their continued survival.
A large number of ponds are created with high fish densities or are built in locations where the pond receives a great deal of debris over the year. Even if you start out with just a few fish initially, in a healthy pond they will breed to the point that the number of fish will push the environmental limits of your pond. The debris may be the result of leaves blowing into the pond, the die-back of vegetative pond plants or fish wastes. It is these latter types of conditions that will necessitate you cleaning the pond eventually.
The two best times for cleaning are in the autumn and the spring:
Cleaning in the autumn reduces the amount of accumulated waste on the bottom of the pond as you head into winter. This waste may turn anerobic if sufficient oxygen is not available, thus creating a breeding ground for harmful bacteria. Alternatively, this waste may decompose, releasing ammonia and other dangerous chemicals. The build up of these pollutants can lead to fish kills over the winter months.
Cleaning in the spring removes material accumulated over the winter from leaves blowing into the pond, accumulated fish waste or catkins and similar materials shed by trees as they leaf out. Cleaning at this time may also help to reduce diseases and parasites that often occur as the pond and its biology warms up for the summer. Cleaning will also help to reduce the overall availability of nutrients that stimulate algae growth.
Please contact us for more information on this subject. Because of our experience and the specialist equipment we carry with us, we are able to clean all types and sizes of lakes and ponds.